After looking for them for months, I finally managed to find a 1-pound bag of shelled, unroasted pistachios at the Indian grocery. Of course, after all that time I’d forgotten what it was I planned to do with them, so they’ve been languishing in my fridge for a couple of weeks, tempting me to open the bag and just start snacking.
Eventually they’ll find their way into pilafs and pesto, but in this recipe they add a little pizazz to breaded tofu. I dipped the tofu into a sweet and spicy mustard-based sauce before dredging it in pistachio-spiked breadcrumbs. The tofu was tasty on its own, but I decided to carry the sweet and spicy theme one step further and add my daughter’s favorite sauce, an easy version of the “duck sauce” found in Chinese restaurants. With so many competing flavors, it sounds like a mess, but somehow it works: crunchy yet tender, sweet yet sour, nutty yet…? Well, you get the idea. It’s a symphony in your mouth!
One note: Although the photo shows the sauce in a dipping bowl, I found that it’s better just to pour the sauce over the tofu; otherwise the breading falls off, and you get a dipping bowl full of soggy crumbs.
Pistachio Crusted Tofu
Ingredients
- 14 ounces firm or extra firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce , low sodium
- 1 1/2 slices whole wheat bread
- 1/2 cup pistachio nuts
- ground pepper — to taste
- 2 tablespoons spicy prepared mustard
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce , low sodium
- 1 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F; prepare a baking sheet by either oiling it lightly or lining it with a silicone liner.
- Cut the tofu into 8 1/2-inch slices and dry them lightly with paper towels. Brush both sides of the tofu with the 2 tablespoons soy sauce and set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
- While the tofu is marinating, place the bread into the food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Measure out 1 cup of crumbs into a wide, shallow bowl. (Save any remaining crumbs for another use.) Pulse the pistachios in the processor until they are reduced to fine crumbs. Add them to the bread crumbs along with a generous grating of black pepper, and mix well.
- In another shallow bowl, combine the mustard, syrup, soy sauce, and mayo.
- Dip a slice of tofu into the mustard mixture, lightly coating all sides; then place it into the bread crumbs, sprinkle crumbs over the top and sides, and lightly press them into the tofu. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with all slices of tofu.
- Put the tofu into the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until bread crumbs are golden brown. Serve with the sauce of your choice, such as the Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce below.
Ridiculously Easy Sweet and Sour Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons peach preserves or All-Fruit spread
- 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce , low sodium
- 1/4 teaspoon chili paste
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together well. Serve over tofu or as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, wontons, etc.
SusanV says
Comments posted before the blog was moved:
Hamish22 said…
why do you have advertising on your blog that promotes meat entrees/cooking? Is everyone for sale? Seems awefully counter-productive to the purpose of your website. I look @ your blog for inspiration, a safe haven from animal recipes and it kind of boggles my mind…..you go on an on about being invited to do the McDougall thing and in btwn your text is an add for chicken and brocoli alfredo…..
9:38 AM, May 19, 2008
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SusanV said…
Thank you for pointing out the problem ad. I haven’t seen it, but I’ve asked the ad company to remove it, if it exists. No, not everyone is for sale. Some of us are completely up front about everything, use our real names, and don’t create an alias just to lodge attacks and complaints. If there’s a problem with an ad, I don’t know about it until someone tells me, preferably in a polite way.
It also worries me to hear that I’ve been “going on and on” about the McDougall weekend since I’ve only mentioned it twice on the internet. You must have been eavesdropping on my real life conversations where, I’m afraid, I probably have been going on and on about it!
9:59 AM, May 19, 2008
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Ricki said…
Susan,
These sound absolutely perfect. Can’t wait to try them!! The pistachio/sweet/sour combo is amazing.
