Claypot Tofu (20 Mins)

This Claypot Tofu recipe takes around 20 minutes to make and is perfect to warm you up on a cold day. It's vegan, full of veggies, and packed with flavour.

If you don't know what to make for dinner, let this be it. This isn't an authentic Chinese Claypot Tofu recipe, this my take on a tofu stew made in a claypot, and it's so simple and so delicious. I think you're going to love it!

WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• SIMPLE - This dish only requires 4 ingredients for the sauce, and however many vegetables you fancy putting into the claypot. It takes around 20 minutes to make and is such a comforting dish on those colder days.
• VEGAN - You wouldn't guess it, but this dish is plant-based. It's filled with tofu protein as well as a handful of other vegetables. It's a flavourful and warming stew to make for friends and family, or just yourself!
• QUICK - I love spending time in the kitchen, cooking, and eating. But, sometimes, you just don't have the time and you need something speedy and tasty. This Claypot Tofu recipe is just for you. It takes around 20 minutes to make and is perfect for meal prep, lunches, or dinners. You can eat it on its own, or serve it up with some rice, noodles, or pasta.

If you love my Claypot Tofu stew recipe, why not try out some of my other comforting dishes like my Lemongrass & Coconut Tofu Curry, Easy Butter Bean & Spinach Curry, or my 'Nduja Risotto with cherry tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS FOR CLAYPOT TOFU

• TOFU - The star of the claypot, tofu. I've used extra firm tofu for this recipe. You could also use silken or soft tofu if you wanted to make a more soft textured stew. If you choose to use either silken or soft tofu, don't bother air frying it, just simply place the sliced tofu into your claypot around 5 minutes before you want to serve it.
• SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS - You can use any mushroom that is available, but I love the texture, taste, and nutritional benefits shiitake mushrooms provide.
• SHALLOT - I love using shallots in my recipes. They're sweet, easy to handle, and provide a flavourful taste. If you don't have access to shallots, white or red onions are perfectly fine too.
• GINGER - I've used raw fresh ginger for this recipe. Simply finely chop around 1 inch of ginger. It adds a wonderful fresh and spicy flavour to the dish.
• GARLIC - Like for 99% of my dishes, you'll want to add fresh garlic. Around 3 cloves will do, simply mince them or chop them really finely.
• PAK CHOI - I wanted to add a leafy vegetable to this dish, so pak choi is a great choice. You want to first add the stem of the pak choi to the dish, and then add the leaves when you're ready to serve. If you can't find pak choi, any leafy green would do, Chinese leaf for example would be a great alternative.
• SPRING ONION - Or scallions if you're from the States! Simply chop these into 1 inch pieces. Keep them larger in size because they soften down into lovely bites of flavour.
• CHERRY TOMATOES - I've used whole cherry tomatoes to add a bit of tang to the dish and colour. You can also use large tomatoes, and slice them into quarters too.
• VEGETABLE OIL - When heating up your claypot, make sure to coat the bottom and sides with some vegetable oil, to avoid everything sticking.
• SALT - Seasoning the tofu is super important to bring out as much flavour as possible.
• PEPPER - Once again, seasoning the tofu is crucial!
• VEGAN OYSTER SAUCE - Lee Kum Kee do a great vegan oyster sauce option. If you can't find any plant-based alternatives, feel free to use vegetarian stir fry sauce.
• LIGHT SOY SAUCE - I always use light soy sauce over dark soy sauce. It's lighter in colour and has a lower sodium content than dark soy sauce. It's perfect for lightly seasoning dishes like this claypot tofu recipe.
• SESAME OIL - Perfect to balance out the flavours from the sauce. Sesame oil adds a lovely smoky nuttiness to the sauce.
• VEGETABLE STOCK - I used a veggie stock cube and then mixed it in with the other sauce ingredients. Once you add in hot water, the stock cube completely dissolves and leaves with you a rich umami sauce.
• CHILLI OIL - Totally optional, but you guys know I love a bit of a spicy kick in my dishes! I adore chilli oil and think it's a great addition to this recipe. Feel free to leave it out if you're not a fan of spice.
• CORNSTARCH - This is to thicken the sauce into a viscous, glossy sauce.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

