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Spice-Rubbed Braised Tofu with Vegetables in a Savory Umami Sauce. A unique delicious holiday entree that all cooks in one pan! (gluten-free and nut-free with soy-free options)
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I wanted to make a vegan braised meat-style dish for the holidays, so I came up with this one-skillet meal that’s rich, hearty, and incredibly flavorful. It features an amazing, aromatic spice rub that smells so meaty you’ll be surprised it’s entirely plant-based. The spice rub coats tofu that’s been frozen, thawed, and pressed, giving it a dense, chewy texture perfect for braising.
The base for the braise starts with crisped-up potatoes and carrots. After searing the vegetables, we make a deeply flavorful sauce with caramelized onions, lots of aromatics, and fresh herbs, and flavor boosters.
The tofu and vegetables braise together in this sauce, allowing the tofu to absorb all that flavor while developing a slightly crispy top and a tender, chicken-like interior.
We use an oven-safe pan to start the dish on the stovetop and finish it in the oven, where the vegetables become perfectly tender and the tofu gets a gorgeous golden top.
It’s fantastic served with rice, couscous, mashed potatoes or other mashed vegetables, bean purée, some crusty bakery bread, or a side salad.
A simple herb sauce adds a bright, fresh contrast, but you can enjoy it on its own, too. It’s full of amazing flavors with or without. The herb sauce just bumps up the flavor even more.
Why You’ll Love Braised Tofu and Vegetables
- 1-pan entree that’s perfect for the holiday table
- flavorful braised vegetables in caramelized onion sauce
- big pieces of crisp, herb-rubbed tofu
- naturally gluten-free and nut-free with easy soy-free option
More Holiday Main Dishes
Braised Tofu and Vegetables
Ingredients
For the Spice-Rubbed Tofu
- 15 ounces extra-firm tofu, frozen for a few hours, then thawed and pressed for at least 15 minutes, or just use pressed tofu, if you don’t want to freeze
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne, optional
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Optional Add-Ins
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon brown sugar
For the Braised Vegetables
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- 1½ cups cubed potatoes, ½” to ¾” pieces
- 1 cup chopped carrots, ½” pieces
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce, see notes for substitution
- 2 cups vegetable stock, divided, or more, if needed
For the Optional Herb Sauce
- ½ cup fresh herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, or both, chopped
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Make the spice rubbed tofu.
- If frozen, thaw the tofu overnight in the fridge or on the counter for an hour or so. Press the tofu for at least 15 minutes to remove excess moisture. Tear into 1½” to 2 inch” pieces.
- Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and toast for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened. Add the bay leaves to the pan, and toast briefly, then switch off the heat. Transfer to a spice grinder or coffee grinder, and process until coarsely ground. Mix the ground mixture with the remaining tofu rub spices and salt in a small bowl.
- Add the tofu pieces to a large bowl. For extra flavor, you can toss the tofu cubes with the optional soy sauce mixed with brown sugar before coating them with the spice rub. Sprinkle the spice mixture all over, and toss well to coat. Marinate for at least an hour in the fridge.
Braise the tofu and vegetables.
- Meanwhile, prep all of the veggies and start the braising process. Preheat the oven to 415°F (210°C).
- Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onions turn translucent. Add a splash of water, if needed, to prevent sticking.
- Add the thyme and sage, then stir in the potatoes and carrots. Add another teaspoon of oil, if needed, and toss to coat everything evenly. Let the mixture sit undisturbed for about 5 minutes or longer, so the vegetables can start to sear and the onions can caramelize. At this point, you can sear the tofu briefly in the skillet, or add it later.
- Make a space in the middle of the pan and add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and ½ cup of stock. Mix really well, then pour in the remaining stock, and mix again. Place the tofu pieces on top of the vegetables. If the tofu is already mixed in, don’t mix it up too much; just let everything sit in the stock. Drizzle a teaspoon or more of oil over the tofu.
