I hope you are all in the spirit, and wearing GREEN! I am wearing sweatpants with Baby Yoda on them, so I think that counts?

Are you cooking up anything special for the holiday? I typically make an Irish Stew, but this year I wanted to try my hand at a vegan corned beef alternative.

I modified a “corned beef” tofu recipe by Nasoya to celebrate and wanted to share. The brine was so tasty and I foresee myself making this same marinated tofu even when it’s not to celebrate an Irish holiday! The tofu can be subbed with any plant-based protein such as seitan or faux beef. I think that beefless strips/tips would work wonderfully!

Don’t forget to utilize Barnivore’s vegan-friendly booze guide to ensure your Happy Hour is cruelty-free.

Stay safe, and don’t be pinching anybody!

Recipe from Nasoya: (I placed my recipe modifications in parentheses)

2 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

1 head of cabbage

4 small potatoes cut into wedges (I modified this and used around 1/2 lb of baby potatoes)

3 medium carrots sliced

One package Nasoya Extra Firm Tofu

(I added 4 cups of Vegetable Broth, and later 2 cups of water)

(2 Tablespoons Pickling Spice, and 1 Tablespoon Mustard Seed)

PREPARATION

1. Make a flavored brine by adding water, salt, pickling spice, mustard, and coriander seed, a bay leaf, and a beet to a medium sized pot.
2. Broil the brine for 10 minutes to release the spice flavor.
3. Add thin sliced tofu (or other meat alternative) – ¼ inch thick
4. Simmer for 6 minutes and then turn off heat and let sit for 35 minutes. Or cover and put in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.
5. Pre-heat oven to 375
6. Take the tofu out the brine and bake the tofu on an oiled cookie sheet at 375 – or until it starts getting crispy at the edges. Time will vary based off the moisture level and thickness of tofu
7. Add potatoes, carrots, and cabbage plus an additional ½ cup of water to the brine once the tofu has been removed. (I used the remaining 2 cups of broth from my 32 oz carton, and then added 2 cups of water before bringing to a boil. I cooked only the potatoes and carrots at first)
8. Simmer for 30 minutes covered with a lid until potatoes are soft in the middle. (Instead, I boiled the carrots and potatoes for 10 minutes, then added the cabbage, placed a lid on the pot, and cooked for 15 minutes more until the potatoes were soft)
9. Remove from the cooking water and serve with the baked vegan corned beef.

Nasoya: https://www.nasoya.com/healthy-tofu-recipes/vegan-corned-beef-with-tofu/

Barnivore: https://www.barnivore.com/