Many of you have been messaging and emailing me, asking me how to prepare tofu in a flavorful simple way. Here are 3 ways to add BOLD flavors to Tofu. Aside from pan-searing with a little olive, salt and pepper, baking tofu in a flavorful marinade is as easy as it gets. Much like a sponge, tofu will soak up whatever is near it, so making it flavorful is dependent entirely upon you. Baking it seems to encourage this process even more while giving it a pleasant crispness. Even the pickiest of eaters seem to enjoy these! And these 3 bold flavor profiles are simple enough to incorporate into your weekly meals. Pick one, then prep a batch on Sunday adding it to meals you are already making – Buddha Bowls, tacos, stir-fries, asian noodles or simply serve with a hearty side of veggies.
1. Baked Sesame Ginger Tofu – especially good with Asian style dishes like the Thai Noodle Salad from last week -also really tasty in spring rolls, or Asian style buddha bowls or serve as simple vegan main with a side of seasonal veggies.
2. Baked Spicy BBQ Tofu– a mix of your favorite barbecue sauce w/ a little sriracha sauce ( or chili flakes) spooned over salted tofu before baking. Great along side summer BBQ style meals with grilled corn, avocado and slaw, or in vegan sliders or sandwiches or over a bowlful of grilled summer veggies.
3. Smoky Spicy Mexican Style Tofu – seasoned with cumin, chili powder, chipotle, this flavorful tofu is perfect in tacos, burrito bowls or in taco salads.
What I like about these recipes is that you can prep a batch of this ahead on Sunday, then use the tofu for various mid-week meals when time is short. They also comes in very handy for the Energy Bowls you received when you signed up for the blog. Also note, the marinades will also work with great with chicken, shrimp or fish.
They take about 5 minutes of hand on time before going into the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes.
Some of you have been telling me you are “off” soy and I understand. For me personally, when purchasing tofu, I opt for organic, non-GMO firm tofu and enjoy it in moderation – once a week or so- as a good source of plant-based protein. Plus I just like really it and so does my meat-loving husband, always a bonus! So to mix it up, it’s part of our repertoire. Too much of anything is never a good idea.
Above, the smoky spicy Mexican tofu is perfect for midweek tacos.
Below, the Sesame Ginger Tofu is delicious over Thai peanut noodles.
Sometimes I’ll cut the tofu in different shapes and sizes for various uses. For example, I cut them into long narrow strips for spring rolls and tacos. Bigger “filets” are used as a “main” and smaller cubes are great for Buddha Bowls or tossed in salads. For baking make sure the tofu is about ¾ an inch thick.
Blend or stir the marinade ingredients together and simply pour over or brush on.
Bake at 400 F for 25-30 minutes. And that is it!
It comes out crispy and full of flavor.
Baked tofu will keep up to 4-5 days in the fridge. It’s actually quite good cold.
Tofu need not ever be boring or bland again! Hope this helps and have a fabulous week!
3 Ways to Add Bold Flavors to Tofu
Elevate bland and boring tofu by baking in one of these bold and flavorful marinades. 1.Baked Ginger Sesame Tofu- Great source of plant-based protein perfect for salads, spring rolls, Buddha bowls, or served with a side of veggies! Vegan and Gluten-Free adaptable. 2. Spicy BBQ Tofu- great for vegan summer BBQs. 3. Mexican Tofu- perfect for tacos, burrito bowls, or tossed into taco salads.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: vegan
Ingredients
Baked Ginger Sesame Tofu
- 16 ounces tofu- organic, firm or extra firm, non-GMO
- 2 tablespoons toasted – – sesame oil
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce- or gluten free Braggs Liquid amino acids ( tamari will be too salty)
- 3-4 slices thin slices ginger- peels ok
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (optional)
Baked BBQ Tofu
- 16 ounces tofu- organic, firm or extra firm, non-GMO
- generous pinch salt and pepper
- ½ cup – ¾ cup bbq sauce ( add sriracha or chili flakes for a little kick)
Smokey Spicy Mexican Style Tofu
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar ( or white)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic ( or finely minced garlic clove)
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ -½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon mexican oregano ( optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F
Blot tofu well with paper towels. Cut into desired shapes (strips, cubes, squares).
Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Pick a marinade.
For Ginger Sesame Marinade: blend ingredients together in a blender until smooth, pour over tofu, coating all sides well.
For BBQ tofu: Sprinkle tofu with salt and pepper. Mix bbq sauce and 1-2 teaspoons sriacha together in a small bowl. Taste, adjust heat. If you like crispy tofu, stir in a couple teaspoons of olive oil. Liberally coat the top and sides of the tofu with the bbq sauce.
For the Mexican Tofu: Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl then brush the marinade on the tofu.
Place the coated tofu in the 400F oven and check after 25 minutes.
For extra crispy, bake an additional 5 minutes or so.
Notes
If using Coconut Amino Acid instead of Braggs or soy sauce, add more salt to help the flavor. It’s less salty that Braggs and Soy sauce
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Delicious!!! I made the ginger seasame marinade. Easy!
We make bbq tofu all the time, but I was looking for something a little different and found this post. We made the Mexican style tofu last week and the sesame ginger tonight. Both were SO easy and delicious! Can’t wait to make more of the Mexican style to try chilled on a salad. These are definite keepers in our meal rotation!
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Yay!!! This makes me sooooo happy. I love tofu….I wish more people did!!! It’s so versatile! And can be very flavorful. xoxo