Featuring crispy tofu cooked in a creamy, savory sauce, this vegan tofu sisig will impress even non-vegans! It is bold in flavor, with a hint of spiciness from the chilies. This sizzling tofu is also relatively easy to make and is ready in 30 minutes.
This sizzling tofu is a staple in our household! It is warm, cozy, and jam-packed with flavors without being overly heavy. Although commonly served as an appetizer along with alcoholic drinks, I love pairing mine with steamed Jasmine rice, vegan kimchi fried rice, and some vegetable lumpia on the side.
This tofu sisig is mildly spicy and is tolerable by most. However, if you are looking to make a tofu dish that is spice-free, I recommend checking out my oyster sauce tofu or soy sauce tofu.
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Creamy, comforting, and bursting with flavors
- Lower in fats and calories than traditional pork sisig
- Fairly easy to make and is ready in 30 minutes
- Meat eaters approved!
🤔What is sisig
Sisig is a popular Filipino dish consisting of grilled pig face and ears cooked in a tangy, savory, and spicy gravy. They are then transferred to a sizzling plate right before serving.
Sisig can either be served as an appetizer along with alcoholic drinks like beer or as a main dish with steamed rice.
Nowadays, you can find other varieties of sisig made from different ingredients like squid, fish, and chicken. Tofu sisig is another popular variety that caters to vegetarians.
🧄What you will need
📃Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Tofu - Make sure to use extra-firm tofu that has been drained and pressed beforehand. I like using a tofu press, but you could also manually press it by stacking something heavy on it. If you need detailed instructions, check out this post ‘How to press tofu’.
- Fresh shiitake mushrooms - Can be substituted with dried shiitake that is rehydrated. Feel free to use other varieties of mushrooms like button, baby Bella, or oyster mushrooms in place.
- Chilies - I am using bird’s eye chilies, but you could substitute them with a regular chili. Deseed your chilies to make this dish less spicy.
- Sugar - You can use any granulated sweetener here, like coconut, cane, or brown sugar.
- Mayo - I am using my homemade tofu mayo. That said, you can use store-bought vegan mayo like Hellmann’s or Chosen Foods. Regular mayo works as well if you are not vegan.
- Calamansi lime - Can be substituted with one tablespoon of regular lime or lemon juice.
🔪How to make
Making the sauce - Combine soy sauce, lime juice, and sugar in a small bowl. Stir to mix and set aside.
Frying tofu - Heat some oil in a non-stick pan or cast iron skillet. Add tofu cubes to the pan in one layer. Pan-fry for 2-3 minutes on each side or until most sides are golden. Set aside for later use.
Frying aromatics - Heat another ½ tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add onion cubes, and saute until translucent. Next, stir in minced garlic and fry for a minute until translucent.
Cooking veggies - Add chopped mushrooms and bell pepper to the pan. Fry for a few minutes until softened. Add chilies and cook for another minute.
Putting everything together - Add fried tofu back to the pan, along with the sauce and mayo. Stir until everything is well incorporated. Your tofu sisig is ready to be served!
✔Helpful tips
- Deseeding chilies - To make this recipe less spicy, deseed your chilies. I recommend using gloves to protect your hands from the heat.
- Deep-frying tofu - If you prefer extra crispy tofu, feel free to deep-fry instead of pan-frying your tofu. To do so, heat around ½ cup of oil, and fry until tofu cubes are golden. Take note that this version will be higher in fats and calories.
- Give it your spin - Make this sizzling tofu recipe your own by adjusting the amount of seasoning used or adding other aromatics like ginger or different kinds of chilies.
- Serving on a sizzling plate - To impress your guests, serve your tofu sisig on a sizzling plate! Add some butter or oil to the plate before transferring the tofu to prevent it from sticking at the bottom.
- Storing leftovers - Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2-3 days. You can reheat it on the stove or in the microwave. Add a splash of water if the mixture appears dry.
🍚How to serve
- Appetiser - This dish is commonly served as an appetizer along with alcoholic drinks! You can also make some vegan egg rolls, vegan lumpia Shanghai, or vegan momos to serve with sisig.
- Rice - Serve your sizzling tofu on a bed on steamed rice of choice (Jasmine, white, brown) or fried rice like the Filipino’s sinangag (garlic fried rice).
- Noodles - This tofu dish goes well with noodles too, especially stir-fry noodles like lo mein or oyster sauce noodles.
- Toppings - Top your tofu sisig with chopped herbs like green onion, cilantro, or parsley, and chopped chilies. I also recommend serving some Calamansi halves on the side so your guests can adjust the tanginess to their liking.
❔Commonly asked questions
Restaurant-made tofu sisig is often not vegan. Although made with tofu instead of pork, animal products like mayonnaise and oyster sauce are commonly added.
This version of tofu sisig is made vegan by using vegan mayo and vegetarian oyster sauce.
Mayonnaise adds creaminess and richness to tofu sisig. It is also subtly sweet, which helps round up the spiciness of the chilies and tanginess from the calamansi limes.
🍽More vegan Asian appetisers
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📖 Recipe
Tofu Sisig (Sizzling Tofu)
Equipment
- tofu press optional
- cast iron skillet or non-stick pan
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari/shoyu (use gluten-free one if needed)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or other sweetener of choice
Rest of the ingredients
- 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu drained, pressed, and chopped into small cubes
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3.5 oz shiitake mushrooms or button, baby Bella, or oyster mushrooms
- ½ green pepper chopped
- 2-3 bird eye chilies chopped (deseed to make it less spicy)
- 3 tablespoons vegan mayo or regular mayo*
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by combining all ingredients needed for the sauce.2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon coconut sugar
- Heat up a tablespoon or so of neutral-tasing oil in a cast-iron/non-stick pan over medium high heat. Once heated, add tofu cubes in one layer.1 14 oz block extra firm tofu
- Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until most sides are golden brown. Set aside.
- In the same pan, add another ½ tablespoon of oil. Stir in onion and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.1 medium yellow onion
- Add garlic next, and fry until fragrant, about a minute.3 cloves garlic
- Now, add chopped mushrooms and peppers. Saute for a few minutes, until veggies have softened. Stir in chilies and fry for another minute.3.5 oz shiitake mushrooms, ½ green pepper, 2-3 bird eye chilies
- Add tofu back to the pan, along with the sauce and mayo. Stir until everything is well incorporated, and fry until tofu is hot. Season it with salt and pepper, and it is ready to be served!3 tablespoons vegan mayo, salt and pepper
Notes
- Deep-frying tofu - If you prefer extra crispy tofu, feel free to deep-fry instead of pan-frying your tofu. To do so, heat around ½ cup of oil, and fry until tofu cubes are golden. Take note that this version will be higher in fats and calories.
- Serving on a sizzling plate - To impress your guests, serve your tofu sisig on a sizzling plate! Add some butter or oil to the plate before transferring the tofu to prevent it from sticking at the bottom.
- Storing leftovers - Leftovers can be refrigerated for 2-3 days. You can reheat it on the stove or in the microwave. Add a splash of water if the mixture appears dry.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
Vanessa
Delicious, thank you 🙂
Meesha
Glad to hear that!