PS RE: ads–I actually never look at them, so didn’t notice until I read the comments above that there’s one for Campbells’ Beef Taco Skillet on the right side of the blog. I think most of your readers realize that you state your preferences, but don’t have 100% control over what the ad networks post, so I wouldn’t sweat it. Your readers are also well aware of your own dietary preferences (ie vegan) and philosophy. (Oh, and I only noticed ONE mention of your McDougall guest appearance on the blog. I for one would love to hear MORE!)
Love your blog, love your recipes (ads or no ads).
Ricki
10:09 AM, May 19, 2008
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Anonymous said…
I clicked on the comments section to tell you that your pistachio tofu looks absolutely divine, but I now also want to say that you really are very polite/kind. That first comment was very rude. If someone has such a big problem with your blog, then they don’t need to read it. They aren’t being forced to do so, and have no business to make rude comments. Your response was extremely polite, which is commendable because I know I would not have been able to produce the same kind of response. Happy Monday!
10:16 AM, May 19, 2008
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Erin said…
The pistachio tofu looks wonderful. A whole bag of pistachios in my house would be a dangerous thing, I’m afraid. Sounds like you have some good ideas for yours. And thanks for the sweet & sour/duck sauce recipe, I LOVE duck sauce and never thought to make my own even though I know what’s in it. I even have apricot jam in the fridge!
10:28 AM, May 19, 2008
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Arya said…
This is just my kind of meal! I love the sweet, salty, tangy blend in my mouth. Thanks for posting!
11:19 AM, May 19, 2008
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Nicola said…
This looks and sounds delicious and I think my kids would like it which is a bonus!
Thanks.
11:45 AM, May 19, 2008
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Kelleen – Picks over Peas said…
I love pistachios, eat them several times a week right out of the shell but never thought of them as a breading for tofu. Very clever!
PS – Love the dish. Tofu never looked so beautiful!
Kelleen
11:45 AM, May 19, 2008
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Dominique said…
Susan, this looks absolutely delicious, and I admire you for the way you responded to “Hamish22″‘s comment. I’ve never seen ads that go against the principles of veganism on this blog and I remember you saying that you actually asked to arrange it this way.
I live in the UK, so I’m not familiar peach preserves or All-Fruit spread. Would peach jam/jelly do?
I’ll definitely try making this!
Dominique
11:46 AM, May 19, 2008
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SusanV said…
Thanks, everyone. Blogher has been really good about keeping the meat ads off; I assume that they didn’t realize that soup ads would be so “meaty.”
Dominique, preserves are like jam with more whole fruit in it, so feel free to use either jam, jelly, or any fruit spread.
11:58 AM, May 19, 2008
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Bianca said…
Wow! This looks yummy! I love tofu crusted with anything…but I also love pistachios!
12:24 PM, May 19, 2008
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Lane said…
I love Pistachios. This sounds and looks fantastic! I have forwarded this recipe to my wife as a must have. However, she’s not all that enamored with maple syrup. Hopefully, she’ll make it for me anyway 🙂
If (any hopefully when) she makes it, I’ll write back and let you know how it came out.
Lane of VeganBits.com
12:48 PM, May 19, 2008
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Kevin said…
Pistachio crusted tofu with a tasty dipping sauce sounds good!
3:49 PM, May 19, 2008
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Kathy Mullen said…
Susan-I, just like others here, think you are a gem of a human being! Your food always looks wonderful and your recipes I have made are YUMMY! I don’t know why someone always has to be a party pooper. Despite my strong beliefs, I would never reproach someone like that. I find that I like the Zen middle road and based upon your entire blog I have faith in your decision-making. Keep up the good work!!-
6:30 PM, May 19, 2008
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bella said…
this looks amazing!when i saw it i thought youd gone on a deep-frying frenzy but then i realised it was baked- looks delicious and very tempting.
re ads: your response to hamish22s comment was very diplomatic indeed!i have also noticed some strange/inappropriate ads on your blog (recently one for a shooting/war video game), but i always found them kind of humorous in their silliness. everyone knows that you arent interested in that kind of stuff and chances are that th people reading your blog arent either- so its kind of a waste of an ad- id rather an ad for hamburgers be on fatfreevegan where it wont do any harm!
