Guides
Short answers to the questions that keep coming up mid-cook. How long tofu keeps, how long to press it, how to bake it, why it tastes of nothing, and what silken actually is.
Every number comes from a recipe in this directory that we have cooked and tested, and each guide links to the ones it draws on.
Working with tofu
Silken, firm, extra-firm: which tofu for what
Silken for anything blended or spooned. Firm for anything fried. Extra-firm when it gets handled a lot. The difference is water, and it decides everything.
How to press tofu (and when you don't need to)
Fifteen minutes under something heavy, and you don't need a press. Press before marinating, never after. Never press silken tofu at all.
How to bake tofu in the oven
200C for 25 to 30 minutes, pressed, tossed in cornstarch, spread in a single layer and turned once. Crowding the tray is what ruins it.
How to get tofu crispy without an air fryer
Press it, tear it rather than cube it, coat it in cornstarch, then leave it alone. Stirring is what stops tofu crisping.
How long does tofu last in the fridge?
Unopened, until the date on the pack. Opened, three to four days in fresh water. Cooked, three to four days. Frozen, about three months.
Making it taste of something
Why your tofu tastes like nothing
Because the water is still in it, and thirty minutes is not long enough. Press it, marinate it overnight, and season harder than tastes right.
Why vegan food tastes flat, and the five things that fix it
Almost always one of five things is missing: salt, acid, fat, umami or browning. Meat and dairy supply four of them without being asked.
Creamy vegan sauces, without any dairy
Five things make a sauce creamy and none is cream: cashews, silken tofu, white beans, potato or coconut. They're not interchangeable.
Which vegan dairy substitute a recipe actually needs
Vegan dairy substitutes aren't interchangeable. Read the fat per 100 g: cooking cream for heat, a block not a tub for pastry, soy milk for baking.
The vegan cooking mistakes everyone makes first
Burnt paprika, crowded pans, boiled miso, unpressed tofu, acid added too early, cake cut before it cools, batter overmixed. All avoidable.
Protein, cost and planning
Getting enough protein without meat
Of 100 recipes here, 57 carry 20g of protein or more per serving and 20 carry over 40g. Here's where it comes from and where it goes missing.
How to eat vegan cheaply
Plant-based food is only expensive if you buy it pre-made. Dried legumes, tofu and rice are among the cheapest protein in any shop.