The Well-Spent List: Everything You Need to Make Tofu Delicious
If you’ve read Don’t Be Afraid of Tofu, you already know that I have spent a lot of time trying to convince people that tofu does not have to be bland, boring, or remotely reminiscent of the sad little cubes you may have encountered years ago.
The secret is really quite simple.
Texture and flavor.
Tofu is wonderfully adaptable, but it needs a little help becoming the crispy, golden, flavorful part of a meal that you actually look forward to eating. Over the years, I’ve found a handful of kitchen tools and ingredients that make a noticeable difference.
And one of them is likely to be controversial.
Let’s get into it.
Tofu isn’t the problem. It’s what you do with it that makes all the difference.
Why These Made the List
Every item on this list has earned its place because it helps solve one of the two biggest tofu challenges: getting the texture right and building great flavor.
You’ll notice that I haven’t included a long list of specialized tofu gadgets. You don’t need a kitchen full of equipment to make good tofu.
Instead, I’ve focused on tools I actually use and ingredients that genuinely make a difference.
A few of these products also appear on other Well-Spent Lists. That’s intentional. If something is useful enough to earn a spot on multiple lists, that’s usually a good sign that it gets plenty of use in my kitchen.
Editor’s Note: When you buy through links on The Well-Spent List, we earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
The Well-Spent Picks
Once you get the texture right, tofu becomes less about what you’re missing and more about everything you can do with it.
A Few Honorable Mentions
The tools are only part of the equation.
Tofu is essentially a blank canvas, which is exactly what makes it so versatile. A few simple ingredients can completely change the character of the finished dish.
A light coating of cornstarch can help create an extra-crispy exterior, particularly when air frying or roasting tofu.
An easy way to add savory, salty, umami-rich flavor to tofu marinades and sauces.
A little toasted sesame oil added at the end of cooking gives tofu a wonderful nutty flavor. I prefer using it as a finishing oil rather than for high-heat cooking.
Fresh Garlic & Ginger
These two ingredients are worth keeping around simply because they can transform almost any tofu sauce or marinade.
A Good Sauce
Don’t underestimate the sauce.
Try tamari or liquid aminos with fresh ginger, garlic, sesame oil and a touch of maple syrup. Or add peanut butter. Or chili crisp. Or citrus.
Once you’ve figured out how to create that golden, crispy texture, you can take tofu in almost any direction.
The Well-Spent Take
I’ve eaten plant-based for decades, and one of the things I’ve learned along the way is that eating well isn’t about making every meal complicated.
It’s about knowing a few good techniques and having a handful of tools you genuinely love using.
A skillet that gives tofu a beautiful sear. An air fryer that creates that irresistible golden crisp. A spatula that makes cooking easier. A microplane that turns fresh ginger and garlic into instant flavor.
These aren’t things you need to buy simply because they’re on a list.
They’re things worth considering when they’ll actually make the way you cook better.
Because that’s what makes something well-spent.
Not having more in your kitchen.
Explore More
Continue exploring plant-based cooking and the kitchen favorites that make everyday meals easier and more enjoyable:
- Don’t Be Afraid of Tofu
- You Don’t Have to Be Vegan to Eat More Plants
- How I’ve Eaten Plant-Based for Decades Without Feeling Deprived
- Stop Making Two Dinners: How I Cook for Vegans and Meat-Eaters Every Night
- The Well-Spent List: Favorite Plant-Based Cookbooks
- Countertop Appliances Worth Every Inch of Space
- The Well-Spent List: Kitchen Essentials