Tofu Pancake
Firm tofu, all-purpose flour and cornstarch come together in this vegetarian — 65 minutes, 7 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (1)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Drain the tofu and press it gently between paper towels or a clean cloth for about 10 minutes to remove excess moisture, then crumble or mash it into small pieces in a bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, ground cumin, and smoked paprika until evenly combined.
- Pour in the soy milk and whisk to form a smooth, pourable batter, adding a splash more soy milk if it is too thick.
- Stir the mashed tofu, finely chopped onion, and minced garlic into the batter until everything is evenly distributed.
- Heat about a tablespoon of the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat, then ladle in portions of batter and spread each into a round pancake about 1 cm thick.
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the underside is golden and the edges look set, then flip and cook the other side for a further 2 to 3 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Add a little more oil between batches as needed, and serve the pancakes warm with a dipping sauce or fresh herbs.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Whisk
Ingredient substitutions
- Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch (as thickener)
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
Tips & common questions
How long does Tofu Pancake take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of cornstarch?
Try 2 tbsp flour per 1 tbsp cornstarch (as thickener). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Tofu Pancake vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Tofu Pancake is an original recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: FriedTofuBallScallionPancake20220219.jpg by OnionBulb, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.