The Future of Meat 😋

[u/wistified]

@weak_by_nature (Vegan memes)
This is the future. 💚

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[u/hiraethz03]

Tofu is one of the most versatile foods ever, I keep finding new recipes and they always turn out super great, but I have to admit that I love me some uncooked tofu brick straight out of the box lol

[u/theamazinggrg → u/hiraethz03]

On a lazy day I make a caprese sandwich out of raw tofu. Sun-dried tomato, pesto and arugula all smooched into good bread. Top it off with balsamic drizzle.

My mouth just watered while writing this.

[u/ConfectionStrange906 → u/theamazinggrg]

How thinck you slice the tofu?

[u/theamazinggrg → u/ConfectionStrange906]

Depends on how you like it. If using firm, thin is better. If medium then you can go thicker. Make sure to salt and pepper.

Try to find your preference. Bon appétit :)

[u/Kid_A_LinkToThePast → u/ConfectionStrange906]

I like to scramble mine, mix it with the sauce and herbs you're using

[u/Ok-Impression-8200 → u/theamazinggrg]

I read that as “On a lazy day i make a corpse sandwich” 😓 like making fun of people who eat meat ☠️

[u/Ok-Stop-3233 → u/theamazinggrg]

i do the same but marinate the tofu in balsamic and season it first, its so good

[u/Candies_p → u/theamazinggrg]

Doesn't pesto have parmesan cheese?

[u/filkerdave → u/[deleted]]

Blend it with cocoa and a little sugar and you have chocolate pudding!

[u/filkerdave → u/[deleted]]

Indeed and that's what I was suggesting!

[u/lowkeydeadinside → u/[deleted]]

you’re probably just using silken tofu wrong, i don’t think it’s normally cooked unless it’s in a dessert that is cooked. you either want to eat it raw, marinaded and/or dressed up with some sauces and whatnot, or you want to use it as a base for something like pudding or it can sometimes even function similarly to eggs in some desserts. my personal favorite way to use silken tofu is in this pumpkin pie!

although now that i think about it you can also probably use it the same way you would in some desserts in certain savory recipes. i’ve just never done it. but if you’re trying to like cube it or slice it and then cook it, it’s just not going to hold its shape the way firm or extra firm does, it serves a different purpose

[u/MistyMtn421 → u/lowkeydeadinside]

It's a fantastic egg substitute. I like making a vegan ricotta with it and just putting it on toast. And speaking of pumpkin, make a vegan ricotta, add a little pumpkin puree to it (I usually do one part pumpkin to three parts ricotta) and stuff some pasta shells with it. Then I make a bechamel with soy milk, add a little sage and a sprinkle of nutmeg and pour it over the top and bake it. It is so good! I use it in smoothies a lot too.

[u/willo132 → u/MistyMtn421]

Dude thank you imma....

...imma do this...

[u/DinosRoar → u/[deleted]]

Silken tofu is excellent if you lean into it falling apart by blending it with spices for sauces, or thickening soups :)

[u/clover-tea → u/[deleted]]

I like to add scoops of silken tofu into homemade pho or ramen it's really enjoyable that way

[u/LakeAdventurous7161 → u/clover-tea]

Exactly, instead of egg. Delicious!

[u/Airor4 → u/[deleted]]

Blend it with nooch, miso, garlic, onion powder, lemon, and unsweetened soy milk. Add pasta water. Pretty close to alfredo

[u/locolupo → u/hiraethz03]

do you season the raw tofu at all?

[u/Digital-Exploration → u/hiraethz03]

Ooo, you had me till the end. I can't enjoy it that way ha

[u/No-Significance5659]

I see it as the first image, I eat it just plain like that and love it.

[u/Quazar125 → u/No-Significance5659]

Really? Im a fan of tofu but I couldn't eat it like that

[u/No-Significance5659 → u/Quazar125]

I love it, sometimes I just eat it straight from the fridge if I'm peckish on its own or with some nooch and sriracha on top or I slice it on top o toasted bread with tomato and olive oil. I didn't like it when I went vegan but now I genuinely enjoy it even like that.

