Tofu Parmesan

A Simple Recipe for a Delicious and Satisfying Meat-Free Dinner

Aug 19, 2009 Amy Freeman

Frozen tofu gives lends a hearty texture to this simple dish. Even though it can be made entirely from scratch, this is a dish that is perfect for weeknight meals.

Breaded, fried tofu meets a simple tomato sauce and mozzarella and Parmesan cheese in this perfect simple dinner which is perfect for a weeknight. Freezing the tofu beforehand alters its texture, making it more toothsome and chicken-like. A simple tomato sauce comes together quickly with canned crushed tomatoes and provides a scrumptious, flavorful base to this Tofu Parmesan.

Tofu Parmesan Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium sized onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh basil and oregano, if desired and to taste

For the Fried Tofu:

• 1 pound frozen tofu, thawed and pressed so that it is completely dry (see note below)
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 eggs or egg replacer for 2 eggs (Ener-G works well)
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs (see note)
• Oil for frying

• 4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese or soy cheese
• Shredded Parmesan cheese (or vegan alternative) to taste

Slice tofu lengthwise into half inch slabs. Arrange on a flat surface, wrapped in a tea towel or paper towels, and press tofu for at least a half hour. Prepare three bowls for dredging. Mix flour, nutrtitional yeast, and salt and pepper in one bowl, the eggs or egg replacer in another, and the bread crumbs in a third. Preheat oven to 400F.

Make the Sauce:

In a 3 quart saucepan heat olive oil on medium heat for 30 seconds. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until soft and slightly golden. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Watch that it does not burn. Pour in crushed tomatoes. Allow to cook for 15-20 minutes, simmering, and stirring occasionally.

Keep an eye on the sauce to make sure it does not start to boil. If desired, toss in chopped herbs at the end of cooking and stir. The sauce can be pureed, using either an immersion blender or regular blender, if desired. If using a regular blender, it may be best to let the sauce cool a bit so that it does not pop the lid off and make a huge mess.

Fry the Tofu:

While the sauce is cooking, pour oil into a large frying pan, so that it is at least 1/2 inch deep. Heat over medium heat. Take a slice of tofu and dredge it through the flour mixture, the dredge it through the egg, and finally, coat with the bread crumbs. Repeat with remaining slices of tofu.

When the oil is hot enough (350 degrees F or when a bread crumb sizzles when dropped in), place breaded tofu slices into the frying pan. Do not crowd the tofu, the process may take a couple of batches. When the tofu is golden brown on one side, flip it using tongs. Be very careful not to splatter hot oil at this point. Remove tofu when done frying and drain on a brown paper bag or paper towels. Repeat with any remaining tofu.

Make the Parmesan:

Pour a layer of the tomato sauce into a 2 quart, oiled baking dish. Arrange the tofu slices in the dish so that they do not overlap. Sprinkle liberally with mozzarella, then pour more sauce on top of the cheese. There may be sauce left over. Add more mozzarella and Parmesan cheese to taste. Place in preheated oven and allow to cook for about 45 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Serve over spaghetti or other pasta.

Yield: 4 servings

The copyright of the article Tofu Parmesan in Vegetarian Cuisine is owned by Amy Freeman. Permission to republish Tofu Parmesan in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Parmesan Cheese

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