Chinese Braised Tofu in Mushroom Sauce — Vegan Comfort Food

Prep:20 min

Cook:20 min

Serves:2–4

Difficulty:Medium

Braised tofu in mushroom sauce is the kind of vegan Chinese dish that makes meat-eaters forget there's no protein. Soft tofu is gently simmered in a rich, umami-heavy sauce built from dried shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, and oyster sauce (use mushroom oyster sauce for vegan). The tofu absorbs the dark, flavourful sauce while maintaining its silky, custard-like interior.

Braised tofu dishes are fundamental to Chinese Buddhist vegetarian cuisine (素菜), which has been practiced in monasteries across China for over 1,500 years.

Ingredients

• 400g soft or medium-firm tofu, cut into 2cm slabs
• 200g mixed mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, enoki)
• 2 tbsp mushroom oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 150ml vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp ginger, sliced
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• 2 tbsp neutral oil

Instructions

1
Gently pan-fry tofu slabs in 1 tbsp oil over medium heat until golden on both sides — about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
2
In the same pan, add remaining oil. Stir-fry garlic and ginger for 30 seconds.
3
Add mushrooms and stir-fry for 3 minutes until softened.
4
Add oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer.
5
Carefully return tofu to the pan. Simmer for 5 minutes, spooning sauce over the tofu.
6
Add cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Garnish with spring onions and serve.

Pro Tips

💡Use soft or medium-firm tofu for the best braising texture. Extra-firm works but doesn't absorb sauce as well.
💡Pan-frying the tofu first creates a golden skin that helps it hold together during braising.
💡Mushroom oyster sauce is the vegan version — regular oyster sauce contains oyster extract.