The best Instant Pot tofu recipes

Who says that making flavorful tofu dishes has to be hard? These simple and satisfying Instant Pot tofu recipes put that idea to rest.

Instant Pot tofu recipes

Ready to put your electric pressure cooker to work? Let's make some Instant Pot tofu, y'all!

Instant Pot Chili with Canned Beans and Tofu

Instant Pot Chili with Canned Beans and Tofu is one of my family's favorite meals, and it's so, so easy to make!

Instant Pot tofu soup recipe

Creamy Instant Pot tofu soup gets a lovely little kick from red curry. Serve it over noodles or rice for an easy, vegan, one-bowl meal.

Instant Pot Thai Green Curry with Tofu

This slightly sweet and mildly spicy recipe for Instant Pot Thai Green Curry with Tofu beats take-out any day! It's a delicious vegan curry that comes together in less than 30 minutes, and is completely customizable.

Sassy Instant Pot Sesame Tofu

Deliciously firm tofu with perfectly-steamed snap peas and sweet potato team up with a sweet-and-spicy sauce for a perfect one-pot meal. (photo by Lauren Volo)

Instant Pot Tofu & Little Potato Stew

This hearty vegan stew is full of protein-rich tofu, Fingerling potatoes, vegetables and savoury broth. Use the pressure cooking function on your Instant Pot for a complete one-pot meal that’s ready in 1 hour or less.

Instant Pot Tofu and Broccoli

Chinese-Takeout Style Tofu and Broccoli tastes just as good as takeout and is SO much better for you. Plus, with the Instant Pot, it comes together in no time, making it a perfect weeknight dinner option.

Instant Pot Smoky Tofu Quinoa Biryani

Quinoa biryani infused with Indian spices. Served with smoky tofu and caramelized onions. A flavorful and hearty one-pot dish!

Instant Pot Vegan Butter Chicken

Creamy, velvety Instant Pot Vegan Butter Chicken with Tofu is a quick and easy spin on an old favorite, without losing the flavor.

Instant Pot Tofu Lettuce Wraps

The hearty tofu filling for vegan lettuce wraps comes together in a flash in your Instant Pot!

How do you cook tofu in an Instant Pot?

Because your Instant Pot has so many functions, there are a lot of different ways to use it to cook tofu.

If you want crispy tofu, marinate it, then toss it in cornstarch and use the pot's Sauté function to cook it until it browns. You do need oil to get the crispiest results here.

Then, you can add whatever veggies you want to the pot, lock the lid, and use the Pressure Cook or Steam function to do tofu and veggies all in one pot. The cooking time will vary depending on what veggies you use.

The Instant Pot is also great for making tofu soups and stews. You can start by sautéing your tofu in the pot, if you like. Then, add in broth, veggies, seasonings, etc, and cook at pressure until everything is cooked through. Refer to a good cooking times chart to see how long to cook at pressure.

You can also use the Instant Pot as a slow cooker to make your favorite slow cooker tofu recipes!

The other fun way to do tofu in your Instant Pot is to use the air fryer lid to air fry your tofu until crispy.

To use the air fryer lid, just place the air fryer pot inside the stainless steel pot, and add the tofu. Cover with the lid, and set your time and temperature. I like to cook tofu at 400° F for 15-20 minutes, depending on how well done I want it.

Once the tofu is crispy, use the pressure cooker setting to cook grains and veggies to go with it.

Why make tofu in the pressure cooker?

Have you cooked tofu in your Instant Pot yet? There are so many ways to turn my favorite plant-based protein into a delicious dish using just your Instant Pot.

The Instant Pot has a saute function. So, in addition to being able to pressure cook, you can brown your tofu right in the pot. That means one less dish to wash when you finish cooking.

Not all Instant Pot tofu recipes call for browning your tofu, though. The high pressure inside of the pot gives your tofu a firmer, more toothsome texture than you get on the stovetop.

The other thing I love about pressure cooker tofu recipes is that they tend to be very hands-off. There might be a quick saute at the beginning or simmer-and-stir situation at the end, but the bulk of the cooking is very set it and forget it.

What is an Instant Pot?

Chances are, you've heard people talk about the Instant Pot, but maybe it's not clear what exactly it is. An Instant Pot is a multi-pot: an electric pressure cooker with other functions.

In fact, you can make most Instant Pot recipes in any electric pressure cooker. It's like the Kleenex of pressure cookers.

Multi-pots usually include saute, slow cook, and yogurt functions in addition to pressure cooking. They also tend to include presets for things like rice and stew, but I don't recommend using the presets. They can give you dicey results.

I wrote a very detailed explainer on what electric pressure cookers/multi-pots, like the Instant Pot, can do. If you want to learn more about how to use this incredibly handy kitchen appliance, I definitely suggest checking it out!