Tender on the inside and crispy around the edges, these savory Asian Tofu Vegetable Pancakes are vegan, gluten-free, and a delicious dim sum treat. Unlike greasy fritters or vegetable patties, these pancakes don't contain any egg or flour. Instead, they rely on the perfect combination of soft tofu and cornstarch to bind the veggies in the pancake mix.
But what makes these pancakes truly exceptional goes beyond their delightful taste. With a whopping 16 grams of protein per serving, these savory pancakes stand out as a high-protein alternative, keeping you full and satisfied. Moreover, they offer a brilliant solution to utilize those forgotten bits and bobs of vegetables lingering in your crisper.
And here's the health kicker: Unlike their greasy counterparts, these pancakes are cooked with minimal oil in a non-stick pan, making them a healthier option without compromising on flavor. Whether you're seeking a fun appetizer or a dish to celebrate Chinese New Year, these 20-minute savory pancakes are a culinary adventure like no other.
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Basic Ingredients
Soft tofu – Start with well-drained “soft tofu” for the perfect Chinese pancake texture. Unlike “firm tofu” like we used in our tofu turkey meatballs, a "soft tofu" gives the pancakes a silky smooth center.
Cornstarch – Binds all the delicious vegetables together with the tofu. Clabber Girl brand cornstarch is certified gluten free.
Vegetables and Mushrooms of choice – Choose your favorites based on personal preference and what you have in your crisper. You will need a total of 9 tablespoons of raw veggies. We used bamboo shoots, red bell peppers, green onions, and mushrooms. The best types of vegetables are quick to cook veggies without a high moisture content. Tomatoes are not a good addition as these are too wet. If you choose firm vegetables like carrots, they will need to be cooked until fork tender before putting in the vegetable pancake batter.
Soy Sauce – adds a savory umami flavor to the vegetable pancakes. Please use coconut aminos or tamari sauce to stay gluten free.
Chinese 5 Spice Powder – is a unique spiced made with ground anise, fennel seeds, Szechuan peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon. This spice blend adds depth and flavor to our Chinese beef noodle soup, vegan radish cake and more.
Orange zest – the secret ingredient that brightens up this Cantonese dim sum recipe. We first had these little Chinese pancakes in the Chi Lin Vegetarian restaurant (a hidden gem) located in the beautiful Nan Lian Garden in Hong Kong (HK) within the Chi Lin Nunnery. This Buddhist Cantonese restaurant uses crushed dried tangerine peel in their tofu pancakes. We substituted orange zest for the dried orange peel as it is easier to find at your local grocery store.
Dipping Sauce Ingredients
Soy Sauce – or Coconut Aminos or tamari sauce to stay gluten free.
Garlic – choose fresh garlic for the best flavor, but you can substitute it with dried ground garlic powder if needed.
Ginger – freshly peeled and grated ginger is best, but you can also substitute it with dried ground ginger. Dried ground ginger is stronger and more concentrated than fresh ginger. For every 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, you can exchange with ¼ teaspoon dried ground ginger.
Chinese Black Vinegar – (Chinkiang vinegar) or can substitute with a light rice vinegar. The vinegar gives it that addictive tang.
Sesame oil – adds a toasty nutty flavor to the dipping sauce. If you like it spicy, add a little garlic chili oil.
How to make Savory Tofu Pancake Batter?
- Chop vegetables and mushrooms
- Add salt to the tofu to a bowl. Allow it to marinate for about 5 minutes and drain it well.
- Mash the tofu with a fork. Then, add enough cornstarch so it reaches a consistency thicker than ricotta cheese.
- Saute the vegetables and mushrooms until soft and aromatic. Then add soy sauce (coconut aminos), spices and orange zest.
- Add the cooked vegetable mixture into the tofu puree and season to taste.
- Spray or dab non-stick frying pan with oil. On a medium – low heat, add a heaping tablespoon of tofu vegetable pancake batter into your non-stick pan and spread it carefully into a circle shape.
- Saute vegetable pancake on both sides for about 2-3 minutes or until crispy on the outside and golden.
Quick and Easy Dipping Sauce
This well-balanced sauce is delicious on dumplings, spring rolls, rice paper dumplings and adds a zippy flavor to these Asian Tofu Vegetable Pancakes. If you like a lighter dipping sauce, you may want to try our prik nam pla Thai Condiment.
- In a small bowl, add soy sauce (coconut aminos), fresh garlic, ginger, sesame oil, Chinese black vinegar and it you like a little heat chili oil or garlic chili sauce.
- Stir and it’s ready to enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Use soft tofu instead of firm tofu for these savory pancakes. This gives these Chinese pancakes a silky-smooth interior texture.
- Allow the tofu to drain well or use a tofu press.
- Add enough cornstarch so that the consistency is thicker than ricotta cheese. The tofu pancake mixture should be thick enough to hold on the spoon, if you tilt it sideways. Depending on how well you drained your tofu, you may have to add less or more cornstarch to get to this consistency. In addition, every tofu brand has a different water content.