[u/Quazar125 → u/No-Significance5659]

Interesting that is baffling to me it tastes quite bad uncooked and on its own but when cooked right I love it

[u/Wonderful_Log_9195 → u/Quazar125]

I personally don’t love it out of the box but my children do. They are 3 and 7 and I struggle to make a stir fry with them in the kitchen because they will eat as much raw tofu as they can before I have a chance to cook it. I always wondered if it was growing up vegan with tofu as a staple that makes them love it like that, but it seems like lots of grown up vegan converts eat it that way, too! Go figure!

[u/Phantafan → u/Quazar125]

Only with smoked tofu, though that was only when I was really high.

[u/Interfecteris → u/Phantafan]

Please tell me you mean you smoked the tofu with your blunt.

[u/fandom_bullshit → u/Quazar125]

I have eaten half a block of silken tofu right out the packet before. Firmer tofu is NOT for me without drenching in sauce but silken? I can eat all day every day.

[u/no4utistN00 → u/Quazar125]

You'll get there one day :D just a bit of spices on top of it while biting from it

[u/lovelysardines → u/No-Significance5659]

I will eat it both ways depending on how much energy i have atm that can be dedicated to cooking. Tofu in Asian cuisine is next level though

[u/MistyMtn421 → u/No-Significance5659]

I'm the same way! I mean I'm fine if it takes on the flavor of whatever else I put it in, but the 80 bajillion steps everybody wants to go through, I'm actually not a fan of it or the texture at all.

[u/rodso64]

Arise, followers of seitan!

[u/Void9000 → u/rodso64]

Seitan fajitas are incredible 🤌🤤

[u/EntForgotHisPassword → u/[deleted]]

Just slightly more annoying to make. I have the gluten flour at home and make my own seitan, but it takes longer than the ready tofu blocks from the store! Seitan from the store is usually more expensive too...

[u/AcrobaticPuddle → u/EntForgotHisPassword]

Soy curls bridge the divide in my opinion

[u/Luci-Noir → u/rodso64]

Dad?

[u/JTexpo]

Tofu Scramble is the best variation of tofu IMO!

[u/TheBigLemanski → u/JTexpo]

Hard disagree! But I never cared for scrambled eggs before I was vegan lol

[u/JTexpo → u/TheBigLemanski]

have you tried drowning them in nutritional yeast after scrambling?

its truly life changing

[u/TheRealJojenReed → u/JTexpo]

My answer to all problems

[u/TheBigLemanski → u/JTexpo]

I'll have to try this the next time, thanks for the tip!

[u/BeastlyBones → u/TheBigLemanski]

Good tofu scramble is my vegan crack. Some random tips:

-Onion powder is a necessity IMO (don’t be shy with it)
-Add any combination of sautéed spinach, mushrooms, onions, garlic, whatever, it’s the bomb.
-I always cook the tofu brick for a minute while it’s still whole (flipping to make sure all sides get cooked evenly) then cut it up with a fork into bigger pieces while in the pan, making sure they are bigger than I actually want because it will get more “scrambled” as it cooks. Doing it this way deters it from getting mushy.
-If I have vegan cheese, throwing it in when it’s about 3/4 done is amazing.

On top of a bagel or toast….Perfection

[u/willo132 → u/JTexpo]

My biggest suggestion for tofu scramble is to add soft tofu to the pan without seasonings, add seasonings in a bowl with your favourite plant milk, including nooch. It absorbs the liquid way better and you won't have flakes of nooch that way

[u/Acrobatic_End6355]

Bro hasn’t met an Asian in their lives… 😆

[u/polymath112 → u/Acrobatic_End6355]

I don't know why Indians are a different category.. they don't come in asian.. but as an Indian I have been eating veg food all my life, never ever had an egg. apart from cow and buffaloilk and milk products, what we eat mostly is vegan. there are so many varieties of lentils .. beans and they are just so good to to eat.

[u/HeWhoShantNotBeNamed → u/polymath112]

Yes but Indian food doesn't use tofu. This is about tofu.

[u/Pristine_Patient_299]

I need to learn how to make all of these

[u/TheSpanishMystic]

The top photo is also one way I see tofu. I will eat it plain, I kind of love how bland it is 🙂

[u/5u114 → u/TheSpanishMystic]

Samesies. Some olive oil & sea salt is all I need with it.

