Silken Tofu Isn't Just a Protein—It's a Sauce

It wasn’t long ago that my coworkers encouraged me to join the extra-crispy-tofu club. Previously, I’d only eaten tofu at restaurants, and never prepared it in my own kitchen—but when three of my colleagues raved about some of the best-tasting tofu they’d ever made, there was only one thing I could do: listen. (The tofu they were going wild for is made via a simple squeeze-and-tear technique, in which you remove the excess water from a block of extra-firm tofu and tear it into craggy, uneven pieces. That means extra surface area for spicing and for getting crispy in a hot oven.)

I’m glad I listened. And since then, I’ve been on a mission to learn new ways to incorporate tofu into my cooking. I was intrigued when I came across Bryant Terry’s Creamy Ginger Dressing recipe (which is mixed into a grain salad with celery, persimmons, and chopped nuts), in his latest cookbook, Vegetable Kingdom. In this recipe, tofu isn’t just a meat substitute, or a source of protein—it’s a sauce.

Terry uses silken tofu as the base for the dressing by combining it with lemon, vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, ginger, and olive oil in a blender until the mixture becomes emulsified. The tofu goes smooth and creamy, offering a mellow base for the sour, pungent, and savory characteristics of the other ingredients. The result tastes bright and punchy like a vinaigrette, but it has the luscious character of ranch dressing.

Creamy Ginger Dressing

In fact, silken tofu works wonders in a variety of dressings—there’s no need to stop at Terry’s recipe. Bon Appétit’s Food Editor at Large, Carla Lalli Music, blends it into her silky peanut butter dressing, too. While you can make a delicious peanut sauce by simply stirring water into peanut butter, adding silken tofu lends a satiny texture. “It delivers creaminess and body, and helps emulsify the sauce,” says Music. “Blending also aerates the sauce, so it feels light and silky.”

Silken tofu is also a great vegan alternative to egg yolks in Caesar dressings, Music says. You can also use it to replace the sour cream and buttermilk in ranch-type dressings, punching up the flavor and adjusting the final mixture’s consistency by playing with the amount of liquid—water! olive oil! citrus juice!—that you add to the mix. Use more liquid to create a thinner sauce to drizzle over grilled vegetables and salads, or add less to make a thicker dip for crudités.

Most supermarket brands of silken tofu are pretty mild in flavor, which means they’re easy to incorporate into different sauces. “There’s definitely a subtle earthiness and vegetal flavor that veers slightly sweet or bitter—but overall, you’re not going to taste it much,” says Music.

Silken tofu even works in herby green sauces. “You could add it to any green sauce you’re making in a blender or food processor for a rich cream sauce (without the cream),” says Epi Senior Editor Maggie Hoffman, who regularly adds silken tofu to her pesto. “I could eat pasta every day, but find I need a bit more protein than it usually offers. Adding a block of shelf-stable silken tofu to the pesto when I’m making it means creamier pasta and a meal that actually keeps my energy up.”

There's only one rule: silken tofu only. Using anything other than silken could lead to a sauce that’s “grainy or chunky, rather than glossy and rich,” warns Music. Beyond that, the sky's the limit. Just make sure to taste the tofu before using it in your sauce, since every brand is different. And since tofu usually comes unseasoned, you may find that your final sauce needs to be seasoned a bit more heavily than usual. Add salt or soy sauce to taste, plus some fresh, acidic ingredients like lime juice or any vinegar you've got. The kind of sauce you choose to make doesn’t matter much—just whirl in your tofu and give it a go. This garlicky aioli and this zesty chermoula are next on my list.

Plus, how to use tofu, whether you like it silken, soft, or extra firm.

Originally Appeared on Epicurious