Delicious Tofu Jerky

Last year we were determined to get a food dehydrator. We didn't know what we were going to make in it and had never used one before, but for some reason it had become a priority.

So in the winter Jenna's aunt gave us one as gift and the dehydrating experiments began.

We dried a lot of fruits and veggies. Made some kale chips and a few other random creations, but overall the best creation was our jerky. Funny because it's really the easiest and most versatile item you can make.

Not to mention that these little tofu jerkys make fantastic snacks!

If you don't have one already, consider adding a dehydrator to your kitchen appliances. It's really amazing what can be done with them.


The one we have is very easy to use. There is literally one button- on/off. Some of them have temperature settings and other fancy things, but for now this one has suited our needs just fine. If you're looking into buying one here's a link to our model: Nesco American Harvest Dehydrator

Two Vegan Ladies Vegan Jerky

You will need:
A block of firm tofu
Your marinade of choice
Spices (varies by recipe)
1/2 cup water

1. Press your tofu to get out any excess water. You want to do this mostly because it will dehydrate a little faster. Tofu will absorb anything it sets in so when it's removed from the packaging it is full of the water it gets packed in. If you put some paper towels on either side and put a heavy plate on top for an hour or so that should do the trick.

They also sell fancy tofu presses which get ALL the water out,  but the old fashioned will work just fine for this recipe.

2. Cut your tofu into strips. You'll want your strips to be a maximum of about 1/4 inch thick. Any thicker and it will take ages to dehydrate throughly. Keep in mind if you slice them thin they will come out more on the chewy side. This step really depends on how you like your jerky. If you want to rip it with your teeth than thinner may be the way to go. We like them to be easy to chew so we go somewhere in the middle to 1/4 inch thick.

3. Now let's talk marinade. You can really go any direction with this. Spicy, tangy, sweet, fruity, peppery, barbecue, teriyaki, ginger- the possibilities are endless. You can also do any combination of these flavors and create something truly unique! Our favorite is tangy/sweet barbecue. All you need is a vegan barbecue sauce (most barbecue sauces are vegan, just double check the ingredients. Some may use chicken fat or whey, but most will be good to go!), salt, pepper, garlic powder, maybe a little dried basil and then maybe a pinch of raw cane sugar or a drizzle of molasses depending on the flavor you're going for.

Add 1/4 cup- 1/2 water and set your cut tofu strips into a tupperware filled with your marinade creation making sure all are coated.

4. Refrigerate and let sit in marinade for a day or more. We like to give our tupperware a swirl every 12 hours or so just to make sure everything is coated and getting the full flavor. The longer they sit the more the tofu will absorb the flavor, but we would suggest no longer than 3 days or so.

5. When you feel like they are ready remove your strips one and a time, let the excess marinade drip off, and set them on the various racks of your dehydrator. Give them each about an inch of space if you can. You should have plenty of racks to make this possible.

6. Set your dehydrator lid on top (or slide the drawer or whatever your model does) and hit the "on" button! Six hours seems to be the magic number with our dehydrator but it may vary depending on your style or desired texture. We suggest checking on them periodically and flipping them when you feel like they're half way through. Flipping them will give you those cool looking grill marks!

They're about half-way done here.

In about 6 hours you'll have delicious tofu jerky! It will be warm when it first comes out so let it sit for a bit to cool down and let the flavor set.





Now, just pack them up in a clean tupperware and
enjoy! This is a great little snack to share with friends.
Especially the ones skeptical of your vegan diet- because it's
delicious!

This recipe can also be easily expanded so several blocks of tofu and various flavors can be made at the same time. Because undoubtedly you will be getting some requests after the first taste!

With peace, love, and compassion-

The Two Vegan Ladies