- Be sure to fry the vegetables until soft. After you add the soy sauce, cook until evaporated.
- Use a non-stick pan for the best results.
- Do not add a lot of oil, just enough so the batter does not stick to the pan. This step keeps the savory Asian pancakes light and healthy.
- We suggest keeping space in between the pancakes to make them easier to turn and do not make them too large.
- Be gentle when flipping vegetable pancakes made with tofu as they are fragile. It may take you a couple of tries to perfect the process.
- Lastly, if the pancakes are falling apart, you probably need to add more cornstarch as a binder.
Savory Pancake Variations
You can have fun with this recipe by making it your own my varying the vegetables used and aromatics. We used approximately 9 tablespoons of raw vegetables and mushrooms in this recipe which is ½ cup + 1 tablespoon.
Here are our basic suggestions:
- Avoid wet vegetables like tomatoes.
- Ensure all veggies or additions are stir-fried until fully cooked through.
- Chop vegetables small and remove moisture by sautéing.
- Experiment with ingredients such as snow peas, baby bok choy, grated carrots, sweet potatoes, fresh herbs, or any extra veggies from your crisper. You could even add corn to give them that addictive pop of texture like we did with our Thai shrimp pancakes.
- Explore your spice rack and condiment drawer for unique flavors. Maybe add a dash of dried ground turmeric or mild curry powder for a little warming spice.
How to Store Gluten-Free Tofu Pancakes?
Cooked gluten free tofu pancakes can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. We do not suggest you freeze them as the texture will change.
How to Reheat?
These savory pancakes can be reheated in many ways.
- Stove top in a lightly greased pan over low medium heat – just until warmed through- about 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
- Air fry at 350° F (176°C) for about 3 minutes until the edges are crispy and pancakes are warmed through.
- Microwave is our least favorite way as they lose their crispy exterior texture. However, in a pinch, put 1 to 2 tofu pancakes in the microwave for approximately 20 – 30 seconds or until heated through.
Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Tofu itself boasts a mild and subtle flavor, often likened to a slight bean or plain soymilk taste. Importantly, its flavor is not overpowering. Tofu's standout feature lies in its remarkable ability to absorb the flavors of the ingredients and seasonings it's cooked with, making it a versatile ingredient in various dishes.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), tofu is recognized for its cooling property. However, when paired with warming elements like spicy chilis in dishes like in mapo tofu, it achieves a harmonious balance. While tofu may be considered somewhat bland on its own, its magic lies in the diverse textures it offers, ranging from soft to firm, which brings vibrancy to recipes.
For those fortunate enough to have experienced fresh, homemade, still-warm silky tofu in Hong Kong, the store-bought versions may pale in comparison. The distinct textures of tofu contribute significantly to the culinary experience.
Tofu sounds like the word for happiness in Chinese. In addition, our Asian Tofu Vegetable Pancakes are round symbolizing family togetherness and completeness. Bringing the family together to be happy is a great way to start out the new year.
More Chinese New Year Recipes
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Asian Tofu Vegetable Pancakes
Equipment
- non-stick pan
Ingredients
- 10 ounces tofu soft (drained well)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4 tablespoons bamboo shoots cooked and chopped or veggie of choice
- 2 tablespoons bell peppers (red) finely chopped or veggie of choice
- 1 tablespoon green onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons mushrooms chopped fresh (not dried)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (coconut aminos or tamari for gluten-free)
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (or crushed dried tangerine peel)
- salt
to taste - oil or cooking spray to pan fry pancakes
Dipping Sauce (Optional)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (coconut aminos or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 clove garlic
peeled and chopped finely - 1 teaspoon ginger peeled and grated - fresh
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon black Chinese vinegar or rice vinegar
Instructions
- Place your drained tofu in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Let the tofu marinate for about 5 minutes (This process helps the water escape from the tofu, a tofu press if you have one of those would also be a great option). Drain the water from the tofu and mash with fork.
- Add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of cornstarch into the mashed tofu and mix well. You may need to add a little more cornstarch to get the right consistency, depending on how well you drained the water. You are looking for it to be the same consistency as super thick ricotta cheese or if you held your spoon on a tilt it stays on the spoon. Set aside.
- Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and sauté the vegetables. We used bamboo shoots, bell peppers, green onions and mushrooms just until the vegetables start to become aromatic and fork tender. Add soy sauce (or coconut aminos, tamari sauce), white pepper, Chinese 5 spice powder, and orange zest and stir until well incorporated and juices have evaporated.
- Add the cooked vegetable mixture to the tofu puree, add salt to taste and mix savory pancake batter well.
