The best tofu recipe uses firm tofu marinated in simple ingredients like soy sauce, lemon juice, and maple syrup! If you’ve struggled to find any tofu recipes you love, you need to give this one a try!
Tofu haters stick around. This recipe for the best tofu is guaranteed to make a lover out of you.
It took me a long time to get on the tofu train. Mashed soy bean curd? Sure, thanks, I’ll have it on the side of my wheatgrass smoothie. NOT.
Pretty much anything new can be scary, and tofu was no different. No one wants to feel like a fool messing up dinner because you just didn’t know what you were doing.
If tofu is new to you or not, you’re in luck. You’re about to learn what you need to know to not only rock an easy tofu recipe, but rock it good.
How to prepare tofu
First, you have to drain the water. Not just from the box, but also from the block of actual tofu.
To do this you can use a tofu press (<- affiliate link), or go the cheap-o method like me and press your tofu without a press. Slice it in half (like a book). Place a clean kitchen towel or a few paper towels on a plate or cutting board, place one of the tofu slabs on top, top with a couple more paper towels, the other tofu slab, and a few more paper towels.
Then place something heavy on top to squeeze out all the water. I put the big jar of sugar that sits on my kitchen counter inside a large skillet and set it on top. Let this situation be for 30-60 minutes.
If you’re in a rush you can get away with 10-30 minutes. I usually do 30 minutes, I’m just letting you know this is a flexible scenario, you’re doing great, and I think you’re really attractive. Let’s keep going.
How to marinate tofu
Next you have to marinate the tofu. The water you just squeezed out is what makes it taste kind of gross. Now that it’s gone, your tofu is free to soak up all sorts of flavor!
I’ve included my favorite marinade below, or you can find another to change up the flavor for different purposes.
Cut the tofu into squares, then let them rest in the marinade inside a shallow bowl or baking dish for 15-20 minutes.
How to cook tofu
Tofu is safe to eat raw, but the texture improves greatly with frying, so cook it to desired crispiness without worrying about getting to a safe temperature. Woo hoo!
See, tofu isn’t as crazy as you may have thought. My kids will even eat it from time to time. It helps if you tell them it’s cheese.
Here are a few ideas to customize this easy tofu recipe and make it your own!
- Add more sriracha to the marinade or drizzle it on when serving for extra heat
- Serve with brown rice and oven roasted broccoli or snow peas for a healthy, balanced meal
- Serve with Mai Fun noodles and finely shredded carrots, radishes, cucumbers, romaine lettuce, cilantro, and chopped peanuts
- After marinating toss with cornstarch to make the best crispy tofu
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds before serving
- Use it to make a tofu wrap for an easy, healthy lunch!
This tofu recipe is gluten free and vegan! Just make sure you use tamari instead of soy sauce and check your spices for gluten contamination.
Looking for more tofu recipes?
Now that you have the best tofu recipe be sure to tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram if you make it so I can give you a virtual pat on the back!
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The Best Tofu Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 ounces extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, and sliced into about 24 squares
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 1-2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine tofu, tamari, lemon juice, maple syrup, sriracha, and garlic powder, stirring gently to coat. Let marinate 15-20 minutes, stirring gently once or twice.
- Heat coconut oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add tofu and fry 2-3 minutes per side until crisp and golden. Add any leftover marinade to the pan and cook, stirring, one minute more.
- Remove tofu from the pan and serve as desired.
Edna Gonzalez says
Will this recipe be good for lunch the next day?
Lindsay Moe says
It will be less crispy, but still tastes wonderful! I frequently eat leftover tofu for lunch the net day. If you miss the crispiness consider adding a sprinkling of chopped peanuts or cashews.
Lisa says
You mentioned cornstarch in the discussion but it’s not mentioned in the recipe ingredients or directions. Was this an error or is it optional? Thank you!
Lindsay Moe says
It is an optional variation, the recipe as written does not require cornstarch. Sorry for any confusion!
Bernice says
Can I leave off siracha
Lindsay Moe says
Absolutely! I don’t think it makes it spicy at all, but if you’d like to leave it out it might just taste a little more plain.
Liana says
This looks awesome, I’ll try it today and report back. Thanks for posting this recipe along with the tips..
Anne Amore says
If I shouldn’t eat tofu everyday how should I keep it in the fridge and for how long?
Lindsay Moe says
You can store any leftover tofu in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
C.d. Cooper says
How do I figure a serving size for 110 calories?
Lindsay Moe says
There are four servings in the recipe, so one fourth of this would be 110 calories. I think it comes out to something like 4-5 cubes of tofu.
April Manzo says
Yummy:) My kids loved it too!
Lindsay Moe says
That’s wonderful, thanks for sharing!
Alyssa says
Lindsay, it’s really that simple and so tasty, thanks!
Olga says
Lindsay, this looks tasty! These are absolutely mouth watering! It will quickly disappear in our house, very tasty and flavorful!
Scott says
So good I cooked it all it was all gone in 1 min and I cooked 15 things of it
Lorre’ says
I like this recipe a lot. I add just a bit of water to cut down the saltiness of it. I’ve made it several times. Yummy!
Lindsay Moe says
Thanks for sharing your adaptation, I’m so glad you enjoy it!