Chickpea tofu is also known as Burmese tofu.  It’s a quick, easy recipe made on the stovetop in just minutes with chickpea flour, water, and salt.  The perfect soy-free alternative to tofu! Use it interchangeably with tofu in most recipes for a protein-packed, soy-free meal.

Cut squares of chickpea tofu on a white surface.

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To be honest, I was a little skeptical when I heard about chickpea tofu.  It sounded kind of weird to me, and since I am a fan of traditional tofu, I thought that there was no way that it could taste as good, but I was wrong!

You can use this soy-free tofu like you would regular tofu in recipes like stir-fries, sweet and sour tofu, tofu fries, sticky tofu, tofu spring rolls, vegan green curry, tofu lettuce wraps, or breaded tofu.

If you are trying to avoid soy, simply swap out chickpea tofu for regular tofu in nearly any recipe.

What does Burmese tofu taste like?

Chickpea flour tofu has a fairly neutral flavor similar to regular tofu, but I would say more egg-like.  You can make it with flavored broth and add any spices that you wish, so it can be as plain or flavorful as you like.  It’s also firmer than traditional tofu and holds up well when cooked or mixed with other things.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • Chickpea tofu is easy to make with a few simple, inexpensive ingredients.
  • You can make a batch in about 10 minutes. (plus about an hour to let it set).
  • It fries up and performs like tofu in most recipes.
  • You can add spices and flavors during cooking, making it more flavorful than tofu. It’s gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan.

Why is it called Burmese tofu?

The traditional Burmese tofu recipe originates from the Shan region of Burma and is made with gram flour, water, turmeric, and salt, cooked into a paste similar to polenta.  It is commonly served in a chickpea tofu salad.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Chickpea Flour – aka garbanzo bean flour – is sold in the gluten-free flour section of most grocery stores. I use Bob’s Red Mill chickpea flour made from ground white chickpeas.
    • Note: You can also find chickpea flour at Indian markets, where it is sold as Gram Flour or Chana Besan.  These other types of chickpea flours are made from brown chickpeas or a mix of chickpeas and yellow lentils.  They will also work for this recipe, but some are ground very fine and may need a little more water added to achieve the correct consistency.
  • Salt – for flavor. (Use less if you are making it with broth instead of water.
  • Water – or broth.  I like to use vegetable broth to add more flavor to the chickpea tofu.

Optional Ingredients

  • Tumeric – for color. (optional)
  • Garlic Powder or Onion Powder – for extra flavor.
  • Nutritional Yeast – for flavor.  I like the depth of flavor it adds, but it’s optional.
  • Spices – You can add any additional spices you wish.  If you are going to use the tofu in an Italian dish, 1 tsp of Italian spices works well.  If you are going to use the tofu on tacos or a Mexican-style dish, some taco seasoning or cumin tastes great!

How to make chickpea tofu

Step 1 – Put 1 cup of chickpea flour into a bowl or measuring container that is easy to pour from.  Slowly stir in 1 cup of cold water, stirring constantly until all the lumps are gone. Set it aside for about 5 minutes while you prepare the hot water or broth.

A collage of 2 pictures showing a glass measuring cup filled chickpea flour and water before and after it has been stirred.

Step 2 – Heat 2 cups of water or broth, along with salt, turmeric, nutritional yeast, and any spices you wish, in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat until it boils.

Step 3 – Stir the chickpea flour again, then add it to the boiling broth while whisking.  It will quickly thicken and blend into a very thick paste. (Don’t taste the chickpea tofu until it is done cooking! Raw chickpea flour tastes terrible!)

Step 4 – Turn down the heat so it continues to boil slowly, but does not splash you with thick paste bubbles.  Stir constantly for 5 minutes until the mixture is very thick and smooth.

Step 5 – Pour into a dish to set. (I use a 6 X 8-inch rectangular glass dish.)

Step 6 – Allow it to cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours until it has cooled completely.

Step 7 – Cut into cubes of any size or shape you want, and use them like you would tofu.

A collage of 4 pictures showing the process steps of cooking the chickpea flour batter, pouring it into a mold and cutting it into squares.

Note: If you want to make extra-firm chickpea tofu, reduce the water in the recipe to 3/4 cup instead of 1 cup.