- Spray your non-stick frying pan with cooking spray or a little oil and heat up to medium. Drop tablespoon of the tofu mixture into the pan and flatten gently. Fry gently about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown on each side. Be very careful when you turn them as they are very fragile. Also do not put your tofu veggie pancakes too close to one another in the pan or it will make it difficult to flip over. (If your first tofu veggie pancake was too difficult to turn, you need to add more cornstarch to your tofu veggie pancake batter and try it again.)
- Make your dipping sauce. In a small bowl add tamari (soy) sauce, garlic, grated ginger, sesame oil and vinegar. Mix and serve with Asian Tofu Vegetable Pancakes. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Feel free to choose 9 tablespoons of raw vegetables of choice for this recipe but do not choose wet veggies like tomatoes.
- Be sure to fry the vegetables until soft. After you add the soy sauce, cook until the liquid is evaporated.
- Use a non-stick pan for the best results.
- Do not add a lot of oil, just enough so the batter does not stick to the pan. This step keeps the savory Asian pancakes light and healthy.
- We suggest keeping space in between the pancakes to make them easier to turn and do not make them too large.
- Be gentle when flipping vegetable pancakes made with tofu as they are fragile. It may take you a couple of tries to perfect the process.
- Lastly, if the pancakes are falling apart, you probably need to add more cornstarch as a binder.
- Your tofu pancake batter needs to be as thicker than ricotta cheese or otherwise your pancakes will be very difficult to turn in the pan. We start out with adding about 2 tablespoons cornstarch and then just keep adding a little more at a time until we reach this consistency. When we can hold the spoon on an angle and the tofu stays on the spoon, you are there.
- If you fry your first tofu veggie pancake and it is really difficult to turn or it crumbles, it is because you need to add more cornstarch to your pancake mixture. Add a little more cornstarch and give it a go again.
Liz says
What fun, flavorful pancakes! I'd love to keep a batch in the fridge and warm them up for lunch. YUM!
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Liz. Great idea to do batch cooking. These savory tofu pancakes reheat lovely.
Josiah - DIY Thrill says
This is such a healthy dinner idea, love it!
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Josiah- delighted you liked our veggie pancakes as a dinner idea. They can be eaten really any time of the day - even for breakfast.
Valentina says
I love how light and fluffy these are without any egg. And they crisp up so nicely. I will try them for sure! 🙂 ~Valentina
Hannah says
I can never resist a savory pancake, and the fact that they use tofu makes them even better! Perfect for a balanced meal.
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Hannah! Hot off the griddle these savory pancakes are certainly hard to resist. Packed with high protein tofu- they keep you going strong.
Mimi Rippee says
I think I love all Asian varieties of pancakes. They’re just incredible, as is this one. I need to keep making more of them!
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Mimi. We love Asian pancakes too. They have all of our comfort flavors and textures we crave.
raul says
crunchy
HWC Magazine says
Yes, crispy on the outside and silky on the inside. Glad you liked our vegetable pancakes.
Heidi | The Frugal Girls says
I absolutely adore your homemade dipping sauce. Your tofu pancakes are just the recipe to kick off this new year on a healthier note!
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Heidi. After the overindulging over the holidays, we are delighted to be back to normal healthy eating. The great news about these vegetable pancakes, you don't feel like you are eating lighter because they are full on flavor. Take Care
HWC Magazine says
Thank you Heidi. This Asian dipping sauce is good on some many things like dumplings, spring rolls or even as a marinade for your proteins before stir frying. Take Care
mimi rippee says
My stomach is actually growling because of these pancakes!!! I've never seen the technique for ridding tofu of excess water. Interesting. But did you know that the firmer the tofu, the less water is in it? I'm sure you do.... Anyway, I can't wait to make these pancakes. Truly wonderful.
HWC Magazine says
Hi there Mimi! So glad you liked this recipe. We like to add in crunchy vegetables to give the pancakes a fun texture. Sure, you can use firm tofu for this recipe as well. We used to go to the fresh market to get freshly made homemade tofu (silken tofu) still warm in Aberdeen, Hong Kong but oh so delicious. Hope you are staying well. Take Care
Eha Carr says
Oh Bobbi - this did sound familiar and I am thrilled to find my comment going way back and those of so many others who now have become firm friends ! A then unexpected side benefit of visiting food posts ! Yes, still think this an absolutely beautiful recipe, not made for awhile . . . still use more firm than silken tofu but thank you for the reminder of something truly delicious ! . . . hope you are well . . . the US tragedies are truly alarming . . .
HWC Magazine says
Eha, so delighted to have you comment a second time. Totally blessed to have met you dear friend. Sure, please go ahead and use firm tofu and adjust the cornstarch to the desired effect. We are all about using what you have on hand. The loss of lives around the world is heartbreaking. However, we must stand strong and get this world's economy back and up running. With a family member working on the front lines in the hospital, I can say this is going to be one tough battle. Stay well, stay strong and take care.
Bernice says
What beautiful gardens - I love the Asian style - so peaceful. And the veggie pancakes - yummy!!