The patty I pack for lunch boxes is this one – tofu veggie patties, and this home cook’s version binds crumbled tofu with greens, carrot, and dried shrimp. A home cook wrote it in ten steps with the caution in the title: medium-low heat only, never high. I made it as written, and it is the crisp-outside, tender-inside patty that travels well.
Dou fu bing (豆腐饼) is tofu veggie patties – crumbled tofu mixed with chopped greens, carrot, dried shrimp, and flour, shaped and pan-fried golden over medium-low heat.
What Is Tofu Veggie Patties?
This is the lunch-box patty: firm tofu is crumbled by hand, mixed with finely chopped greens and carrot, an egg, dried shrimp, a little salt, and flour – just enough to bind. The mixture is shaped into flat cakes and pan-fried over medium-low heat, one side set before the flip, until both sides are golden. The outside crisps, the inside stays tender, and the dried shrimp adds its savory note.
For the plain home-style tofu sibling of the same pan, my home-style tofu is the everyday braise.
1Home-Style Tofu (Jia Chang Dou Fu)This authentic Home-Style Tofu features crispy fried tofu braised in a savory, slightly spicy Doubanjiang sauce with bell peppers and wood ear mushrooms. A classic Chinese comfort food ready in 35 minutes.Check out this recipe
Why This Recipe Works
- The hand-crumbled tofu. The tender center.
- Greens, carrot, and dried shrimp. Color, sweetness, and savor.
- Just enough flour. It binds without turning heavy.
- Medium-low only. The recipe’s warning – high heat burns the outside.
- The lunch-box patty. Good hot or cold.
Equipment Needed
- A bowl
- A nonstick skillet
- A spatula
Ingredients
- 1 block of firm tofu
- A handful of leafy greens, chopped fine
- 1 small carrot, chopped fine
- 1 tbsp dried shrimp (optional)
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp flour, or as needed
- A little salt (skip if the shrimp is salty)
- Oil, as needed
Ingredient Notes
Tofu: Firm and hand-crumbled. My home-style tofu is the braise version. Dried shrimp: The savory note – and it is salty, so go easy on the salt. The egg and flour: The binders, just enough.
Prep & Mise en Place
Chop the greens and carrot fine; crumble the tofu; measure the flour.
Cooking Process
Step 1 – Prep the ingredients: tofu, greens, carrot, dried shrim
Prep the ingredients: tofu, greens, carrot, dried shrimp, flour, salt, and oil.
Step 2 – Chop the greens and carrot fine
Chop the greens and carrot fine.
Step 3 – Crumble the tofu by hand
Crumble the tofu by hand.
Step 4 – Mix the greens, tofu, and egg by hand until even
Mix the greens, tofu, and egg by hand until even.
Step 5 – Add the dried shrimp, salt, and flour; mix by hand (the
Add the dried shrimp, salt, and flour; mix by hand (the shrimp is salty, so skip extra salt).
Step 6 – Roll into balls and press flat, or use a mold for the s
Roll into balls and press flat, or use a mold for the shape you like.
Step 7 – Heat oil in the pan over low heat
Heat oil in the pan over low heat.
Step 8 – Pan-fry the patties over medium-low in the nonstick pan
Pan-fry the patties over medium-low in the nonstick pan – never high heat!
Step 9 – Let one side set before flipping; fry until golden on b
Let one side set before flipping; fry until golden on both sides.
Step 10 – Crisp outside, tender inside – serve
Crisp outside, tender inside – serve.
Common Mistakes When Making This Dish
1. A burnt, raw-center patty. Cause: high heat. Fix: medium-low only – the recipe’s warning. 2. Crumbly, falling patties. Cause: too little flour or egg. Fix: enough to bind. 3. A heavy, dense cake. Cause: too much flour. Fix: just enough. 4. A salty bite. Cause: shrimp plus salt. Fix: skip the extra salt. 5. Soggy, pale patties. Cause: crowding or flipping too early. Fix: one side set, then flip.
Variations
More shrimp: Extra dried shrimp for savor. My savory tofu and egg stir-fry is the loose wok version. Spicy: A little chili in the mix.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why medium-low only? High heat burns the outside before the inside sets – the recipe insists. Can I skip the dried shrimp? Yes, and add a little more salt. Do they need much flour? Just enough to bind. How long do they keep? Refrigerate 2 days; good in lunch boxes. Are they good cold? Yes – they travel well, and my silken tofu potage is the warm soup to go with them, sweet and sour tofu the saucy plate.
How to Serve
Serve warm or in a lunch box – with home-style tofu, braised tofu with bok choy, and red braised tofu for a tofu table, or with savory tofu and egg stir-fry and pan-fried tofu with minced pork for variety.
Storage & Reheat
Refrigerate 2 days; reheat in a dry pan. Never leave out more than 2 hours. For another pan-friendly tofu cake, my pan-fried tofu with minced pork is the savory skillet plate.
Allergen Notice
This recipe contains egg, gluten (flour), soy (tofu), and shellfish (dried shrimp). It is free of dairy, nuts, and fish.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
About the Author & Recipe Development
I am Jason Guo, a Chinese chef who has cooked professionally for more than five years – including time as a head chef – and now runs my own small restaurant in China, where tofu appears on the menu almost every day. This xiachufang cook’s tofu veggie patties are the lunch-box cakes I make for a full week, and the recipe’s medium-low warning is exactly why they crisp instead of burn. I tested it as written. I have not tested the chili version, so that is your experiment, not my claim.
Authoritative References
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service – Safe Temperature Chart for safe storage of cooked dishes.
Tofu Veggie Patties (豆腐饼): The Shrimp-Powder Pan Cakes
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prep the ingredients: tofu, greens, carrot, dried shrimp, flour, salt, and oil.
- Chop the greens and carrot fine.
- Crumble the tofu by hand.
- Mix the greens, tofu, and egg by hand until even.
- Add the dried shrimp, salt, and flour; mix by hand (the shrimp is salty, so skip extra salt).
- Roll into balls and press flat, or use a mold for the shape you like.
- Heat oil in the pan over low heat.
- Pan-fry the patties over medium-low in the nonstick pan - never high heat!
- Let one side set before flipping; fry until golden on both sides.
- Crisp outside, tender inside - serve.
