About This Recipe – Tofu Turkey Meat
When I was younger my mom would buy turkey meat as an alternative to red meat. I guess it’s healthier? Usually, she would buy ground turkey meat to use instead of ground beef and turkey bacon because we didn’t eat pork.
She would always make a really good baked ziti with the ground turkey that I have been thinking about “veganizing” for a while. So now this tofu turkey meat takes me one step closer.
This recipe was an accident. Do you know when you find yourself in a situation where you have tofu but no sauce? So you kind of just throw every spice in the pantry on it? Well, that’s pretty much what happened. But, what makes this recipe work are the exact spices and measurements that I put into it. Unfortunately, if you waver from the recipe, your tofu will not taste like ground turkey meat.
To Start
I recommend pressing your tofu first so it will fry in oil easier. This is when you squeeze out the majority of the liquid from the tofu. A lot of people will use a tofu press to do this. Luckily, you do not need a tofu press to press tofu.
I have a post on how to press tofu without a tofu press here:
After pressing the tofu, crumble it up so it resembles ground beef. You can use your hands or a fork to do this. Reference the photo here. I left some big chunks because when you fry the tofu those chunks will get broken down even more.
Spices and Oil
Now we can talk about spices. You will be surprised to find that this recipe does not require a big variety of spices. For this recipe, I use Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cumin, Nutritional Yeast, Salt, and Pepper. That’s it!
Line the bottom of your pan with vegetable oil. I cannot stress this enough but it has to be vegetable oil. I tried it with olive oil and it changed the flavor. However, I have not tried it with any other oils. So, if you happen to use a different oil and it works for you that’s great!
And don’t be shy, leave a comment and let me know…
What also might affect your tofu is the pan you use. Here I use a cast iron. It worked well for this recipe but it is annoying to clean. Also, I am aware that not everyone owns a cast-iron pan. So, maybe use a non-stick? The tofu just might take a little bit longer to cook. Oh, and it’s best to use a larger pan when frying!
Once the oil is hot enough (I put the burner at medium-high heat) add the tofu and spices together.
To see if the oil is hot enough you can hover your hand a couple of inches (Maybe five inches? Just be safe!) over the pan and if you can feel the heat on your hand then it is hot enough.
Just stir the tofu and spices around occasionally with a wooden spoon. Like you would with ground beef. It’s important to keep your eye on the stove.
You cook it until the tofu is brown, dry, and crispy. You can reference the first photo at the beginning of this article. Cook time took me about 5 to 10 minutes.
Now it’s ready to be enjoyed. A great meat substitute for taco and pasta recipes!
I Can’t Believe it’s Tofu Turkey Meat
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Extra Firm Tofu
- 2 tsp Cumin
- ½ cup Nutritional Yeast
- 2 ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 ½ tsp Onion Powder
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Vegetable Oil enough to cover the base of the pan
Instructions
- Press tofu. This takes about 30 minutes.
- Crumble the tofu with your hands or with a fork.
- Line the pan with oil and heat at a medium-high heat.
- Add the tofu and spices into the pan.
- Cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Occasionally stir with a wooden spoon or wooden spatula.
- Finished once light brown and crispy. Enjoy!