6:44 PM, May 19, 2008
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fran said…
I have been to this (not vegan)resturant that always had pistachios encrusted “fish” of some kind and always wondered
how that would be on tofu. Now I have an answer and it looks delic…
6:49 PM, May 19, 2008
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SusanV said…
Lane, agave nectar will work fine for anyone who doesn’t like maple syrup.
Kathy, thanks for your perspective. I truly don’t understand vegans who choose to chastise other vegans for their choices; they make us all look judgmental. We take enough criticism from omnivores without heaping it on each other.
Bella, yours is the most original view of ads I’ve ever heard! I hadn’t thought about them that way, but you’re right–I’m pretty sure that for a variety of reasons (not all of them vegan) recipes made with Campbells soup wouldn’t find much of an audience here. (Not that I want them–or the war games ads–on this blog. I wish I could preview all of the ads before they appear so that I could veto the objectionable ones.)
9:23 PM, May 19, 2008
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shellyfish said…
Susan this looks and sounds great, but I’ll have to hide the pistachios- I wanted to make scones à l’eau de rose & pistache, and when I went to get them from the cupboard, they were gone! So I used almonds instead…(think my husband got snacky).
2:03 AM, May 20, 2008
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3continentfamily said…
I am so happy to have found your blog! I love the posts, recipes and photos. We tried the kidney bean – chipolte burgers last night and they were so good! Tonight the pistachio tofu 🙂
I am a bigger fan now since reading your gracious response to Hamish. You rock!
7:45 AM, May 20, 2008
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pleasantly plump vegan said…
tofu crusted anything rocks!
9:00 AM, May 20, 2008
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ClaudiaWR said…
Wow! This looks fantastic! I’ve been having some problems cooking with tofu, as I live in Japan and the only tofu available is the super soft or silken kind, so I have to press it like mad. But this is a really great idea…I might try this with the pecans that are lurking in my fridge.
9:42 AM, May 20, 2008
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stephanie said…
I cooked this last night, and it was amazing! My husband deemed it his new favorite meal, with your tofu jambalaya being knocked down to second place. Thanks for the yummy recipie!
10:15 AM, May 20, 2008
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Ivy said…
Susan, this recipe looks/sounds absolutely fantastic! The pictures alone are gorgeous! Maybe my kids will finally eat tofu! Yum!
10:40 AM, May 20, 2008
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Catherine Lacey said…
I made this last night with Cashews for the family I work for and they raved!!!
Served it with Black Rice, Roasted Cauliflower and stir-fried Asparagus & Shitake mushrooms. Yum.
11:37 AM, May 20, 2008
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Hannah said…
This looks great! I have just about every kind of nut other than pistachio lying around my kitchen. What other nuts do you think would be a good substitute for the pistachio in this dish?
1:46 PM, May 20, 2008
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SusanV said…
I think cashews, almonds, and pecans would all be good.
1:48 PM, May 20, 2008
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Devadeva Mirel said…
looks great! and i love that its a recipe without onion and garlic…two things i don’t eat and that vegan/vegetarian food seems to be laden with. there are other flavors in this world. thanks for appreciating that.
2:25 PM, May 20, 2008
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Happy Herbivore! said…
This is not only beautiful (but aren’t all your end products) but something I’m raelly impressed with. How simple but savory and fabulous! You’re my try inspiration Susan!
3:40 PM, May 20, 2008
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Mary G. said…
I made this recipe last night and it was fantastic. It cooked up beautifully and even looked like the photo. I served it with some amaranth and roasted asparagus (which went into the oven for the last five minutes of the tofu baking time). Thanks Susan!
3:50 PM, May 20, 2008
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SusanV said…
Hey Mary, I did exactly the same thing–roasted asparagus along with the tofu. I used polenta as my grain, though, because I ran out of time for anything else!
