This easy 10 Minute Chili Garlic Silken Tofu is a contender for my favorite tofu recipe of all time. Craving a dish that’s quick yet exceptionally flavorful? This recipe requires just a handful of simple ingredients and less than 10 minutes to make from start to finish. Whether you enjoy this silken tofu recipe as a main or side dish, it makes for a great easy weeknight dinner.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This 10 Minute Silken Tofu
- Quick and easy. This recipe comes together in just a few minutes, but it’s packed with flavor.
- It’s made with simple ingredients. You only need a handful of easy-to-find ingredients. No need to travel far and wide to find speciality ingredients. (Though it’s always a good idea to support your local Asian market!)
- It’s delicious. Okay, this one should be obvious. If it wasn’t delicious, it wouldn’t be on the blog. With that being said, given how easy this recipe is, it has no right tasting this amazing! But it totally does. There have actually been times where Eric and I each eat our own block of tofu. The chili garlic sauce is that good!
- It’s a good intro to soft tofu. If you’ve never cooked with soft or silken tofu before, this recipe is the best thing to try out for your first time.
Ingredients for Chili Garlic Silken Tofu
- Soft or silken tofu. Either variety will work great for this chili garlic tofu. Soft tofu and silken tofu have a smooth and custardy texture and a very mild flavor.
- Scallions and garlic. These aromatics do some heavy lifting in this simple recipe. Add as much of each as you like — this is definitely a “measure with your heart” situation.
- Brown sugar. A little sweetness balances out the umami and spice in this recipe, and helps to thicken the sauce into a slightly more syrupy consistency.
- Soy sauce. The umami backbone for the chili garlic sauce. Use a gluten-free tamari if needed.
- Rice vinegar. For a hint of tartness to add dimension to the sauce.
- Chili crisp. This is my secret weapon when I want to add a ton of flavor to a dish with minimal effort. If you’re unfamiliar, chili crisp is an aromatic chili oil with crispy bits of chili peppers and garlic. It is SO. GOOD. Check out the section below for a deep dive on the best varieties!
- Toasted sesame seeds & sesame oil. Both optional, but the sesame seeds add a nice extra crunch, and together they contribute a nutty flavor that is really delicious and comforting.
What’s the Best Chili Crisp?
- Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp. Probably the most popular chili crisp on the market — this is the classic option, in our opinion. MSG and fermented soybeans really boost the umami in this one. Medium spice and a little crunch.
- Momofuku Chili Crunch, or Mr. Bing Chili Crisp. These are two very classic flavor profiles, both heavy on the pepper flakes with fewer additional flavors. Both brands have different spice level options. Great choices to add heat and crunch while letting the other sauce ingredients shine.
- Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp. This is our favorite of the bunch, boasting exceptional Sichuan flavors that set it apart from the others. Also quite spicy (and it’s available in an Xtra Spicy version too).
- S&B Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil. Very crunchy, very garlicky, and not very spicy. A hint of MSG lends extra umami. If you want to turn the garlic in this dish up to the max, this is the choice for you.
- Sambal Oelek. Technically not chili crisp, but works in a pinch. It’s spicy, garlicky, and delicious, but without the crunch.
How to Make the Sauce for Chili Garlic Silken Tofu
Step 1 — Add all sauce ingredients, save the scallion greens, to the saucepan.
Step 2 — Whisk together and bring to a gentle simmer for a few minutes. This will thicken it slightly and cut the raw bite of the garlic and scallions.
Step 3 — Stir in the scallion greens.
Step 4 — Pour the sauce over your prepared silken tofu. Top with extra fresh scallions if desired, and enjoy.
How to Heat the Silken Tofu
Option 1: Poach the Silken Tofu
This is my preferred way to heat the tofu.
Poaching makes the dish slightly brothy, as the tofu will retain some of the poaching liquid. I actually love this, since it leaves extra sauce for my steamed rice to soak up! If you prefer a dryer tofu, I recommend simply microwaving or enjoying it cold.