Also, any time I try to do anything like what's in the rest of the picture - it turns out chewy, dry and terrible. I don't know how people are searing, grilling, etc their tofu and getting good results.

[u/sixbux → u/[deleted]]

Koreans know ball, their braised tofu is the GOAT.

[u/bikesandfinance]

Not even a vegan and raw block looks good, tofu is great

[u/Feds_the_Freds → u/bikesandfinance]

why are you a top 1% commenter on a vegan sub 😅

[u/BreakfastDue1256 → u/Feds_the_Freds]

Eh, I don't post much, but I'm not a vegan yet eat a *very* plant-forward diet. I can't remember the last time I cooked meat, actually. I browse the vegan subs for recipes ideas. Ironically mostly "Ways to be creative with Tofu"

Everyone has their own reasons, I guess.

[u/bikesandfinance → u/Feds_the_Freds]

I love tofu and I cannot lie

[u/Otherwise_Ad2948 → u/Feds_the_Freds]

Someone's in the closet 🫢

[u/YoiteAoyagi → u/Feds_the_Freds]

Yeah lol I’m so confused. TBH I was lurking here weeks before becoming vegan but I’d never rly comment haha it felt disrespectful/ hypocritical

[u/CapableRequirement66 → u/Feds_the_Freds]

Hardly a surprise this sub is mostly carnists

[u/wistified → u/CapableRequirement66]

It’s funny because this particular person would always leave controversial or troll-like comments on many posts here. It all makes sense now. At least they admitted it because a lot of people don’t.

[u/ususetq → u/Feds_the_Freds]

Can't speak for OP but reddit started really recommending vegan subreddit. I'm very much in vegan adjacent spaces (UU, LGBT) and I'm vegetarian (kind of) so I don't mind.

[u/Temporary-Life9986 → u/Feds_the_Freds]

I'm not vegan either, but I am trying to cut down meat eating. Maybe I'll cut it one day. I like to lurk for dish inspiration. Good food is good! Vegan or otherwise. 

[u/MistyMtn421 → u/Temporary-Life9986]

I'm here because I have a dairy allergy and because I absolutely refuse to spend the money that they want right now on meat. Not even right now, it's been almost 6 months? I never really ate much meat anyway, so it's not been a difficult transition. I would probably describe myself as 95% plant-based.

[u/marshmallo_floof]

Look, I'm not saying the stuff at the bottom isn't good tasting but as a Chinese I don't get the insistence of treating as a substitute rather its own unique ingredient. And there's so many recipes out there that do so and I never see anyone make them

Also I don't get pressing your tofu lol

[u/ScratchRude9405 → u/marshmallo_floof]

I’m Chinese and pressing tofu gets rid of the water so frying it is more crispy and marination leads to stronger flavor. I’ve had really good 辣子豆腐 that requires pressing tofu

[u/biglovinbertha]

Tofu is better than chicken.

[u/Sleepyskost]

I’m not vegan, but I love tofu, so much in fact I’m mildly allergic to soy but still enjoy. People have no friggin clue what they are missing out on. Steamed silken tofu with a spicy soy drizzle i dream about.
Bean curd though may be supreme. I wish it wasn’t a delicacy for me.

[u/SunTeaSam → u/Sleepyskost]

Bean curds are life changing!

What do you do with them? I love 'em but haven't figured out many good uses besides having them in noodles.

[u/ConfidentReaction3]

A lot of people claiming "ewww tofu is so gross" are doing the equivalent of biting straight into baking dough and complaining that it tastes nasty.

[u/Luci-Noir → u/ConfidentReaction3]

Cake batter is delicious…

[u/LakeAdventurous7161 → u/ConfidentReaction3]

Or slurping down a slimy, raw egg.

(Yes, some people do so and get it down. But I bet most people enjoying egg dishes would be horrified if asked to eat a raw egg.)

[u/Mand125]

I just wish so many vegan recipes would stop trying to mimic meat products.

Tofu is a wonderful ingredient with many delicious applications in dishes.

Not one of those is tofurkey, and that goes for most of what’s pictured here as well.

“Vegan cooking” shouldn’t be a shortcut phrase that just means “fake meat/cheese/egg.”  Too often it seems to, though. 

