I’m not a huge tofu fan, but this recipe for croquettes with vegetables and chive pesto won me over. It’s become my absolute favorite way to prepare tofu: crispy on the outside, tender within, mixed with the brightness of fresh herbs and vegetables.
The key is using high-quality firm tofu—it makes all the difference.

Ingredients

For the tofu croquettes

• Firm Tofu 500 grams
• All-purpose flour 60 grams
• Eggs 2
• Mixed vegetables 300 grams (carrot, zucchini, leek, potato, or other seasonal vegetables of your choice)
• Panko or breadcrumbs 50 grams
• Chopped chives or parsley 1 tablespoon
• Paprika, Curry powder, and Turmeric
• Salt and pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons

For the chive pesto

• Parsley 50 grams
• Chives 50 grams
• Almonds 30 grams
• Grated Parmesan 15 grams
• Grated Pecorino 15 grams
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil 4-5 tablespoons

Instructions

Wash and peel the vegetables and cut them into julienne using the appropriate food processor attachment.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and flour.

Add the julienned vegetables, tofu crumbled roughly by hand, and the panko (or breadcrumbs). Mix carefully. Add the chopped herbs (parsley or chives), salt, pepper, a sprinkle of curry powder, turmeric, and paprika and mix again.

You should obtain a compact mixture, though the consistency depends on the water content of the vegetables. Add more panko if necessary and form regular, flattened croquettes.

Preheat the oven to approximately 180°C (350°F) with fan circulation.

Cover a low baking sheet with parchment paper and spread one tablespoon of oil with a brush. Arrange the tofu and vegetable croquettes at a distance from each other and, with the brush, spread the top of the tofu croquettes with the remaining oil.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes, then remove from the oven, flip them over and cook for another 5 minutes (extend the cooking time if the croquettes are particularly large or if you added potatoes in the vegetable mix).

Serve accompanied by your preferred sauce or the delicious chive pesto recipe below.

Bonus: Time-Saving Tip

In a hurry? You can use pre-made chopped mixed salad bags from the supermarket instead of preparing vegetables from scratch. The best ones I’ve tried are those salad mixes containing carrot, kale, cabbage, baby spinach, and scallions—carrots especially make a real difference in this recipe.

Instead of croquettes, you can shape the tofu and vegetable mixture into burger patties and cook them in the oven the same way. Just flatten them into burger-sized rounds, arrange them on the baking sheet, and follow the same baking instructions. Serve them on toasted buns with your favorite toppings!

Chive Pesto

In a food processor, chop the cheeses, blend, then add the almonds and blend for another minute. Add the herbs previously washed and dried, and mix for another 30 seconds. Dilute the pesto with 4-5 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of boiling water and mix again.

Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.

You can store this sauce in the fridge, cover with oil, for 2/3 days.