This pan-fried tofu with marsala mushrooms and shallots pack all the flavor and aroma from a mix of shallots, fresh mushrooms, thyme, vegan butter, and of course the marsala wine, that adds a rice aroma and caramelized flavor to this dish. I used tofu as my protein to pair with the very tasty mushrooms but you’re free to use other protein of choice to pair with this.
THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS TOFU AND MUSHROOM DISH
I'm in culinary school in New York City at the moment and taking a plant-based program. We made this tempeh with a mushroom pan sauce that was SO GOOD and really couldn't get over that sauce and how tasty it was, so I decided to make something similar - but with tofu!
MARSALA WINE
Marsala wine adds a rich aroma plus a nutty and caramelized flavor. I first learned about this wine in culinary school and how it pairs very well with mushrooms, so after trying it with a recipe of mushroom pan sauce and feel in love, I knew I had to get my own bottle of marsala cooking wine to use for my home cooking.
The Marsala wine here adds a lot of flavor so it's not something I would omit. If you have to substitute this, you can also use Madeira wine.
WHAT TOFU SHOULD I USE?
I used extra firm tofu for this recipe and find that it's the best option since it holds up well when marinated and pan-fried.
INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED
You can find the full detailed recipe in the box below!
TOFU
- 1 lb extra firm tofu drained and press
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil, see notes
- Ground white pepper
- 1/2 tsp mushroom bouillon powder or other seasoning (salt will work too!)
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika optional
MUSHROOM MARSALA SAUCE
- 2 tbsp vegan butter cold and diced
- 7 oz fresh mushrooms of choice sliced or broken apart
- 1/2 large shallot or 1 small shallot thinly sliced into rings
- 1/3 cup marsala cooking wine
- 1 1/4 cup vegetable broth or stock
- 2 sprigs thyme, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Chopped parsley for garnish
HOW TO COOK THIS TOFU WITH MARSALA MUSHROOMS AND SHALLOTS
FOR THE TOFU
- Drain and press the tofu. Slice into 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick pieces.
- Mix together the oil, minced garlic, pepper, mushroom bouillon powder or other seasoning/salt, and paprika (if using). Mix until well combined.
- Add the tofu and coat each piece. I like to use oil to incorporate some fat into the tofu, but you’re free to just add the dry ingredients. Leave to marinate for at least 30 mins.
- Heat a medium sized non-stick pan or skillet over medium heat. You can lightly oil the pan. Once the oil is hot, place the tofu. Pan-fry the tofu over medium high heat until golden brown. Flip to cook the remaining side.
- Remove the tofu from the oil and place on a paper-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
MUSHROOMS AND SHALLOTS
- Remove most of the oil from the pan and leave a thin coating. Over low heat, melt the butter.
- Add the shallots and sauté over medium heat until tender. Add the sliced mushrooms.
- Season the mushroom with salt and pepper then cook until these start to lightly brown on the edges.
- Over medium high heat, reduce the pan with the marsala wine. Allow around 80% of the wine to evaporate before adding the vegetable broth or stock.
- Leave the sauce to come to a gentle simmer. Add the pan-fried tofu into the sauce to cook for 2-3 minutes on each side to absorb some of the flavors.
- Once the liquid starts to reduce, remove the tofu and transfer to a deep plate or bowl.
- Over medium high heat, add the cold vegan butter cubes. Melt the butter and continue to reduce the sauce until it starts to slightly thicken. Note: this won’t thicken to a gravy-like consistency but will turn out more like a reduced sauce/glaze.
- Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste, if needed. Finish with fresh thyme.
- Add the mushrooms and pour the sauce over the tofu. Garnished with chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy while hot!
OTHER TOFU RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
Tofu with Marsala Mushrooms and Shallots
This pan-fried tofu with marsala mushrooms and shallots pack all the flavor and aroma from a mix of shallots, fresh mushrooms, thyme, vegan butter, and of course the marsala wine, that adds a rice aroma and caramelized flavor to this dish. I used tofu as my protein to pair with the very tasty mushrooms but you’re free to use other protein of choice to pair with this.
Ingredients
TOFU
- 1 lb extra firm tofu drained and press
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil or neutral oil, see notes
- Ground white pepper
- 1/2 tsp mushroom bouillon powder or other seasoning (salt will work too!)
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika optional
MUSHROOM MARSALA SAUCE
- 2 tbsp vegan butter cold and diced
- 7 oz fresh mushrooms of choice , sliced or broken apart (I used a mix of button and shiitake, see notes)
- 1/2 large shallot or 1 small shallot , thinly sliced into rings
- 1/3 cup marsala cooking wine
- 1 1/4 cup vegetable broth or stock
- 2 sprigs thyme , finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
FOR THE TOFU
- Drain and press the tofu. Slice into 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick pieces.
- Mix together the oil, minced garlic, pepper, mushroom bouillon powder or other seasoning/salt, and paprika (if using). Mix until well combined.
- Add the tofu and coat each piece. I like to use oil to incorporate some fat into the tofu, but you’re free to just add the dry ingredients.
- Leave to marinate for at least 30 mins.
- Heat a medium sized non-stick pan or skillet over medium heat. You can lightly oil the pan. Once the oil is hot, place the tofu. Pan-fry the tofu over medium high heat until golden brown. Flip to cook the remaining side.
- Remove the tofu from the oil and place on a paper-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
MUSHROOMS AND SHALLOTS
- Remove most of the oil from the pan and leave a thin coating. Over low heat, melt the butter.
- Add the shallots and sauté over medium heat until tender. Add the sliced mushrooms.
- Season the mushroom with salt and pepper then cook until these start to lightly brown on the edges.
- Over medium high heat, reduce the pan with the marsala wine. Allow around 80% of the wine to evaporate before adding the vegetable broth or stock.
- Leave the sauce to come to a gentle simmer. Add the pan-fried tofu into the sauce to cook for 2-3 minutes on each side to absorb some of the flavors.
- Once the liquid starts to reduce, remove the tofu and transfer to a deep plate or bowl.
- Over medium high heat, add the cold vegan butter cubes. Melt the butter and continue to reduce the sauce until it starts to slightly thicken. Note: this won’t thicken to a gravy-like consistency but will turn out more like a reduced sauce/glaze.
- Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste, if needed. Finish with fresh thyme.
- Add the mushrooms and pour the sauce over the tofu. Garnished with chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy while hot!
Notes
OIL FOR TOFU
- I like to use oil to better incorporate the seasonings in each piece of tofu, but you’re free to just add the dry ingredients and rub the tofu pieces.
MUSHROOMS
- For the mushrooms, I used shiitake and button mushrooms. I also recommend to use mushrooms such as oyster, cremini, baby bella, etc.
WINE
The Marsala wine here adds a lot of flavor so it's not something I would omit. If you have to substitute this, you can also use Madeira wine.NUTRITIONAL INFO
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 831mg | Potassium: 744mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 971IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 4mg
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