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BBQ Tofu Sandwich

in Other, Sandwiches

bbq tofu sandwich

 

 

 

 

 

When I think back to a year ago, the thought of willingly eating tofu would have never crossed my mind.  It looked weird.  It scared me.  The whole idea of it was just strange to me.  Then I became a vegetarian.  After transitioning to a vegetarian diet in January of 2012 (wow, it has almost been a year!), I still avoided tofu for many months.  One day I decided that I might as well give it a shot.  What was the worst that could happen?  I could hate the taste of it and never eat it again.  That was not the case, however.  I think that the first dish that I made with tofu was sweet and sour tofu over brown rice.  It was good and it turned me on to the idea of replacing meat in traditional recipes with tofu.  Over the past year I have gotten better at preparing and cooking tofu, and have begun utilizing it in more and more recipes.

Several weeks ago I was really craving a BBQ pork sandwich (which, by the way is very strange since I never loved these when I ate meat).  I pondered how I could get the taste of barbecued pork on a sandwich without using animal products.  And so…the idea for the BBQ Tofu Sandwich was born!

BBQ Tofu Sandwich

Serves 5-6 (depending on how thick your tofu slices are)*

*I actually only prepared 3 slices and froze the remainder of my tofu

Ingredients

1 14 to 15 oz block of extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
yellow corn meal
black pepper, to taste
EVOO cooking spray
1/2 small yellow onion, sliced
barbecue sauce of your choice (I used about 1/4 of an 18 oz bottle of hickory brown sugar BBQ sauce for my 3 slices)
100% whole wheat bread, buns, or thin buns
toppings of your choice

Directions

1. First, press your tofu and cut it into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick slices.  I was super excited for this part because I got to try out my new tofu press that my boyfriend bought me for Christmas.  It was awesome.  I used to have to put a cutting board over the tofu and then weigh it down with books.  This was so much easier!

bbq tofu sandwich 7

 

 

 

 

 

2. Place some yellow corn meal and black pepper into a resealable plastic bag.  Place each piece of tofu (one at a time) into the bag and shake it to coat it with the corn meal and pepper mixture.

3. Spray a large skillet with EVOO cooking spray and heat it over medium heat.

4. Once the skillet is heated, place the tofu pieces into the pan, along with the sliced onions.

5. Cook the tofu for about 8-10 minutes on each side (resist the urge to turn it a lot), or until it gets crispy and golden brown.  Add additional cooking spray, as needed.

6. Add the BBQ sauce, turn the heat down to medium-low, and continue cooking until the BBQ sauce is warm.

bbq tofu sandwich 5

 

 

 

 

 

7. Serve each piece of tofu on your choice of whole wheat bread or buns and top with any additional desired toppings.  I used 100% whole wheat thin buns.

bbq tofu sandwich 4

 

 

 

 

 

I served my BBQ Tofu Sandwich with roasted green beans and a dill pickle spear.

bbq tofu sandwich 2

 

 

 

 

 

This sandwich was good and absolutely satisfied my craving.

bbq tofu sandwich 6

 

 

 

 

 

Looking to try something new for the new year?  Try tofu! 🙂

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{ 12 comments… add one }
  • Lisa C. December 30, 2012, 2:10 pm
    Yummy. That looks delicious! Tofu is excellent if seasoned right.
    • cleaneatingveggiegirl December 30, 2012, 7:58 pm
      So true! I am still in the process of learning how to "properly" cook tofu. It is a learning process!!
  • Lisa December 30, 2012, 3:51 pm
    That tofu looks really good! I need to try experimenting with tofu so I can get more protein in my diet! For some reason it intimidates me a little.
    • cleaneatingveggiegirl December 30, 2012, 8:00 pm
      Tofu is a great source of protein! I used to be intimidated by it too, but there are some really simple recipes out there. You could start simple by marinating and baking it, or by adding it to things like stir-fries. Give it a try! :)
  • Jeremy R DeHague December 30, 2012, 8:06 pm
    The press looked like it worked great for you!:)
  • Sara @ Nourish and Flourish December 30, 2012, 9:20 pm
    I adore tofu!! It's one of the most versatile proteins out there because it takes on the flavor of whatever you season it with. One of my favorite ways to prepare it is as a scramble with veggies and cheese. When I'm feeling fancy, I add truffle oil! This sandwich looks amazing; I'll definitely be trying barbecue sauce with my tofu in the new year! <3 xoxo
    • cleaneatingveggiegirl December 30, 2012, 11:20 pm
      It really does take on any flavor that you want...so, so versatile! I cannot believe that I used to be afraid of it. Silly me! ;)
  • Brittany December 31, 2012, 8:55 am
    I love tofu. I made some for my family last night that had never had it. They didn't do back flips for it, but they ate it! This looks great!
    • cleaneatingveggiegirl December 31, 2012, 9:03 am
      I have noticed that people who try tofu for the first time (maybe I was the same way?) don't automatically fall in love or find it AMAZING. I think it is definitely one of those foods that is an acquired taste.
  • lilivee December 31, 2012, 11:46 am
    Looks really yummy! :) I ADORE BBQ Tofu... ok, I adore BBQ everything (that's not dead). Nice to discover your blog! Happy New Year and greetings from Germany, Lara
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