To poach, carefully lower the block of tofu into a pot of gently boiling water — you need just enough to cover the tofu by an inch or so. Reduce the heat to low and poach the tofu for at least 5 minutes (you can allow it to sit in the hot water to keep it warm until ready to serve). Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to carefully lift the tofu out, allowing extra water drain off before transferring it to a bowl. At this point you can score or slice your tofu or just leave it in one piece.
Option 2: Enjoy the Tofu Cold
This is the quickest and easiest method! It can be quite refreshing on a hot day. Simply transfer the tofu from the package to a plate/bowl. If you like, you can blot off a bit of the extra liquid by letting it sit on a paper towel or clean, lint-free kitchen towel while you prep the sauce.
Slice the tofu or leave it in one piece if you like, and just pour the cooked sauce right over the top and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Our favorite way to enjoy this chili garlic silken tofu recipe is with fresh steamed white rice (jasmine rice or short-grain sushi rice are our faves) and a stir-fried vegetable of some kind.
Usually we end up just making some simple stir-fried broccoli or cabbage on the side, but vegetables like green beans or baby bok choy also go wonderfully with this dish.
There are a few varieties of silken tofu:
The refrigerated kind that comes in a plastic container, similar to firm/extra-firm tofu. This is my preference because it comes in 16 oz containers and I find the flavor to be very neutral.
The shelf-stable kind that comes in an aseptic carton. Usually can be found in the Asian/International section at the grocery store. This comes in soft, firm, and extra-firm varieties. These can also be used, although they come in smaller packages (usually around 12 oz) so you will have a little extra sauce. In my opinion it doesn’t taste as fresh but many people enjoy it, so it’s up to you!
Regular soft tofu is also totally suitable for this recipe! The texture is just a bit firmer and less custardy than silken tofu but the effect will be similar.
If you can’t find either variety, or don’t prefer the texture of softer tofu varieties, feel free to try the recipe with medium, firm or extra-firm tofu. Several people have reviewed the recipe saying they actually prefer it this way, so go for it!
Storage and Reheating
Silken tofu has a delicate texture that is best enjoyed within a few hours of preparing it. The aromatics in the sauce also are best enjoyed fresh.
If you (somehow) have leftovers of your silken tofu, you can put them in an airtight container and pop them in the fridge for up to 3 days, but the tofu will continue to shed liquid. When you’re ready to eat, you can either microwave it or just eat it cold! Nothing like a little spicy cold tofu on a hot day.
More Tofu Recipes
- Gochujang Tofu – Crispy tofu chunks tossed in a spicy, Korean-inspired gochujang sauce.
- Orange Tofu – Takeout-style sweet and tangy orange tofu.
- Tofu Lettuce Wraps – Little cups of fresh lettuce stuffed with a satisfying tofu filling.
10 Minute Chili Garlic Silken Tofu
Video
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz block soft or silken tofu
- 2 sliced scallions white and green parts separated
- 2-3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon chili crisp see notes for brand recommendations
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds optional
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil optional
Instructions
Drain the Tofu
- Carefully remove tofu from package. Silken tofu can be quite fragile. If using the kind that comes in a plastic carton, I recommend running a butter knife or a spatula around the edge to help the tofu release cleanly. It can also be helpful to slice off a small piece from the corner of the carton — this can help release the vacuum so the tofu comes out more easily.
- If you plan to serve the tofu cold, you can flip the block of tofu onto a clean, lint-free kitchen towel to blot off some of the extra moisture. You can let it sit and drain on the towel while you prepare the sauce. Then transfer it to a plate or bowl when ready to serve.
Prepare the Chili Garlic Sauce
- In a small skillet, combine white parts of scallions, garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, and chili crisp. Heat over medium-high, stirring often, until the mixture begins to bubble.
- Let the sauce simmer for about 1-2 minutes, until sugar has dissolved. The sauce will thicken slightly. Stir in the green parts of the scallions (reserving a few to use as a garnish) and cook for about 1 more minute. Remove from heat and stir in the optional toasted sesame oil.
