lemon tofu pie

Craig DeSilva
February 04, 2025
food

During my small kid days growing up in Kalihi, we’d treat ourselves after a long day of bike riding and playing touch football on the street with a refreshing snack. But this wasn’t your ordinary sweet treat. We’d cut a lemon in half, lodge a salty seed in the middle, squeeze the lemon to make sure the juice would coat, and blend with the salt. Then, we’d suck out the lemon juice. Even though it made our eyes squint, it was oh so good.

When I found out that February was Great American Pie Month, I thought I’d return to the theme of my kid-time snack and make a lemon pie. But there's a secret ingredient to this recipe. And it’s not salty seed. It’s tofu! It may sound strange, but it's delicious, healthy, and easy to prepare.

If you love tofu you’ll love this recipe. If you don’t love tofu, you’ll still like this recipe. You can’t taste the tofu, but it gives this pie that creamy texture that’s sure to please. With this recipe, you don’t have to make the crust. A store-bought crust will do.

When I served this to my friends, I didn’t tell them what the “secret ingredient” was. They ate it and loved it. They were pleasantly surprised when I told them about the tofu.

Dazzle your friends and family with this unexpected dessert that packs a citrus punch using lemon juice, lemon zest, and lemon-flavored pudding. It’s different from your usual apple or custard pie. But try it – you may like it.

Ingredients

  • 1 3-oz. box lemon flavored instant pudding
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 10 oz. soft tofu
  • 8-oz. container non-dairy whipped topping
  • 9-inch prepared graham cracker crust

 Instructions

Combine pudding, water, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir well. Refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes until thickened.

Meanwhile, cut tofu in small chunks and place in a colander to drain. Push on tofu with palm to squeeze out liquid. Place tofu in a bowl and mix with a hand mixer, gradually adding whipped topping. Mixture may be grainy.

Fold in pudding mixture and mix until smooth. Pour in pie crust and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.

Celebrate Great American Pie Month in February with more pie recipes:

avocado key lime pie
Similar to the texture of tofu, avocado makes this pie smooth and creamy. And the green from the avocado and lime makes it look pretty. Perhaps the best part is the no-bake crust that you make out of almonds and dates.

grain-free sweet potato pie
If you or your family or friends have dietary restrictions, this is the dessert to make. This delicious pie is grain-free and dairy-free. There’s no wheat in the crust. It’s made of pecans, which complements the sweet potato filling perfectly.

guilt-free pumpkin pie parfait
Who said pumpkin pie is only for Thanksgiving? Have pumpkin pie all year-long. Best of all, this pumpkin pie is lighter than traditional pumpkin pie as it doesn’t include eggs or butter. This recipe uses silken (not regular) tofu, which is common in vegan desserts.

dutch apple pie for pi day
Don’t mistake pie month (February) with pi day (March 14 or 3/14). Celebrate both occasions. The more pie the better. This pie blends both the American and Dutch traditions of pie making.

But wait, there’s more …
Pie Month isn’t the only gastronomic event celebrated in February. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Here is a recipe for chocolate covered strawberries to express your love to those around you. And make Amy Pottinger’s chocolate truffle creme brulee and you’ll have people fall in love with you (or at least your baking) after just one bite. If your loved ones don’t have a sweet tooth, then how about something savory to cook for dinner?  

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