This Grilled Tofu recipe marinates thick slabs of tofu in a delicious marinade before they’re charred to perfection on the grill. It’s an easy way to cook tofu and one of the best plant proteins for grilling season!
Take your tofu from blah to yum! with my Perfect Fried Tofu, Crispy Baked BBQ Tofu, Air Fryer Tofu, and Crispy Baked Tofu recipes as well.
Introducing my new favorite way to cook tofu: on the grill! This recipe will show you how to make tofu taste amazing using a simple marinade and a hot grill. Who knew it could be so easy?
The blocks of tofu are sliced into wide and thick slabs and then dunked in a savory marinade made from 5 pantry staples. The tofu soaks in those wonderful flavors for a few hours before it’s fired on the grill. From the gorgeous grill marks to the classic barbecue flavors to the endless ways to enjoy them, these grilled tofu steaks are too good to pass up!
Pair them with all of your grilling season go-to’s, like my Sticky BBQ Tempeh Ribs, Vegan Veggie Kebabs, the Best Veggie Burgers, and more.
Why you’ll love this grilled tofu recipe
- Golden on the outside, meaty on the inside – The high heat gives the marinated tofu steaks irresistible golden grill marks on the outside while the inside stays tender and meaty.
- An easy summer protein – Make in advance and fire the pieces on the grill anytime you need an easy and delicious plant protein for your summer dinners.
- The easiest and most delicious marinade – Like my Marinated Tofu recipe, I marinated the tofu slices in a 5-ingredient marinade to give them rich and savory flavors.
How to grill tofu
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Press the blocks of tofu for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the soy sauce, avocado oil, seasoned rice vinegar, sesame oil, and garlic powder together in a small bowl.
Pro tip: Use extra firm or super firm tofu for this recipe! Softer varieties, like medium or soft tofu, will crumble and fall through the grill grates.
Slice the tofu block into thick slices and place them in a large shallow dish or large ziplock bag. Pour the marinade over the tofu, then cover the dish or seal the bag and leave it to marinate in the fridge.
Take the tofu slabs out of the marinade and place them on a preheated grill. Grill the tofu on both sides until golden brown grill marks appear. When done, transfer the grilled tofu steaks to a platter and cover them with aluminum foil to keep them warm.
Before serving, simmer the reserved marinade in a saucepan until it thickens slightly, then pour it over the tofu. Enjoy!
Tofu sticking to grill?
There are a few tricks to get your tofu to release easily from the grill (or a grill pan).
- Use only extra-firm or even super-firm tofu. And press extra-firm tofu to get rid of excess water.
- Use oil on the grill, and in the marinade.
- Don’t attempt to move the tofu for several minutes, until marks form and it cooks long enough on one side. This helps it to release easily. Use a fork to slowly and carefully pop them off to release the tofu from the grill without tearing. Don’t roughly handle the tofu with tongs, or it may fall apart and rip.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, pressing the water out of the tofu blocks is a crucial step. Pressed tofu not only has a firmer and meatier texture but also absorbs flavors more easily.
To press the tofu, either use a tofu press or wrap each block in a few paper towels, place a plate or pan on top, and put a couple of heavy books on top of that. The only way to avoid pressing tofu is to use the super firm variety in a vacuum pack.
I recommend marinating the tofu for at least 1 hour at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight. Basically, the longer you marinate, the more flavorful they’ll be. Just don’t go over the 24-hour mark or else the tofu will start to crumble.
Depending on how thick you slice the tofu, each piece should need to cook for about 5 to 7 minutes per side on a medium-high heat grill. The tofu is grilled perfectly when you see golden brown grill marks.
All of your summer favorites! Once they’re slathered in the marinade or barbecue sauce, I like to serve the tofu with my Vegan Broccoli Salad, Vegan Potato Salad, and Vegan Baked Beans on the side. Some grilled vegetables, like zucchini, corn, and bell peppers, would be amazing, too.
You can also repurpose the grilled tofu and serve it on top of a salad or grain bowl, layer it in a sandwich, or fold it in a veggie wrap for more protein and flavor. The sky’s the limit!
Grilled Tofu
Ingredients
- (2) 14.5 ounce blocks extra-firm tofu or super firm
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1/4 cup avocado oil or canola oil
- 6 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Press the tofu: Wrap the block of tofu in paper towels. Place a plate or pan on top of the wrapped tofu, and put a couple of heavy books on top of that. Let the tofu press for 30 minutes, or up to an hour.
- In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, avocado oil, seasoned rice vinegar, sesame oil and garlic powder to combine.
- Slice the tofu into thick slices, about 4 slices per block of tofu. Place in a large shallow dish (or large ziplock type bag), then pour the marinade over the tofu.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour, or even overnight. The longer you marinate, the more flavor. But I wouldn't go over 24 hours.
- Preheat an outdoor grill (or indoor grill pan) over medium-high heat and lightly oil. Remove the tofu from the marinade (but keep it nearby) and place on the hot grill. Cook for about 5-7 minutes on each side until golden brown marks appear. Turn with a metal spatula or fork, carefully loosening the tofu from the grate. Cook 5-7 minutes on the other side, then transfer to a platter and cover to keep warm.
- If desired, pour the reserved marinade into a saucepan and simmer for about 3 minutes. Pour as much as desired over the tofu for even more flavor and serve.
Notes
- Use only extra-firm tofu that has been pressed well, OR the super firm variety (which does not need pressing).
- May use gluten free tamari for gluten free grilled tofu.
- Another vegetable oil works in place of avocado, like vegetable, canola or even olive oil.
- Leftover tofu keeps in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Hi Nora! How do you think this would work in a cast iron skillet with ridges? I don’t have a grill unfortunately. Thanks!
I often use my cast iron grill pan, and it works just fine. Make sure to oil the pan well, and to prevent sticking once you place the tofu on the well oiled pan, let it cook for a while without moving it, then carefully separate it from the pan and flip. I like to use a fork to gently pry it from the pan.
I have just started eating tofu. I am 75. Found out I have plaque in my heart from the radiation and chemo I had to treat breast cancer. This is a wonderful recipe. The marinade makes it taste like meat. I grilled it in an iron skillet til it was crisp.I love it. Thanks!
This is incredibly delicious!! I didn’t have enough rice wine vinegar left but probably did about 3TBS. I also added some garlic, ginger and maple syrup because I’m obsessed with your marinated tofu recipe. Regardless, after 3 hours of marinating and about 5-6 minutes/side on the BBQ, they were SO SO yummy! We couldn’t stop eating them. We also noticed they tasted even more flavourful as they cooled down. This will be a staple in our house for sure!
Hi Val. I’m thrilled that you loved the grilled tofu recipe! Thanks for sharing your stellar review and feedback! How awesome this is going onto your meal rotation! I appreciate you and wish you lots of happy cooking!