The Best Tofu Recipe (2024)

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!

The Best Tofu Recipe (1)

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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
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Be sure to tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagramif 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!

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Recipe

The Best Tofu Recipe (8)

The Best Marinated Tofu Recipe

The best tofu recipe is marinated in simple pantry ingredients and also happens to be vegan and gluten free. It's so easy to make and is sure to make you fall in love with tofu!

4.16 from 98 votes

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 110kcal

Author: Lindsay Moe

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!

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 817mg | Potassium: 230mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 2.9mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @theliveinkitchen or tag #theliveinkitchen!

The Best Tofu Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the tastiest way to make tofu? ›

Press tofu and cube it. Coat it in garlic, black pepper, salt (plus more of your favourite seasonings), liquid aminos and some olive oil. Then mix it into some cornstarch and toss it all together, then bake for about 20 minutes. Cornstarch also helps to draw out excess moisture so it really gets the tofu crispy.

What not to mix with tofu? ›

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

Is it better to fry or bake tofu? ›

It sticks, and the crispy bits end up sticking to the pan, which is a tofu tragedy. Plus, it requires more oil, and you don't need to use a lot of oil to get crispy tofu. When you bake your tofu, you give it time to develop crispy edges and warm, pillowy insides. It's simply the best.

Why is restaurant tofu so good? ›

Restaurants understand the power of salt and use it liberally to ensure that tofu is well-seasoned. As masters of flavors, professional chefs know that tofu's porous nature allows it to absorb the flavors it's cooked with, and they use this to their advantage.

What is the secret to cooking tofu? ›

Tofu contains a large amount of water when it comes out of the package. In order to bake, fry, or scramble tofu, it's best to press out as much water as possible before cooking. The longer you press your tofu, the firmer the texture will be and the easier it will be to achieve a nice crispy texture.

What should I season tofu with? ›

Most seafood seasonings include celery seed, paprika, mustard powder, salt, and black pepper. Add lime juice to the tofu marinade to bring forward more of that classic seafood flavor. 5. Soy sauce: Marinating tofu in soy sauce helps the tofu absorb flavor quickly.

Why can't you eat a lot of tofu? ›

Still, tofu and other soy products also make some people wary because isoflavones function like a weak form of the hormone estrogen. But concerns that soy can cause infertility or other problems in men are "not based on science at all," Sun said. Similarly, the American Cancer Society sees no dangers from eating soy.

Why can't you eat spinach with tofu? ›

- It is said that tofu cannot be eaten together with spinach at the same time. As tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively, the combination of the two will form kidney stones. But in fact, only prolonged and volumionous consumption of tofu and spinach at the same time will pose this risk.

Is tofu a high inflammatory food? ›

While people with inflammation should generally avoid dairy, soy protein products like tofu and tempeh have been found to reduce pain in joints according to a study from Oklahoma State University. An easy way to add soy to your diet is using soy protein powder. Spices.

How to cook tofu for beginners? ›

Sauté for 5 minutes, shaking/flipping occasionally to cook on all sides, until tofu has a slight crust on each side and has begun to brown. Transfer skillet to oven to bake for about 15 minutes, or until the tofu is firm to the touch and has begun to dry out and crisp up. The longer it bakes, the firmer it gets.

Why is my baked tofu not crispy? ›

Why won't my tofu get crisp? This could likely be a result of not drying out the tofu enough to drain out the extra moisture. It's also possible that your oven temperature is not hot enough. Make sure it's preheated and heat the pan in the oven for extra crispness.

Why boil tofu before frying? ›

A quick dunk in boiling salted water will give this protein a new lease on life.

Why do Chinese eat so much tofu? ›

This probably coincided with the spread of Buddhism as it is an important source of protein in the vegetarian diet of East Asian Buddhism. Li Shizhen, during the Ming dynasty, described a method of making tofu in the Compendium of Materia Medica.

How to make tofu crispy like a restaurant? ›

There are a few tricks to perfect tofu. First, tossing cubed tofu with cornstarch will help you get a crispier exterior when baking or stir-frying. Pressing the block of tofu to eliminate excess moisture also helps. And you'll want to make sure you're using high enough heat.

Why do Asians love tofu? ›

Why Chinese love fermented bean curd and even stinky tofu: it's cheap, adds flavour to rice and congee, is a good source of protein, and lots more.

Does homemade tofu taste better than store-bought? ›

The flavor profile is even more mild than store-bought tofu and it works perfectly in any tofu dish. If you have some time on your hands and want to try a neat food project, try making your own homemade tofu!

Does homemade tofu taste better? ›

It's much tastier than store-bought tofu.

That's because preservatives, coagulants, and extra ingredients added for uniform texture can easily drive out the natural, earthy soy flavor, My says. Homemade tofu can be made with just soybeans, water, and table salt when you reuse soy whey as a coagulant.

How do you make tofu taste like meat? ›

seasonings / marinade

The marinade employs staples like soy sauce, nutritional yeast and pantry essentials, If you can, use some Beefless Broth, Gravy Master, and Marmite. However, you can also substitute with things like Steak Sauce, Vegan Worcestershire and Tomato Paste.

Does boiling tofu make it taste better? ›

Heat, however, helps the flavours to permeate. Boiling tofu to obtain a more reliably solid texture and to impart flavour is not a new method, but it's not commonly used in Western styles of cooking. This method of seasoning tofu is suitable for varying levels of firmness, but not for silken or soft tofu.

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