How to make Baked Tofu – with three bold and flavorful marinades! Never have bland tofu again, with these three variations – Sesame Ginger Miso, Spicy Mexican Tofu, and BBQ Tofu. Simple, vegan and easy recipes! Great for meal prep! If you rather cook tofu on the stovetop, make sure to look at this Crispy Tofu Recipe .
Many of you have been messaging and emailing me, asking me how to cook tofu in a way that actually tastes good. My favorite way to cook tofu is to bake it in a flavorful marinade.
Here are three bold and flavorful marinades that will boost tofu’s flavor and give it the texture you will love. Aside from pan-searing with a little olive, salt and pepper, baked tofu is really as easy as it gets.
Much like a sponge, baked tofu will soak up whatever flavor is on it so making it flavorful is dependent entirely upon you. Baking tofu seems to encourage this process even more while giving it a pleasant crispness.
Even the pickiest of eaters seem to enjoy these! Truly! And these three flavorful tofu marinades 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.
If you rather cook tofu on the stovetop, make sure to look at this Crispy Tofu Recipe .
How to Bake Tofu:
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Blot tofu well with paper towels. Cut into desired shapes (strips, cubes, squares) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Coat liberally with your favorite marinade!
- Place the tofu in the 400F oven and bake uncovered for 25 minutes.
- For extra crispy, bake an additional 5 minutes!
Flavorful Tofu marinades:
- 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 a simple vegan main with a side of seasonal veggies.
- 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 alongside summer BBQ style meals with grilled corn, avocado and slaw, or in vegan sliders or sandwiches or over a bowlful of grilled summer veggies.
- Smoky Spicy Mexican Style Baked Tofu – seasoned with cumin, chili powder, chipotle, this flavorful tofu is perfect in tacos, burrito bowls or in taco salads.
- And if you like Peanut TOFU- Go Here!
- Or Tofu Shawarma, Go Here!
What I like about these baked tofu recipes is that you can prep and bake a batch of this ahead on Sunday, then use the baked tofu for various mid-week meals when time is short. They also come 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.
The tofu marinades take about 5 minutes of hands-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 Baked Tofu is perfect for midweek tacos.
Below, the Sesame Ginger Baked 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 25-35 minutes. And that is it!
The baked tofu 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.
Here is the sesame ginger baked tofu, with my favorite salad…..Thai Noodle Salad!
Tofu recipes need not ever be boring or bland again! Try one of these Baked Tofu recipes this week!
If you rather cook your tofu on the stovetop, please visit the post for Crispy Tofu!
If you like the idea of PEANUT TOFU, visit this post for Bali Bowls and grab the recipe there!
I also love baking tofu in this Szechuan Sauce... so tasty!
Print
Baked Tofu! (3 Flavorful Marinades!)
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: vegan, tofu recipe, main
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: american
Description
How to BAKE Tofu! With three FLAVORFUL marinades! Never have bland tofu again, with these three variations – Sesame Ginger Miso, Spicy Mexican Tofu and BBQ Tofu. Simple, vegan and easy recipes! Great for meal prep!
Ingredients
Baked Ginger Sesame Tofu
- 16 ounces tofu- organic, firm or extra firm, non-GMO
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce– or gluten-free Braggs Liquid amino acids ( tamari will be too salty)
- 1 tablespoon miso (or sub 1 more tablespoon soy sauce)
- 3–4 slices thin slices ginger- peels ok
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (optional)
- 1–3 teaspoons chili paste (all optional)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
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)
And if you like baked Peanut TOFU- Go Here!
Or baked Tofu Shawarma, Go Here!
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F
Blot tofu well with paper towels, pressing down gently. Cut into desired shapes (strips, cubes, squares).
Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Pick a marinade.
For Ginger Sesame Marinade: blend ingredients (except sesame seeds) together in a blender until smooth, pour over tofu, coating all sides well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake 40-50 minutes, and for extra crispy broil for a few minutes.
