Eat Voraciously: Minnesota on my mind

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Here's what's for dinner tonight.

Tofu Cacciatore.

By G. Daniela Galarza

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Minnesota on my mind

Hello. Today's recipe is for a Tofu Cacciatore that's filling and full of flavor.

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I've been thinking of everyone in the Twin Cities. One of my dear friends, Annie, lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. She says the increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in her area has not made her family feel safer.

"It's terrifying," she told me. Her family of four has been staying inside most days, but neighbors keep them informed.

Longtime Eat Voraciously reader Jane Kennedy, another St. Paul resident, wrote to me last week: "I wake up each morning to a metro area that is scared, and sad, and waiting for ICE to leave so we can go back to our normal lives. … Don't get me wrong, there are times of joy amidst all this, like yesterday when visitors showed up in large numbers to deliver food to those in need — to addresses 30+ miles away during a snow event! Please keep us in your thoughts (and prayers, too!) as we try to survive this horrible ordeal."

She ended her email with a request: "Maybe a recipe for a nice 'hotdish' that will warm our tummies (it's -9 degrees as I write this) and stir our souls."

This Tofu Cacciatore isn't a traditional hotdish of the casserole sort. But it's a meal that, as a Midwesterner, I think any Midwesterner would appreciate. It's great as is, but here are a few ways to make it your own:

Turn it into a casserole: Boil a pound of short pasta, any shape, until al dente. Drain and combine it with the cacciatore sauce. Spread everything into a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish, top with cheese — vegan or not — and broil until everything is hot and melty.
Add tots: Bake a package of frozen potato tots according to the package directions. Line the bottom of a greased casserole dish with the tots, spread the cacciatore on top, add cheese, and bake again until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
Make it meaty: Skip the tofu. Before cooking the bell peppers and onion, brown 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of Italian sausage (casings removed) in the pot, using a wooden spoon to break it up into bits. Then continue with the recipe as written.
For chicken cacciatore: Skip the tofu. Brown 8 to 10 chicken drumsticks in a skillet. After adding the marinara and remaining seasonings, nestle the browned chicken drumsticks in the sauce and cook, turning the drumsticks occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. Or check out this recipe.


	Today's Recipe

A blue cutting board on a marble counter top. Hands tearing a block of tofu into craggy pieces.

Tearing tofu into craggy 1-inch pieces. (Photos by Tom McCorkle/For The Washington Post; food styling by Gina Nistico)

Tofu Cacciatore

Find substitution suggestions and other tips below the recipe.

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Make ahead: The tofu can be roasted up to 2 days in advance, before you finish it in the sauce.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Servings: 4 to 6 (makes 6 cups)
Active time: 40 mins
Total time: 50 mins

Ingredients

One (14-to-16-ounce) package firm tofu, drained
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
2 red, orange or yellow bell peppers, or a mix, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large white or red onion (10 ounces), chopped
8 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2/3 cup dry red wine, such as pinot noir or chianti
2 1/2 cups (from one 24-ounce jar) store-bought or homemade marinara sauce
Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for serving
Vegan parmesan cheese, such as Violife or Follow Your Heart brand, for serving (optional)

Steps

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

2. Use your hands to tear the tofu into craggy 1-inch chunks and transfer them to a large sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and season with 1 teaspoon of the oregano, the black pepper and salt, gently tossing the tofu to coat it evenly. Roast for 20 minutes, or until it is lightly browned in spots, flipping the tofu halfway through.

3. Meanwhile, in a large (12-inch), deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering. Add the bell peppers and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables start to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, stir to combine and simmer until the wine reduces to just a few tablespoons, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the cooked tofu and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the tofu absorbs the flavors, about 5 minutes. Add the marinara, the remaining 1 teaspoon of oregano, the thyme and red pepper flakes, and cook until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Taste, and season with more salt and black pepper, as needed.

5. Divide among shallow bowls, sprinkle with parsley and, if desired, vegan parmesan, and serve.

Adapted from "Italian Cooking With Nonna" by Giuseppe Federici (NewSeed Press, 2025). Tested by Joe Yonan.

Nutrition information per serving (1 cup), based on 6: Calories: 252; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 21 g; Sodium: 479 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Protein: 11 g; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 9 g.

Substitution suggestions + other tips and ideas:

Firm tofu >> super-firm or extra-firm tofu, or seitan or plant-based chicken.
Cremini mushrooms >> oyster mushrooms or royal trumpet mushrooms.
Vegan parmesan >> nutritional yeast.
Not vegan? >> Use regular parmesan cheese.
Red wine >> 1/3 cup red wine vinegar with 1/3 cup water.
Instead of roasting, you can air fry the tofu at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes.
Fresh thyme >> 1 teaspoon dried.
Dislike heat? >> Reduce or omit the pepper flakes.