How to Poach the Tofu (optional)
- The dish can be served with the tofu cold or hot. I prefer to heat mine by poaching it. Poaching will make the dish a little more brothy because the tofu will retain some of the poaching liquid. I like this — the extra broth is good with rice. (If you prefer the dish to be less brothy, you can try microwaving the block of tofu or even steaming it on a heat-safe plate very carefully.)
- To poach, carefully lower the block of tofu into a pot with enough water to cover it by about an inch. Bring this to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat to low or medium-low to keep the simmer nice and gentle. (If it boils too vigorously it can start to make your tofu fall apart.)
- It usually takes about 5-8 minutes to heat through. Carefully use a slotted spoon or skimmer to lift the tofu out of the water. Let the excess water drip off before transferring it to a bowl to serve.
Plate the Tofu
- To serve, the tofu can be left as a whole block or sliced. (I also sometimes enjoy cutting a crosshatch pattern into the top of the tofu.) Cutting it is more for presentation than anything else.
- Whether serving hot or cold, pour the prepared sauce over the tofu. Top with reserved scallion greens and serve.
Notes
- Notes on tofu: Both silken and soft tofu work well in this recipe. I prefer varieties that you can find in the refrigerated section, rather than the kind that are shelf-stable (like Mori-Nu brand). This may come down to personal preference. If you’re using the shelf-stable variety, please note that those blocks tend to be a bit smaller than the ones called for in this recipe.
Chili crisp recommendations:
- Lao Gan Ma — For a classic flavor profile with an extra boost of umami from fermented soybeans and MSG. Not too spicy.
- Momofuku or Mr. Bing — For a traditional flavor that is red pepper forward. Both come in different spice levels.
- Fly By Jing — If you want to mix it up. Sichuan flavors make this one the most unique of the bunch. It’s also quite spicy, and also comes in an Xtra Hot variety that will have you sweating.
- S&B Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil — Not very spicy (if at all). Perfect for garlic lovers who want the crunch without the heat.
I made the recipe as specified and while I did not like silken tofu as much as I’d hoped (the texture just doesn’t sit right with me, will have to try firmer tofu next time), the sauce is AMAZING. Would make again with firm tofu for sure!
First time I’ve tried silken tofu! Even tried it cold, put it over hot rice with the hot sauce. Next time I will heat up the tofu, just to try the difference, but it totally didn’t need it. So easy to put together and make.
OMG! This recipe is soo good! It’s wonderful cold and upon making it, I immediately sent the recipe to two people. We doubled the sauce and used medium firm tofu because we couldn’t find silken and I can’t stop eating it. It also works well with chili flakes if you don’t have chili crisp on hand.
This is my new favorite dinner!!!! It’s going in my weekly rotation of recipes. It’s so fast and easy to make and the sauce is so perfectly balanced and delicious!
I understand your frustration regarding the ads that are interspersed with the instructions which disrupt the flow of the recipe (and makes it very challenging for someone like me with ADD to focus on the actual recipe), but you shouldn’t have to download any software from advertisers to print—there’s a little print icon above the recipe that will bring the recipe up on a separate page without the ads. I don’t print the actual recipes but I find this feature helpful for providing me with uninterrupted directions when I’m trying to follow a recipe on my phone.
I rarely leave reviews, cause I am the laziest person but holy crow! This recipe is amazing. Easy, quick, flavourful. I cannot give you enough praise for this. It’s great when it’s cold out, hot out or if you only have 5-10 minutes to make dinner. Thank you so much for this ❤️
girl, use a pen and paper
Really freaking good
I must be the only person on the planet who doesn’t know what “chili crisp” is.
You could have googled it in the time it took you to make this comment….?
Made several times and it’s a winner – super tasty, healthy and quick.
This was absolutely delicious 😋 The sauce is IT!! .. will use sauce recipe on everything 🤣
Delicious, yet so simple! I probably could eat the entire block of silken tofu, if I didn’t limit myself on the salt. I’ll definitely make this again!