Pro Tips

  • Add the water to the chickpea flour slowly, stirring well after each addition.  This will prevent clumping.
  • Let the chickpea flour and water mixture sit for at least five minutes before adding it to the hot water or broth.  This will help it have a smoother consistency.
  • Once you add the chickpea flour and water mixture to the hot water, whisk constantly for 5 minutes, until the batter is very thick and slightly glossy.
  • Immediately pour the hot chickpea tofu into a mold to set.  It will start to harden as soon as it cools.
  • Allow the chickpea tofu to cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes before covering and putting it in the fridge.  This will allow the steam to escape, so you get the correct consistency.

Storage

Refrigerator: Chickpea tofu will keep well for 3-5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Freezing: It also freezes well, so feel free to make a double or triple batch and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Squares of Burmese tofu on white parchment paper.

Is chickpea tofu healthy?

Chickpea tofu is high in protein, calcium, and iron. It has a similar nutritional content to traditional soy tofu but is suitable for people on a soy-free diet.

What can I make with chickpea tofu?

Use your homemade chickpea tofu as you would regular soy-based tofu in most recipes.  You can simply pan-fry it in some oil or use it in place of tofu in my recipes for breaded tofu, crispy fried tofu, grilled tofu, or teriyaki tofu.  You can even marinate it in any of my tofu marinade recipes before cooking.

It tastes good either warm or cold, so feel free to toss it on salads or pasta for extra protein. It’s delicious when swapped out for tofu in pesto tofu, easy marinated tofu, orange tofu, sweet and sour tofu, sticky tofu, and tofu wraps.

Chickpea tofu being fried in an iron skillet.
Pan-fried chickpea tofu

More chickpea flour recipes

Chickpea flour is a truly amazing ingredient!  I’ve been using it for over 20 years, and I still constantly find new and exciting ways to use it, like in my vegan omelets, vegan French toast, Farinta, and chickpea bread. You can even use chickpea flour to replace eggs in baking! I love it so much that I even wrote a blog post about 45 Chickpea Flour Recipes, dedicated to the many uses of chickpea flour.

Chickpea tofu recipe

Squares of chickpea tofu on a white surface.
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5 from 15 rating

Chickpea Tofu – Burmese Tofu

Yield: 8
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Set time: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 10 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
Burmese-style tofu made from chickpea flour, water, and salt. Add spices and flavorings to make it your own, and use it as a soy-free tofu alternative.
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup chickpea flour , aka garbanzo bean flour
  • 1 cup cold water, (for mixing with chickpea flour)
  • 2 cups vegetable broth, or water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, (increase to 1 tsp salt if using water instead of broth)

Optional ingredients for extra flavor

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Put 1 cup of chickpea flour into a bowl or measuring container that is easy to pour from.  Slowly stir in 1 cup of cold water, stirring constantly until all the lumps are gone. Set it aside for about 5 minutes while you prepare the hot water or broth.
  • Heat 2 cups of vegetable broth or water, plus 1/2 tsp salt, a dash of turmeric, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, and any spices you wish, in a medium-sized saucepan until it boils.
  • Give the chickpea flour mixture another stir, then add it to the boiling broth while whisking.  It will quickly thicken and turn into a very thick paste.
  • Turn down the heat so it continues to boil slowly, but does not splash you with thick paste bubbles.  Stir constantly for 5 minutes until the mixture is very thick and smooth. (Don't taste the chickpea tofu until it is done cooking! Raw chickpea flour tastes terrible!)
  • Pour into a dish to set. (I use a 6 X 8-inch rectangular glass dish.)
  • Allow it to cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours until it has cooled completely.

Notes

  • Add the water to the chickpea flour slowly, stirring well after each addition.  This will prevent clumping.
  • Let the chickpea flour and water mixture sit for at least five minutes before adding it to the hot water or broth.  This will help it have a smoother consistency.
  • Once you add the chickpea flour and water mixture to the hot water, stir constantly with a whisk for 5 minutes, until the batter is very thick and slightly glossy.
  • Immediately pour the hot chickpea tofu into a mold to set.  It will start to harden as soon as it cools.
  • Allow the chickpea tofu to cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate.  This will allow the steam to escape, so you get the correct consistency.
Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 65kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 391mg, Potassium: 146mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 125IU, Calcium: 7mg, Iron: 1mg
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