Miso Hasselback tofu- vegan Christmas dinner!

If you’re looking for a truly standout vegan protein to grace your Christmas table, this hasselback tofu makes a spectacular choice. It looks impressive, tastes incredible, and brings something a little different to the festive spread. One of the best parts is how stress-free it is to prepare: most of the steps can be done ahead of time, leaving you with far less to juggle on the big day. When it finally goes into the oven, it needs only a modest amount of space, making it easy to slot in alongside all your other holiday dishes.

The timing is wonderfully manageable, too. With roughly 30 minutes of hands-on prep followed by 30 minutes to 1 hour of cooking, it offers that rare combination of being both a beautiful vegan centrepiece and a genuinely quick option. It’s the kind of dish that delivers festive flair without demanding your entire afternoon — ideal for a bustling Christmas kitchen where every minute (and every oven shelf!) counts.

Vegan Christmas dinner- ingredient list!

Ingredient list for the glazed tofu- 
280g/10oz of drained firm or very firm tofu
Two tablespoons of yeast extract
Two tablespoons of soft brown sugar
One tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
One tablespoon of orange juice

Ingredient list for the miso gravey- 
One tablespoon of vegetable oil
50g/1½oz of peeled and sliced shallots
100g/3½oz of thinly chopped chestnut mushrooms
One teaspoon of freshly cut thyme leaves
One tablespoon of dark miso
200 ml/7 fl oz light vegetable stock, 1 tsp simple flour, salt, and freshly ground black pepper

Ingredient list for the crunchy nut sprinkles (optional, but adds that bit of flavour and a fabulous garnish)
One tablespoon of olive oil
50g/1½oz of finely chopped mixed nuts, including skin-on almonds, walnuts, and cooked and peeled chestnuts
Eight fresh, thinly cut sage leaves
One finely minced garlic clove and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
One tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper, salt, and finely chopped flatleaf parsley

Vegan Christmas dinner- step by step instruction guide!

Step 1
To prepare the glazed tofu, start by carefully slicing the block in half horizontally so you end up with two even pieces, each roughly 2–3cm (¾–1¼in) thick. This gives the tofu a better texture and helps it absorb more flavour later on. Once sliced, place the pieces between layers of kitchen paper or a clean tea towel and press them for about 30 minutes. This step helps remove excess moisture, which means the tofu will brown more easily and soak up the glaze beautifully. While the tofu is pressing, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 so it’s ready to go when you are. Line a small baking tin with baking paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier. When the tofu is fully pressed, you’ll be all set to move on to glazing and roasting.

Step 2
Place a chopstick along each of the long sides of the tofu block—this acts as a guide to stop your knife from cutting all the way through. Using a sharp knife, make evenly spaced cuts across the top, slicing down at roughly 5mm (¼in) intervals. Work slowly and gently so the tofu stays intact. These shallow, accordion-like cuts create the classic ‘hasselback’ effect, allowing the glaze to seep into every little fold and giving the tofu loads of flavour and texture once baked.

Step 3
Nestle the tofu pieces snugly into the lined baking tin, arranging them in a flat, even layer so they cook uniformly. In a small bowl, whisk together the yeast extract, sugar, vinegar and orange juice until the mixture is smooth and glossy—this will form your richly flavoured glaze. Spoon about half of this glaze over the tofu, letting it pool across the surface. Then, using a thin knife or the tip of a teaspoon, gently coax the glaze down into all the hasselback cuts so the flavours can soak right through. Once the grooves are well coated, spoon the remaining glaze evenly over the top, making sure every part of the tofu is covered and ready to caramelise beautifully in the oven.

Step 4
Bake the tofu for about 45 minutes, taking a moment every 15 minutes to spoon any run-off glaze back over the top so it stays beautifully sticky and well-coated as it cooks. While the tofu is in the oven, you can get started on the gravy. Warm the oil in a small saucepan over a medium–low heat, giving it a minute to shimmer gently. Add the shallots, mushrooms and thyme, then cook them slowly for around 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until everything has softened and begun to release its lovely aroma. Avoid seasoning at this stage so the flavours develop naturally and the balance stays just right for the next steps.

Step 5
Stir in the miso and flour, making sure they coat the vegetables evenly and form a smooth, fragrant paste. Keeping the mixture moving with your spoon or whisk, slowly pour in the stock followed by 100ml/3½fl oz of just-boiled water. Adding the liquid gradually helps prevent any lumps and gives the gravy a silky base. Give it an occasional stir as you bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer. Once it’s bubbling softly, add a touch of pepper, then taste to see whether it needs any extra salt—both vegetable stock and miso can already pack plenty of savouriness, so adjust carefully. When the flavour is balanced and the gravy has thickened slightly, take it off the heat and keep it warm until you’re ready to serve.

Step 6
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat to prepare the sprinkles. Add the nutmeg, garlic, sage, and nuts. Add salt and pepper for seasoning, then heat, turning frequently, until the nuts are just beginning to turn golden. After turning off the heat, mix in the parsley.
Pour a generous portion of the miso gravy onto two heated serving plates to serve. After placing one piece of hasselback tofu on each plate, sprinkle the crunchy nut sprinkles on top. Serve with the additional gravy on the side.