This steamed tofu features silken or soft tofu gently steamed until warm and tender, then doused with a savory fermented black bean sauce layered with ginger, garlic, and toasted sesame oil. It’s an easy-to-make dish where silky texture meets bold, umami depth in every bite.
This steamed tofu is a simple, flavorful dish that comes together with minimal prep. Silken or soft tofu gently steams while you mix fermented black bean sauce with tamari or soy, ginger, garlic, sugar, and scallions to create something bold and balanced.
What makes it so good? The contrast. Custard-like tofu is paired with that savory, umami-rich sauce that coats each slice—making you want to go back in for another bite. It’s balanced comfort food that’s perfect as a snack or a light side.
Why You’ll Love It
This is the kind of recipe that you’ll want to keep making after you try it once. It’s fast, low-effort, and very satisfying for something so simple. Here’s why it works:
- Comfort without heaviness. Warm, spoon-soft tofu paired with a bold sauce gives you that cozy, savory hit without feeling rich or overdone.
- No pressing, no frying, no fuss. Silken or soft tofu goes straight from the package to the steamer. While it warms, you stir together the sauce. That’s it.
- Balance and depth. The fermented black bean sauce brings concentrated, savory complexity that goes deeper than soy sauce alone. Ginger, garlic, and a touch of sugar step in to keep it rounded. Add chili crisp for heat, and a sprinkle of crushed peanuts for some texture.
- Ready in about 15 minutes. When you want something warm and satisfying without committing to a full production, this steamed tofu delivers.
- Perfect as a snack or side. Serve it with rice, pair it with vegetables, or enjoy it on its own.
Key Ingredients
This steamed tofu recipe brings a blend of common pantry ingredients together to create this dish. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Silken tofu or soft tofu: The star. Silken tofu gives you that custardy, spoon-soft texture, while soft tofu holds its shape just a little more. Either works beautifully here—just handle gently and slice directly on the serving plate to avoid breakage. If you’d like to learn more about silken and soft tofu, check out our guide to tofu types.
- Fermented black bean sauce: Salty, savory, and deeply umami-rich, this black bean garlic sauce is what gives this dish its backbone. Made from fermented black soybeans, it adds concentrated depth and gentle sweetness that goes beyond soy sauce alone. A tablespoon is enough to transform the whole plate.
- Tamari or soy sauce: Adds another layer of salt and rounds out the fermented black beans. Tamari keeps it gluten-free; soy sauce works just as well.
- Toasted sesame oil: Just a drizzle brings warmth and nuttiness. It’s subtle but adds balance to the sauce.
- Fresh ginger + garlic: The flavor duo that keeps the sauce bright and aromatic. Ginger adds lift; garlic adds depth. Together, they round out the sauce.
- Scallions: Use the white parts in the sauce and finish with the green tops for freshness and a little bite.
- Chili crisp (optional): For heat and crunch. Completely optional, but a spoonful adds a welcome kick if you like a little spice.
How to Steam Tofu (Step-by-Step)
Steaming is the best way to warm silken tofu and maintain its gentle structure. This is how to steam silken tofu so it heats through gently and releases excess moisture while keeping its shape.
Step 1: Prepare the Silken or Soft Tofu – Drain the package and carefully invert the silken tofu onto the heat-safe plate you plan to serve it on. Cut it directly on the serving plate, which will help avoid breakage.
Slice the tofu into even pieces, about ½-inch thick. If the edges wobble and break slightly, that’s ok—just keep handling gentle and minimal.
Step 2: Steam the Tofu – Place the plate into a bamboo steamer or set it on a heatproof rack inside a wide pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add water to the pan, making sure it doesn’t touch the bottom of the plate.
Cover and bring the water to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Steam for 8 to 10 minutes—this is how long to steam tofu so it warms through and softens.
After steaming, carefully remove the plate and tilt it over the sink to drain the liquid released during cooking. This is important because you don’t want to dilute the sauce.
Step 3: Make the Sauce – While the tofu steams, stir together the fermented black bean sauce with tamari or soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sugar, and scallions.
Step 4: Pour the Sauce Over the Steamed Tofu – Spoon the fermented black bean sauce gently over the steamed tofu, letting it settle into the slices and coat it.
Finish with scallions, crushed peanuts, and chili crisp if using, and serve immediately.
FAQs
Silken tofu or soft tofu are best for steamed tofu. Their delicate texture warms gently and stays custard-like when steamed. Silken tofu is the softest and most spoonable, while soft tofu holds its shape slightly more but still stays silky.
Steam tofu for 8 to 10 minutes. Once hot, drain away any extra liquid that collects before adding the sauce.
Steamed tofu is very mild in flavor. The real appeal is the texture—warm, silky, and custard-like, especially when using silken or soft tofu. Because it’s so neutral, it’s ideal for carrying bold toppings like fermented black bean sauce, which adds the salt, depth, and umami.
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Steamed Tofu With Black Bean Sauce
This steamed tofu recipe uses silken or soft tofu, gently steamed until warm and spooned with a savory fermented black bean sauce layered with ginger and garlic. The tofu stays silky and delicate while the sauce brings salty depth and just enough sweetness to round it out. Serve this steamed tofu over rice with scallions and chili crisp for perfect, easy comfort food.
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1-2 servings
Ingredients
- 16-ounce block of silken or soft tofu
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fermented black bean sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 scallions, chopped (separate white and green parts)
- 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts, for serving (optional)
- chili crisp, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the tofu
- Drain the water directly from the tofu package. Invert it onto a heat-safe dish you plan to serve it on. If you are using silken tofu, there may be a little breakage, and that’s okay.
- Slice it into 1/2-inch thick pieces.
Steam the tofu
- Set the plate of tofu into a bamboo steamer, or place it on a heatproof rack inside a wide pan with a tight-fitting lid. Add water to the pan, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the plate.
- Cover and bring the water to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Steam for 8–10 minutes.
Make the sauce
- While the tofu is steaming, combine the tamari or soy sauce, fermented black bean sauce, sugar, toasted sesame oil, grated garlic, grated ginger, and white parts of scallions in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Drain the steamed tofu
- Carefully remove the hot plate using a potholder. Tilt the plate gently over the sink to drain off the liquid released during steaming. Support the tofu with a spoon so it doesn’t slide off the plate!
- Use a folded paper towel to catch any excess liquid along the rim without touching the tofu itself. Extra moisture will dilute the sauce and pool, so this step is essential.
Sauce the tofu
- Pour the sauce evenly over the steamed tofu
- Garnish with the green scallion tops, chopped peanuts, and chili crisp (if using).
- Serve immediately as a side dish or snack.
Notes
- Best eaten fresh: This steamed tofu is at its best right after steaming, when the tofu is warm and the sauce hasn’t diluted. As it sits, more moisture can release and thin out the sauce.
- Salt level: Fermented black bean sauce varies in saltiness. Taste the sauce before spooning it over the tofu and adjust with a pinch of sugar if needed.
- Tofu handling tip: Silken tofu is delicate. Cut it directly on the serving plate and avoid transferring to prevent breakage.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
- Method: Steamed
- Cuisine: Chinese-Inspired
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
This post was originally published in 2012 and updated in 2026 with improved instructions and tips.
I made this tonight and really enjoyed it — such wonderful flavours!It was my first time cooking with silken/soft tofu, and it was tricky to get it into the steamer in one piece. The end result didn't look as pretty as your picture, but the taste was marvellous!Thanks for the recipe!-Erin
Erin, Thanks for making the tofu and for your feedback! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
This sounds absolutely delicious!
i read this post over the weekend and when we were at the asian market i grabbed a block of tofu.. i could not recall why i needed it but i knew i had to have it. opening my Reader, i now know why. i love fermented black bean sauce and the marriage of it with something as bland (not a bad thing in this case) as tofu is great.
Tobias: fermenting black bean sauce gives it a rich, decadent umami flavor, so it is very different from regular black bean sauce. A little goes a long way!
Oh wow, that is quite the protein fix! 😉
I'm now wondering: Is there a difference between black bean sauce and fermented black bean sauce? As the first one I've had and enjoyed but the latter I can't remember per se.
If you don't have a steamer I'd recommend getting one of those bamboo kinds from Asian supermarkets: super cheap and I bought my first one years ago and am still using it. 🙂
Cheers,
Tobias
This looks right up my alley!
i've always wanted to try ferments black bean sauce! i love the ingredients in the sauce you made with it and it looks delicious!
i will have to try it overtop veggies and quinoa.
Yum! Steamed tofu is the comfort food of my childhood. 🙂