Chinese
Black Pepper Tofu
Firm tofu is seared hard, then tossed with a salty, peppery sauce and onion. The pepper should be the thing you taste.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 27 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Photo: believekevin (CC BY). Source
Why you’ll love it
- Press the tofu or it steams.
- Lots of black pepper, freshly cracked if you can.
- Sear, then sauce. Not a simmer from the start.
- Serve with rice.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Press the tofu 10 minutes. Cut into cubes and salt them.
- 2
Fry in oil over medium-high until the sides are brown, about 8 minutes. Move to a plate.
- 3
Cook the onion 3 minutes. Add garlic and pepper for 20 seconds.
- 4
Stir in the soy sauce and sugar. Return the tofu and toss. Finish with scallions.
Pro tips
- Cornstarch, 1 teaspoon tossed with the tofu, gives a slightly thicker crust.
- Tamari in place of soy sauce keeps the dish gluten-free.
- Do not crowd the pan or the tofu will not brown.
Easy substitutions
- Soy sauce
- Tamari, to keep it gluten-free
- Onion
- Bell pepper
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating
Warm in a skillet. The crust will soften.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 240
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop · Vegetarian
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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