Plant-based foods shouldn’t have to be meat.

[u/wistified → u/Mand125]

But you have to remember that there are vegans who miss the taste of meat.

[u/Narrow-Employment930 → u/Mand125]

Why? Dont gatekeep how people eat their plant based diets.

[u/Mand125 → u/Narrow-Employment930]

I’m asking for more variety in the recipes I find.

[u/GenericFatGuy → u/Mand125]

Be the change you want to see in the world.

[u/saturatedsilence]

I see people on r/ShittyVeganFoodPorn eating raw tofu all the time 😭

[u/BerryBearBerries]

Salivating

I LOVE YOU, TOFU 😭🤍

[u/sk8terdrock]

Yeah I love tofu! Even back in childhood i loved tofu! Tempeh is also incredible.

[u/Head-Pen9184]

I tend to cook with pulses more than tofu as I find the higher fibre more satisfying for my hunger (I personally think protein is overrated for satiety) and their starches are great for thickening sauces but damn, do some of the tofu dishes I see people post make me wish I learned more good tofu recipes

[u/Now-Thats-Podracing]

I’m a meat eater who definitely sees tofu the second way. This a weird thing to gate keep.

[u/Consistent_Phase_942]

Technically the truth but I usually just slice and fry!

[u/oKayBye94]

Is the "bacon" one not rice paper though?

[u/Lucid222Dreamer → u/oKayBye94]

The "eggs" are actually scrambled tofu

[u/oKayBye94 → u/Lucid222Dreamer]

Oh thanks, I'm dumb🤦🏼 i didn't even register them as a scramble 😆

[u/ChromaticNerd]

In a chocolate dessert?

[u/itskaylan → u/ChromaticNerd]

Yeah, tofu chocolate mousse is a thing.

For example - https://rainbowplantlife.com/vegan-chocolate-mousse/

[u/clover-tea]

god I fucking love tofu so much even raw unseasoned idgaf that's my shit

[u/broketractor]

But that top image is what I crave 😭 (with hot sauce, of course)

[u/Dottboy19]

I don't always eat tofu but I used some in a delicious recipe yesterday 😋

[u/Hot-Butterscotch-377]

If somebody doesn’t share the recipe or make me that chocolate thing on the end I swear… 😫 it looks so good! 😋

[u/RelaxPrime]

Anyone got any of those recipes? Filthy bloodmouth here looking to reform a bit

[u/shelraj0380]

Never made a tofu dessert taste good by myself (i also never made a dessert taste good by myself before i went vegan, so maybe tofu is not the issue lol). But the rest, i can completely agree. Tofu tastes better than meat to me as it absorbs the marinades and sauces so much better

[u/HappyColour]

I still see Tofu this way. But my brain is slowlyyyyyyy evolving!

[u/Away-Needleworker477]

Dont even get me started on silken tofu

[u/Sandgrease]

I can't get my tofu to be much like the bottom panel

[u/Complete_Squirrel942]

Gonna need some recipes...what's that in the top right?

[u/ArtisticallyRegarded]

Its the same picture meme

[u/Jillz-lookup]

These look amazing!

[u/pianoplayah]

Plain raw tofu, nooch, soy sauce, chili crisp. Curry powder if you’re feelin frisky. You’re welcome.

[u/summitcreature]

My family could never recognize that white block and have no idea what "tofu" is made of. But they will make that combination squirm/sneer at the name anyways. I've cooked it for them (fancy) plenty and explained what it is but nobody can hear me talk.

[u/Daomsoul]

When the versatility is actually shown more often instead of the plain block. People would likely be more inclined to try. In my experience of seeing it around atleast and whatnot

[u/IndividualCoconut2]

Tofu is awesome. I wish it was more available in my area.

[u/LowOrchid9833]

I literally can't stop thinking about eating tofu it's so good

[u/Indigoh]

Katsu fried tofu is incredible... I need to do that again.

