The best marinated 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!
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Tofu haters stick around. This recipe 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? I’m not so sure about this.
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.
Whether you’re new to this 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 press tofu
The first thing you need to do is 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 it press 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 with the best tofu marinade
Next you have to marinate the tofu. Now that the water is 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.
How long to marinate tofu
Cut the tofu into squares, then let them rest in the marinade inside a shallow bowl or baking dish for 15-20 minutes, flipping once.
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.
Tips for customizing the best marinated tofu
- 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!
My best tofu recipe is gluten free and vegan! Just make sure you use tamari instead of soy sauce and check your spices for gluten contamination.
More tofu recipes
- Pan Fried Peanut Tofu
- Cajun Tofu
- Cajun Tofu Wraps
- Fettuccine Alfredo with Cajun Tofu
- Balsamic Tofu
- Scrambled Tofu
- Pesto Tofu
- Vegan Ham
Be sure to tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram if you make this recipe so I can give you a virtual pat on the back!
Do you want to join a community of people who love meatless meals? You’re invited to join the Meatless Recipes and Tips Facebook Group!
The Best Marinated 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 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ 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.
Notes
How to press tofu
Use a tofu press, or slice the tofu in half like a book, then stack on a plate with a few sheets of paper towels around both halves. Place something heavy like a cast iron skillet on top and let press 10-60 minutes. The longer you press, the more firm the tofu will be.Tips for customizing
- 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!
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!
Zinnia says
Great recipe! Thank you!
Colleen C Robinson says
I made this last night and my 35 year old daughter thought it tasted like chicken nuggets and asked for honey to dip the tofu in. We all tried it with honey and it were delicious! This recipe is a keeper for me. Thanks!
Lindsay Moe says
YUM! Great idea, I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it!
[email protected] says
I love to eat tofu and your suggestion is the good idea for me to prepare the healthy meal. Thank you so much for your sharing. Hope to hear more from your site.
Christina says
Delicious! Can I leave this marinading in the fridge overnight?
Lindsay Moe says
I think you could!
jess says
Can I oven bake this?
Lindsay Moe says
Yes, I recommend baking it at 400ºF for about 30 minutes, tossing once or twice.
Kaleigh says
I have been making this every other week for about a year now. So it’s probably time I comment and say thank you for sharing this recipe! It’s my boyfriend and 2 year olds favorite.
Lindsay Moe says
This is wonderful, thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
phx cooks says
Wow, it looks delicious. Thank you for sharing. Tofu is my favorite food, I love it so much. I will try to make this Tofu for my family. I believe my family will like this very much. Love so much.
Linda says
Love this recipe but I’ve been cooking it in the oven because it sticks to the pan terribly. Any suggestions? Anyone else have this issue?
Lindsay Moe says
I’ve never had this issue, so hopefully we can get it figured out! Make sure your cast iron pan is well seasoned and you could try using a little more oil. When using any kind of pan, make sure the pan and oil are hot before adding the tofu. Let me know if this doesn’t help!