Easy Crispy Tofu Recipe with Fava Beans and Shiitake Mushrooms

Oven-roasted tofu + spring veggies = your new weeknight go-to.

Hello!

I’m back in the mountains after a whirlwind popcorn and mushroom-filled trip to Santa Cruz and Berkeley.

I got to connect with some amazing mushroom enthusiasts (hi if you’re reading this!) and share some of my new favorite popcorn recipes—Savory Porcini and Candy Cap Caramel Corn—both of which are still up and free in last week’s newsletter. If you haven’t made them yet, you’re missing out.

One attendee came up after the demo to say he’d been to my talk the year before (in the rain!), and he offered a genius addition: a drizzle of sesame oil to the savory popcorn. Yes! Thanks Dave!

That suggestion got my gears turning again. I’d been flipping through The Flavor Matrix and saw a recipe for fish sauce caramel. Being vegetarian, I wondered: what if I used tamari instead? A Tamari Candy Cap Caramel Popcorn? I think I’m onto something.

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The Shiitake Situation

Speaking of mushrooms, look what popped out of my grow kit just five days after setting it up:

If good mushrooms are hard to find near you, grab one of these kits. They’re fast, fun, and honestly kind of magical.

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Wildflowers, Elderflowers

One of the joys of my move to the mountains has been discovering the flora that grows here. Google Lens has been indispensable for plant identification but I am hoping to join a local class at some point to learn more.

I was on the prowl for a wildflower bouquet and I saw a big bush with large cream colored flowers in the distance. Elderflower! At first, I made a mental note to come back for berries. But then a friend reminded me the culinary potential of the flowers themselves: you can make syrup. Oh, right! Thanks, Patricija.

Most people use elderflower syrup in cocktails or spritzes. That sounds fun but I’m dreaming up an Elderflower Butter Mochi. Stay tuned!

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Wait... Is It Spring or Summer?

A stop at my favorite Oakland market told me everything I needed to know—stone fruit is here. I broke my usual rule of skipping the first harvest and bought a few yellow peaches and nectarines. Good, not great... but still a sweet little thrill after a long winter.

And then I saw them: fava beans. If you know, you know. These fleeting, buttery legumes are a labor of love—and I don’t mind.

I’ve been working on various tofu recipes lately. Both for this newsletter and also for upcoming classes. I thought that I could kill two birds with one stone by creating a super recipe that used them both. And after the mushroom festival I, of course, had to add mushrooms. Voila... Tofu & Fava Bean Stir-Fry with a Soy Sesame Glaze was born.

(I haven’t tried it yet but I have a hunch that substituting the Porcini Sprinkle that I created for the Savory Porcini Popcorn would be fabulous here instead of plain ol’ salt. Next time!)

How you prepare your tofu matters. If I wasn’t sure about this before, the massive waitlists for my tofu classes would make me sure.

I used to saute it in a pan but it often led to frustrating results. The tofu would stick, crumble and tear. I would add more oil but that would lead to an oily tofu mess. The secret? Roasting it. I use high-heat oil, salt, and 1 Tbsp of a simple pantry ingredient that makes it ridiculously crispy.

Can you guess what it is?

Why you want this recipe for dinner:

• Fava spotlight – a rare spring treat that sings with soy and sesame

• Fast-cooking, fancy-feeling – impressive enough for dinner guests, easy enough for solo nights

• Crispy tofu magic – no deep-frying required

• Layered umami – shiitakes, soy, sesame, and a touch of sweetness

• Flexible – sub in edamame, asparagus, or even snap peas

• Next-day(s) friendly – it’s killer cold too

• Have it your way: Serve it over rice, noodles (I love these from Lotus foods), or just eat it straight from the pan.

If you’re loving recipes like this, consider upgrading to a paid subscription. It’s the best way to support my work, and you’ll get even more inventive, seasonal recipes every month. Think of it as a dinner upgrade that keeps on giving.

XO,
Marie

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UPCOMING CLASSES

You can find the full list of upcoming classes HERE

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High Voltage Vegetables: Spring Edition

Friday, May 30th at 6-9:30pm

It’s another installment of High Voltage Vegetables! We are going to make full-flavored, no-holds-barred vegetable dishes and it will rule.

The produce of spring tends to be light, tender, and green, green, green! In this class, we balance that youthful Big Green Energy with mature, aged flavors like shio koji, preserved lemon, seaweed and, of course, miso

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Tofu & Fava Bean Stir-Fry with a Soy Sesame Glaze