Glazed tofu steaks with crispy kale

This vegan dish features marinated tofu steaks with a sweet and savoury glaze, accompanied by crispy kale with Asian-inspired flavours. It’s a moderately easy recipe that takes about 30 minutes of active preparation, plus overnight marinating. The result is a flavourful, protein-rich meal with a delightful mix of textures and umami notes.

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

This recipe is rich in plant-based protein from tofu and offers nutritious greens from kale. It’s low in saturated fats and high in fibre, making it a healthy choice.

Equipment

• Medium bowl
• Griddle pan
• Large bowl
• Baking sheet
• Small saucepan

Ingredients

For the glaze

• Runny honey: 180ml/6¼fl oz
• Yeast extract: 8 tsp
• Light soy sauce: 8 tsp
• Sesame oil: 4 tsp

For the tofu steak

• Firm tofu: 450g/1lb block, drained and cut into 2cm/¾in thick steaks

For the crispy kale

• Kale: 2 heads on the stem, stalks removed and leaves finely sliced
• Soft brown sugar: 1 tbsp
• Nori seaweed: 2 sheets, finely sliced
• Sesame seeds: 1 tbsp
• Chinese five-spice powder: 1 tsp
• Vegetable oil: 2 tbsp
• Salted cashew nuts: 1 tbsp, chopped
• Salt: pinch

Method

Prepare the Glaze

• In a medium bowl, mix honey, yeast extract, soy sauce, sesame oil, and 100ml/3½fl oz water.

Marinate the Tofu

• Add tofu steaks to the glaze.
• Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Cook the Tofu

• Heat a griddle pan over high heat.
• Drain the tofu, reserving the glaze.
• Chargrill tofu for a few minutes on each side.

Prepare the Crispy Kale

• Preheat oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• In a large bowl, toss kale with sugar, seaweed, sesame seeds, five-spice powder, oil, and salt.
• Bake for about 12 minutes until crisp.
• Mix in chopped cashew nuts after baking.

Finish and Serve

• Heat the remaining tofu glaze in a small saucepan.
• Plate tofu steaks with crispy kale on the side.
• Spoon heated glaze over the tofu before serving.

Nutri-score Health Check

This dish has been rated as A: Healthiest. The score considers the high nutritional value of tofu (protein-rich and low in saturated fats) and kale (rich in vitamins and minerals). The use of honey as a natural sweetener and the inclusion of nuts add beneficial nutrients. The cooking method (grilling and baking) keeps added fats to a minimum. While the dish contains some sodium from soy sauce, the overall balance of nutrients makes it a very healthy option. This score has been automatically calculated from the ingredients in the recipe.