5 Tofu Recipes: Turkish-Style Pasta, Doner Wraps, Sandwiches, Bowls and Green Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 block smoked tofu (Patted dry and shaved into uniform strips for the doner wrap)
• yogurt (For seasoning the shaved tofu and for the pasta garlic yogurt)
• dried oregano (For the doner seasoning and Turkish-style tofu mince)
• smoked paprika (Used in the doner, tofu mince and brown butter)
• garlic (Fresh garlic; used in the doner, tahini sauce and garlic yogurt)
• garlic granules (For the smoked-tofu doner seasoning)
• ground cumin (For the doner seasoning)
• soy sauce (For the doner seasoning)
• tomato puree (For the doner seasoning and tofu mince)
• salt (To taste)
• black pepper (To taste)
• olive oil (A good glug for the doner; extra virgin olive oil is also used for the onions)
• 4 tbsp tahini (For the tahini sauce)
• 1 half lemon (Juice for the tahini sauce; additional lemon juice is used elsewhere)
• onion (Sliced and scrunched with lemon juice, salt, olive oil and sumac for sumac onions)
• sumac (For the sumac onions)
• flatbread (For wrapping the doner)
• pickles (For the doner wrap and sandwich)
• 1 block extra-firm tofu (Crumble into mince for Turkish-style pasta, or slice/tear for the sandwich and bowl)
• pasta (Cooked for the Turkish-style pasta and green pasta)
• fresh onion (Finely diced for the tofu mince)
• cherry tomatoes (For the Turkish pasta salad element)
• fresh parsley (For the Turkish pasta salad element)
• butter (A large knob, browned for the Turkish pasta topping)
• Turkish red pepper flakes (Pul biber, added to the browned butter)
• garlic powder (For the browned butter)
• Turkish bread (For the seared tofu sandwich)
• mayonnaise (For the sandwich and fennel slaw)
• fennel (Shaved for the sandwich slaw)
• chili crisp (For the sandwich slaw)
• MSG (A pinch for crispy seared tofu)
• tomatoes (Fresh, for the sandwich and bowl salad)
• mushroom vegetarian stir-fry sauce (For glazing the crispy tofu; soy, hoisin, teriyaki, sriracha or another sauce may be used instead)
• hummus (A spoonful for the base of the tofu bowl)
• couscous (For the tofu bowl)
• 300 g silken tofu (For the no-cook green pasta sauce)
• nutritional yeast (For the green sauce)
• fresh spinach (For the green sauce)
• wild garlic leaves (Leftover wild garlic may be replaced with leftover herbs or vegetables)
• pine nuts (A handful for the green sauce)
• extra-virgin olive oil (A drizzle for the green sauce)
• water (Add as needed to loosen the blended sauce; pasta cooking water may be used)

Steps

1. 1

   For the smoked-tofu doner, pat one block of smoked tofu dry with a clean tea towel, then shave it into uniform strips.

2. 2

   Place the tofu strips in a mixing bowl. Add yogurt, dried oregano, smoked paprika, garlic, garlic granules, ground cumin, soy sauce, tomato puree, salt, black pepper and olive oil, then mix until the tofu is evenly coated.

3. 3

   Roast the seasoned tofu at 200°C for about 20 minutes. Check it after approximately 15 minutes and continue roasting until the pieces are browned and doner-like.

4. 4

   Make the tahini sauce by whisking tahini with the juice of half a lemon and garlic. Add water slowly while whisking until the sauce becomes creamy and smooth.

5. 5

   Prepare sumac onions by adding lemon juice, a pinch of salt, extra-virgin olive oil and sumac to sliced onions. Scrunch them together with your hands.

6. 6

   Spread tahini sauce over a flatbread. Add the roasted tofu doner, pickles and sumac onions, then wrap and serve.

7. 7

   For Turkish-style tofu pasta, pat extra-firm tofu dry and crush it with your hands into mince.

8. 8

   Preheat a pan and add a good coating of oil. Add the tofu mince, salt and black pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, shake or stir the pan, and continue cooking for about 10 minutes total until the tofu is golden brown.

9. 9

   Add more oil to the pan, then add finely diced onion. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion begins to soften.

10. 10

    Add fresh garlic, tomato puree, dried oregano, smoked paprika and cumin. Stir and cook the spices until their flavors are released.

11. 11

    Return the browned tofu mince to the pan and stir until the smoky, savory tofu mixture is combined.

12. 12

    Prepare the salad elements by chopping tomatoes, red onion and fresh parsley. Cook the pasta separately and prepare yogurt with lemon juice and grated garlic.

13. 13

    Brown a large knob of butter slowly in a pan until melted, foaming, browned and smoky. Stir in Turkish red pepper flakes, garlic powder and smoked paprika until the butter is bubbly and fragrant.

14. 14

    Serve the cooked pasta with garlic yogurt, tofu mince, browned butter, cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

15. 15

    For the seared tofu sandwich, slice firm tofu into strips. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add a good drizzle of oil.

16. 16

    Sear the tofu for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of MSG, cooking until crisp and golden.

17. 17

    For the sandwich slaw, shave fennel and combine it with onions, tahini, chili crisp, a little mayonnaise and lemon juice.

18. 18

    Spread mayonnaise on Turkish bread. Add the fennel slaw, fresh tomatoes, seared tofu and pickles, then close the sandwich.

19. 19

    For the crispy tofu hummus bowl, tear firm tofu into rough chunks. Heat oil in a pan and cook the tofu for a few minutes on each side until crisp.

20. 20

    Season the tofu with salt, pepper and a little MSG. Add mushroom vegetarian stir-fry sauce, or another sauce such as soy, hoisin, teriyaki, sriracha, chili or garlic sauce, and toss to coat.

21. 21

    Build the bowl with a spoonful of hummus, couscous, the glazed tofu and a quick salad on the side.

22. 22

    For the no-cook silken-tofu pasta sauce, add silken tofu, fresh spinach, wild garlic leaves, nutritional yeast, pine nuts, lemon juice, salt, pepper and extra-virgin olive oil to a high-speed blender.

23. 23

    Blend until the mixture becomes a smooth, vibrant green sauce. Add a little water, or reserved pasta cooking liquid, if needed to loosen it.

24. 24

    Cook pasta, then pour the blended silken-tofu green sauce over it and serve.

Notes

The transcript does not provide complete quantities for most ingredients, so those measurements remain unspecified. The source gives conflicting doner cooking times—approximately 20 minutes initially, then an additional 15 minutes after the first check—so monitor the tofu and follow the stated timing cautiously. The final transcript is cut off after the green sauce is poured over pasta.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• vegan-adaptable
• high-protein
• quick
• tofu
• Mediterranean-inspired
• no-cook sauce