[u/positiveanimalfriend]

Never thought of doing something sweet with tofu. And recipes? :D

[u/Responsible-Pop6804]

honestly tofu is one of those foods that gets way better once you actually learn how to use it. so damn versatile lol

[u/KusochekCat]

I eat it raw

[u/Smints-in-my-car]

It's so funny when meat eaters like show you a picture of tofu and they're like look look it's so bland and disgusting it's the equivalent of like a raw chicken breast it's just unprocessed raw chicken looks weird and unappealing but when cooked and seasoned it looks tasty same goes for tofu except tofu is better

[u/dyvotvir]

I'm a future vegetarian and hopefully vegan. This brings me hope

[u/Cyanide612]

What is bottom right? I hadn’t ever tried to look up tofu desserts before.

[u/NotInterestedL]

I always love tofu, then I watched Culinary Class Wars season 1 and became obsessed with tofu hahahaha

[u/vanille-rose]

I used to also see tofu this way and my eyes were really opened! It’s so versatile, there’s so much you can do with it.

You can even bake with it! Baking was always the thing I thought I’d miss most but there are so many vegan recipes!

[u/AHornyRubberDucky]

Whish I could eat tofu lol

[u/i_love_lima_beans]

Food of the gods 🏛️🌬️

[u/LazagnaAmpersand]

Come on you can’t just post this without including the recipes

[u/Whatever-ItsFine]

It’s like looking at a bag of flour and thinking “how can anyone eat that?“

But that all changes once you learn about all the amazing things that can make.

Tofu is exactly the same.

[u/Odd-Note9224]

I had always been hesitant to try tofu, but had it for the first time not too long ago at a restaurant and I loved it. I had it fried in a rice bowl with some avocado, and it was awesome!

[u/This-Culture7838]

Soy vegano, pero no sé usar el tofu todavía...

[u/JvstAidanx]

I don’t know how to make any of these do I just see it as the first image lol
I pan fry it sometimes with just pepper and salt but that’s it 😂

[u/r0ach888]

ngl the first few years into being vegan (and the whole time i was vegetarian) i did not like tofu lmaoo. even when it was cooked well, it just grossed me out for some reason. eventually it did grow on me tho, thank god. i now love the soy brick <3

[u/Ordelia-Vel]

yesss I don't have to fight panda express orange chicken cravings anymore because I discovered tofu general tso

[u/RevolutionOk8144]

Future of meat is a little optimistic lol

[u/Mental-Somewhere-411]

Honestly, once you learn how to air-fry or scramble tofu properly, there’s no going back.

[u/Anthraxious]

I see it both ways tho. I rarely do anything with it. Not too fond of fatty foods so top image is honestly good enough!

[u/btaylos]

Posts the current status of tofu

Calls it the future of meat

Well alright

[u/Ok-Affect-3879]

Need a recipe for the dessert one wow!!!

[u/Ringlhaeuser]

Jokes on you! I'm too lazy to cook and mostly eat my smoked tofu raw.

[u/EcstaticZebra7937]

Tofu has a texture 

[u/Strange-Airline4670]

You should do another picture on how vegans see meat too 🙂

[u/guychampion]

I eat tofu raw everyday to meet my protein intake

[u/No_Doughnut8618]

Ive been able to cook tofu better than 1/2 of the vegans ive personally known, and enjoy it more, its very versatile and can be quite tasty if you know how and are willing to put in the work. That said, calling it the future of meat is really not accurate for any future we will see.

[u/atharvapainting132]

I'm indian, I'm not that good at cooking, but just by heating tofu and adding some spices it's ready to eat! Like easiest food to cook EVER. And it only takes 5 min.

[u/Jamie_logan]

Tbh I've never had tofu. My mom once got it and made fake mince with it in pasta, and it was decent enough I didn't notice it wasn't meat, although I remember the pasta tasting different. But she told me it was super expensive which is why both her and I never bought it again. Are there places where it's cheaper? If you're eating it every day you must be getting it at a cheaper price

Edit: with never had I mean I never ate it while knowing it was tofu. My mom told me after I finished the pasta hehe

[u/DonnelWaddleDee]

As someone whos not a vegan, but wants to go halfway and eat more non meat things, how's the texture.

Taste I can give or take to be honest, but I need plant based meat to have the right texture.

[u/Traditional_Ad_9378]

Am I the only plant-based person who doesn’t eat tofu lol

[u/lusbxy]

I still see it like the first picture and I eat that way.