For BBQ tofu: Sprinkle tofu with salt and pepper. Mix bbq sauce and 1-2 teaspoons sriracha together in a small bowl. Taste, adjust heat. If you like crispy tofu, stir in a couple of teaspoons of olive oil. Liberally coat the top and sides of the tofu with the bbq sauce. Bake 25-35 minutes, perhaps longer if heavily coated.
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, baking longer for extra crispy.
For extra crispy, bake an additional 5-10 minutes or so, or broil. ( I actually set my gas oven to 425F- and use the middle rack- but some were experiencing burning- so I lowered the heat here. You can always try this.)
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.
Keywords: how to make baked tofu, how to bake tofu, baked tofu, tofu recipe, tofu recipes, baked tofu recipes, tofu marinade, how to cook tofu, how to bake tofu
So far I’ve only made the baked ginger sesame TWICE. I’ve been a non-meat eater since 1976 and this is by far my favorite tofu recipe. I have to force myself to not eat the whole batch. It’s easy to make and works out perfectly using pickled ginger from a jar. I can’t wait to try the others.
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thanks Connie!
Haven’t made it yet but do you really have to cook the ginger sesame tofu twice as long as the others?
You know, yes, the marinade is really wet, so to get those edges crispy, it needs to bake longer. You can check and see it if gets done any earlier?
I’ve never subscribed to a recipe site before, until today.
I discovered your site a while back while looking for some cool veggie recipes, and I bookmarked so many. I’ve yet to be disappointed by a single one.
Then, yesterday, I was looking for some tofu marinades, and I came across this. I didn’t analyze it much; I didn’t even look where the recipes came from; I just threw it together and into the fridge to chill. I came back in the evening to read what the recipe suggested for cooking times, and there was your picture. I was like, “OF COURSE it’s her again. No wonder the marinades taste so good…”
That sesame ginger one is baller. We’ll be trying the Mexican tomorrow.
I can’t wait to try some of the others I’ve saved.
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Thanks Danica, appreciate this!
Hi! Items 9 & 11 in the ingredient list for ginger sesame marinade seems to be missing on the post.
Hi- they weren’t missing just spaced weird! Sorry about that, fixed!
We made the ginger sesame tofu and it turned out well. Do you think you could marinade the tofu after you press it overnight to absorb the flavor of the sauce more?
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Sure!
Made the ginger sesame tofu today, it was so good!
★★★★★
Great recipe. I have tried different variations of the sesame ginger marinade for tofu. Hadn’t added miso before. I put the garlic through a press and grated the ginger fine, and whisked it all in a bowl rather than blending. My dog barks when I use the blender or food processor, and it worked fine. Recipe didn’t say to flip to cook on both sides which I did. I didn’t like the way it was baking on the parchment paper so when I flipped so I transferred to alum foil, brushed the top with the remaining marinate, and baked. Came out great. To get the moisture out of tofu I put on a plate between double layers of paper towel, microwave for 1 min, then cover with press lightly with additional paper towel. Extra firm tofu is best for marinated baked tofu.
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made the ginger sesame tofu. I’m veggie and made this for my little sister who is so finicky and absolutely cannot STAND the texture of tofu, but she totally LOVED it and asked me why I had never made it before! a smash hit
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Love it!
Made the ginger sesame tofu, served over the asian slaw, with the kyoto sweet potatoes on the side, and dinner was EPIC. My husband barely looked up from his plate – we were both so into the meal!
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Haha- love it Maigen- thanks and happy you both liked!
why did I wait so long to bake tofu?? Delicious!!
Haha! love it! Glad you gave it a go!
Made the ginger sesame!The flavor profiles are great, though we’ve had it in the oven for 35 minutes and its still soaking wet. Were we supposed to squeeze the tofu dry? Where did we go wrong?
★★★★
Yes, press it dry with paper towels. This Marinade is also quite wet, so bake a little longer. I updated the recipe to reflect.
Delicious. My husband even liked them and he never eats tofu! This recipe is so easy to use. I used the tofu in the spring rolls with the Peanut Sauce.
Great to hear he liked it!
Yum! The ginger sesame has just come out of the oven and it tastes sooo good. I’ve never had baked tofu before and I wish I had discovered this sooner. Thank you for the recipe! Delicious.
