Vegan Vietnamese Fried Tofu with Tomatoes (Đậu hũ sốt cà)

Here in California, tomatoes are in season. I tend to buy them in bulk and when they become dangerously ripe, I try to make as many tomato based meals as possible.

 One of those meals is Vietnamese fried tofu with tomatoes. This is a dish that I grew up eating so I have many positive memories associated with it. Of course, this is usually made with fish sauce (the base of all Vietnamese cooking) but I’m going to show you how we can veganize this dish. Fish sauce is added in Vietnamese cooking for its salty, savory, and umami flavor. We will use soy sauce and mushroom seasoning as our vegan substitution for fish sauce. 

The tofu is typically deep fried but instead, we are going to go with the shallow fry method simply to avoid submerging our tofu in oil. Of course, if you want to avoid oil altogether, you can bake it in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degree fahrenheit making sure to flip it halfway. 

This is a great meal to make in bulk and as a meal prep. Although, I’ll usually make it and it’s gone the next day. I need to be better at saving my food. ?  If you made this recipe, be sure to tag me on instagram @tifflovestofu or let me know in the comments below. I’d love to see or hear how it turned out for you. 

Mushroom Seasoning: Buy here