Never eat bland or boring tofu again! This Marinated Tofu recipe easily transforms a regular brick of tofu into the most delicious protein with amazing flavors. Perfect for frying, baking, or air frying!
Are you skeptical of tofu? The secret to delicious tofu is how you prepare it! You’ll love my Perfect Fried Tofu, Crispy Baked Tofu and Air Fryer Tofu recipes as well.
And here are a few of my all-time-favorite tofu based dinners:
- Orange Tofu (tastes just like the popular take-out!)
- Sesame Tofu
- Peanut Tofu with Coconut Rice
If you think tofu is bland, boring, or difficult to make, think again! This Marinated Tofu recipe teaches you how to easily make the best tofu ever. All it takes is a really simple marinade!
Here’s what one reader had to say:
“Holy smokes. You nailed it. I haven’t been this excited about food for a long while! I couldn’t stop eating it out of the marinating dish lol. Thank you! So appreciate you sharing this with us.”
Jolene
Why I love this recipe
- The tofu marinade is super flavorful and simple to make with pantry staples.
- The tofu soaks up the marinade like a sponge, taking it from a bland soy blob to an incredibly flavorful protein source or snack.
- Marinated tofu is extremely versatile. Add it to a stir fry, salad, noodle bowl, sandwiches and so much more!
How to marinate tofu
Cut the tofu into cubes and place them in a single layer on a flat surface, like a cutting board lined with paper towels. Add a layer of paper towels on top, followed by a baking sheet. Weigh it down with something heavy, like cookbooks or a cast iron skillet to drain the water.
You can also choose to press the whole block of tofu instead of cutting it first. Slicing it first simply cuts down on time.
Meanwhile, make the tofu marinade by whisking the soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger together.
Transfer the pressed tofu cubes to a shallow dish or a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the marinade over top.
Cover with a layer of plastic, then place the dish in the fridge. Let the tofu marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight for more flavorful results.
How to cook marinated tofu
There are 3 ways I love to cook marinated tofu: pan frying, baking, and air frying.
Pan fried tofu
Warm some oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the marinated tofu pieces in the pan, then fry until golden brown on each side.
Pour some of the leftover marinade into the pan and stir to coat. Serve over rice with stir fried vegetables, then enjoy!
Baked tofu
Place the marinated tofu cubes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes. Flip, then continue baking for another 20 minutes.
If you want extra flavor, quickly fry the baked tofu in a skillet with the reserved marinade.
Air fryer tofu
Place the tofu pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket (work in batches so the pieces aren’t crowded). Air fry at 400ºF for 10 to 15 minutes or until the pieces are golden and crispy, shaking the basket after 10 minutes.
Plate the tofu and drizzle the reserved marinade over top. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
A firm variety is best, like medium-firm, firm, or extra-firm tofu. This recipe does not work with soft or silken tofu because they’re too watery and delicate to be pressed.
The longer the tofu sits in the marinade, the better it will taste! That’s why I recommend you marinate it for a minimum of 1 hour or overnight for the best results. Some readers have even let the tofu cubes marinate for 2 days with great results!
You can use tamari instead of soy sauce to make a gluten free tofu marinade.
The best way to prevent your fried tofu from sticking to the bottom of the pan is to preheat the oiled skillet and not move the tofu cubes AT ALL for the first 3 to 4 minutes. This helps the bottom get nice and crispy, making the pieces much easier to flip. Be very gentle when you do eventually move them around in the pan and use a quality spatula or even a fork.
The leftover cooked or uncooked tofu can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Absolutely! Add the tofu cubes and marinade to a large ziplock bag, seal it closed, and freeze for up to 6 months. Before cooking, let the frozen tofu thaw in the fridge.
Serving suggestions
I love serving the cooked tofu stir fry-style. I’ll top the cubes over bowls of rice or noodles with stir fried vegetables, like bok choy, mushrooms, and carrots.
The Asian-inspired flavors in the marinade also help the tofu pair perfectly with Vegan Fried Rice and endless noodle bowls. Toss it into a batch of these Teriyaki Noodles and Easy Drunken Noodles for a nourishing and satisfying meal!
