Test Kitchen: Tofu BBQ Sliders

Caroline Kohler SAR ’19 ’20

With exam season upon us, meal prepping has become even more important. These BBQ tofu sliders are easy to make in a large batch and keep in the fridge all week. You can enjoy them with a bun or as a salad for lunch (or dinner) on the go.

What We Liked

  • This recipe was very easy to mix up and enjoy. It only took about 30 minutes start to finish!
  • Tofu and slaw ingredients are inexpensive ingredients, so this recipe is a great meal for both nutrition and a budget.
  • You can adjust the seasoning on the tofu however you’d like—we make one batch that was spicier and one that was mild!

Tips and Tricks

  • Add the mayo to the slaw slowly—we ended up using only half of what the recipe called for.
  • We chopped the tofu into small chunks, so our sliders were more like sloppy joes. You could also slice the tofu to make them more like sliders.
  • Either whole wheat buns or whole wheat English muffins work for the sandwiches. You could even make a wrap!

Sargent Choice BBQ Tofu Sliders
Recipe modified from Budget Bytes
Yield: 4 servings

BBQ Tofu Ingredients:
1 14-ounce block firm or extra firm tofu
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons olive oil or favorite cooking oil
¼ cup BBQ sauce

Simple Coleslaw Ingredients:
½ lb. shredded cabbage slaw mix
⅓ cup mayonnaise
½ tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Whole wheat rolls

Directions:

  1. OPTIONAL: Freeze the tofu at least a day before, then thaw before pressing. This gives the tofu a firmer and less jelly-like texture.
  2. Remove the tofu from the package and place it on a baking sheet. Place a cutting board or a smaller baking sheet on top, then place something heavy on top, like a pot full of water, or a cast iron skillet. Allow the tofu to press for about 30 minutes to remove excess water. (If you previously froze the tofu, you can press for about half the time because the water comes out much more quickly.)
  3. Transfer the tofu to a cutting board and roughly chop into ½ inch sized pieces. Place the chopped tofu in a bowl.
  4. In a separate small bowl, stir together the smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and some freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle this over the tofu, then gently stir the tofu until it is coated in the spices.
  5. Add 1 teaspoon cornstarch to the tofu and gently fold until coated. Repeat two more times until 1 tablespoon cornstarch total has been added to the tofu.
  6. Heat 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is very hot, add the tofu to the skillet. Let the tofu cook, stirring only occasionally, for about ten minutes, or until it appears firm and darkened on the outside edges.
  7. Remove the tofu from the heat, add the ¼ cup BBQ sauce, and stir to coat.
  8. While the tofu is cooking, prepare the simple coleslaw. In a medium bowl stir together the mayonnaise, honey, Dijon, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the shredded cabbage coleslaw mix, then stir until is coated in the dressing.
  9. Assemble sliders on whole wheat rolls. Add the BBQ tofu, coleslaw, and extra BBQ sauce if desired. Enjoy!