Garlic Butter Tofu Steaks

I am blessed that my family loves tofu since I love cooking with them. Plus, the budget-friendly price is a bonus. If you are still looking for the perfect tofu recipe for your family, you need to try this garlic butter tofu steak recipe.

The simple sauce made with butter, garlic, and the trifecta Japanese seasoning (soy sauce, sake, and mirin) goes perfectly with the golden brown tofu steaks.

Tofu is also a great protein sauce, so if you want to journey into a meatless lifestyle, you will have a solid recipe to rely on.

Ingredients for Garlic Butter Tofu Steaks

• firm/extra-firm tofu
• salt and pepper
• katakuriko (potato starch) or cornstarch
• butter
• oil
• garlic
• soy sauce
• sake
• mirin
• sugar
• scallions

I prefer extra-firm tofu since they are less likely to crumble and keep their shape well for prepping and frying. But firm tofu works just as well.

Whenever I cook Japanese dishes, I use katakuriko (potato starch) when a recipe calls for it. You can use cornstarch to replace katakuriko.

I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter. The salt content in the butter doesn’t impact the finished dish too much.

I prefer imported Japanese soy sauce, but low sodium Kikkoman soy sauce is also great. Be aware that the salt content of each soy sauce is different, so adjust accordingly to suit your taste.

How to Cook Garlic Butter Tofu Steaks

1. Prep tofu

Pat dry tofu with kitchen paper. Cut each tofu into four pieces. Season each piece of tofu with salt and pepper, and coat with katakuriko.

2. Fry tofu

Heat 1.5 tablespoon butter and 1.5 tablespoon oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry tofu until both sides are golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the frying pan and set aside.

3. Garlic butter sauce

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 tablespoon of oil into the frying pan. Sauté garlic until fragrant, and add soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. Cook until boiling.

4. Cook in sauce

Return fried tofu to the pan and cook for 1 minute per side to soak up the sauce.

5. Serve

Transfer tofu steaks into a serving plate. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the tofu and garnish with sliced scallions. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

What to serve with Garlic Butter Tofu Steaks

These tofu steaks go well with steamed rice, soup, and salad for a traditional Japanese meal.

You can make a burger out of the tofu steaks. Buttered and lightly toasted burger buns paired with tofu steak, lettuce, and tomato make for a refreshingly and delicious experience.

You can cut any leftovers into small cubes and add them to any salad to make it more filling.