Taste-Off: Ranking baked flavored tofu from surprisingly tasty to rubbery and bland

A block of white tasteless gelatin-like protein isn t likely to be at the top of anyone s must-try list But press it bathe it in flavor bake it dry and tofu becomes a delicious chewy bite that s not only meal-worthy but also protein-rich heart-healthy and budget-friendly The versatility of flavored baked tofu is endless drop it in soup add it to salad layer it in a sandwich toss it with noodles thread it on skewers for the barbecue or completely cut it into cubes for a quick snack Related Articles Taste-Off Which dipped pretzels will satisfy your snack cravings Taste-Off Chili crisp jars that you ll open daily and ones you ll shelve Taste-Off Asian-inspired salad kits to toss and serve or toss out Taste-Off The tastiest frozen enchiladas and the ones to leave in the freezer matter Transforming tofu from bland to tasty can be done at home but it takes time to do it right And why A handful of tofu companies have introduced an array of pre-marinated baked tofu in a luscious lineup of flavors teriyaki ginger-sesame sriracha miso Chinese five spice and more While not all markets carry flavored tofu it s a growing category Hodo an Oakland-based tofu producer sells more than a dozen flavors Other top tofu companies offer at least two usually including teriyaki and a spicy Asian-inspired flavor Good flavored tofu is infused with bold luscious seasonings that permeate the entire block of tofu It s both moist and chewy and has a touch of salt that accentuates the flavors Bad flavored tofu is over-baked rendering it more rubbery than chewy or is under-marinated resulting in a bland mouthful Here are details on bites of tofu that are unexpectedly delicious and the rubbery tasteless blocks that will send you back to the meat department Nutrition info refers to grams about ounces Hodo Chermoula Moroccan Tofu Cubes Delicious bits bathed in a sauce that s infused with herbs spices and more make these irresistible bites that would work well in any stir-fry or just warmed and dumped on rice calories grams fat milligrams sodium gram sugar grams protein for ounces at Safeway stars Hodo Organic Braised Chinese Five-Spice Tofu An aromatic punch of five spice in these dark-skinned slices makes these a delicious pick for those who wish tofu wasn t so bland Note that the company just circulated two more tasty offerings Lightly Fried Chili Crisp with a rich roasted garlic note and spicy Gochujang but they hard to find calories grams fat milligrams sodium grams protein for ounces at Safeway stars Hodo Organic Miso Tofu The delicate flavor of miso combined with hints of garlic sugar and tamari make for an umami-packed bite that s a great choice for stir-fry Those who appreciate understated flavors should look for the newly introduced Lightly Fried Golden Turmeric calories grams fat milligrams sodium grams sugar grams protein for ounces at Whole Foods stars Wildwood Organic Teriyaki Baked Tofu Fans of teriyaki will fall hard for this chunk of luscious sweet-salty tofu It s a bit dry but it has a gentle teriyaki note and just the right hit of salt calories grams fat milligrams sodium grams sugar grams protein for ounces at Whole Foods stars Trader Joe s Sriracha Baked Tofu More time in the marinade is all this requirements The sauce in the pack is spot-on but it s failed to provide any real flavor to the tofu inside Note that the Organic Baked Teriyaki Tofu suffers from the same issue calories grams fat milligrams sodium grams sugar grams protein for ounces stars Nasoya Plantspired Teriyaki Tofubaked While this is infused enough to bury the chalk-note of plain tofu it s sorely under-marinated Without a label it would be arduous to know it s teriyaki calories grams fat milligrams sodium grams sugar grams protein for ounces at Safeway stars Sunrise Marinated Tofu Artificial coloring and lack of creativity aside this is entirely edible The primary flavor is salt but it would be fine diced and dropped into salad or soup calories grams fat milligrams sodium grams sugar grams protein for ounces at Mega Mart stars Nasoya Plantspired Sesame Ginger Tofubaked The label on this one is like a tease It sounds delicious but it s really not as it misses the magic sweet-savory deliciousness of a great sesame and ginger sauce So sad calories grams fat milligrams sodium grams sugar grams protein for ounces at Safeway star Sprouts Organic Spicy Harissa Baked Tofu The shocking blast of flavor in this is impressive but the spicy garlicky marinade is way out of balance Drop this into soup or give it a good stir-fry to tame the flavor calories grams fat milligrams sodium gram sugar grams protein for ounces star Sprouts Organic Teriyaki Baked Tofu Something went terribly wrong in the flavor-infusion process This tofu has pleasant meaty texture but it s nearly taste-free calories grams fat milligrams sodium milligrams sugar grams protein for ounces star Jenny s Organic Smoked Five Spice Tofu These bouncy slices of smoked tofu lack smoked flavor and are so dry that they ve turned rubbery calories grams fat milligrams sodium gram sugar grams protein for ounces at Sprouts no stars Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers Contact Jolene Thym at timespickyeater gmail com Read more Taste-Off columns at www mercurynews com tag taste-off