3:54 PM, May 20, 2008
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Animal-Friendly said…
That’s it, it’s official- this is on my list of dished to make. I always have pistachios in my house, and now I have a delicious use for them! Thanks for both the tofu and the sauce recipe!
8:07 PM, May 20, 2008
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Lisa (Show Me Vegan) said…
Oh my goodness. If my husband gets wind of this recipe, there will be no rest until we make it. He is a pistachio nut (I couldn’t resist the pun) and we just enjoyed a tofu dish tonight that was breaded, with a dipping sauce on the side. Thank you for posting this – I’m off to save the recipe. And you are professional, warm, and inspirational. Disregard the negativity!
8:29 PM, May 20, 2008
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Heather said…
I just made this tofu for dinner and it was delicious! I didn’t have any pistachios so I used ALMONDS… Mmmmm… I topped them with plum sauce and I was happy!
10:31 PM, May 20, 2008
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Fwickafwee said…
I just found your blog and it looks great. I can’t wait to try out some recipes! I love to eat as vegan and good as possible and every recipie I’ve browsed seems really good.
I also like the format, it’s easy to navigate and i really like the pictures. You describe recipes in a straightforward way that makes sense. Thank you and keep up the good work!
Heather
11:09 PM, May 20, 2008
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scs said…
I haven’t been at all inspired to cook lately, but this recipe will get me back into the kitchen–thanks for it!
I want to second all the sane people who have written in commending your gracious spirit. Don’t let the haters bring you down! 🙂
11:40 AM, May 21, 2008
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meghan: sugar-shock.blogspot.com said…
i love things that are encrusted. especially with ingredients as delicious as pistachios!
yes indeed!
7:36 PM, May 21, 2008
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Vivacious Vegan said…
This looks wonderful. I fear, however, I’ve gained a few pounds from my recent pistachio addiction and as soon as I had polished off that bag, I swore to myself it would have to be a long (LONG) time before I bought another one. However, when I do finally cave in, this is the first thing I’m making!
8:17 PM, May 21, 2008
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OpenID bitter-moss said…
Aw man, i’m trying to make the commitment to raw veganism and you post this recipe ;p.
Tofu is my raw achilles heel, as for adding pistachios and yummy sauce with the mix of flavours and textures, well let’s just say it’s lucky i’m only aiming for an 80% raw diet ;).
I look forward to trying this soon.
10:02 AM, May 22, 2008
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OpenID Maureen said…
What an unusual idea! I must say at first glance that I thought it was once of those nut-covered chocolate ice-cream bars. I’d love to try this out, and luckily there are many Indian grocers in Ottawa.
4:04 PM, May 22, 2008
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moonwatcher said…
I agree with maureen–unusual and tasty looking–and the photo at first glance reminded me of the same thing! Spectacular photograph, by the way. And kudos for having such grace under fire with that first comment. . .lol
12:07 AM, May 23, 2008
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Patricia said…
I just made this for dinner (picked up pistachios specially even though they were overpriced here in Japan) and it was delicious!! My boyfriend kept saying what a creative recipe it was and I promised to show him your blog so he can see more creative recipes. Thanks so much for all your recipes and stories, and for being so real in a medium where many forget to show the consideration they would probably show automatically in face-to-face interactions.
6:30 AM, May 25, 2008
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Virginie P. said…
I like this recipe very much. Easy, quick, full of nutrients and surely very tasty. Thanks.
12:22 PM, May 28, 2008
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Bonnie said…
That recipe looks so delicious – and easy to make! when I saw the picture, I expected it would take more work to make this. Now I just need to try it!
