I don’t trust tofu recipes. And I don’t trust people who review tofu recipes. I question their motives—are these people health nuts, fad dieters or normal humans who happen to enjoy flavorless blocks of fermented soy beans? I guess I fall in the last camp, so you probably shouldn’t trust this blog post either.
But I’ve been making a version of tofu-stuffed mushrooms from epicurious.com for several years—it’s one of the few tofu recipes I’ve found that’s worth repeating. What we love about the original recipe is the inclusion of walnuts (I often use pecans … it’s a Southern thing) that give the tofu a sweet, meaty flavor. The tofu also is frozen and defrosted before it’s cooked, which gives the flabby soy product the texture of cooked ground beef (or pretty close).
For this recipe, I kept the nut and tofu attributes intact, but I included a pound of greens since our CSA boxes have been overflowing with leaves for the past few weeks.
I made this meal after a stressful day at work. Honestly, all my brain wanted was a carb- and cheese-laden slice of pizza. As I cooked the tofu and greens and assembled the unfortunately cholesterol-free mushrooms, I was skeptical that this meal would satisfy my brain and body’s complex need for comfort.
With great pleasure, I report that these vegan stuffed mushrooms made deeply satisfying. The nuts helped calm my fat craving, and the tofu and mushrooms tricked my mouth into thinking it was eating meat. Plus, the kale and other sturdy greens I used in the stuffing took on a delicate sweetness and crispy texture after baking. At last, a new tofu victory worth repeating!
But you should be the judge. I’m the one using tofu for psychological intervention.
Tofu and Greens-stuffed Portabellas
1 block firm or extra-firm tofu, frozen and defrosted
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound mixed greens (spinach, kale, turnip, chard, etc.), coarsely chopped
1/3 cup ground walnuts or pecans
3 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
6 large portabella mushrooms, stems and gills removed
1/4 cup fresh or panko bread crumbs, optional
Instructions
To freeze the tofu, wrap it in plastic wrap. Take it out the freezer to defrost at least 12 to 24 hours before you need it. Before cooking, squeeze out excess moisture and crumble.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Heat olive oil in a large, nonstick frying pan on medium heat. Add onion, and cook until translucent—about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Stir in tofu, and let it cook, undisturbed, for 5 to 6 minutes. Toss a few times, and allow it to cook for 4 to 5 minutes more, until just golden. Add greens to the pan, and cook until wilted and most of their liquid has evaporated. (Depending on the types of greens you use, this should take 4 to 8 minutes.) Stir in ground nuts, soy sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.
Place portabellas on a lightly greased baking pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper into the interior of each mushroom. Fill the mushrooms with the tofu mixture. Top with bread crumbs, if desired, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Serves 6 for first course, 3 for main