Vegan cooking staple
Published by Naitik Mehta · March 29, 2026
Stuck on the clue Vegan cooking staple from the New York Times Daily for March 29, 2026? We have the correct 4-letter answer, including the definition, alternative hints, as well as other answers from the same crossword. Ready to learn more about this clue?
Clue
Vegan cooking staple (4)
Answer
The answer to Vegan cooking staple is Tofu (4 letters).
Why does Tofu fit this clue?
This is a direct definition clue where 'Vegan cooking staple' points to TOFU, a protein-rich food made from soybeans. Tofu is created by coagulating soy milk and pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It serves as a versatile meat substitute in vegan cuisine because it absorbs flavors well and can be prepared in countless ways, from scrambling to grilling to blending into smoothies. The word comes from Japanese, though the food originated in China over 2,000 years ago.
What does Vegan cooking staple mean?
We break down each word in the clue and show its dictionary definitions below.
vegan
adjective
•relating to a diet that excludes all animal products including meat, dairy, and eggs
noun
•a person who follows a plant-based diet avoiding all animal products
staple
noun
•a basic or essential item regularly used in cooking or diet
cooking
noun
•the practice of preparing food by heating or combining ingredients
Where did this clue appear?
This clue appeared as 112-down in the New York Times Daily on March 29, 2026, by Michael and Oliver Schlossberg, edited by Will Shortz. See all answers for this puzzle.
Read the NYT Wordplay column for this puzzle.
NYT Daily — Mar 29, 2026
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What does Tofu mean?
noun
•A protein-rich food made from curdled soy milk.
•A box or rectangle, empty or with a question mark or hexadecimal code inside, displayed by some systems in place of a character not supported by available fonts. (such as □ or ժ)
Origin of the word Tofu
•origin: Chinese 豆腐 (dòufu)
•period: 1876
The word entered English through Japanese tōfu, which was itself borrowed from Chinese, and first appeared in English writing in the late 19th century as Western contact with East Asian cuisine increased.
How to use Tofu in a sentence
Here are 3 examples of how to use the word Tofu.
•“As a vegan cooking staple, tofu provides an excellent source of plant-based protein that can be prepared in countless ways.”
•“The restaurant's spicy mapo tofu was silky and flavorful, with the soft cubes absorbing all the rich sauce.”
•“She marinated the firm tofu overnight before grilling it to achieve a crispy exterior and tender interior.”
What are other crossword clues for Tofu?
Learn about related clues
All clues from the New York Times Daily, Mar 29, 2026 crossword
The New York Times Daily for March 29, 2026 titled “Roundabouts” was published by Michael and Oliver Schlossberg and has 140 clues. Curious about all the answers from this crossword puzzle? View all answers here.
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Frequently asked questions about Vegan cooking staple
- What is the answer to Vegan cooking staple?
- The answer is Tofu (4 letters).
- Where did this clue appear?
- This clue was last seen in the New York Times Daily on March 29, 2026.
- How many letters does the answer to Vegan cooking staple have?
- The answer has 4 letters: Tofu.
Author
Naitik Mehta
Co-founder
Naitik is a gaming enthusiast who loves solving daily word games and enjoys the friendly competition from time to time. He is the co-founder of Crossword Chef and enjoys thinking about how to make crossword solving more fun for everyone around the world.
Puzzle
NYT Daily — Mar 29, 2026
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