★★★★★
Love these marinades so much! I use the Smoky Spicy Mexican Tofu marinade at least twice a week for tacos, and the sesame ginger for stir fry’s! Thank you so much for these delicious recipes! Having recently started a plant-based lifestyle, these recipes are invaluable 🙂
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Great to hear, thanks!
I made the ginger sesame sauce
In a blender and it seemed very pasty and thought there was way to much garlic but it came out perfect once it was baked. Will definitely make again
★★★★★
Glad it worked for you Tim~!
Awesome tofu! Great for the fresh spring rolls! I thought I would share that I use a silicon mat instead of parchment paper for my tofu to bake on. It’s reusable and the mats are very affordable online or at a baking supply store. Just a thought if you wanted to save a little more money!
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Thanks so much Kylee, that is a great idea!!! Love it and thanks for sharing!
Wow. Easy quick healthy and gorgeous to look at. I had to take a picture and send it to friends just because it looks so nice! I’ve now made it 4 times and still it’s my absolute favorite. I do reduce the liquid smoke a little and use spicy miso instead of sriracha. Yum!!!!
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Awesome Roger, great to hear!
Hello Sylvia, my wife & I are new to this, we appreciate all of your advise & assistance. Tell me will these marinades work in a skillet?
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Hi Richard, You may want to prepare tofu with a dry rub then pan sear. Like in this post for Simple Crispy Tofu. Or Pan sear the tofu first, in oil with a little salt and pepper and get it crispy, then finish it with a marinade, cooking it down for just a few minutes.
Tried the ginger sesame marinade and enjoyed it – the use of fresh ginger is key to the flavor. I had the tofu with your Kyoto sweet potatoes and roasted cauliflower – altogether, a healthy, tasty and satisfying work lunch for the week.
★★★★★
Thanks I’m so glad you liked!
Is it possible to make the ginger sesame one without the oil?
yes, but it wouldn’t get crispy. What about cutting it back by half?
Just found this recipe and SO excited to try it. I see sesame seeds on the tofu in the pictures but the recipe calls for roasted sesame oil – could you please clarify?
Many thanks!
I use both- sorry I fixed the recipe. Thanks for pointing it out!
Thank you very much for responding AND this amazing recipe! I can’t wait to make it tomorrow. May I suggest saying toasted sesame seeds and just sesame oil! :-))
★★★★★
Love all three marinades- have been meal prepping with these and each turned out delicious!
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I made this with the Thai salad for a group. Lovely! But it did not get crisp even after adding ten minutes to the baking time. The flavors were wonderful and I didn’t mind that it was not crisp. I sort of liked the creaminess of the tofu with the crunch of the salad. I am loving your bold fresh flavor combinations. Thanks for these recipes!
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Awww thanks Mert! Glad you liked this!
I have made the sesame ginger tofu about 5 times, it’s delicious! My only suggestion would to make more if you like leftovers!
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Hahaha love it!
I love these recipes!! They’re so easy and incredibly delicious. I’m curious what veggies you pair with each if you were making dinner?
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Honestly, most of the time I pair what I have in the fridge and roast along side. For the Mexican Tofu- bell peppers/onion/zucchini for the asian style, wedges of cabbage or bok choy. 😉
I made the Smokey Spicy Mexican-Style Tofu– simple to make and so good! Used it in place of fish in your fish tacos recipe. It was light, satisfying, and refreshing. Thank you!
★★★★★
Such a great use for these…in the taco’s! Yay!!!
I just used your recipe to prepare tofu to be added at the last minute to a stir fry of onions, garlic, ginger and several large sweet peppers in a sauce of combined soy sauce and oyster sauce. The crispness of the tofu cubes was retained and they had absorbed some of the flavors of the sauce. I served it on fried noodles. Excellent! Hanifia
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I tried the sesame ginger tofu, to serve with Sylvia’ Thai Noodle Salad. It was easy and delicious! I had made the Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce many times for potlucks, but the addition of the tofu elevated it to the next level! Looking forward to trying the other two variations.
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Glad you tried it and liked it!
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
Delicious!!! I made the ginger seasame marinade. Easy!