Tofu, tofu, tofu! It’s got a mixed rep. I’ve heard omni’s describing it as tasteless, bland and depressing. But, to me, that just makes it the perfect canvas. The best thing about tofu is that you can make it whatever you want. Heaven!
The key is knowing how to cook and marinate it (and there are endless possibilities, depending on the dish).
This recipe is my favourite go-to snack type tofu. It couldn’t be easier. Marinated then baked. Perfect for an easy treat (when you want something healthy-ish), sprinkled on salads or served with some roasted veg.
I hate it when omni’s say ‘I love animals but I love bacon more’ or ‘How can you be vegan (!) don’t you miss bacon?’ I used to like bacon, yes, until I realised what it was. (So no, I don’t miss it!)
These are salty, crispy and make for a great bacon sub (also a great protein fulled snack). My flatmate, who I’m afraid to say eats red-meat for almost every meal, gave me a thumbs up for these and said he’d happily eat them as a bacon substitute. I take that as a pretty decent endorsement! So why not try them and let me know what you think?
Generally speaking I like my tofu crispy – for this recipe it’s essential!
The type of tofu you use really makes a difference – here you’ll need extra firm tofu. The most important step is fully draining and pressing your tofu. Do not rush this step! You want to get rid of as much excess liquid as possible. Soggy tofu will not crisp up!
You can see how to press and drain tofu here or if you love tofu as much as I do you may want to invest in a press, they’re inexpensive and hassle free.
I like to marinate my tofu for at least an hour in the fridge (making sure all pieces are well covered). Then drain them off, evenly layer them on some aluminium foil and bake circa 30 minutes near the top of the oven, turning half way, until the tofu is golden. Heaven!
This is a great recipe if you’re trying to encourage your children to enjoy some vegan food as these can easily replace chicken or fish fingers and be dipped into low-fodmap ketchup, barbecue sauce or vegan mayo (recipes coming soon). The thinner the tofu slices the more bacon-y they taste! If you’re making them to have on a salad or with a dip I would make them thicker.
If you want to add a little kick just sprinkle on some cayenne before you bake.
I often like to cook large batches of recipes so I have left-overs but this recipe is so tasty I usually end up eating it all in one sitting! I hope you guys love it as much as I do.
Enjoy!
No, I Don't Miss Bacon - Tofu Strips
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup 125ml water
- 1 low-FODMAP stock cube
- 2 tbsp tamari
- Extra firm tofu pressed and drained thinly sliced*
Instructions
- Press, drain and slice the tofu (Thickness depending on use, check notes!)**
- Mix the stock, water and tamari together and stir
- Line up the tofu strips on a tray, make sure they don't overlap. Pour over the liquid and make sure the tofu is evenly covered
- Place the marinated tofu in the fridge for 1-2 hours to marinate
- Preheat the oven to 175 C
- Line a baking tray with some aluminium foil. Drain the tofu strips and lay them out onto the foil, making sure there's no overlap
- Put them in the oven for 15 minutes each side (30 minutes total), until golden brown
- Enjoy!
Notes
- The thinner the tofu slices the more bacon-y they taste.
- If you're making them to have on a salad or with a dip I would make them thicker.
Made this last night , delicious ; who needs bacon