Go Beyond Soft and Firm Tofu With These 12 Awesome Products Available Online!

If you’re not sure where to start with tofu, firm is always a solid option. A firm block, like Mori-Nu Silken Firm Tofu, is low-fat and the company suggests it as a “heart-healthy,” preservative-free, and gluten-free protein alternative. Mori-Nu also recommends it as an alternative for dairy and eggs. As one reviewer explains, Mori-Nu’s tofu, like all other blocks of tofu suspended in brine, needs to be pressed before cooked. Doing this allows the tofu to soak up any marinades and sauces you’re cooking with – one of tofu’s great qualities! If you’d like to try out your culinary skills and see how delicious you can make an otherwise plain block of tofu taste, you can get 12 packages for a little over $26.

Don’t feel like exerting too much effort into seasoning tofu? Well, luckily for you, there are plenty of companies who do the work for you. Take Dona Maria Gourmet Tofu and Seaweed Burgers. These pre-packaged burgers come ready to eat, or per Dona Maria’s suggestion, you can warm them up a bit in a saucepan or in the oven. For $11, you get two patties to try out.

Since tofu is essentially a block of soybean curd, you will find that many times it is referred to as “bean curd.” Hime Seasoned Fried Bean Curd, for example, is an Inarizushi product. Inarizushi is a form of sushi that stuffs vinegar-flavored rice into teriyaki-seasoned pouches of deep-fried tofu. The container itself only contains the deep fried “soy wrappers” as they’re called, and then you can stuff them with rice, or vegetables as some reviewers have done. Many reviewers have also commented that this $13 can is significantly more expensive than what you would find at an Asian specialty store. That being said, if you don’t have access to one of those stores, you may consider purchasing. Up to you!

Tofu scramble is a popular and easy dish made with tofu. Essentially the tofu is seasoned with an array of spices, crumbled into a consistency similar to scrambled eggs, and then cooked in a saucepan. Normally, this would require home cooks to press tofu, crumble it themselves, and then assemble all of the necessary spices. Fantastic World Foods Tofu Scrambler has the same delicious result, but all of the work is essentially done for you. In this package, the spices come in a convenient packet meaning once your tofu is pressed, you breakfast can come together in just a few minutes (at least according to Fantastic World, it does). You can even take some other reviewers‘ lead and add your own favorite vegetables to the mix. If you’d like to see what you can add to the mix, check out this bulk-pack of six for $24.

Tofu doesn’t always have to come in meal form. As these Xiangxiangzui Spicy Tofu Skewers prove, tofu also makes for a great snack.  These skewers are made with soybean (tofu), water, vegetable oil, chili, Sichuan pepper, salt, spice, sugar, and sesame. A few things to note: the inclusion of “spicy” in this label is no joke! Reviewers have all agreed that these carry a major kick. Secondly, purchase these only if you’re ready to have some seriously meaty tofu, these skewers apparently have a very similar texture to meat. And lastly, this snack has MSG in it, so don’t bother with it if you’re looking to steer clear of this additive. Other than that, reviewers seem to enjoy these! You can get a pack (five skewers) for a little over $5.

In general, extra firm tofu is the most compact of the block tofus. The curds are tight and the block is noticeably squatter than all others. Its texture has the most chew, making this the tofu best suited to heartier dishes. Whether West Soy Extra Firm Tofu has all these characteristics as well is something you’ll have to see for yourself. However, it is made with all of the same ingredients as other extra-firm tofu products: water, soybeans, soybean oil,  and natural coagulants like calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride. You can get six packages for almost $20.

Before Soylent burst onto the scene in Silicon Valley, there was Soytein Protein Energy Meal, a beverage marketed as a meal replacement. Whether this actually satisfies in place of a complete meal likely varies from person to person but there are 14 grams of Non-GMO soy protein per serving, so you can be the judge. To enjoy this product, simply scoop the powder and mix it vigorously with water, rice, or soy milk. You can get a 408-gram container of Soytein for about $15.

Bob’s Red Mill Textured Vegetable Protein is a gluten-free product consisting of soy protein crumbles. Bob’s Red Mill shares that like blocks of tofu, these soy protein crumbles can be added to virtually any dish since they absorb the flavors you are already cooking with. They also have 4 grams of fiber, 12 grams of protein, and zero grams of fat per serving. Reviewers report using this product to make veggie burger patties, chili, and even meatloaf.  You can get four 10-ounce packages of this textured vegetable protein for a little over $15.

If you didn’t think tofu was versatile before, you will now. House Foods Tofu Shirataki Angel Hair Pasta is exactly what it sounds like – pasta made from tofu. These particular noodles are gluten-free, low-carb, low-calorie, and are infused with yam for some added nutrition. As with all tofu, it’s all about what flavoring methods and seasonings you use, so House Foods suggests being very liberal sauce-wise. While some reviewers were completely satisfied with this product, others felt that the noodles were chewier than expected. If you’d like to try these out for yourself, you can get 10 bags for $16, that’s just $1.60 a package!

Silken tofu, like Mori-Nu Silken Tofu has a smooth and airy texture, which reviewers report is a great addition for smoothies, dressings, and even desserts. The protein-rich product is low-fat, has no preservatives, and is naturally gluten-free. Unlike some other tofu brands, this product has a very long shelf life and doesn’t have to be refrigerated until opened. With this bulk-purchase, you can get 12 packages for almost $25.

In a rush and don’t have time to press and cook tofu? West Soy Baked Tofu Italian Style was made for this very situation. This product is pre-cooked and ready to be served any way you want. West Soy’s suggestions? In a sandwich, on a salad, warmed with pasta, or tossed into a stir-fry. The tofu block is seasoned with crushed garlic, molasses, tamari soy sauce, and a few other spices. You can get 12 packages for a little over $50.

Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese is a dairy-free spread made primarily of water, a mixture of natural oils like soybean and olive, soy protein, tofu, and non-dairy lactic acid. As expected, many reviewers used this product on bagels claiming it tasted “just like cream cheese” and some even added water to thin out the consistency and expand the versatility of the product. You can get 12 containers of Tofutti for a little over $55.

So, are you seeing tofu in a whole new light? Which product are you most excited to try? Tell us in the comments!

Lead Image Source: Curried Tofu