Tofu is *not* boring—and we’ve got 8 healthy recipes to prove it

Most people probably feel pretty meh about tofu. And I don’t blame ’em: A few years ago, I certainly wasn’t a member of the tofu fan club either. How could a flavorless brick be anything but boring. Well, when you get creative and cook it properly, that brick turns into a straight-up plant-based dinner superstar.

If you claim you don’t like tofu, there’s one reason for that: You’re doing it wrong. By itself, tofu isn’t going to taste good. But the transformation into something flavorful is easy. Tofu soaks up spice like a sponge, and it’s incredibly versatile when it comes to preparation. You can make it super crispy, blend it up into a sauce, turn it into dairy-free cheese, scramble it—the options are endless. When you prepare correctly, you won’t even be able to tell it started as a block of curdled soy milk in the first place. That’s a promise.

8 delicious tofu recipes that are anything but boring

1. Vegan stuffed shells with tofu ricotta

Yeah, that’s right—you can turn tofu into ricotta. And a really good one, at that.

2. Tofu fettuccine Alfredo

The next time you’re in the mood for an Alfredo sauce, take a tip from chef Chloe Coscarelli and blend up a block of tofu with onion, garlic, and lemon juice.

3. General Tso’s tofu stir-fry

Crispy tofu slathered in a homemade General Tso’s sauce beats takeout any night.

4. Sesame crispy tofu

Marinating slices of tofu, coating them in a nutty sesame seed mix, and popping them in the air fryer makes for a mouth-watering meal.

5. Tofu satay with cauliflower fried rice

Yep, you can put tofu on skewers and grill it just like meat. In this recipe, it pairs perfectly with fried cauliflower rice.

6. Thai mango cabbage wraps

This healthy tofu dish is practically bursting with flavor thanks to the homemade mango pico and creamy peanut sauce.

7. Easy baked tofu nuggets

Love nuggets? When you coat tofu in crispy panko breadcrumbs and bake it up, it tastes just like chicken.

8. Buffalo tofu salad with creamy hemp ranch

Oh, hello, work lunch of your dreams. This protein-packed, flavorful mix fuels you for the rest of the day.

Aside from tofu, you need to discover these other plant-based protein sources too. Including tempeh, which is also super versatile…not to mention tasty.