Name: Tofu and Broccoli in Garlic Sauce
Ingredients: 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets; 2 yellow onions, sliced thin; 16 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into; 1 1/2-inch square blocks; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Why it works: Broccoli and onion match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,294 recipes. Both carry coumarin, which smells sweet, hay. The science ↓

Tofu and Broccoli in Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

1 large head broccoli, cut into florets
2 yellow onions, sliced thin
16 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into
1 1/2-inch square blocks
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

Prepare

Beat all the sauce ingredients together in a small saucepan until peanut butter is emulsified. If necessary, heat very gently.
Marinate tofu in the 1/4 cup soy sauce for about 15 minutes.

Fry the tofu and onions

Put all but 2 tablespoons of the oil into a large fry pan and heat until very hot.
Fry the tofu cubes in the hot oil just until browned on each side.
Remove them to a plate and pour off any excess oil.
Put remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the pan.
Reduce heat to medium.
Stir fry the onion slices until they are soft and transparent and a tiny bit caramelized, about 5 minutes.

Steam the broccoli and combine

In a large stew pot, steam the broccoli pieces, covered, in 3/4 cup water for about 2 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Do not cook the broccoli for more than 5 minutes total.
Add the sautéed onions and sauce mix; blend together and heat through for about 1 more minute.
Taste the sauce. It should be very slightly sweet and "hot" from the red pepper, and extremely garlicky.
Add another 1/4 teaspoon of sugar and/or a bit more red pepper flakes if necessary.
Just before serving, gently stir in the tofu cubes with a large spatula, being careful not to break them up.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

303Calories

14 gProtein

19 gFat

24 gCarbs

What these numbers assume: 5 portions

Ingredient	Portion assumed	kcal
Olive Oil	1 tbsp (14g)	119
Tofu	100g firm	76
Broccoli	1 cup chopped (156g)	55
Onion	1 medium (110g)	44
Soy Sauce	1 tbsp (15ml)	9

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

Broccoli + oniontop 6% of all pairs

Smell alikestrong

Cooked together3,294 recipes

Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
Broccoli + tofutop 8% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together103 recipes

Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
Onion + tofutop 9% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together729 recipes

Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Tofu + saucetop 16% of all pairs

Smell alikemoderate

Cooked together262 recipes

Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Onion + saucetop 19% of all pairs

Smell alikelow

Cooked together10,474 recipes

Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).

Onion and sauce barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 10,474 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Broccoli: Provides a crisp-tender texture and fresh, green bulk to the dish.
Yellow onions: Caramelize while frying, adding sweetness and savory depth to the sauce.
Extra-firm tofu: Holds its shape when fried and absorbs the soy marinade, giving a browned, chewy bite.
Soy sauce: Adds salty, savory flavor and seasons both the tofu and the sauce.
Vegetable oil: Conducts heat for browning the tofu and softening and caramelizing the onions.

The step that matters

Steaming the broccoli for only about 2 minutes. Prolonged heat softens the broccoli's cell walls and breaks down its green chlorophyll, so overcooking makes it limp and dull olive-colored instead of crisp and bright.

Swap the broccoli

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (onion, tofu, sauce):

Chivefits better
Mustardfits about as well
Spinachfits about as well
Broccolithe original

Fit is the average pairing score against onion, tofu, sauce. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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Tofu and Broccoli in Garlic Sauce