Dreamy tofu in creamy tomato sauce with dill and soy sauce

Served with potatoes or rice this is an easy every-day recipe that delivers both in flavour and protein. Tomato, soy sauce and dill may seem like a surprising combo, but it works like a dream.

Food trends have never come and gone quicker than in the last few years, driven by Tik Tok, You Tube and even good old-fashioned food blogs. Some things go viral for good reason: this recipe was big in Finland a few years ago, starting out as "Chicken so good it'll make you cry" and evolving, of course, into "Tofu to cry for".

Soy sauce combined with tomato is an umami marvel, and dill (or coriander, if you prefer) elevate the flavours and make the sauce even more distinct.

We cook this often, as it is so quick and easy to make – most ingredients are pantry staples – and we happily eat it for two days. 

Tofu in creamy tomato sauce with dill

5-6 portions

500 g firm tofu (or other plant-based protein)

1 large onion

3 tbsp oil 

50 ml soy sauce 

2,5 dl oat or soy cream 

400 g tomato passata

Fresh or frozen dill (or cilantro)

Top with fresh, chopped scallions, if you have some

Put the side dish to boil – e.g. potatoes, rice or bulgur.

Whilst the side dish is cooking, peel the onion, cut it in half and then into thin slices. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion over a low heat until it becomes translucent. Stir in the soya sauce, then add tomato passata and let simmer for a couple of minutes.

Cut the tofu in half and wrap it in a tea towel and squeeze out excess water. Then tear the tofu into pieces by hand and stir it into the sauce.

Add the cream and tofu to the mixture. Leave to simmer for a few minutes. Finally, stir in the dill.

Modified from the Finnish food blog Kasviskapina's "Itkutofu" recipe, from which I replaced half of the cream with tomato passata, to make the dish saucier and a bit lighter.