These BBQ Shredded Tofu Sandwiches are smoky, saucy, and piled high with a creamy, crunchy cabbage slaw. The tofu is shredded and pan-fried until golden and chewy before being seasoned and tossed with your favorite BBQ sauce.
Add everything to a toasted bun with pickles, pickled onions, jalapeƱos, or vegan cheese for a seriously satisfying sandwich.
Quick Recipe Overview
- Flavor & Texture: Smoky, savory, saucy shredded tofu with chewy browned edges, paired with a creamy, crunchy, tangy cabbage slaw.
- Total Time: Around 30ā35 minutes (cooking the tofu and tossing the slaw).
- Method: Grated on a box grater, pan-fried in a skillet until golden, seasoned, and simmered in BBQ sauce.
- Pro Tip: Use a large skillet and let the shredded tofu sit undisturbed for the first few minutes ā giving it room and direct heat ensures it browns and gets chewy instead of steaming!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The shredded tofu has so much texture: Browning the tofu before adding the sauce gives you plenty of golden, chewy edges instead of soft pieces swimming in BBQ sauce.
- The slaw balances everything out: It’s creamy and tangy with plenty of fresh crunch from cabbage, carrot and red onion.
- It’s easy to customize: Keep the sandwich simple or load it up with pickles, pickled jalapeƱos, vegan cheese, or whatever else sounds good.
- The components are great for meal prep: The BBQ tofu and slaw can both be prepared ahead of time, then simply assemble when you’re ready to eat.
Getting the Best Texture and Flavor from the Tofu
The tofu goes through a few stages here, and each one helps build the final texture and flavor.
First, shredding the tofu creates lots of small, irregular pieces that can brown around the edges. Let it sit undisturbed in the skillet for the first few minutes rather than stirring constantly – that’s what gives you those golden, slightly chewy bits.
Next, the tofu gets seasoned with soy sauce, bouillon, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and nutritional yeast before the BBQ sauce goes in. This means the tofu itself is flavorful rather than simply coated in sauce.
Finally, stir in the BBQ sauce and let everything heat through until it’s as saucy as you like. The result is smoky, savory shredded tofu with plenty of texture that holds up really well in a sandwich.
Super-firm tofu is easiest to work with because it contains very little excess moisture. If you’re using extra-firm tofu instead, press it thoroughly before shredding.
The Creamy Cabbage Slaw
You definitely want something fresh and crunchy against all that saucy tofu.
This slaw combines shredded cabbage, carrot, and thinly sliced red onion with a creamy dressing made from vegan mayo and plain nondairy yogurt. Apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard add plenty of tang, a little chickān-style veggie bouillon adds savory depth, while a little maple syrup balances everything out.
Celery seed is optional, but it’s a nice addition if you like that classic deli-style slaw flavor.
You can prepare the slaw while the tofu cooks, or make it a little ahead of time and let it chill in the fridge.
Building the Perfect BBQ Tofu Sandwich
I highly recommend toasting the buns before you assemble these. Besides tasting better, the toasted surface helps the bread stand up to all that saucy tofu and creamy slaw.
Start with a generous scoop of BBQ tofu, pile on the cabbage slaw, then add whatever toppings you’re in the mood for.
Some especially good options:
- Pickled red onions
- Dill pickle chips
- Pickled jalapeƱos
- Sliced vegan cheese
- Extra BBQ sauce
- Hot sauce
If you’re adding vegan cheese, try melting it directly over the hot tofu in the skillet before piling everything onto the bun.
Recipe Tips
- Use a large skillet: Giving the shredded tofu plenty of room helps it brown rather than steam.
- Make it as sauce as you like: Start with the 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce in the recipe, then add more if you want a wetter, saucier filling.
- Keep the tofu and slaw separate for meal prep: Assemble the sandwiches just before serving so the buns stay fresh and the cabbage keeps its crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Press extra-firm tofu under a heavy weight for about 15-20 minutes before shredding it.
