20 minute Umami Bomb Tofu is an explosion of savory flavor! Perfect in rice bowls, salads, wraps, lettuce cups, and tacos!
Other names I considered giving this tofu:
- Super savory impossibly delicious squares of FLAVOR
- The most flavor packed 20 minute meal on earth
- Kinda strange ingredients, but kinda magical flavor tofu
I eventually settled on Umami Bomb Tofu. It was the only semi-normal name I could give it that simultaneously conveyed just how much flavor these little squares pack!
Each piece of tofu is first browned to create a delicious crust for our sauce to cling to.
Next we add a trio of umami packed ingredients. A hefty hand of garlic, a few big shakes of tamari (aka gluten free soy sauce), a dash of sweet maple and a squeeze of mustard.
I totally get that this is a questionable flavor combo. Mustard with tamari?! Yes. Yes. Yes!
The tamari adds a deep savory salty flavor and the mustard brightens it up with a bit of tang. It makes the sauce creamy, it balances out the garlic, it is the reason this tofu is perfection. Sweet, savory, salty, MEGA umami perfection.
While I could eat this Umami Bomb Tofu straight outta the pan, here’s a quick brainstorm of other ways to enjoy it:
- In a rice bowl! Steamy rice, saucy tofu, any vegetables your heart desires.
- On a salad! With plenty of greens, some cucumbers, peppers, and a dash of rice vinegar.
- In a wrap! Tortilla, greens, warm tofu, and give it a roll.
- In lettuce cups! So crisp and refreshing.
- In a taco! Top the tofu with a nice Asian Slaw and some buttery avocado.
Umami Bomb Tofu
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
20 minute Umami Bomb Tofu is an explosion of savory flavor! It is a super savory combo of seared tofu tossed in a sauce with gluten free tamari, maple syrup, garlic and creamy dijon mustard. Perfect in rice bowls, salads, wraps, lettuce cups, and tacos!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 block extra firm tofu, cut into bite sized cubes
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon water
- 4 teaspoons maple syrup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Place a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add in the oil. Add in the tofu and cook until the tofu is golden brown on all sides, about 10-12 minutes.
- While the tofu is browning, whisk together the remaining ingredients.
- Turn the heat down to low and add in the sauce. Stir the tofu continually until the sauce thickens and glazes the tofu, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.
Keywords: Asian, soy sauce, gluten free, vegan, healthy, dairy free, vegetarian, garlic, savory, easy, quick,
Does the tofu need to be pressed before following the recipe?
Great question, Therese! No you don’t need to press the tofu. As long as you are using extra firm tofu, simply drain it and pat it dry. Happy Cooking!
Just made this and could eat it all plain. Yum and so easy!
★★★★★
So glad to hear you are enjoying the recipe!
Oh my goodness, this looks absolutely divine. I want to get the family into eating a little more tofu and I think this might be just the ticket! Thanks so much for sharing.
★★★★★
Thank you, Katerina!
is there anything i could use to replace the maple syrup and is vegan?
Hi Katie! You betcha. You can use agave, brown rise syrup, or any other liquid sweetener you have on hand. I haven’t tested it, but I have a hunch sugar or coconut sugar will work too :) Just substitute in equal amounts.
Just curious… how is maple syrup not vegan?
I cut the recipe to 2 servings since it was only me eating. Ended up eating every bite and wishing I had made more. It was delicious
Thank you for a delicious & easy to make tofu recipe. It was yummy!
★★★★★
I won’t lie. I ate it all myself. I don’t eat tofu, but the photo got me. I added cilantro and lime juice, that pushed it over the edge into delicious! I already bought more tofu to make it again. Thanks for getting me to try something new!
Trish! This is the best review ever! So so glad to hear you are enjoying the recipe!
This was so good! I made it for preparing my lunches for the week but I ate so much of it that I will have to make more! It makes a great addition to an Asian salad.
★★★★★
What size block of tofu is this recipe scaled for?
Hi Anne, it is scaled for a standard 14oz block of tofu. The kind that is water-packed and usually in the produce department. Happy cooking! :)
I’ve been making for few months now. I also cooked Kettle bone broth added ramen, tofu and leftover veges. Green onions
This was great! My pescatarian daughter raved during dinner how much she loved this recipe, and she wants to learn how to make it herself. I’ve been trying out different tofu/vegetarian recipes over the last year, and it was nice that she really enjoyed this one. :) I did too and it was super easy. Thanks!
★★★★★
Thank you so much for the review, Kristi! I am so glad you both enjoyed it!
Looks amazing… really wanted it to taste better. I followed the instruction/ingredients to a “t”. It’s Ok. Edible. Not great. Kind of disappointed. :-(
This was delicious! I’ve saved this recipe so I can make this as my go-to when I’m looking for something easy, really tasty, and very satisfying!
★★★★★
Thank you so much for the review, Maria! So glad to hear you’re enjoying the recipe :)
Followed the recipe to a “T”. It never looked like this. The taste was just OK. I had high hopes for this but it was just ok.