Lastly, you can use the tofu as an easy plant-based protein source on grain bowls, sandwiches and salads. I love to use it in my Vegan Poke Bowls or Buddha Bowls because they make every bite extra filling and satisfying.
Marinated Tofu (The Best Tofu Ever!)
Ingredients
- 14.5 ounce block extra-firm tofu
- 4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger OR 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
- 2-3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or avocado
Instructions
- Quick press the tofu: Cut the tofu into cubes. Place them evenly on a flat surface such as a cutting board lined with paper towels or a clean towel. Cover with a layer of paper towels, set a baking sheet on top and then something heavy, like a large book or cast iron skillet. Press like this for 15 minutes while you make the marinade.
- Make the marinade: In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic and ginger.
- Marinate the tofu: Place the pressed tofu pieces in a shallow dish. (In the photos above I doubled the recipe, so I used a 9 x 13 inch dish, but for one batch you will need a smaller dish, such as an 8 x 8 inch.) Pour the marinade over the tofu. Let it marinate for at least 1 hour, covered, in the refrigerator. If you want to leave it overnight, it will be even more flavorful.
- Cook the tofu: In a large skillet, cast iron preferred, add a few tablespoons of a neutral oil, such as canola oil and heat over medium-high heat. You can omit the oil if needed, but you will need a very good non-stick pan so the tofu pieces don’t stick. Remove the tofu pieces from the marinade and add to the pan. Do not discard the marinade sauce. Fry the tofu until golden brown on each side.
- Once the tofu pieces are browned, pour any leftover marinade sauce into the pan with the tofu, and stir to coat. This makes the tofu even more flavorful! The tofu will quickly absorb the sauce. Remove from heat, and serve with rice and stir fried vegetables such as baby bok choy, mushrooms and carrots.
- Store leftover tofu in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It’s also good cold, as a high protein snack or in sandwiches and salads.
Video
Notes
- For gluten free, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- You can also bake the tofu if you prefer. Place the tofu pieces on a silicone mat or parchment paper on a baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Flip the pieces and bake for 20 more minutes. To add more flavor after baking, quickly saute in a pan with the leftover marinade sauce; you won’t need to use any oil.
- Instead of quick pressing, you could also press the whole block of tofu for at least an hour.
- This recipe can easily be doubled or even tripled, and stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, if it lasts that long! I always double it as my family gobbles it up fast.
- Nutrition information is for 1/4 of the tofu only, using 2 tablespoons of canola oil for frying.
Nutrition
Adapted from Genius Kitchen.
I am allergic to corn, and that would include cornstarch. On all of your vegan tofu recipes, I want to substitute with something else. I also avoid flour since it coats the lining of my colon– all forms of flour does.
Please respond with your comments on all of your recipes. Mahalo
I don’t know if you are able to have it, but something like arrowroot or tapioca starch might work on my tofu recipes and other places where cornstarch is called for. Hope that helps!
Could you grill this?
Oh yeah, for sure!
This recipe is a staple to my vegan diet! Sometimes, I don’t even have time to bake it and just add it to salads or rice. I have also used this to make Korean vegan “gim bap”. Instead of cubes, cut your tofu into long thin strips, marinate, bake as instructed. Then you can use those long strips to make those rolls. Thank you, Nora!!
I’m coming back to see other recipe hits!
You’re welcome!
This is my go to sauce for tofu any day of the week. It’s quick, easy, and delicious. I often add some fish sauce and red chili pepper flakes (for an extra kick). It pairs well with rice noodles, and fresh veggies. There are never leftovers.
The extra sauce can be poured over the noodles.
I’m so glad you like it!
Hey Nora! Is there a recipe for vegan “fish” sauce?
Hi there! I don’t personally have a recipe, but here is one that looks great: Vegan Fish Sauce.
Tamari can still contain wheat. Look for Wheat Free Tamari, or, as I have preferred for 40 years, BRAGG’S LIQUID AMINOS, or, in Canada, labled BRAGG’S Liquid SOY. This product is NOT femented.
