Why is tofu kidney friendly?
For people with kidney disease, tofu is a versatile, high-quality protein source. And it doesn’t contain the high levels of absorbable phosphorus and PRAL (potential renal acid load) found in many animal-based proteins. Since tofu is a minimally processed plant protein, it is easier on the kidneys. There are tons of ways to prepare and cook tofu, but in this recipe we will make a tofu veggie scramble!
How to make your tofu taste good?
Making tofu taste delicious is all about preparation and seasoning. A crucial step in cooking with tofu and enhancing it’s flavor and texture is to press it before cooking to remove excess moisture, allowing it to absorb more marinade, sauce, or seasonings.
How to press water out of tofu:
- Choose firm or extra firm tofu: Firm or extra-firm tofu varieties work best for pressing as they contain less water and hold their shape better during cooking.
- Remove the tofu from the packaging: Take the tofu out of its packaging and drain any excess liquid.
- Wrap in paper towels or kitchen towels: Place a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels on a flat surface (or cutting board). Put the block of tofu on top of the towels. You can cut the block of tofu into 3-4 slices prior to doing this step if you want to press the water out more quickly.
- Place another towel on top: Cover the tofu block with another layer of paper towels or a kitchen towel.
- Add weight: Place a heavy object on top of the tofu to apply pressure. This could be a plate, a cutting board, or a baking sheet. You can also use cans, jars, or books as weights.
- Press for 10-20 Minutes: Allow the tofu to press for 10-20 minutes. The longer you press it, the firmer the texture will be.
Once the tofu has been pressed, it’s ready to be marinated, cooked, or added to recipes!
Tofu for breakfast
This tofu veggie scramble can be a substitute for a traditional egg scramble. By crumbling the tofu, cooking with veggies, and adding seasoning, the texture and taste is very similar to eggs.
Some people even add kala namak (or black salt) to tofu scrambles to give a sulfur like “eggy” smell. I don’t personally find this to be necessary or appealing, but you are more than welcome to use it!
If you use black salt, you will want to limit it to just a sprinkle as it is still high in sodium!
Looking for other kidney friendly foods?
Download my FREE CKD Grocery List! This list will help you get started with shopping and choosing whole, plant foods to include on your journey to protecting your kidney health.
Tofu Veggie Scramble
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Extra firm tofu, crumbled This is ~ 1/4 of a tofu block
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup Onion, diced
- 1/2 cup Bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup Zucchini, chopped
- 1/2 tbsp Nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric, ground
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper
Instructions
- Press water out of the tofu, crumble and set aside.
- Saute onion in olive oil for 1 minute.
- Add bell pepper and zucchini and saute for 3-5 minutes.
- Add crumbled tofu, nutritional yeast, and black pepper and cook another 5 minutes.
- Serve and add optional add ons (see notes below)