This was SO good! I eat tofu a lot and I’m always looking for new ways to make it. I made this exactly as the recipe stated (warmed the tofu in the microwave) and inhaled it. My husband (not a vegetarian or vegan) raved about it. Will definitely make this again, especially since it literally takes ten minutes.
wow! usually when i eat tofu its been grilled, which i dont love, but this recipe is amazing!
The was one of the best tasting dishes! The chili sauce is perfect!
Hello. I haven’t made this yet, but I have a question. I have chili crisp honey. Do you think it would work to use that, and leave out the sugar?
Thanks so much for this recipe. I made this recipe several times and absolutely love it for the taste AND the convenience. I’m making it for dinner tonight, but unfortunately just discovered I am out of the chili crisp in oil. I do have some dried chili crisp, so I’ll be using that as a replacement. I never tried silken tofu before making this recipe. It is just lovely … a very nice comfort food. I’ve been looking forward to dinner all day long. I’ve been know to have this for dinner and then if I get the munchies in the middle of the night … I eat more of it cold right out of the fridge. It is addictive!
Absolutely incredible. So much flavor and so easy to throw together!
Amazing! I’ve had tofu before, but don’t know many recipes and was looking to expand my menu a bit – love Asian flavours, so gave it a go… and it didn’t disappoint. It’ll definitely be on my go to list of quick lunch and dinner recipes. Have already shared the recipe with a couple of people and haven’t even finished eating it. Thank you!
Wow – the flavour of that sauce, just unbelievable. Super delicious!!!
I warmed up the Silke tofu in the microwave for 1 minute, served in on a bed of rice/quinoa and charred boy choy. Cut up some cucumber and red peppers on the side. Will be my new favourite meal.
All ready in 15 minutes. Thank you for this recipe. 👍👍👍
This is absolutely delicious recipe, thank you for sharing! I love how simple and powerful the flavor is
Loved the sauce and your directions. But the real highlight was taking big chunks (the size of my fist) are fresh silken tofu marinating briefly in soya and chili and then roasting it. Then pouring your sauce over it. Best way I’ve ever eaten silken tafu. Thanks for guiding me.
Thanks for the recipe. I had something like this many years ago at a restaurant and have been on the lookout for something similar – this was delicious and came close.
I’ve made this so many times now, it’s just so good! My whole family loves it and I recommend adding extra chopped ginger and pepper.
Easiest silken tofu recipe!
So delicious! Thank you for this recipe! Our entire family, including my picky eater son, loved the sauce so much that they asked me to make more.
So so so good! Even mu tofu hating husband loved it.
To quote my favorite Formula 1 racing driver, “simply lovely”. You have to make this!
Hrm YUM!!
I love this recipe! It’s so fast and easy, and it tastes delicious. I poach the tofu and have it over rice. This time I didn’t have scallions, but it still was so great even without them. I love that I can make it with staple ingredients I always have on hand as long as I buy silken tofu, which is now being sold at Trader Joe’s.
Easy and delicious summertime meal. Cool and refreshing with a ton of flavor. I’ll usually eat this with a side of seaweed snack and steamed veggie.
The GOAT vegan chef strikes again! Best sauce ever, genius
Omg. I stumbled across this recipe and it’s SO good! Thank you!
I love this recipe and have made it several times! Thought I’d share an easy hack… after I make the sauce, I just put the silken tofu right into the sauce to warm it up and then it’s a one pot meal! 😄 (Poaching the silken tofu separately in boiling water was an awful mess for me, lol)
Incredible recipe. Easy but flavorful.
just made this with soft organic tofu and it’s *amazing*!
perfect easy lo cal protein
i would like to make a larger batch of the sauce and save it in the fridge – do you think that would work??
😊😊🙏
So easy to make and absolutely delicious!!
I’ve made a few different marinated soft tofu recipes, this is by far my favourite. It’s so delicious I could eat in one serving. The sauce is nice on noodles or rice too. The first few times I made it I neglected to see you were to cook the sauce first (makes sense with the brown sugar) but it was still fabulous. Used the original chili crisp oil with the face on the front and red lid- Lao (something)I like the crunchy beans in it. Made it many times – so fast and easy – thank you 🙏