this easy vegan tofu ham is only 6 ingredients, full of flavor, and so delicious. you will love it!
the inspiration
A few years ago I actually shared this recipe to Pinterest. I never formally shared it to the blog or YouTube. To be honest, I totally forgot about it until someone liked the Pin and it came up as a notification.
So, then I thought “wait a minute…you need to put this on the blog!” This vegan tofu ham is a perfect holiday dish but it also great for any dinner. The glaze requires very minimal ingredients, there is no marinade time but you won’t believe the flavor on this tofu.
the ingredients
- Tofu: for this vegan tofu ham you can use any extra firm or super firm tofu you like. I love the Big Mountain Soy Free Fava Bean Tofu because it is super high in protein. However, you can also use Nasoya super firm tofu, Nasoya extra firm tofu, House Foods extra firm tofu, Whole Foods extra firm tofu or any brand of tofu you like. If you do use an extra firm I would press it first.
- Grade-A Maple Syrup: this will add sweetness to the marinade and helps to turn it into a nice thick glaze.
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce: I like to use low sodium soy sauce because I find it to still be salty enough. If you need to you can swap for tamari or coconut aminos.
- Ketchup: the ketchup adds a bit of acidity and tang to the marinade glaze. Trust me, as someone who doesn’t love ketchup it doesn’t taste like ketchup it just adds background flavors.
- Garlic Powder: of course to add some extra flavor.
- Olive Oil: I like to use a little light olive oil to pan fry the tofu. However, if you are using a good non-stick pan you can feel free to omit it.
cutting the tofu
The first part of this recipe will involve cutting the tofu into 4 rectangles. I just flip the tofu on its side and cut them about ¼ inch to ½ inch thick. They don’t need to be perfectly exact.
Then you will take a sharp knife and make a crosshatch pattern on the tofu. This is a very important step because it changes the texture of the tofu. You want to make about 8 to 10 diagonal cuts from one corner to the bottom, and then repeat on the opposite side. Next, you will flip the tofu over and repeat the process. Both sides should have the crosshatch pattern.
It is important to not cut too deep into the tofu, you just want the cuts to be mostly on the top. If the cuts go too deep on both sides you could risk meeting in the middle and having the tofu break. Which wouldn’t be the biggest deal it is just not the desired outcome.
why is the crosshatch pattern important?
The little cuts on the tofu add more surface area. This allows the for vegan tofu ham to have more flavor and caramelization on top. It also allows for the maple glaze to get into the tofu.
Doing it on both sides allows for all sides of the tofu to have good texture. We can also skip marinating the tofu because cutting it on the thinner side and then making the crosshatch pattern allows the glaze to get in there.
the maple glaze
The star of the show is the maple glaze. This vegan tofu ham has tons of flavor. The maple glaze has everything saltiness, sweetness, acidity, and a little extra flavor from the garlic powder. Every ingredient works together here to make a very delicious and full bodies maple glaze.
I honestly wouldn’t recommend adding anything in at all. The flavors are balanced and delicious. However, of course you can always add in what you like but I do suggest trying it the original way before adding any additions.
cooking the vegan tofu ham
After you cut the tofu and score it, it is time to cook. I like to use a non-stick pan when cooking tofu to ensure there is no sticking. I was kindly gifted one from Hexclad and it has been great. First, you can add a bit of oil into the pan. Cook both sides of the tofu for a few minutes to just get it turning golden and a little crispy.
Then, you will begin to brush the maple glaze over the tofu. Make sure to get it on the top and on the sides. Then, flip the tofu over and brush the other side. Allow the tofu to cook for a few minutes per side after brush it with glaze. This makes the sauce gets caramelized and creates a beautiful texture on the tofu.
Through this process of repeatedly brushing the glaze on the tofu and then cooking it, it creates layers of flavor and goodness. This why we are able to skip marinating as well, we are just constantly brushing it with flavor.
what to pair the vegan tofu ham with
This vegan tofu ham is meant to be a main dish and dinner. So, it pairs really great with a variety of side dishes. Of course this is your protein so be sure to pair it with a veggie and a carb!
Here are some veggie side dishes that would work well: vegan creamed spinach, breaded and smashed Brussels sprouts, maple roasted carrots, roasted broccoli & Brussels sprouts or shaved asparagus salad.
Here are some carby side dishes that would work well: vegan mashed potatoes, vegan Duchess potatoes, crescent rolls or sea salt focaccia.
why you’ll love this recipe
I think you will love this vegan tofu ham because it is a minimum effort, maximum reward recipe. The ingredients are easy to find, there is nothing too obscure or difficult to find. It is simple to make and it comes together relatively quickly. The crosshatch scoring technique also makes all the difference in creating an amazing texture in the tofu.
more tofu recipes
vegan tofu ham faq
- Is this recipe soy free? I am using a soy free tofu made from fava beans so yes! Just swap the soy sauce for tamari or coconut amimos.
- Is this recipe gluten free? Just swap the soy sauce for coconut aminos.
- Is this recipe nut free? Yes.
- How do I store leftovers? You can store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. However, this recipe is on the smaller side so I don’t think there will be many leftovers.
- Can I freeze the leftovers? I probably wouldn’t freeze this.
- Can I make this recipe without the oil? Yes, as long as you have a good non-stick pan.
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Vegan Tofu Ham
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces soy free fava bean tofu firm tofu *see note
- 1 ½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons ketchup
- 3 tablespoons grade-A maple syrup
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Turn the tofu on it’s side and cut into 4 rectangles. They should be the same size as the original block, just thinner pieces.
- Use a sharp knife to make a crosshatch pattern on the top and the bottom of the each tofu rectangles.
- Add the oil into a pan. Place the tofu in a pan and cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes per side, allowing each side to get crispy and golden.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl mix all the remaining ingredients together to make a glaze.
- Once all sides of the tofu are golden use a silicone brush to brush on the maple glaze on one side of the tofu, making sure to get the sides as well. Continue to let the tofu cook. Repeat brushing the tofu with the glaze, flipping it and letting it cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do this 2 to 3 times per side.
- The tofu should be golden, saucy, and caramelized. Add onto a plate and drizzle rest of the glaze. Enjoy.
Notes
- Nutrition facts are based on my gram measurements put into Cronometer. Yours may vary, they are to help you get an idea.
- For this recipe I used soy free fava bean tofu. However, you can use regular super form tofu or extra firm tofu for this recipe. If you use extra firm tofu I would say to press it prior to doing this recipe.
- For the serving size of this tofu I wrote 4 servings so it would be one piece each (approx 4 ounces). However, if you are hungrier or depending on your appetite I may say this recipe makes 2 servings.
Nutrition
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Looks good. Do you think I can use soy tofu? Also do you think I. An bake the tofu for a big group of people?
Hi Shari, yes of course! From the ingredients section of the boog post “Tofu: for this vegan tofu ham you can use any extra firm or super firm tofu you like. I love the Big Mountain Soy Free Fava Bean Tofu because it is super high in protein. However, you can also use Nasoya super firm tofu, Nasoya extra firm tofu, House Foods extra firm tofu, Whole Foods extra firm tofu or any brand of tofu you like. If you do use an extra firm I would press it first.”
Sure, you can use the blog serving size feature to scale up based on how many servings you would like 🙂
Trialled this today for Christmas. So easy and so good. Thank you
Hi Jenny! Oh yay I am so so glad to hear that and so happy you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and review it means so much. Merry Christmas!
I only added a couple drops of liquid smoke and it was perfect.
awesome so glad you enjoyed 🙂