Looking for a flavorful, protein-packed, quick tofu dish that’s both healthy and satisfying? This simple sautéed Asian-style tofu is a quick and easy meal perfect for busy weeknights. You can make this dish in just 30 minutes, and it pairs easily with noodles or rice for a complete meal (see suggestions below). First, you pan-sear slices of firm tofu until golden brown, then simmer it in a tangy, gingery, umami-rich sauce. It is accompanied by a fiery hot mustard dipping sauce that will knock your socks off!
Serving suggestions for this Asian inspired tofu
There are several quick side dishes you can make at the same time is the tofu so as not to take more time out of your day. Here are some suggestions:
- Soba noodle salad (easy peasy)
- Rice noodle salad (some slicing and dicing involved)
- Rustic fried rice (uses already cooked rice – perfect way to use leftover rice)
- Keep it light and serve the tofu with some simple steamed broccoli seasoned with salt and pepper and drizzled with a little toasted sesame oil.
Tips and variations
- Use only firm or extra-firm tofu – and not the silken kind
- Add stir-fried bok choy, snow peas, broccoli, green beans, or mushrooms to easily upgrade it to a light complete meal
- Spice it up with chili flakes or serve sriracha sauce in stead of the mustard sauce.
- Serve it with a wasabi dip in stead of the mustard sauce. You can find a recipe for my creamy wasabi dip here.
Final thoughts
Tofu doesn’t have to be bland – and this savory Asian tofu proves it. It’s a weeknight-friendly, flavor-packed dish that even tofu skeptics will love. So whether you’re a long-time tofu lover or just started dipping your fork (or chopsticks) into the magical world of tofu, this Asian-style tofu is sure to become a go-to whenever your Asian cravings demand to be satisfied. Give it a try, and let me know in the comments how you served yours. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Food is fun!
Asian-Style Tofu With Hot Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
Ingredients for the tofu
- 500 grams firm tofu (not silken)
- A little extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine Chinese or Japanese, you choose
- 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar (unflavored)
- 1 tablespoon ginger juice (from freshly grated and squeezed ginger)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (the dark brown variety)
- 3 tablespoons water
- Sesame seeds to serve
- A handful chopped green onion tops to serve
Ingredients for the mustard sauce
- 1 tablespoon Coleman's mustard powder or hot mustard powder of your choice
- 1/2 tablespoon hot (ideally boiling) water
- 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar unflavored
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
Instructions
To make the tofu:
- Start by pressing the tofu by wrapping it in a clean tea towel and placing something heavy on top. A chopping board topped with a couple of cans work great. This will remove some of the water. Leave for 20 minutes.
- Slice the pressed tofu into slices that are about 1 cm / 1/2 inch thick and sauté them on a frying pan in a little extra virgin olive oil until lightly browned on both sides. Use medium heat and lower the temperature if they start to burn.
- While the tofu is browning, mix soy sauce, rice wine, rice vinegar, ginger juice, sesame oil, and water in a bowl and set aside.
- Once the tofu has browned nicely, add the sauce to the pan and flip over the tofu slices to coat them in the sauce. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens a little but don't let it boil away completely.
- Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.
To make the mustard sauce:
- In a small bowl, mix 1/2 tablespoon hot water into the mustard powder and leave the flavors to develop for a few minutes. Resist the urge to add more water, 1/2 a tablespoon is enough. It will form a paste.
- After a few minutes rest, add the vinegar and stir until there are no more lumps, then stir in the soy sauce. Use or store the sauce in a sealed container in the fridge where it will keep up to 5 days.
