Braised Tofu With Basil

A simple homestyle braised tofu with basil. This is hearty, comforting, and packed with that extra flavour from the fresh basil. Blocks of extra firm tofu are cooked to a golden brown crisp before being simmered in a deliciously savoury sauce with basil.

I love making braised tofu at home and this one's with a slight twist from the fresh basil leaves. I have a bunch of basil plants in the plant box right outside my kitchen so I've been finding more ways to use up all the basil since my basil grows really fast and I'm very thankful for the steady supply!

I used Thai basil for this, but you're free to use other basil like holy basil or even sweet basil. Check out a photo of my basil plant below! :)

INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED

You can also find the full recipe in the card below.

Tofu

• firm or extra firm tofu
• neutral oil for cooking

Sauce

• room temperature water
• corn starch
• dark soy sauce (optional for colour)
• soy sauce
• sugar
• vegetarian oyster sauce or stir-fry sauce
• Shaoxing wine or other rice wine

Basil Tofu

• basil leaves roughly broken apart (I used Thai basil, see notes)
• red onion or shallot
• green chilli (optional for heat)
• garlic
• veggies of choice (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

COOKING THIS BRAISED TOFU WITH BASIL

PREPARE AND COOK THE TOFU

• Press the tofu for at least 10 minutes to drain out excess liquid. I like to wrap mine in a towel and place a heavy flat surface on top (such as a few plates or chopping board).
• Slice the tofu into 2” (5-cm) cubes or other shape of choice. I like my tofu in large cubes because the tofu still has that soft spongy bite on the inside even if the outside is cooked to a crisp.
• Heat a large non-stick pan or pot over medium high heat. Add in enough oil to cover the surface. Alternatively, you can opt to bake or air-fry your tofu until golden brown and crisp.
• Add the tofu in the pan then pan-fry on each side until golden brown and crisp, around 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
• Transfer the tofu to a plate and set aside.

PREPARE THE SAUCE

• Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl until the sugar and cornstarch has dissolved.

BRAISE THE TOFU

• You can lessen the oil from the pan and then heat it again over medium high heat.
• Add in half of the basil and cook in down in the oil for 1-2 minutes until wilted. Add in the onion/shallots and chili, if using. Sauté for 1 minute. Add in the minced garlic and sauté for another minute.
• Give the sauce a good mix again to make sure the starch doesn't stick to the bottom of the bowl. Over medium heat, pour in the sauce into the pan. Lower the heat to medium. Allow the sauce to come to a boil. It’ll start to thicken from the corn starch.

• Add in the cooked tofu. Lower the heat and mix well. Leave the tofu to cook in the sauce for 4 to 5 minutes for the tofu to absorb the flavours. The sauce will continue to thicken slowly as it cooks down. It’ll also start to beautifully coat the blocks of tofu.
• Taste the tofu and feel free to season with salt and pepper to taste, and more soy sauce, if needed.
• Turn off the heat and then serve warm with some rice for a perfectly hearty and satisfying meal. Enjoy!

You can find more tofu recipes here or down below:

Check out my tips on how to store tofu!

• Baked Peanut and Lime Tofu
• Kung Pao Tofu
• Pineapple Cashew Tofu Stir-Fry
• Crispy Salt and Pepper Tofu
• Black Pepper Tofu Steaks
• Tofu "Chicken" Teriyaki
• Korean Spicy Braised Tofu
• Fried 'Chicken' and Gravy
• Pan-Fried Tofu Cakes
• Tofu 'McNuggets'

You can pin this image: