Have you met your new favorite ingredient yet? Here’s how to cook soy curls! It’s quite simple and makes an amazingly crispy protein to add to so many dishes.
What are soy curls?
Soy curls are a really cool soy protein option for vegetarians and vegans. I love that they really are just soy and ready to use in under 15 minutes. If you are looking to make a “barbecue pork” sandwich, or a “buffalo chicken” wrap without any scary fake meats, this is exactly what you need!
This soy curls recipe is really just a basic framework. I encourage you to try them in any sauce you can think of. It would be a lot of fun to set out a bunch of sauce and dip options and let everyone in your party dip to their heart’s content. They are a nice plain protein, much like their cousin tofu. Once crisped and sauced you will enjoy adding them to salads, soups, and sandwiches.
Ingredients for Soy Curls
As soon as you source your soy curls you will be ready to cook. Who doesn’t keep their favorite sauce on hand at all times?
- Butler Soy Curls: This is just about the only brand I’ve seen, which makes it a bit tricky to find, but it is definitely worth purchasing online for such an amazing pantry staple.
- Oil: Grab some olive oil and get ready to get crispy!
- Sauce: The sky’s the limit here. From buffalo to barbecue, Italian to Asian, whatever your meal plan is, grab the sauce now.
How are soy curls made?
What are soy curls? They are truly just whole soybeans that have been cooked, pressed or extruded, and dried. No funky ingredients or any solvents added. These are perfect as a meat substitute without reaching for something highly processed! If you are wondering where to buy soy curls, check out a quick search on Amazon.
How to make Soy Curls
The best part about how to cook soy curls is how fast it is! You really can have your vegan main dish done in under 20 minutes.
Step 1: Soak
Soak the soy curls in a bowl with room temperature water for 10 minutes. They are dehydrated, so this is crucial as your first step!
Step 2: Squeeze
Squeeze out the excess water. You’ll note how the curls are now spongy. Squeezing them allows them to crisp up easily AND soak in whatever flavors you throw at it.
Step 3: Saute
Heat in oil in a skillet until your soy curls are browned all over. This will give you the best texture in your finished dish. Stir in half your sauce choice just to heat through.
Step 4: Sauce
Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining sauce and get ready to enjoy!
Soy Curl Flavors
Head to your refrigerator sauce shelf and find a sauce you’re craving! These soy curls go beautifully with Italian dressing, BBQ sauce, and buffalo sauce (but the sky’s the limit!)
Recipe tips
Yum Yum: Whip up some Yum Yum Sauce and dip these crispy curls. A perfect vegan appetizer!
More Flavor: Rehydrate the soy curls in broth rather than water to give them even more flavor.
Saucy: Much like tofu, soy curls are a very plain backdrop for any sauce you want to make. This makes them extremely versatile to add to Mexican, Asian, or Indian cuisines.
Best Vegan Sandwiches…Ever!
Definitely tuck these soy curls into your favorite sandwich as a delicious and bulky filling. Try buffalo sauce for a “pulled chicken sandwich” or into a pita for a gyro experience. And, okay, if you are trying to stick to healthy options, you can definitely drop them on top of a huge leafy salad.
- Vegetarian Caesar Salad is perfect for soy curls. Toss them in just a bit of extra caesar before adding to your salad.
- Vegetarian Chicken Salad where you can easily substitute crispy soy curls for chickpeas.
- 8 Flavors of Hummus can be set out with a bowl of plain soy curls for dipping.
Ingredients
- 2 cups soy curls 80 g
- 1 Tbsp oil 15 mL
- ¼ cup sauce BBQ, buffalo, or Italian, 60 g
Instructions
- Soak: Place soy curls in a bowl and cover with room temperature water. Let soak for 10 minutes.
- Squeeze: Drain the water from the soy curls, then squeeze out as much water as you can from the curls.
- Saute: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat, then add soy curls. Cook, flipping occasionally, until they turn golden brown and a bit crispy. Stir half of your chosen sauce into the pan, cook for 1 more minute, then remove from heat.
- Sauce: Stir in remaining sauce and serve hot!
Christine says
I like to cook Soy Curls in my Instant Pot, too. They’re great for stews, bbq sandwiches, butter “chicken” and many other dishes. A very versatile ingredient!
Also, I find that buying them directly from butlerfoods.com is usually less expensive.
Sarah Bond says
Thanks so much for the tips, Christine! 😀