According to Technomic, a food industry research and consulting firm, it’s tofu.

The company’s MenuMonitor tracks more than 7,000 commercial and noncommercial menus to identify new ideas, including new menus, seasonal promotions and limited-time offers. The next trending sandwich protein, they say, will be…tofu!

Chicken and bacon are, by far, the most popular “hot” proteins on sandwiches, the company says. But tofu is on the rise due to growing consumer desires for:

 
So don’t be surprised to find tofu on the sandwich and burger menus of mainstream venues.

Why not try it in your own kitchen?

Chop tofu into “egg” salad; grill or pan-fry it to replace sandwich meats or burger patties.

For starters, here’s a tofu burger recipe from tofu specialist House Foods. They also sent us recipes for:

 
There are more tofu recipes below. Also below, what is tofu and tofu health benefits.
 
 
RECIPE: TOFU SLIDERS OR BURGERS

Ingredients For 8 Sliders Or 4 Burgers

 
For The Pesto Mayonnaise

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the pesto mayonnaise. Stir all ingredients for in a small bowl; refrigerate until ready to use.

2. QUARTER the block of tofu into 4 equal pieces. Slice each quarter horizontally into 2 thin pieces.

3. BEAT the eggs with the mustard in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. In a third bowl, combine the flour and herb seasoning.

4. HEAT the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip the tofu in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then the bread crumb mixture. Add to the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Top with the mozzarella slices after turning the slices.

5. SPREAD the sides of the buns with the mayonnaise; place the tofu slices on the bottom halves, topping with basil and tomato slices.

TIPS

[2] Eggless egg salad, substituting tofu (here’s the recipe from House Foods).

[3] Make tofu sliders or burgers, garnished any way you like, with pesto mayonnaise and fresh basil, or…

[4] pizza-burger style, with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

[5] House Foods Extra-Firm Tofu. House Foods tofu is non-GMO.

[6] Tofu blocks (photo courtesy Hodo Soy Beanery).

[7] Tofu breakfast scramble (here’s the recipe from Oh My Veggies).

[8] Tofu chocolate pudding, or budino in Italian (here’s the recipe from House Foods).

Tofu is made from curding soy milk, much in the same way cheese is made from dairy milk.

First, soybeans are ground with water and heated. The soy milk is separated from the solids (analogous to milk curds), the hot soy milk is stirred and a coagulant (a natural firming agent, analogous to rennet) is added.

The curds that form are poured into a forming box (a mold) and the whey is pressed out. The pressing action forms the curd into a solid block of tofu, which is also known as bean curd.

Here’s more about tofu, including the history of tofu.
 
 
TOFU HEALTH BENEFITS

Nutritionists, physicians and other healthcare providers want you to eat more tofu.

Tofu offers a variety of health benefits. It’s low-calorie, cholesterol-free, and an excellent source of high-quality protein, iron, and calcium.

Soy foods in general are associated with decreased risk of cancer. A comprehensive analysis of 28 previously published studies on Chinese adults shows that intake of soy foods in the form of tofu (and soy miso) does a better job of reducing the risk of stomach cancer than soy in general.

 
It’s still January, and the window for new year’s resolutions is still open. Why not turn Meatless Mondays into Tofu Tuesdays?

Take a look at these tofu cookbooks: