Soy Glazed Tofu Nuggets with Whipped Sage Butternut Squash
Soy glazed tofu nuggets served with a seasonal and flavorful whipped sage butternut squash. Easy to make and budget-friendly!
Why You’ll Love These Soy Glazed Tofu Nuggets
- Packed with protein. The tofu contains about 25 grams of tofu per serving making this a very satisfying meal.
- Easy to make. This dish might seem intimidating, but the method of preparing is pretty straight forward. I’ve included some extra tips to help make this recipe as simple as possible.
- Budget-friendly. Because we are using some seasonal produce and simple ingredients, this recipe is both nourishing and cheap!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tofu: To save time I used super firm tofu, but you can also use extra firm tofu. I would just make sure to press it well before starting this recipe for at least 15-30 minutes.
- Butternut Squash: Other squash varieties can work here. If not a fan of squash try this with roasted carrots.
- Garlic: A small bulb of garlic will do. If you want less garlic, feel free to use as much to taste as you like.
- Herbs: I used a combination of thyme and sage to add those fall flavors.
- Spices: I used a combination of five spice and white pepper. Alternatively you can also use coriander and black pepper, respectively.
- Tamari: This is a type of soy sauce, so if you have soy sauce available, feel free to use it.
- Vinegar: I used rice vinegar, but feel free to use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar as alternatives.
- Potato Starch: Or feel free to use cornstarch.
- Shallots: Red onions are a good replacement. I would use about half a small onion.
- Baby Bok Choy: If you don’t have baby bok choy any hearty green can work here. Try this with cabbage, shredded brussel sprouts, kale or spinach.
How to Make Soy Glazed Tofu Nuggets with Whipped Sage Butternut Squash
Preheat the oven to 425F and prepare two parchment lined baking sheets. Place the squash halves face up on a baking tray with the bulb of garlic. Drizzle the squash and garlic with a little oil then flip the squash cut side down onto some of the thyme and wrap the garlic in foil. Bake on the bottom rack for 30-40 minutes until the garlic is soft.
Tear the tofu block into small bite size pieces (about 1/2-inch) and place in a large bowl or airtight container. Pour the tamari and vinegar over the tofu, cover the container then toss to evenly coat and allow the tofu to sit for 10 minutes.
Coat the tofu with the five spice, sugar, starch, and oil, then cover and toss again to evenly coat. Spread the tofu pieces out on a baking tray, making sure each piece has space between it. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, flip then bake again for 5-10 minutes.
Heat a saute pan over medium low heat then add the oil and allow to heat up. Once hot, add the sage and spread out over the bottom of the pan, allowing them to cook in the oil for 1 to 2 minutes. The sage should deepen in color, but not turn brown or burn. Remove from the pan and place the leaves on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
To the sage infused oil add the shallot, pepper, and bok choy with a pinch of salt then saute for about 3 minutes. In a small bowl add tamari, vinegar, sugar and a tablespoon of water then whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into the pan and toss until the tofu is coated then remove from heat.
Scoop out the flesh of the squash and squeeze out the garlic into a food processor or tall blender cup. Add in the crispy sage and a generous pinch of salt and blend until smooth.
To serve, portion the whipped squash onto serving plates then top with the glazed tofu and veggies and enjoy.
Hack It
- Save time with the squash. Not a fan of chopping squash, feel free to roast up some frozen squash or use pre-peeled and cut squash for roasting.
- Meal prep time savers. Want to make this meal come together faster during the week? Save time by roasting the squash and garlic bulbs in advance for the week. This will save a lot of roasting time in advance then all you have to do is reheat the squash before blending everything together.
- Use a pre-pressed tofu. Your tofu experience can be impacted by whether you decide to press your tofu or not. Pressing can help improve the texture of the tofu when it is roasting in the oven, so if using extra firm tofu press it in advance before starting OR save time altogether and by a super firm tofu or variety that is sealed in a vacuum sealed package. You can use it straight out of the package, no pressing require. I love Nasoya’s super firm tofu for this.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try roasted chickpeas instead. You can roast them similar to how they are roasted in this recipe. Roasted lentils can also work here too. Feel free to glaze them after or if you want to maintain the full crunch feel free to skip the glaze altogether.
Store the whipped squash and tofu in separate airtight containers and place in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat each individually then serve the tofu over the squash.
As long as you use a gluten-free tamari this meal is naturally gluten-free. You can also use coconut aminos as a replacement.
Make It Balanced
The tofu and squash counts towards your protein, starch and veggie goals. You can always add more veggies to your liking or add extra starch like quinoa as a side.
More Wholesome Plant-Based Fall Recipes
- Roasted Lentils and Carrots with Marinated Onions
- Roasted Cauliflower Date Salad
- Butternut Squash White Bean Soup with Crispy Sage
- Pesto Broccoli Orzo Soup
- Chipotle Lime Black Bean Bowls
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
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Soy Glazed Tofu Nuggets with Whipped Sage Butternut Squash
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Soy glazed tofu nuggets served with a seasonal and flavorful whipped sage butternut squash. Easy to make and budget-friendly!
Ingredients
Baked Tofu
- 1 lb super firm high protein tofu (see notes for using extra firm tofu)
- 1 1/2 tbsp tamari
- 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder (or use coriander)
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp potato starch
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- Kosher salt
Stir Fry & Whipped Squash
- 1 bulb of garlic, cut 1/4 of the top to expose the garlic cloves
- 2 lb butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise
- 6 thyme sprigs
- 1 1/2 tbsp avocado oil
- 10 sage leaves
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups baby bok choy, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp light brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F and prepare two parchment lined baking sheets. Place the squash halves face up on a baking tray with the bulb of garlic. Drizzle the squash and garlic with a little oil then flip the squash cut side down onto some of the thyme and wrap the garlic in foil. Bake on the bottom rack for 30-40 minutes until the garlic is soft.
- Tear the tofu block into small bite size pieces (about 1/2-inch) and place in a large bowl or airtight container. Pour the tamari and vinegar over the tofu, cover the container then toss to evenly coat and allow the tofu to sit for 10 minutes.
- Coat the tofu with the five spice, sugar, starch, and oil, then cover and toss again to evenly coat. Spread the tofu pieces out on a baking tray, making sure each piece has space between it. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, flip then bake again for 5-10 minutes.
- Heat a saute pan over medium low heat then add the oil and allow to heat up. Once hot, add the sage and spread out over the bottom of the pan, allowing them to cook in the oil for 1 to 2 minutes. The sage should deepen in color, but not turn brown or burn. Remove from the pan and place the leaves on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- To the sage infused oil add the shallot, pepper, and bok choy with a pinch of salt then saute for about 3 minutes. In a small bowl add tamari, vinegar, sugar and a tablespoon of water then whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into the pan and toss until the tofu is coated then remove from heat.
- Scoop out the flesh of the squash and squeeze out the garlic into a food processor or tall blender cup. Add in the crispy sage and a generous pinch of salt and blend until smooth.
- To serve, portion the whipped squash onto serving plates then top with the glazed tofu and veggies and enjoy.
Notes
Save time with the squash. Not a fan of chopping squash, feel free to roast up some frozen squash or use pre-peeled and cut squash for roasting.
Meal prep time savers. Want to make this meal come together faster during the week? Save time by roasting the squash and garlic bulbs in advance for the week. This will save a lot of roasting time in advance then all you have to do is reheat the squash before blending everything together.
Use a pre-pressed tofu. Your tofu experience can be impacted by whether you decide to press your tofu or not. Pressing can help improve the texture of the tofu when it is roasting in the oven, so if using extra firm tofu press it in advance before starting OR save time altogether and by a super firm tofu or variety that is sealed in a vacuum sealed package. You can use it straight out of the package, no pressing require. I love Nasoya’s super firm tofu for this.
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This is a perfect fall meal!! Thanks for sharing!!