Marry Me Tofu

5 stars (13 ratings)

This vegan Marry Me Tofu recipe is a rich, creamy, and luxurious tofu dish with garlic, sun dried tomatoes and spinach! A surprisingly quick and easy one-pan meal that’s ready in 30 minutes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 387kcal

Author: Nora Taylor

Ingredients

Crispy Tofu Triangles

16 ounce super firm tofu *or extra-firm, pressed well
4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons avocado oil *or other high-heat safe oil

Sun-dried Tomato Cream Sauce

5 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup Cashew Cream or other vegan cream, see Notes
2 cups baby spinach sliced or chopped
4-5 fresh basil leaves chopped
1/2 cup Vegan Parmesan optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pan Fry the Tofu

Remove your super-firm tofu from the package (Note-this is NOT the tofu packed in water). Pat dry with a paper towel, then slice into small triangles, or other shape of your choice.
To a small bowl, add the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
In a large non-stick or cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Dunk the tofu pieces in the cornstarch batter to coat all over, then carefully place on the pan. Pan fry the slices for about 4 minutes on one side until crispy and golden brown. Carefully loosen the pieces from the bottom of the pan using a spatula or even a fork and flip to cook on the other side.
Remove the tofu from the pan and set on a plate nearby. Turn the heat down to low-medium and let it cool down a bit before you make the sauce. If there is a lot of cornstarch in the pan, wipe it out carefully.

Prepare the Sauce

In the same skillet over low-medium heat, add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. There still should be some oil in the pan, but if there is not, add another tablespoon before adding the garlic.
Stir in the sun dried tomatoes, oregano, red chili flakes, salt and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
Now add the broth, tomato paste, cream and spinach and stir well. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, until warm and the spinach has wilted. Taste; add more salt, pepper or red pepper flakes as desired.
Remove from heat and stir in the fresh basil and grated parmesan. Place the fried tofu pieces in the sauce and gently flip them over so they are coated.
Serve immediately, either on rice, cooked pasta or with fresh crusty bread.

Notes

If you can't find super firm tofu, you can use extra-firm tofu packed in water. Drain and press it by wrapping in a clean tea towel and place a heavy pan or a few books on top for at least 30 minutes.
For the cream, you can use any store bought dairy free creamer (I love Ripple’s Half and Half), full fat coconut milk, another unsweetened plant milk or best of all, homemade cashew cream.
To make cashew cream for the cream – Bring 2-3 cups of water to a boil (I use my tea kettle). Pour the hot water over ¾ cup raw cashews and let soak for 5 minutes or up to an hour. Drain the cashews and add to a high powered blender with 1 cup of fresh water and blend until creamy and smooth.
If you use a store bought cream or coconut milk, you may want to thicken the sauce a bit with cornstarch, as it won't be as thick as it is with cashew cream. To do this, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water in a bowl, then stir it into the sauce at the end. It should thicken up nicely.

Nutrition