How to make Baked Tofu with 3 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. Video!
Looking for more? Check out our 50+ Amazing Tofu Recipes!
Many of you have been messaging and emailing me, asking me how to add more flavor to your tofu.
If you rather cook tofu on the stovetop, make sure to look at this Crispy Tofu Recipe .
Baked Tofu – 3 ways! | Video
Tofu can be cut into various sized pieces- cubes, strips or “filets” depending on how you plan to use them.
How to Bake Tofu:
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Blot a block of tofu with paper towels and press the tofu lightly, releasing the water.
- Cut tofu into pieces – strips, cubes, or “filets” and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Coat all sides liberally with your favorite marinade!
- Pour any leftover marinade over the top, or over veggies, to bake alongside.
- Place the tofu in the 400F oven and bake uncovered for 25 minutes.
- For extra crispy baked tofu, continue baking an additional 5-10 minutes!
Tofu Faqs
What is tofu made of?
Tofu is made from soybeans, a versatile, healthy meat substitute that is high in protein, gluten-free, vegan, and low in fat and calories.
What does tofu taste like?
Tofu on its own is like a blank slate, having very little flavor. The advantage of this being it can take on any flavor or seasonings you give it!
What is the healthiest way to cook tofu?
Baking tofu (verses frying) using a minimal amount of oil provides the highest amount of protein with very little added fat.
How do you add flavor to tofu?
One of the easiest ways to add flavor to tofu is to bake tofu in a flavorful marinade. Much like a sponge, tofu will soak up the flavors that surround it- so baking tofu right in the marinade encourages this process while concentrating the flavors, and drying it out a bit, giving the tofu a pleasant texture. Baked tofu is really as easy as it gets.
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.
Do you press Tofu before or after marinating?
Think of Tofu like a sponge. You want to press some of the water out of the tofu before you marinate it. This will allow the tofu to soak up some marinade, drawing it in. The best way to do this is to take 2 paper towels and lightly blot and press each side of a whole block. Don’t try to press out too hard or all of the water, some moisture is good here. Then cut.
What happens if you don’t press tofu?
If you don’t press the tofu before baking, the marinade may not soak into the tofu (because it is filled with water), resulting in tofu that is less flavorful, and less crispy.
Can you marinate Tofu too long?
The saltier the marinade the shorter the marinading time. Remember, tofu is like a sponge. Because you are baking the tofu in the marinade, you can bake tofu right after coating it in the marinade, or no longer than 24 hours of marinating time.
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.
The tofu marinade takes about 5 minutes of hands-on time, before going into the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes.
What type of tofu to buy?
When purchasing tofu for baking in a marinade, always opt for organic, non-GMO, firm or extra firm tofu. Organic sprouted tofu is another great option. These are always found in the refrigerated section.
Silken tofu, the kind in vacuum-sealed cardboard boxes will be too soft in this application.
Above, the smoky spicy Mexican Baked Tofu is perfect for midweek tacos.
Below, the Sesame Ginger Baked Tofu is delicious over Thai peanut noodles.
How to cut tofu:
Cut the tofu in different shapes and sizes depending on what you are making with it. For example:
- Cut tofu into long narrow strips for spring rolls and tacos.
- Cut into big “filets” to use as a “main”.
- Cut tofu into cubes for Buddha Bowls or tossed in salads.
- When baking tofu, a general rule of thumb is to cut it to ¾ of 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!
More Tofu Recipes you may enjoy!
- Crispy Tofu!
- 50+ Amazing Tofu Recipes!
- Crispy BBQ Tofu Sandwich with Slaw
- Bali Bowls with Peanut Tofu
- Black Pepper Tofu with Bok Choy
- Thai Chicken Satay (Vegan-adaptable- with TOFU!)
Baked Tofu Recipe | 3 Flavorful Marinades
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: vegan, tofu recipe, main
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: american
- Diet: Vegan
Description
How to BAKE Tofu with 3 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
- 1/2 cup – 3/4 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)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 –1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1/2 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 the block of tofu with paper towels. Press the tofu gently to release some liquid, blotting as you go.
- Cut tofu into pieces (strips, cubes, squares or fillets) about 3/4 -1 inch thick.
- Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Pick and make 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 25-35 minutes, checking halfway through, 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.
- 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 5-15 minutes longer for extra crispy.
Notes
If using Coconut Amino Acid instead of Braggs or soy sauce, add more salt to help the flavor. It’s less salty than Braggs and Soy sauce.
If you are having trouble getting the tofu extra crispy, it may be you didn’t press enough liquid out.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 161
- Sugar: 0.8 g
- Sodium: 525.1 mg
- Fat: 11.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.9 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 11.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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.
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
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!
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 🙂
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!
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!!!!
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?
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!
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!
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!
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?
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
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.
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!
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!