7:59 PM, May 29, 2008
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Caity said…
Susan, I made this for dinner last week after my husband had surgery on his knee, (he’s tofu-phobic and I had to make him something else), with a few slight substitutions based on what was in the pantry. It was delicious, and just what I needed after a day in the hospital waiting room!!! I bought my pistachios pre-shelled at Trader Joe’s and it was much easier than shelling them all, now I just need to find a use for the leftover pistachios…
5:59 PM, June 03, 2008
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Anonymous said…
I, too, thought the first comment was rude and unnecessary. I haven’t noticed that you have gone on and on re the Mcdougall Celebrity Chef’s weekend. I did send a comment to you and I went on and on about how great it will be to see you cause I am going…..Yay! I will be coming up and introducting myself and saying hello and hope you will be saying hello back. That is, if you have the time as I do not know the schedule. It would be nice to have an animal free ad page on your blog but I do realize you do not control the world wide web…I am sure you do your best and I, for one, am most thankful that you give your time and such great effort to teach us newbies how to be healthy. Thanks again for your fab recipes. I love them all! Diane from Roseville, Ca
5:30 PM, June 04, 2008
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SusanV said…
Hi Diane! I’m looking forward to meeting you at the McDougall weekend. Please do come up and say hello; I won’t be doing my presentation until the last day, Sunday, at 8 AM, so I will have plenty of time to chat.
I’d love to have only ads for vegan, “green,” earth-friendly, and organic products but so far I haven’t been able to find a ad network that is that specialized. When I find one, I will happily make the switch. I hate that it might even appear that I endorse non-vegan products!
5:37 PM, June 04, 2008
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EricS said…
My wife is allergic to nuts, so we experimented with this recipe, substituting Matzah Meal for the nuts and Honey for the Maple Syrup (because we didn’t have any). I don’t know how it compares to the original recipe but it was very very tasty and was promptly added to our list of favourites.
9:47 AM, June 20, 2008
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Nupur said…
Susan, thank you so much for this recipe! I made it for dinner last night and we enjoyed it very much. The thick maple syrup-mayo coating really helps to glue on a thick layer of the nut-crumb mixture, resulting in a wonderful crunchy crust. So good!
5:05 AM, July 11, 2008
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Anonymous said…
My internet was down when I wanted to try this technique, so I had to do it from memory. I the followed the technique of marinating the tofu, coating it w/ a thick sauce, then dredging it in breadcrumbs, but used completely different ingredients. It was amazing! It tasted like vegan chicken nuggets, but healthier and softer. Such a simple, creative recipe, Susan.
-berkeley girl
7:39 AM, July 16, 2009
peasandcukes says
I've been following your blog for about a year and half now, but this is my first time commenting.
This is the very first recipe that attracted me to your blog, but somehow I had never gotten around to trying it yet (I've tried lots of your other recipes, though!). I finally made it tonight and it was a huge hit! My partner and I both loved how easy it was to make, and how nicely all the flavours worked together.
Thanks and keep up the delicious work!
Emily
Susan B says
I made this delicious recipe when you first published it, and I've been thinking about doing it again. I've read over the comments and have a hint that might help other pistachio addicts in their efforts not to eat all the nuts at once. I was able to find shelled pistachios (even more dangerous than in-the-shell) but I just keep them double bagged in the freezer, under stuff. This may not work for everyone, but so far I've managed to retain my pistachio supply for more than a year. And of course the freezer keeps 'em fresher. Thanks, Susan, for your wonderful blog.
Liz C. says
Wow- amazing tofu! Usually I only have amazing tofu when I eat out, but I can’t believe how great this turned out for home-cooked tofu! Obviously I haven’t mastered tofu on my own just yet. I froze my tofu first, then let it thaw, to give it a meaty texture. I also used wasabi peas in place of the pistachios because I have a bunch of them on hand. I couldn’t taste any wasabi hotness in the final product though. This is going to be a regular in my house now. Thanks!
Tracy says
AWESOME!!
My husband has been requesting tofu lately…… honestly, I just prefer grains and veggies, but I was trying to please him and found this recipe! He loved it so much. He has already requested it again asap! LOL
Thanks again for another great meal idea! I love your blog…. We have only be vegetarians for about 4 months now so you site has really helped me keep my hubbie interested!