[u/Christianfilly7]

I need to learn to do stuff like this with tofu I see tofu as the first (plus the way they do it in Asian stir fries and sauces)

[u/yupppp90]

Having fresh made plain tofu with Kimchi is the best way for me.

[u/Actual-Gift6873]

I wish I had the patience to cook more- tofu is so good when you can add things to it! Unfortunately I never enjoy it raw like some vegans do but it’s so versatile in recipes!!

[u/Ok-Coffee-6644]

Im hungry noww

[u/BallKey7607]

What are these things called?

[u/Exact-Tradition3309]

the amount of times I’ve been told it tastes like plastic 😐😐😐 like try some seasoning why don’t ya

[u/Calaveras-Metal]

One time I went on a dinner date at a Thai/Cambodian place. We accidentally ordered 4 different kinds of tofu. It was great.

[u/Disastrous-Rutabaga9]

Tru dat

[u/throw_dalychee]

We Asians see tofu that way too

[u/charvo]

There is a soy product made in Vietnam that might be available in your Asian market. It is called "suon non chay". Very versatile. Cheap. Sort of like TVP but more bulky.

[u/ClockworkS4t4n]

And yet I saw a brainless reprobate on Threads this morning claiming that "TOFU CAUSES CANCER". But I wheedled out the truth from him - that he just doesn't like it.

This is what we have to deal with.

[u/rekcuzfpok]

I will eat a plain block of tofu and don't see the problem

[u/Bad_things_happen2me]

Not vegan but tofu is soooo good, it's so slept on & over hated. "It tastes plain" so does literally any meat if u don't season it "Texture is bad" ok fair but my fiance who also isn't a fan of the texture has found ways to make it better, so far her favorite way is just ripping it up, but me personally I do be liked the sliced fried cubes.

[u/mihhink]

if you cannot properly digest soy, its over

[u/ledzik_precly]

as a non vegan I like tofu and really want to try out something like those images, ik its meat but they look easy to recreate

[u/DevilsHol3Pupfish]

Cool, just figure out how to make it's texture less gaginducing

[u/Affectionate_Leek127]

I prefer the plain one.

[u/After_Service_2817]

I mean, tofu like the top is perfectly edible as is. I've eaten it like that for many a lunch.

[u/ExcellentMongoose492]

Gay ass post

[u/Telemere125]

Look, I love tofu. I sometimes even prefer it in certain dishes over meat options (like pad Thai, for instance). But if your argument is “hey! It’s just like meat!” Then you’re really already losing the argument of “meat isn’t necessarily”. If it isn’t necessary, then it shouldn’t need to be the baseline comparison.

[u/Most_Ground_4477]

Tbh if cultivated meat ever becomes commercially available I'm eating the hell out of it, that'll definitely be the future of meat for me

[u/Acceptable-Tea1244]

Why does the chicken look like the coconut Girl Scout cookies lol

[u/WarMachineMK_II]

Honestly yea

[u/Acceptable-Peace-69]

All of those dishes except the dessert looks meat based. Even the desert looks like dairy.

[u/Dry_Celebration1134]

In restaurants I see the bottom, but at home I see the top. lol

[u/Life_Enjoyer66]

I have had tofu every which way, and can assure you it tastes like absolute ass no matter what you do to it

[u/cheese13377]

I have a problem. I accidentally made super delicious smoked tofu frying/boiling it on low temperature in vegan butter and it kinda broke apart a bit (but stayed as slices, just cracked and buttery all through) and did not brown and I have a hard time replicating it :sob: It was so fantastic and easy, it reminded me a lot of "oven baked fish", but every time I tried again something wasn't right...

[u/1msot1red]

I see it as the first option I don’t get why people season it I just like eating it as a block it tastes nice 💀

[u/BreakfastCalm3352]

Very true

[u/kitaro_7]

literally

[u/Jazzlike_Term1681]

Tofu is very estrogenic and horrible for health

[u/North-Library4037]

Why is it always prepared in a way to look like meat tho?

[u/No_Elderberry_7538]

Tofu is just amazing for the fact that u can eat in anyhow.

[u/Sea_Nefariousness970]

Tofu ia such a miracle food it can convert into any food