I know that the idea of putting tofu in a sandwich gives many people pause, but please, hear me out.

First of all, you need to understand that the tofu in this sandwich is fried to a crispy golden brown. Then it is stuffed between creamy mashed avocado, caramelized onions, and sliced tomatoes. The whole concoction is drizzled with pink peppercorn balsamic vinaigrette and held together with toasted bread.

It’s the kind of sandwich that drips all over your plate and requires lots of napkins. It’s the kind of sandwich that tastes good with salt and vinegar potato chips and beer. It’s the kind of sandwich that makes people who claim they hate tofu reconsider.

It is a really, really good sandwich.

Savory Tofu, Avocado, Tomato Sandwich

Jon and I shared the Ode to Purple Parlor Tofu Sandwich at Muddy’s Coffeehouse, a café in Portland, Oregon a few weeks back. I set out to recreate it as soon as we got home because tomatoes and sweet onions are practically spilling out of our garden right now.

The key to this recipe is to use extra firm tofu. I used firm tofu the first time around and it just doesn’t set up or fry as well as extra firm. Also, don’t be shy with the vinaigrette. It really weaves all the different flavors together—and the leftovers taste good drizzled over roasted carrots and on green salads, too.

For pink peppercorn balsamic vinaigrette:

1 large clove garlic

Salt

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 large basil leaves, minced

Freshly ground pink peppercorns.

For sandwiches:

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 package of extra firm tofu

1 avocado

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 large sweet onion, sliced

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 slices sandwich bread

Instructions for vinaigrette:

Finely mince the garlic and mash it with a pinch of salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Continue whisking as you pour the olive oil in a slow steady stream then stir in the basil. Add salt and freshly ground pink peppercorns to taste.

Instructions for the sandwiches:

Heat half of the oil over medium high heat in a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan. Add the sliced onions, toss to coat them with oil, and sprinkle a big pinch of salt over them. Turn the heat down to medium and cook the onions slowly until they soften and turn an even, deep brown (about 30 minutes).

Meanwhile, cut the block of tofu crosswise into six slices. Wrap each slice in a double layer of paper towel and press on it gently with your palm to remove extra water. Discard the wet paper towels. When the onions are done, remove them from the heat and set aside. Return the pan to the burner and heat the remaining oil over medium high heat. Add the tofu and cook until golden brown on the underside–be patient, this takes about five minutes and works best if you leave the tofu be. Flip the tofu over and cook until browned. Remove from the heat, cut each piece in half diagonally, and set aside.

Lightly toast four slices of seeded sandwich bread. Drizzle each slice with balsamic vinaigrette. In a small bowl mash the avocado with the sour cream and a bit of kosher salt until smooth. Spread the avocado liberally on two slices of the bread. Top the avocado with a mound of onions and then layer three or four triangles of tofu over the onions. Place a few slices of tomato over the tofu and spoon a bit more balsamic vinaigrette over the tomatoes. Top each sandwich off with a second slice of bread—balsamic vinaigrette side down. Slice the sandwiches in half and serve with a pile of napkins.