Because extra-firm tofu contains more water than super-firm tofu, you may also want to use a little more to account for some of the volume lost during pressing and cooking.
Yes. The cabbage slaw can be stored separately in the fridge for around 2-3 days. The cabbage will gradually soften and release moisture as it sits, so give it a good toss before serving.
Use whichever style of BBQ sauce you already enjoy, A smoky, slightly sweet sauce works especially well with the savory tofu and tangy slaw, but the recipe is flexible enough to work with anything from sweet and sticky to spicy.
The individual components can absolutely be prepared ahead, but I’d wait to assemble the sandwiches until you’re ready to eat. Store the tofu and slaw separately, then reheat the tofu and pile everything onto freshly toasted buns.
More Vegan Recipes
If you enjoyed these tofu sandwiches, try one of these next:
BBQ Shredded Tofu Sandwich w/ Cabbage Slaw
Equipment
- box grater
- nonstick skillet
Ingredients
BBQ Shredded Tofu
- 1 (16 oz) block super-firm tofu shredded on the coarse side of a box grater
- 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon chick'n bouillon paste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce of choice add more to preference
Creamy Cabbage Slaw
- 2 tablespoons vegan mayo
- 2 tablespoons plain unsweetened nondairy yogurt or extra mayo
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon chick'n style veggie bouillon paste see notes
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seed optional
- 3 cups thinly shredded cabbage green, red, or a mix
- 1 medium carrot peeled and shredded
- 1/4 small red onion thinly sliced
- black pepper to taste
- salt to taste
BBQ Sandwiches (use as many toppings as you like)
- 4 sandwich buns ideally toasted!
- pickled red onions
- dill pickle chips
- pickled jalapeƱo slices
- sliced vegan cheese
Instructions
Make the BBQ Shredded Tofu
- Brown the tofu: Heat the vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add in the shredded tofu and spread it out in an even layer. Allow to cook for 3-5 minutes undisturbed, until the bottom is golden-brown. Give the tofu a toss and continue to pan-fry, stirring occasionally, for another 8-12 minutes, or until evenly golden brown. Pan-fry more or less depending on how chewy you want it to be.
- Mix the seasoning: While the tofu is crisping up, mix your seasoning. Whisk together soy sauce, warm water, bouillon, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, and black pepper. (Make sure the bouillon is fully dissolved.)
- Season the tofu: Reduce heat to low and pour the seasoning mix over the tofu. Immediately stir to coat. Cook for a minute or two, until the tofu absorbs the liquid.
- Add the BBQ sauce: Stir in the 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce and allow to heat through. Add extra sauce if you want a saucier tofu.
Make the Slaw
- The slaw can be prepped ahead of time, or while the tofu is browning in step 1. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl, including: mayo, yogurt, apple cider vinegar, miso, mustard, maple syrup, and celery seed. Add shredded cabbage and carrot, sliced red onion to the mixing bowl and toss thoroughly. Taste and adjust salt and black pepper.
Assemble the BBQ Tofu Sandwiches
- I highly recommend lightly toasting the buns in a pan until golden. It helps them hold up better to the saucy tofu. (I love adding a little butter or mayo before toasting but this is optional.)
- Add a scoop of BBQ tofu to the bun, followed by the coleslaw. Add optional toppings including pickled red onions or jalapeƱos or dill pickles. If you want to add cheese to your sandwich, I recommend melting it over the hot tofu in the pan before scooping the tofu onto the bun. Enjoy!
Storage & Reheating
- Store leftover BBQ tofu in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between. Reheat in a pan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Freezing BBQ tofu: Freeze for up to 2 months. Make sure to use a freezer-safe container or a freezer bag, squeezing out extra air. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Store the coleslaw in its own sealed container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. The cabbage will release moisture and soften over time, so make sure to give it a quick toss before enjoying leftovers to redistribute the dressing. Do not freeze.
