Tofu is a little sponge, soaking up whatever flavors you throw at it. No matter what flavor profile your dish is headed toward, nutritious tofu will slide right in. I like to think of it sort of like chicken – a really plain ingredient that lends itself well to marinades, and tofu is our vegan adaptation. When people say they don’t like tofu, they are likely thinking of eating it plain. While it does have its place in some tasty soups like that, the entire purpose of that blank canvas is to add a simple tofu marinade! These easy tofu marinades come together quickly. Just measure everything out, dump it in a bag, add tofu cubes, and toss. Unlike raw meat, the remaining marinade is perfectly safe to brush over the tofu while baking or add more flavor to the final dish.
the tofu basics
All the ingredients for this easy tofu marinade are equally easy to find and likely in your pantry already. Keep a stash of freezer bags on hand – they make marinating proteins so much easier than a bowl! Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements; this is just an overview.
Tofu: This amazing protein is made from condensed soy milk. It’s kinda like pressing together the curds that separate out of the whey in cheesemaking! Flavors: We’ll jump into details below, but let’s just say we will travel the globe with our 8 varieties!
How to make the Best Tofu Marinade
This is just a brief overview, be sure to jump to the recipe card for the full printable instructions. Step 1: Press the TofuEven with the firm and extra-firm varieties, tofu contains a lot of water. You can press that out if you’d like, but you can skip it if you are “pressed” for time! There are special tofu presses you can buy, or just set something heavy on the tofu block and allow the water to run out. Pressing your tofu allows more flavor to be absorbed into it! Step 2: Cut TofuCut tofu into desired shapes. Slabs are perfect for pan frying or grilling, and cubes are most often used for salads and other dishes where you just want to scoop it up and not be cutting it on your plate. Step 3: Mix Everything TogetherSelect a marinade from the list below and mix it up! If it contains oils or other liquids, a whisk is really helpful. If it’s just spices, stir it up with your measuring spoon. Step 4: AssembleAdd tofu to a bag or bowl. Use a spoon or squish the bag around to make sure every piece is coated in flavor. I like to put it in the fridge for at least an hour before cooking. Feel free to start this in the morning to really let things absorb. Step 5: CookRemove the tofu from the marinade and cook as directed in your recipe. Tofu is amazing whether it is baked, air-fried, or sauteed.
Smoked Bacon Tofu Marinade
Bacon tofu is perfect served alongside egg white frittata or egg muffin cups. Here’s what you’ll need to make it.
Smoked paprika Liquid smoke Maple syrup
Sesame Ginger Tofu Marinade
This marinade is also tasty with seitan or tempeh. Try mixing it into cauliflower fried rice for easy meal prep with fresh ingredients like in this Buddha bowl.
Sesame oil Ginger Brown sugar
BBQ Tofu Marinade
BBQ marinade couldn’t be easier. I thin out my favorite barbecue sauce and add some more flavor boosters, which are listed below. Pair it with a light summer vegetable salad, strawberry summer salad, or a scoop of egg salad.
Vinegar Fresh garlic
Herby Balsamic Tofu Marinade
It’s pasta night! Serve this tofu along with a caprese salad, or why not pop it right into a caprese panini? You’ll just need 2 ingredients for it.
Olive oil Balsamic vinegar
Fajita Tofu Marinade
Obviously, since I’ve named this marinade after fajitas, it would be perfect to add to vegetable fajitas on Taco Tuesday. Fajitas are one of the easiest meals to serve to a crowd because everyone can customize their plates.
Chili powder Lime juice Avocado oil
Garlic & Herb Tofu Marinade
This tofu is delicious cut into bite-size pieces and topped on some pizza dough with all your favorite toppings.
Garlic cloves (6 of them!) Italian seasoning
Tandoori Tofu Marinade
Serve this Indian-inspired tofu with a bunch of delicious textures and watch everyone dig in with delight.
Garam masala Garlic Coriander
Cilantro & Lime Tofu Marinade
Just look at all that beautiful greenery! Fresh cilantro has to be my favorite herb of all time. I think cubed and seared cilantro lime tofu would be a great way to add protein to a bowl of Taco Soup. And of course, any protein can be swapped out for this tofu when you are making tacos or Vegan Burritos.
How to Cook Marinated Tofu
Tofu is really easy to cook! You can either just add it to a recipe where appropriate, or cook it on its own and then add to your plate or the rest of the dish (like saute, cool a bit, then top a salad).
Baking: I like to line a pan with parchment while the oven heats to 400°F. I find it takes about 30 minutes for tofu to cook up crispy. You can flip each piece over halfway through if you have slabs or just jiggle the pan around if they are cubes. All the photos in this post have the tofu baked in this way! Saute: Heat up a pan over medium-high heat and add a touch of oil. Then add your tofu pieces and flip them as each side toasts so they don’t burn. Grill: As long as you oil your grill well, tofu slabs cook up nicely. Set a gas grill to 400°F and go for about 3 minutes per side or until just charred. (Grab our full guide to BBQ tofu here!) Air Fry: This amazing appliance lets the hot air circulate until every inch of your tofu is nice and crispy. I have got to say, this air fryer tofu might be my favorite method!
