What is Tofu Steak?
Tofu steak is a dish made by coating firm tofu with potato starch and pan-frying it in butter, a little like how you might pan-fry a steak. This dish is believed to have been first invented by Susumu Saito, head chef of the Takamatsu Washington Hotel chain. It is now known as a healthy (and cheap) version of steak that can easily be made at home!
As for sauces, they range from a simple Japanese steak sauce to a starchy sauce with mushrooms. I use a classic Japanese combination of soy sauce, mirin, and sake with a bit of ginger and garlic in my recipe. It has a teriyaki sauce-like feeling with some added fragrance!
Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Firm Tofu: Essential for its texture and ability to hold shape. Silken tofu is not recommended for this recipe.
- Potato Starch: Ideal for coating the tofu, but cornstarch or tapioca starch can be used as substitutes.
- Olive Oil: Chosen for cooking, though sesame oil or other oils can be substituted for varying flavor profiles.
- Finely Chopped Green Onion: An optional garnish that adds freshness and color.
- Chili Threads: Also an optional garnish, adding a hint of spice and visual appeal.
- Tofu Steak Sauce Ingredients: Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and fresh grated ginger & garlic to create a flavorful sauce for the tofu steaks.
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Japanese-style Tofu Steak at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
This recipe requires a large block (approximately 300-400g) of firm tofu. Because the tofu is very thick, you will need to cut it in half so it’s similar to a piece of steak.
To cut the tofu, gently place it on a level surface and hold it still by placing one hand on the top. On the other hand, hold your knife parallel to the cutting board and cut horizontally through the middle. Try to cut them so that they are the same thickness to ensure even cooking.
Even firm tofu has quite a lot of excess water, and if you try to fry it straight, it might start to steam, which will prevent it from becoming brown and crispy. Some people like to place a weight on top of the tofu to push out the excess liquid, but this technique would flatten the tofu and make it a bit too thin for tofu steak.
I remove the excess liquid by wrapping it in kitchen paper, placing it on a microwavable plate, and then microwaving it for 1 minute and 30 seconds at 600W.
Next, remove the kitchen paper and sprinkle both sides with a pinch of black pepper. We don’t add any salt here because there is plenty of salty flavor from the soy sauce in the glaze.
Preheat a large frying pan to medium, and once it’s hot, add a drizzle of oil (or butter) and swirl it around. Coat the tofu with a thin, even layer of potato starch right before adding it to the pan.
The potato starch helps make the surface crispy and golden and also thickens the sauce slightly, which helps it stick to the surface of the tofu. However, it’s worth noting that if you coat it too early, the potato starch can become wet and sticky, so be sure to coat it right before frying.
I recommend preheating your pan and coating the tofu with cornstarch before adding it to the pan. This will prevent the starch from absorbing the moisture in the tofu and becoming sticky and wet.
Fry the tofu on both sides until crispy and golden.
The sauce for this recipe is very similar to my teriyaki recipes. Simply mix the soy sauce, mirin, sake, grated ginger, and grated garlic in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
Turn down the heat to low/medium-low and pour the sauce into the pan. As it cooks, it will become thick and glossy and the potato starch on the tofu will help thicken it further. Move the tofu around the pan to help it absorb the sauce, then after a few minutes, flip them using a spatula and repeat on the other side.
Once the tofu is thoroughly coated with sauce on both sides, remove it from the heat and dish up!
Plate the tofu on serving plates and drizzle with any sauce that is leftover in the pan.
Finish the dish by sprinkling it with some chopped spring onion and some chili threads for some extra flavor and color. You could also top it with sautéed mushrooms, onions, or kizami nori.
Enjoy!
Jump to Full Recipe Measurements
FAQ
Tofu steak is literally made of tofu; however, it’s important to use firm tofu here for the best texture and taste. Silken tofu will be too soft and break easily, which can end up being a big mess.
Both silken (kinu) and firm (momen) tofu are both made from soy milk, but there is a major difference in the way they are made. While silken tofu is made by adding a coagulant to soybeans that are thicker than firm tofu, firm tofu is made by adding a coagulant to soy milk and allowing it to set. The tofu is then broken down, squeezed dry, and hardened again.
In addition, firm tofu contains more protein, calcium, iron, and other nutrients than silken tofu.
I think the word “steak” is kind of misleading here because while tofu steak is delicious, without a doubt, it does not taste like beef steak or any meat steak. The idea of tofu steak is not to replicate the beef taste but to make it more satisfying and turn it into a main dish.
But I can assure you that tofu steak is definitely satisfying and one of the best ways to cook tofu on its own!
I hope you enjoy this Tofu Steak recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Japanese Tofu Recipes
Pan Fried Tofu Steak with Japanese Sauce (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 400 g firm tofu
- 4 pinches ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp potato starch (katakuriko)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp finely chopped green onions optional garnish
- 1 tsp chili threads optional garnish
Tofu Steak Sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp sake
- ½ tsp grated ginger root or ginger paste
- 1 tsp grated garlic or garlic paste
My recommended brands of ingredients and seasonings can be found in my Japanese pantry guide.
Can’t find certain Japanese ingredients? See my substitution guide here.
Instructions
- Lay 400 g firm tofu flat on a chopping board, place one hand on top to hold it in place and hold your knife parallel to the chopping board. Make a horizontal cut through the middle, trying your best to keep them the same thickness.
- Wrap each piece with kitchen paper and place on microwavable plate. Microwave for 1 min 30 seconds at 600W.
- Remove the kitchen paper and sprinkle both sides of each piece with 4 pinches ground black pepper.
- Heat a large frying pan on medium and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Once the pan is hot, evenly coat both sides of each piece of tofu with a thin layer of 2 tbsp potato starch (katakuriko) and immediately place them in the pan.
- Fry until the underneath is crispy and golden, then flip and repeat on the other side.
- While the tofu is cooking, mix the 1 ½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu), 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sake, ½ tsp grated ginger root and 1 tsp grated garlic in a small bowl to make the sauce.
- Once both sides are browned, turn down the heat to low/medium-low and pour the sauce into the pan. Move the tofu around so that the sauce sticks to the surface, flip and repeat until the sauce is thickened and the tofu is evenly coated.
- Dish up and sprinkle with 1 tbsp finely chopped green onions and 1 tsp chili threads (optional).
- Enjoy!
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