How to Cook Marinated Tofu

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My foolproof tofu marinade recipe will help you achieve flavorful, crispy marinated tofu every time! Choose from one of 3 ways for how to cook tofu - air fryer, baked or pan fried - and pair it with this asian tofu marinade for a vegan and gluten free staple ingredient you can use in tacos, salad or grain bowls.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American, Asian, Latin American

Keyword air fryer, baking, dairy-free, easy, frying, gluten-free, healthy, plant-based, soy sauce, soy-free, tamari sauce, tofu, vegan

Prep Time 1 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 1 30

Servings people

Calories 79kcal

Author Ksenia Prints

Equipment

Ingredients

1 package of firm or extra-firm tofu

Asian tofu marinade:

6 Tbs of soy sauce Tamari sauce, or Bragg's amino acids
3 Tbs of rice wine vinegar
1 Tb of Sambal Oelek or Sriracha sauce
¼ teaspoon of Chinese five spice powder OR cumin
3 Tbs of water

Instructions

Press the tofu to drain between your hands to extract fluids. Alternatively, to get even more liquid out, place the tofu on a cutting board, top it with a plate, and top the plate with a heavy can. Leave to drain for 15 minutes.
Cut the tofu into small cubes, each slightly smaller than 1-square inch. You can also cut it into triangles for sandwiches.
In a square or rectangular bowl, make the marinade by whisking together soy, rice vinegar, hot sauce, spices and water. Add cubed tofu to bowl and toss the tofu in the marinade, covered with plastic wrap or lid, overnight or at least for a few hours (you can even let it marinate for a few days, soaking up flavour as it goes along, so don't hesitate to plan several meals from this tofu). Give the tofu pieces a stir every few hours, to ensure all are evenly coated with sauce.
Uncooked, marinated tofu stays good for 3 days in an airtight container.

PAN FRIED TOFU METHOD

Preheat a grill pan, a cast iron pan or a non-stick pan to high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of oil. Remove the tofu from the marinade, add tofu to the pan and grill 2-3 minutes per side. Turn each piece over to the other side, repeating until the tofu is browned on all sides and you can see grill marks if using a grill pan.
Top with a few spoonfuls of the remaining marinade, if desired.

OVEN BAKED TOFU METHOD

Preheat the oven to 400F. Cover a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Remove the tofu from the marinade, arrange on a baking sheet so there’s no overlap between the slices. Bake for 15 minutes on one side; flip over, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Top with a few spoonfuls of the remaining marinade, if desired.

AIR FRYER TOFU METHOD

Preheat the air fryer to 375F. Spray with non-stick spray, or drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil. Remove the tofu from the marinade, arrange in the air fryer so there’s no overlap. Air fry tofu for 15 minutes, shaking the basket a couple of times in the process. You want your tofu nice and golden brown for this simple recipe.
Remove tofu from the air fryer and top with a few spoonfuls of the remaining marinade, if desired.

Video

Notes

Why and when it’s important to drain the tofu: draining the tofu makes it more susceptible to taking in flavor. I have noticed a difference in the texture when making crispy tofu bites for dipping, for example. That being said, if you’re marinating the tofu to use it in something with sauce, then it’s not a HUGE difference. So it’s totally up to you.
Now, about the water in the marinade - that’s meant simply to raise the level of the marinade so the tofu soaks fully. You can skip it entirely if you use a dish that’s wide and shallow enough to contain the tofu in one row, and then you’re diligent about turning it halfway. Because tofu that isn’t properly marinated WILL taste different.

Nutrition