Julie B says
I stumbled on your recipe while trolling the net looking for an easy and tasty way to fix tofu. I actually still eat meat (I married a carnivore), but I try to counteract that with vegetarian or vegan meals as often as I can. (While my husband was out of town) I made a variation this receipe using Almond meal in place of the wheat bread and pistachios. (I didn’t have any pistachios and I can’t have wheat.) I also used agave nectar in place of maple syrup and Bragg Liquid Aminos in place of the soy sauce. It turned out very yummy. I think my spouse will even like it. Thank you, Susan, for sharing this. I will definitely try this with pistachios and gluten free bread when I get my hands on some pistachios 🙂
Tom says
One of my fav recipes of Susans. I give it 5 stars and make it often!
sandra jayne says
I didn’t have any pistachios so I just used gluten free breadcrumbs. This is my new favorite food. Even people at work were asking me about it, saying it looked good 🙂
Thank you once again for a great recipe. I vote for you on every “best of” list!!!!!!!
sandra jayne says
I just made this with GF breadcrumbs and hemp seeds. Really good 🙂
Leena says
This looks soooooooo good!
Cindi From Mn says
This looks awesome! I can’t wait to try it! Please keep the tofu recipes coming! I love tofu and don’t have many recipes yet 🙂 the question I have is do the pistachios have to be unroasted?
Debra Kerns says
Looks really good! Inspiring!
Pam says
#1 – LOVE your blog and the recipes
#2 – I’m not concerned about the ads…it’s the internet! My motto: don’t look at what you don’t like (problem solved).
#3 – Can’t I just use roasted unsalted pistachios? They are readily available at trusty Trader Joe’s!
Thanks for your inspirational recipes. Keep up the good work 🙂
Susan Voisin says
Thanks, Pam! You can try it with roasted pistachios, but I’m not sure how it will work since I’ve never used them for this. Good luck!
Brian says
I am using your recipes and doing the current Weight Watchers program, PointsPlus 2012. I appreciate that you include the nutritional information so that the points can be calculated under the new system. Under the new points system, the crusted tofu recipe is actually 7 PointsPlus values, which is still a great value and perfect for my lifestyle. Thank you for doing what you do on this blog.
Mary C. says
I am going to make this tonight and cannot wait to try it!! Thank you so much for the great recipes 🙂
Angie says
I made this for dinner tonight and it is so good! It tastes amazing and looks so pretty like something from a fancy restaurant. The thick sauce makes the tofu so flavorful and everything held together beautifully even through the perilous transfer from the baking sheet to the plate. Thank you for the recipe, your blog is a new favorite of mine!
Sue says
How do you think the sauce would taste with strawberry jelly, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce? I know it’s pretty different but that’s what I have… 😛
Haley says
So good! I used millet bread and tamari to make it gluten-free and I used peanuts instead of pistachios (personal preference). Easy and mega tasty!
Amy says
Wanted to thank you for this recipe. I’ve made it for several Thanksgivings, and again today. Now that I’m gluten-free I swap out gf panko for the bread, and it turns out great!
Dan says
Hi Susan,
My daughter has been craving this dish ever since I saw it on your sight. She is not a big fan of hot or spicy food. Does the Spicy mustard make it pretty hot or spicy? If yes, could I use regular mustard? I plan on making this tonight. Thanks in advance for your answer!
Susan Voisin says
I don’t find it makes it spicy, but if there’s any chance your daughter might, I would use regular mustard. I hope you all enjoy it!
BarbDon says
YUM! I made this tonight, using tempeh. I’d braised the tempeh in water with tamari & cooled before proceeding to the sauce & breading. Dear Husband asked me to print the recipe so we’ll be sure to make it again. thank you Susan – your blog, your recipes are the best! Certainly, the ones I use most often.
Helen says
This looks great! Just a couple of questions, what type of tofu did you use? firm? and the mustard, is that a powder?
Enjoy your recipes. Helen
Susan Voisin says
I use extra-firm but firm will also do. The mustard is the prepared kind, like used on sandwiches. I used a spicy kind.