• TOFU - As I mentioned above, you can use a variety of tofu types. However, if you'd rather not use tofu, feel free to use a vegan meat alternative, or aubergine. I adore using aubergine as a "meaty" substitute. Simply air fry the aubergine for 10 minutes at 180C and you'll have a crunchy and delicious alternative.
• SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS - Any mushrooms will do for this recipe. If you don't like mushrooms, then I'd recommend adding in another vegetable like broccoli, carrot, or tempeh.
• SHALLOT -White or red onion are a perfect substitute for shallots.
• GINGER - Ground ginger, or ginger powder can be used for this. You'll need around 1 tsp.
• GARLIC - Ground garlic can work for this recipe. Once again, similar to ginger, you'll need around 1 tsp.
• PAK CHOI - Any leafy green is perfect for this recipe. So if you can't find pak choi, you can use Chinese cabbage, savoy cabbage, Ong Choi, Bok Choi, or tender stem broccoli.
• SPRING ONION - Chives could be a great green substitute for scallions.
• CHERRY TOMATOES - Tinned tomatoes or large fresh tomatoes can be used. If you don't like tomatoes at all, then feel free to leave them out and simply add in a different vegetable to make up for the volume.
• VEGETABLE OIL - Avocado oil, canola oil would do!
• VEGAN OYSTER SAUCE - Lee Kum Kee do a great vegan oyster sauce option. If you can't find any plant-based alternatives, feel free to use vegetarian stir fry sauce.
• LIGHT SOY SAUCE - You want a salty seasoning for this dish, so if you can't use soy sauce, I'd recommend using Yondu's umami seasoning, it's a great alternative and adds a fab flavour.
• SESAME OIL - any nutty oil would work for this recipe. Or you could use peanut butter in the sauce.
• VEGETABLE STOCK - you can use any type of stock that you like, chicken, beef, veggie, or fish.
• CORNSTARCH - You can use plain flour to make your cornstarch slurry, but the result may not be as glossy.

CLAYPOT TOFU VARIATIONS

• Seafood Claypot - enhance the dish by adding seafood such as shrimp, scallops, or crab meat. Cook the seafood briefly in the claypot with the tofu and sauce until it's tender and flavorful.
• Spicy Claypot - give your claypot tofu a spicy kick by adding Sichuan peppercorns, dried red chili peppers, and extra chili oil. This variation delivers a tongue-tingling experience.
• Noodle Claypot - transform your claypot tofu into a one-pot meal by adding cooked noodles (like udon or rice noodles) directly into the dish. Adjust the sauce quantities as needed for flavor.
• Korean-Inspired - add a tablespoon of gochujang paste into your sauce for a Korean-style claypot dish. It'll be spicy, tangy, and super delicious.
• Meaty - feel free to fry some chicken, beef, or pork to then add into your claypot for extra meat protein and texture.

HOW TO MAKE CLAYPOT TOFU - STEP BY STEP

STEP 1 - AIR FRY TOFU

• First, slice your tofu into equal sized cubes.
• Place them in the air fryer and toss them in vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Air fry for 13 minutes at 160C. Or until lightly golden and slightly crispy.

STEP 2 - PREPARE YOUR VEG

• Slice up all your vegetables and ingredients, ready to fry in the claypot.

STEP 3 - MAKE YOUR STEW

• Drizzle some vegetable oil into the base of your claypot (or any pot that has a lid), and then add in your garlic, ginger, and shallots. Fry for 3 minutes and stir frequently.
• Next up, add in all of your vegetables and give everything a stir. Fry for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make your seasoning sauce by combining your vegan oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and veggie stock mixture.
• Pour your veggie stock into your claypot followed by your cornstarch slurry (make this by combining 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoon water).
• Give everything a mix and then place the lid onto the pot and leave to simmer until your tofu is ready.

STEP 4 - SERVE UP

• Once your tofu is ready, pour it into your claypot, give everything a good mix, and then serve up on its own, or with some rice, noodles, or pasta. Enjoy!

CLAYPOT TOFU LEFTOVERS

One of the best things about this dish is that it's perfect for meal prep, leftovers, or for lunch the next day. 

So, if you've got Claypot Tofu leftovers, then simply place it in airtight containers and leave in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you want to reheat your meal, simply place in the microwave for a few minutes on high heat and enjoy!

Switch it up from time to time by serving it with rice one day, as a soup the next day, and with noodles on another day!

RECIPE FAQS

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE...