Sizzling Soft Tofu With Shiitakes and Plant Egg
Pan-fried soon tofu topped with scrambled plant-based egg, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, carrots, and peas in a savory soy-based sauce. The tofu develops a golden crust while remaining tender inside, finished on a sizzling cast-iron skillet for dramatic presentation. Vegan and naturally gluten-free when using tamari.
Ingredients
- 4 11-ounce packages soon tofu or silken soft tofu, wholesilken tofu1:1vegangluten-free
softer texture, more delicate
- 4 ounces plant-based egg, or Just Eggscrambled tofu1:1veganeggs-freeadds soy
mimics egg texture
- 1 ounce firm tofu, crumbled(optional)
- 2 dried shiitake mushrooms, softened and chopped
- ¼ cup carrot, chopped
- ¼ cup peas, frozen
- 1 tablespoon vegan oyster saucemushroom-based sauce1:1vegan
deepens umami
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 pinch white pepper
- cornstarch slurry
- oil, for cooking
Instructions
- 1
Remove tofu from packaging and cut into thick circles or desired shapes, handling carefully as soon tofu is fragile.
- 2
Pan-fry tofu circles in a heated non-stick pan without oil until a thin crust forms, then drizzle with oil and continue cooking until golden brown on both sides.
- 3
Remove tofu and set aside.
- 4
In a heated non-stick pan, add mashed firm tofu if using and cook until crumbles turn slightly yellow, then drizzle with oil and cook until golden brown.
- 5
Add mushrooms and carrots, cook until fragrant.
- 6
Drizzle in soy sauce, add water, vegan oyster sauce, and white pepper.
- 7
Bring to a rolling boil and cook for another minute until slightly reduced.
- 8
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- 9
Swirl in cornstarch slurry to thicken sauce and transfer to a bowl.
- 10
Heat a 10-inch cast-iron or fajita skillet and add a drizzle of oil.
- 11
Pour in plant-based egg to cover the whole skillet.
- 12
Once egg is almost set, add prepared tofu and slather sauce over it.
- 13
Cook for another minute and serve warm with rice.
Tips
Soon tofu is very fragile; handle with care when cutting and cooking.
Use a non-stick pan for initial tofu frying to prevent sticking without requiring oil.
A 10-inch cast-iron or fajita skillet creates the signature sizzle when plating.
Taste the sauce before thickening to adjust seasoning to your preference.
Good to Know
Refrigerate sauce separately for up to 3 days. Reheat gently and do not reuse cooked tofu as it will lose its texture. Plant-based egg should be consumed fresh.
Prepare vegetables and mushrooms the day before. Make sauce up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. Pan-fry tofu no more than 2 hours before serving to preserve the crust.
Serve immediately on a sizzling cast-iron skillet with steamed rice to catch the sauce. Garnish with sliced scallions or cilantro if desired.
Common Mistakes
Cut tofu too thin to avoid it breaking during pan-frying.
Skip oil in initial fry to avoid preventing crust formation.
Add cornstarch slurry too quickly to avoid lumps in sauce.
Cook plant-based egg until fully set to avoid breaking apart when adding tofu.
Substitutions
softer texture, more delicate
mimics egg texture
deepens umami