Versatile and very easy Shredded Tofu. Grate extra-firm tofu with a box grater, then sauté (or bake) with garlic and seasonings until golden, chewy, and crispy. It makes a great shredded chicken or pulled pork alternative and is delicious tossed in BBQ sauce!
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Nutritional Yeast Tofu? You have competition! This Shredded Tofu is so easy to make, has the best chewy/crispy texture, is endlessly versatile, and really delicious!
My nooch tofu is my number one most popular tofu recipe, and a favourite of mine too, but I'm finding myself making this one more often. So far, it's been used as a filling in sandwiches, tacos and a burrito, piled on bowls of creamy carrot noodle soup, added to bowl meals, nachos, and stir-fries, sprinkled all over my salads, tossed in teriyaki or BBQ sauce, and used instead of the vegan ground "beef" in my one-pot vegan spaghetti bolognese.
See what I mean about it being versatile? It's also ridiculously simple to make and works beautifully for meal prep and reheating. Whip up a batch and store it in the fridge to add to your meals for the week ahead!
Mel x
Ingredients
Here is what you need at a glance, along with some important ingredient notes & substitution ideas:
- Tofu - Your tofu must be extra-firm. Softer tofu will not grate well and will take much longer to get the chewy, crispy texture.
- Garlic - This is key to great flavour. I use one large clove, but sometimes throw in an extra one. If you're a garlic lover, I say go with your heart!
- Soy sauce - For umami, meaty flavour and colour.
- Maple syrup or brown sugar - This helps with the colour, texture, and flavour.
- Oil - There is no doubt that this recipe turns out better if you use oil, but if you are WFPB or need to avoid oil, you can omit it. You might need to cook it a little longer to get it nicely golden though.
- Chili powder - This makes the tofu shreds really tasty! Feel free to add in any other spices you like as well or instead of though. You could go in all sorts of directions with this!
- Black pepper - A generous amount for flavour. You don't need any salt because of the soy sauce.
Recipe
Easy Shredded Tofu
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce , or gluten-free soy sauce
- 1 large clove garlic , finely grated (I use a microplane)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon chili powder or any other spices you like (see notes if in the UK/Europe)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or brown sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Remove tofu from the packet, shake off any excess liquid, then grate with a cheese/box grater.
- Heat a wide saute pan over medium heat. Add the oil. Once hot add the shredded tofu, soy sauce, grated garlic, pepper, chili powder and maple syrup/sugar.
- Toss in the pan to coat the tofu, then allow to cook until deeply golden, dried out, chewy, and crispy in places, stirring frequently so it cooks evenly. Don't rush it, and turn down the heat as necessary to stop it from burning. The time it takes will depend on your pan, but it should be around 15 minutes.
- Alternatively, add tofu to a lined baking tray. Sprinkle over the other ingredients, then toss to coat evenly. Spread out into a thin layer and bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 25 minutes or until deeply golden, dried out, chewy, and crispy. Toss halfway through the cook time.
NOTES
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Lydia says
Can I use this to make spaghetti sauce?
Melanie McDonald says
You can use it any way you like. I’ve used it in a bolognese type sauce.
Mary says
Loved this! I snacked on this by itself, then added it to salads... the possibilities really are endless!
Melanie McDonald says
So pleased you're enjoying it, Mary!
Roberta says
I was happy to find your recipe because I had everything on hand. It’s delicious, in fact, my non-vegan son said it tastes like chicken…lol. Thank you for this fast, easy, simple ingredients recipe that also happens to be soooo tasty! My kind of recipe ;)
Karen Stiewe says
Can ultra firm tofu be substituted for extra firm tofu?
Melanie McDonald says
That will be fine.
Gail says
I made this and put it in tacos then used leftovers un sandwiches the next day. Let me tell you everyone loved it and I love it because it’s so easy and cheap. Thanks. Mel!
Vida says
Hello! I have try it and it tured out great. I used it for tortillas stuffing. I baked it in the oven as was afraid to put everything in a pan. So perhaps that's why it is not so crispy, but it is OK. Do yu think I can try wok next time?
Melanie McDonald says
I don't recommend using a wok. They are designed for quick cooking and don't have a big enough bottom area. A wide flat pan is best so the tofu is spread out thin and dries out adequately as it cooks. Something like a frying pan or skillet.
Glenda Fagan says
I recently wondered about replacing shredded cheese with shredded tofu in an already forgotten recipe. I will try this one in the air fryer first. If that doesn't work, I'll go with baking it. I'm expecting it to be as wonderful as the Nooch Tofu!
Melanie McDonald says
Whether this will work in an air fryer depends on your air fryer. I can't cook it in mine because it has a mesh (not solid) bottom and I'd lose most of it as I was tossing it. Even if you've got a solid bottom you'd need to cook it in a couple of batches unless you've got one of those bigger toaster oven style air fryers. When you start it's quite a big volume of tofu and it needs to be spread out to cook effectively. It's way quicker and less hassle to just throw it in a pan on the stove (my preferred way) or to oven bake it on a big baking tray, which I do if the oven is on for something else. That's why I didn't include air fryer directions. Hope that helps!
Kate says
I have an air fryer oven with a mesh shelf. I just layer the seasoned shredded tofu - I toss with a Tbs of oil first - on a layer of parchment paper on the mesh shelf and air fry until brown and crispy, stirring halfway. It works beautifully. This is my favorite way to make tofu. Thanks for a great recipe.