Did this nearly the same. Didn’t have rice vinegar so used apple cider vinegar. The method for pressing the water out worked great. I’ll definitely use this again. Was not sweet tasting for me at all, as other reviewers said.
We weren’t sure if we would like this as it has maple syrup in the recipe. We didn’t like the slightly sweet taste. We will try a different, more savory marinade.
Eliminate the sugars or add a dash of mustard powder; replace vinegar with fresh squeeze lemon or lime juice.
I haven’t tried this yet but wondered if I make the full amount & eat a single portion can I freeze the remainder? If so at what stage would you recommend? Thanks for your help!
I’m not sure how this would freeze, maybe though. The tofu’s texture will change though.
Straight forward and delicious (even with only an hour of marinating)!
This marinade is SO food and has become my go to!
t’s super flavorful, simple to make, and very versatile
Thanks!!
This is awesome! Even my meat eating husband loved it!! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I’m so happy you both enjoyed it!
I’m so happy to have found this recipe. Thank you! I kept the sesame oil but eliminated the neutral oil and used my air fryer. They turned out great. A small group of friends gathered on my patio (safe distancing, of course) right after I took them out of the air fryer. I had made a double batch, thank goodness, so I brought out a little plate of them. None of these folks are vegan, some had never ever heard of tofu, but several of them kept going back for more. This is definitely going to be my go-to tofu recipe. I nibbled on them cold throughout the week. Every bite was a treat!
That’s so great to hear!!
I love this recipe and use it a lot. I made small changes. I reduced the amount of soy sauce by half and double the recipe. Maybe my reduced sodium soy sauce has more salt in it than yours. Here in Canada tofu comes as 350 g. I slice it in fairly thin slices, rather than cubes and then after they are fried on both sides they can be used in sandwiches or eaten with stir fry. I love using the sauce in stir fry or drizzling it over the tofu.
This was absolutely wonderful. Followed recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. I have not eaten meat,chicken, turkey for over 50 years. PF Changs tofu is something I have always wanted to master and now I have found it!! Served over white rice and vegetables. Thank you Thank you….I have already sent this to so many friends. Just wonderful!!
This is awesome! Even my meat eating husband loved it!! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
You’re welcome!!
My husband likes this. I have tried making recipes with tofu for YEARS and he has never liked any of them. This is delicious!!!!!
Wow, that’s a great compliment! Thanks for the comment!
This recipe genuinely is THE BEST. I’ve tried many others, but I come back to this one over and over.
I’m so glad, thank you!
Could this be done in steaks and grilled?
Oh my goodness, yes, and I’m going to have to try that sometime!
This marinade is SO food and has become my go to! Thanks for a great recipe!
You’re welcome!!
Haven’t made this yet but will definitely give it a try the next few days. Here’s a question: supposing you let the tofu marinate over night and then press it again to get rid of the excess moisture, then coat it with starch and fry it crispy, you should have all the advantages of the marinade plus a super crispy exterior, right?
Anyways thanks for sharing c:
I imagine you would, yes! Hope you enjoy it!
You are so right! Best tofu ever. I made it last night for my son, his girlfriend and me and it was a major hit with us all! Next time I will triple the marinade for sure. I ended up after marinating for over an hour “grilling” it on a flat, non-stick griddle while I stir fried veggies with the remaining sauce, then added the tofu to the veggie mix. Worked great since I don’t use any oil to cook with. Served it over brown rice…it was outstanding and a nice and much needed change from my other marinades. I even had all the ingredients! Thank you!
You’re so welcome!! I’m so glad it came out great!
It is a super tasty marinade. Just what I was looking for. I also added some chili pepper flakes.
I loved this simple recipe. so good!
Thanks so much!!
I’m making this right now for the second time this week. I love it! I added about a teaspoon of cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Thank you Nora for the best tofu recipe!
Tofu is not cheap in my country and we make it ourself. Thanks for sharing your recipe! so good for health and skin