Silken tofu recipe, or the vegan carbonara as I call it, is one of these really great vegan tofu recipes that you can never go wrong with. You only go wrong with it by not making it 😉
What is special about this silken tofu recipe?
Well, it is a super easy recipe to make, quick and it's a delicious vegan meal, ready in less than 30 minutes. It makes any vegan a very happy bunny.
What is silken tofu?
Silken tofu is the softest, most delicate type of tofu and it breaks up easily making it the best option for making sauces like this vegan carbonara sauce here in this recipe.
What do I need to make a silken tofu recipe?
Ingredients:
- silken tofu: I recommend using silken or soft tofu that is sold in a rectangular shaped pack, and not the cylinder shape that is ideal for soups/stews. Firm or extra-firm silken tofu might also work in this recipe, but it will not be as silky and delicate as the soft type.
- Green onion, garlic, and chili pepper: for the aromatics. I used Korean chili pepper in this recipe, but feel free to use any type of chili pepper and adjust it to taste. You can also skip the chili pepper entirely if you don’t prefer to add any spice.
- Soy sauce, Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), honey, sesame oil, and sesame seeds: for the sauce.
Silken tofu is soft tofu and is ideal to puree and use as a base for soups, dips, and sauces. It also makes wonderfully creamy dessert puddings and pie fillings.
Best ways to use silken tofu
- in a creamy sauce like the one in this recipe
- make a fragrant silken tofu curry
- you can use silken tofu in dessert recipes - here is a recipe idea for a quick chocolate muse
Ingredients needed :
- 3.5 oz/100g dark chocolate (I normally use a 70% dairy-free) - chopped
- 12 oz/340 grams organic silken tofu at room temperature, (drained)
- 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
- You may also use as optional toppings:
- some chocolate shavings
- a few raspberries
- a few blackberries
- some fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut
Method:
1) Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring each time, until the chocolate is thoroughly melted. Allow it to cool at room temperature.
2) Place the silken tofu and maple syrup in a food processor and blend until it becomes a smooth paste.
3) Add the melted chocolate and blend until well combined.
4) Scoop the mixture into 3-4 ramekins and refrigerate for at least 30 min.
5) Garnish with chocolate shavings, fresh or frozen raspberries, blackberries and a sprig of fresh mint and a sprinkle of desiccated or toasted coconut flakes.
It can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Make your own silken tofu- recipe
You can make your own silken tofu and I will give you a very simple recipe for a homemade silken tofu recipe, the simplest recipe you'd ever imagine, you only need two ingredients:
How to make homemade silken tofu?
Ingredients
- 3 cups Soy milk (homemade is best), about 3 cups,- use it chilled ½ teaspoon
- Epsom salt or magnesium chloride (nigari) dissolved in 2 tablespoons of water
Method:
1. Pour the coagulant solution (Epsom salt or magnesium chloride) into the soy milk, using a spoon to blend them together.
2. Try not to agitate the mixture too much, distribute it among 6-7 ramekins.
3. Place the filled dishes in a deeper pan. Pour hot water into the pan up to the same level as the soy milk mixture.
4. Cover the pan with a lid that's lined with a clean, dry dishtowel. You may need to fold up the edges over the lid so that the towel will not catch fire.
5. Over low heat, gently simmer the tofu for approximately 10-12 minutes which should look jiggly and set.
6. Gently remove the dishes from the water bath and allow another 10-12 minutes at room temperature for the tofu to set.
7. Serve warm or chilled.
FAQs
Yes, this can be done but you will need to gently cut your silken tofu into pieces and lightly coat these in flour. Using a spatula carefully lower each piece into the well-heated oil.
Flouring the silken tofu pieces is an important step and drop in the oil only when the oil is hot, hot, hot or it will become very moist and sticky.
Deep-fry tofu for about 4 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain well and place on kitchen paper.
There are two main kinds of tofu silken and regular.
Silken tofu- known as soft, silk, or Japanese-style tofu. It has a softer consistency than regular tofu and will easily fall apart if not handled carefully.
It doesn't require refrigeration which is why is often found in a different section of grocery stores as opposed to regular tofu, which is packed in water and requires refrigeration. Best to use for making creamy sauces.
Both silken and regular tofu can be found in soft, medium, firm, and extra-firm consistencies.
They are made with the same ingredients, but they are processed differently to a small degree which is why they are not interchangeable in a recipe.
This is one silken tofu recipe that you can make but silken tofu is a versatile ingredient and there are many recipes you could put together in absolutely no time.
Other vegan recipes you may like:
Silken Tofu Recipe
Equipment
- blender
Ingredients
- 1 block silken tofu (350g/ 12.35 oz) (see above how to make your own)
- 350 g soba noodles (12.35 oz) I used wheat and buckwheat noodles
- 500 g mushrooms ( 17.6 oz) chopped
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 100 g peas (3.53 oz) fresh or frozen (I used frozen)
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 3 med spring onions /scallions
- ⅓ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil olive oil is as good
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 med onion caramelised
- 3 med radishes to garnish (sliced into thin slices)
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to what the package says - I boiled these for 4 minutes. Drain some of the water and reserve about ½ cup.
- Into a larger pan add the coconut or the olive oil and cook the sliced mushrooms. Add 1/2 of the reserved water from the noodles season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 min tossing occasionally. When cooked, add the frozen peas and the chopped scallions. Cook for one more minute and turn the heat off. Bring the noodles into the pan. Set aside.
- Add the silken tofu, the nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, vinegar, turmeric and some of the noodles water to a food processor/blender and blend until it is a nice creamy and smooth paste.
- Add the creamy tofu sauce to the noodles and the mushrooms. Mix well and serve.
- Sprinkle over the toasted sesame seeds and garnish with some freshly sliced radish and some chopped spring onions/scallions. Enjoy!
Notes
- I used cremini mushrooms (chestnut mushrooms) but if you do not have these use portobello mushrooms or even shiitake mushrooms;
- You may add some walnuts (a handful) to the silken tofu when blending all the sauce ingredients;
Nutrition
Brittany F. says
I am new to silken tofu and so glad I found this recipe.
Matt says
Great combination of flavors and definitely filling. Thanks for the recipe!
Nicole says
I never knew how to make silken tofu. Thanks for sharing.
Jessie says
You definitely do not need to be vegan to enjoy this dish!
Moop Brown says
I'm always looking for more vegetarian recipes to try and this one looks great, I love the way the tofu is prepared.
Marisa Franca says
I was a bit intimidated at first but the recipe was so easy!! We do love trying new things and I never thought about making my own silken tofu. I'm so glad I came across your recipe because now I can make my own. We really loved how the noodles turned out. We're definitely making this again next week. It was THAT good.
Farrukh Aziz says
This recipe turned out amazing, and I love how its vegan! The flavors come together so well, to make the perfect recipe for us! Thanks!
Kathryn says
This was easy, simple and delicious! Thanks for this tasty recipe. It was so fresh and loved the tofu in this!
Jenny says
What a wonderful recipe! This silken tofu recipe with soba noodles looks delicious and healthy. Thank you for your post; I will definitely make this.
LaKita says
This dish is so creamy, flavorful, and delicious! It's so simple to prepare and is perfect for a meatless Monday!
veenaazmanov says
Love that this is a Vegan dish. Perfect for all my Vegan friends.