- Turn off the heat, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tofu starts to get crispy on top and the potatoes and carrots are tender. If the tofu isn’t crispy enough, broil for a minute or two for extra crispness. If the sauce reduces too much, add a splash of stock before serving.
Meanwhile, make the herb sauce.
- Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve the braised tofu and veggies as is, or with rice, couscous, mashed potatoes, bean purée, or crusty bread. Drizzle with the herb sauce before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients
- tofu – For the best texture, freeze and then thaw the tofu before pressing out the excess moisture. To save time, you can just press the tofu for 15 minutes, if needed.
- herbs and spices – For the spice rub, you need cumin seeds, bay leaves, paprika cayenne (optional), black pepper, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. For the braised vegetables, use fresh or dried thyme along with dried sage. You can make the herb sauce with fresh cilantro, parsley, or both.
- soy sauce and brown sugar – You can toss the tofu with these before adding the spice rub for more flavor, if you like.
- aromatics – Onion and garlic add a ton of flavor to the braised tofu and vegetables!
- veggies – Seared potatoes and carrots add texture and flavor.
- sauces – Tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce give the roast that meaty flavor.
- lemon juice – For the optional herb sauce.
💡Tips
- To save time, you can freeze and/or thaw the tofu ahead of time. You can also start braising the veggies while the tofu finishes thawing on the counter. Let it thaw for around 40 minutes on the kitchen counter before you start cooking.
- For a spicier or more complex flavor, you can add one minced jalapeño or Scotch bonnet pepper with the onions, and/or add some Jamaican jerk spice blend either in the braising sauce or the spice rub.
How to Make Braised Tofu and Vegetables
Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and toast for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened. Add the bay leaves to the pan, and toast briefly, then switch off the heat. Transfer to a spice grinder or coffee grinder, and process until coarsely ground. Mix the ground mixture with the remaining tofu rub spices and salt in a small bowl.
If frozen, thaw the tofu overnight in the fridge or on the counter for an hour or so. Press the tofu for at least 15 minutes to remove excess moisture. Tear into 1½” to 2 inch” pieces.
Add the tofu pieces to a large bowl. For extra flavor, you can toss the tofu cubes with the optional soy sauce mixed with brown sugar before coating them with the spice rub. Sprinkle the spice mixture all over, and toss well to coat. Marinate for at least an hour in the fridge.
Meanwhile, prep all of the veggies and start the braising process.Preheat the oven to 415°F (210°C).
Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onions turn translucent. Add a splash of water, if needed, to prevent sticking.
Add the thyme and sage, then stir in the potatoes and carrots. Add another teaspoon of oil, if needed, and toss to coat everything evenly. Let the mixture sit undisturbed for about 5 minutes or longer, so the vegetables can start to sear and the onions can caramelize. At this point, you can sear the tofu briefly in the skillet, or add it later.
Make a space in the middle of the pan and add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and ½ cup of stock. Mix really well, then pour in the remaining stock, and mix again. Place the tofu pieces on top of the vegetables. If the tofu is already mixed in, don’t mix it up too much; just let everything sit in the stock. Drizzle a teaspoon or more of oil over the tofu.
Turn off the heat, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the tofu starts to get crispy on top and the potatoes and carrots are tender. If the tofu isn’t crispy enough, broil for a minute or two for extra crispness. If the sauce reduces too much, add a splash of stock before serving.
Make the herb sauce by mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve the braised tofu and veggies as is, or with rice, couscous, mashed potatoes, bean purée, or crusty bread. Drizzle with the herb sauce before serving.
What to Serve with Braised Tofu
Serve the braised tofu and veggies as is, or with rice, couscous, mashed potatoes, bean purée, or crusty bread. Drizzle with the herb sauce before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and nut-free. To make it soy-free, use a soy-free plant-based protein, such as pumpkin seed tofu, chickpea flour tofu, soy-free seitan, or vegan chicken substitute. No need to freeze those beforehand.
