This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy tofu: Introducing Shredded Tofu! As a Chinese-Canadian, I’ve been eating tofu forever, but I’ve only been introduced to eating tofu this way recently. As a dietitian, tofu is a complete source of plant based protein and it resembles traditional meat dishes like pulled pork or ground turkey. Also, it goes great in sandwiches, on top of salads and grains like rice and quinoa. Try this recipe today, it will help you eat more plant-based protein and in a flavorful and delicious way!

Ingredients

Extra Firm Tofu – You need to choose extra firm tofu because it shreds better and more closely resembles meat like ground beef, chicken or pork. 

Ground paprika – It will give the tofu a sweet and smoky flavor. A must for vegan dishes, because plant proteins often lack that extra umami. 

Onion powder – When you’re working with tofu, you always need to make sure it’s well seasoned. The onion powder adds great onion flavor blended nicely throughout.  

Garlic powder – Same as onion powder, you want to season the tofu well so it’s well-seasoned with garlic flavor throughout the tofu. 

Black pepper – Adds a bit of spiciness. 

Low-sodium soy sauce – I use low sodium soy sauce to cut back on sodium. This gives it the salty flavor it needs. 

Rice vinegar – This is the acid in the marinade and it gives it that sourness to round out the flavors. 

Honey or Maple syrup – A bit of sweetness adds that perfect bite.

Sesame oil  – Sesame oil adds greater depth of flavor. 

Ground Spices

When working with a recipe like this that closely resembles ground meat, but uses tofu instead –  you want to use lots of spices to really season the soy. Ground and dry spices like smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper are not only affordable, they blend nicely throughout the shredded tofu. 

You are welcome to try other ground spices and herbs for unique and delicious flavor combinations. Try: Thyme, rosemary, cumin, oregano, turmeric, ginger – feel free to experiment to find a spice combination you like!

Shredded Tofu

This flavorful shredded tofu is an excellent complete protein source and can be used in many recipes that typically use ground meat. It's easy to make and versatile, so you can enjoy it in several different dishes throughout the busy week and keep dinners exciting!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Dinner, lunch

Cuisine Asian, Chinese, vegan

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 block (430 g / 15 oz) extra firm tofu
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) paprika
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) onion powder
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp (1.2 mL) black pepper
• 3 Tbsp (45 mL) low sodium soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) honey or maple syrup
• 2 tsps (10 mL) sesame oil

Optional Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (60 mL) water
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) barbecue sauce

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 F / 175 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease.
• Drain and pat tofu dry. Using the large side of a box cheese grater, grate the tofu.
• In a large bowl, add tofu shreds, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, soy sauce, honey, vinegar and sesame oil. Mix everything together.
• Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, turning once half way.
• Remove from heat. Now the the tofu shreds can be used as a protein in different recipes: On rice, bread, nachos or in lettuce wraps.

Optional Steps

• If you are using this recipe to make a meat free pulled "pork," sandwich, heat the barbecue sauce and water in a pan and add the tofu shreds to it. This will make it moist and meaty with a nice barbecue flavor.

Keyword tofu