Garlic Tofu Steaks

Does tofu taste like steak?  Heck no. Not even close. But this tofu recipe is delicious, trust me. Tofu tastes like bean sprouts/nothing, so you're able to season it to make it taste like whatever you want. Lucky you. I hadn't cooked tofu in a while, but since me and the husband are trying to clean up our diet, I went ahead and picked up a couple packages from the grocery store this week. So glad I did! And my meat-loving husband is eating this, and loving it (okay, liking it) as I type this.  

Okay, let's make some steaks:

First you need to cut the tofu and remove some of the extra water. Be sure to cut it into equally sized pieces. Place the steaks between paper towels and gently push down. Don't worry about getting ALL the water out, we're just trying to dry it out a little.

Now, mix together the light soy sauce, granulated sweetener, and ground pepper.

Place the tofu steaks in a ziplock bag and pour the marinade inside. Let the air out and seal that baby shut. You can also use a covered bowl in place of a ziplock bag. Let it marinade in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to 3 hours. You really want the flavorless tofu to soak up all that goodness. The longer you let it marinate, the more flavorful your steaks will be.

Heat the olive oil in a nice nonstick pan over medium heat. Then carefully place each marinated steak into the pan. Pour the marinade into a small bowl and set aside. Cook steaks for 4-5 minutes on one side...

...then flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes on the other side. Since tofu is safe to eat raw, cooking time depends on how "well done" you like your tofu steak. And of course cooking time is also dependent on your stove and your pan, so just keen an eye on it and don't let it get too done. The sweetener and soy sauce will burn if cooked too long or at too high of a temperature. Okay, moving on...

Remove the steaks and turn the heat to low. Are you ready to make some yummy sauce? 

Mix the leftover marinade, water, and cornstarch in a bowl. Then pour it into the pan - which should be on low and should still have some olive oil in it. If there's no olive oil left in the pan, add about a tablespoon.  Then pour the sauce mixture in and stir frequently for a few minutes until it thickens.

And voila: Tofu Steaks!

I served mine with a steamed root vegetable medley and some edamame tonight. Last night I served it with a roasted sweet potato and cucumber slices. That's right, I made my husband eat tofu 2 nights in a row. *evil laughter*

Garlic Tofu Steaks

Yield: 2 servings (2 steaks each)

1 Package firm tofu
4 Tablespoons light soy sauce
1 Teaspoon granulated sweetener (I use Splenda)
1/2 Teaspoon ground pepper
1 Teaspoon cornstarch
3 Tablespoons olive oil
5 Tablespoons water

Prep Tofu:
Remove the tofu from its packaging and discard the water. Cut tofu lengthwise and width-wise to create 4 rectangular steaks. Press tofu steaks between paper towels to remove excess water.

Prep Marinade:
Mix the light soy sauce, granulated sweetener, and ground pepper in a bowl.

Marinate:
Carefully place the tofu steaks in a ziplock bag, add marinade and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 3 hours. The longer, the better!

Prepare:
Heat the olive oil in nonstick pan over medium heat. Carefully place each marinated tofu steak into the pan. Set the marinade aside to use later for the sauce. Allow tofu steaks to cook for 4-5 minutes over medium heat, then use a spatula to flip them over. Allow to cook for another 3-4 minutes on the other side, then remove from pan. Turn heat to low.

Make Sauce:
Mix the cornstarch with the water and add it to the leftover marinade, then pour it into the pan. The pan should have some leftover olive oil in it, if not, add about 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Stir to create a sauce. Cook/simmer on low, stirring frequently for a couple minutes.

Serve (Finally! Geez!):
Pour the sauce over the tofu steaks and enjoy!



So, how did you like your Garlic Tofu Steaks? Is this your first time cooking tofu? What side dishes did you make to go with your tofu steaks? Please let me know in the Comments Section!