Instant Pot Braised Tofu with Pumpkin-Mole and Apple-Cabbage Slaw
By America's Test KitchenPublished on July 20, 2022
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
¼ cup cider vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar ¾ teaspoon table salt, divided2 cups shredded red cabbage 1 shallot, sliced thin½ cup golden raisins, divided1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into matchsticks1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 6 garlic cloves, minced1½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 cups water 1 (14-ounce) block firm tofu, quartered1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree 2 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
Before You Begin
We love serving this with brown rice and tortillas for a heartier meal and for sopping up all the delicious sauce.
Instructions
- Microwave vinegar, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt in large bowl until steaming, 1 to 2 minutes; whisk to dissolve sugar and salt. Add cabbage, shallot, and ¼ cup raisins to hot brine and let sit, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Drain cabbage mixture and return to now-empty bowl. Stir in apple and set aside for serving. (Slaw can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
- Meanwhile, process tomatoes and their juice, garlic, cocoa powder, chipotle, cinnamon, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ cup raisins in food processor until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Whisk tomato mixture and water together in Instant Pot. Arrange tofu in even layer in pot and spoon some of sauce over top. Lock lid into place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 5 minutes.
- Turn off Instant Pot and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Transfer tofu to serving dish and tent with aluminum foil. Whisk pumpkin into sauce and cook, using highest sauté function, whisking constantly, until sauce is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over tofu and sprinkle with cotija. Serve tofu with apple-cabbage slaw.
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
¾ teaspoon table salt, divided
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 shallot, sliced thin
½ cup golden raisins, divided
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
6 garlic cloves, minced
1½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups water
1 (14-ounce) block firm tofu, quartered
1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree
2 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
Ingredients
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
¾ teaspoon table salt, divided
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 shallot, sliced thin
½ cup golden raisins, divided
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
6 garlic cloves, minced
1½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups water
1 (14-ounce) block firm tofu, quartered
1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree
2 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
Ingredients
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
¾ teaspoon table salt, divided
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 shallot, sliced thin
½ cup golden raisins, divided
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into matchsticks
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
6 garlic cloves, minced
1½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups water
1 (14-ounce) block firm tofu, quartered
1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree
2 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
Why This Recipe Works
Tofu is a perfect blank canvas, and when braised it readily soaks up all the flavorful liquid to become tender and creamy. We combined fire-roasted tomatoes, chipotle chiles in adobo, garlic, golden raisins, and cocoa powder for a mole-inspired sauce. To ensure the tofu absorbed maximum flavor but still kept its shape, we cut it into quarters before nestling it into the sauce. After cooking, we removed the tofu from the liquid and whisked in pumpkin puree. Its natural sweetness and mellow squash notes balanced the smoky flavors and enhanced the luscious, velvety sauce, which we then spooned over the tofu. An easy slaw of cabbage, apple, shallots, and more golden raisins made for a tart, crunchy sidekick to the tofu.
Before You Begin
We love serving this with brown rice and tortillas for a heartier meal and for sopping up all the delicious sauce.
Instructions
- Microwave vinegar, sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt in large bowl until steaming, 1 to 2 minutes; whisk to dissolve sugar and salt. Add cabbage, shallot, and ¼ cup raisins to hot brine and let sit, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Drain cabbage mixture and return to now-empty bowl. Stir in apple and set aside for serving. (Slaw can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
- Meanwhile, process tomatoes and their juice, garlic, cocoa powder, chipotle, cinnamon, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ cup raisins in food processor until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Whisk tomato mixture and water together in Instant Pot. Arrange tofu in even layer in pot and spoon some of sauce over top. Lock lid into place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 5 minutes.
- Turn off Instant Pot and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Transfer tofu to serving dish and tent with aluminum foil. Whisk pumpkin into sauce and cook, using highest sauté function, whisking constantly, until sauce is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over tofu and sprinkle with cotija. Serve tofu with apple-cabbage slaw.
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