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.
Hi! I’m excited to try this on Sunday, it looks amazing! My question is whether we can cook the tofu on our Blackstone flat top instead of in a pan. Will that work as well do you think?
Thank you!
Thanks, I hope you enjoy it! Is that like a cast iron flat pan? I think it should work fine, as long as you let it cook for a few minutes before trying to flip it or move it around, as it can stick. And use oil for sure to grease the pan well. Hope that helps!
Great taste. I omitted the oil and they did not get crispy in the oven despite using convection bake. Still like the recipe
This recipe is amazeballs! I’ve tried both pan fried and oven-baked, and both are absolutely delicious! The oven baked is great if you’re trying to cut back on oil/fat, and it’s a bit lower maintenance/less time consuming than frying, so I’ll probably stick with that going forward. But the pan fried definitely had a bit of extra punch!
Thank you so much for this, it’s my new go-to for salads during the week. Gonna prep the tofu early in the week, and then just bake what I need each day!
I’m so thrilled that you are loving the tofu and that it’s your new go to! I appreciate you taking your time to share your wonderful review and comments. Happy cooking!
I’ve made this several times and we always love it! I usually cut the tofu widthwise and open it up like a book and press it that way. Our youngest son and I are on low-carb diets, so I substitute monkfruit sweetener for the maple syrup, and we use the finished fried tofu in fried cauliflower rice. (Pro tip, lol – If you have a salad shooter, it makes AWESOME cauliflower rice!)
This is my go to recipe. Thank you for this wonderful recipe
Hi Isa! You are welcome! I am glad you love the marinated tofu and that it is your go to recipe! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
Thank you nora for sharing this recipe – very easy to make but definitely tasty! We love it so much that we have it on rotation.
I’m thrilled to hear this recipe is on your meal rotation! Thanks so much for taking your time to share your review and comments! I’m glad you are enjoying the recipe!
This was the first recipe I came across, when looking for a tofu recipe. I had never made it before, and this is really delicious. I can’t stop eating it!
I’m so glad you are loving the tofu recipe! I hope you’ll try my other tofu recipes as well! Thanks so much for sharing your review and comments!
Soooo good!!!!!! Finally!!
Delicious! I would suggest doubling the marinade and save half of it to pour over the finished tofu and rice.
Nora, you are amazing!!! Yet another triumph!! We cook your recipes here all the time!! Keep them coming!!
Thank you, Amy! I appreciate you sharing your review, and for using my recipes! I’m glad you are loving them!
I have never made a tofu stir fry, and tried my hand at this recipe tonight. I definitely won’t cut tofu into cubes when pan frying it, it is a bit unwieldy turning so many pieces.
I fried the tofu, then stir fried peppers, carrots, broccoli, green beans, snap peas and zucchini with a kung pao sauce.
The tofu: texture is nice. Taste by itself is honestly almost like cheese. With vegetables it is barely noticeable.
Will add to the rotation!
My fave! And my partner barbecues it too! I just make a little tray out of foil and barbecue the tofu as long as he is cooking the meat for. No need for oil or spray on the foil because of the sesame oil.
Sounds wonderful, Penny! I’m glad you are loving the tofu! Thank you for sharing your fun review and comments!
Excellent taste and easy to make! I have never liked tofu..but this was wonderful even cold! Thank you.
I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for sharing your review and comments!
Tried this tonight and ended up cutting my tofu into thicker strips so I could grill them on the bbq and WOW!! The marinade is so simple but packs so much flavour. I couldn’t believe how yummy it was, probably one of the best tofu recipes I’ve eaten & will definitely be making again 🙂
I have been doing the same thing lately and it turns out so amazing! Glad you enjoyed it.
I love this recipe! I’ve made it at least 10 times now and always perfect. Though I use an Air Fryer to cook it and it works great. I also freeze my tofu as soon as I buy it so you can wring it out like a sponge (carefully) to get rid of the water – once thawed.
Thanks again!
S
Thanks for sharing your comments! I’m glad you are loving the tofu! Happy cooking!
So yummy! Thanks for the recipe! I’m kind of new to tofu, so I was wondering – I read that dredging the tofu in cornstarch can help it get crispy too. What do you think? After marinating, I assume?
Sure, you could do that to make it crispier. But it will work best if you marinate, coat in cornstarch, then fry it in a pan with oil. If you bake it or fry it dry with cornstarch, it will be a little weird. Hope that helps!
Nora, love this! I write an article for our neighborhood here in Idaho and I had a request for a savory recipe. Might I use your recipe and a picture? it is a publication of only 500 (500 homes) please advise if I have your permission. I would absolutely plug your website!
That’s probably fine Cate. So glad you enjoy the recipe!
This recipe is amazing!
Rarely do I print off recipes anymore..but I couldn’t find this one night and I never want to be without it again.
Thank you! I’m so glad you loved the tofu! Thank you for sharing you review!
We loved this recipe! The tofu turned out so tasty <3
I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for sharing your review!
I made this and it was delicious! I cooked the tofu, exactly according to directions and It crisps up beautifully ! As a matter fact, I tried it for a midnight snack, because I was hungry and it was very satisfying! I’m new to switching off meat, and I’m having a really easy time, with delicious recipes like this one.
Thank you! 🙂
Thanks for sharing your fun review and comments! I’m so glad you love the tofu!
Is there possibly a sub for pure maple syrup cause I don’t usually have on hand?
You can leave it out, or use agave.
First I need to say thank you. I always had bad experiences in the past with tofu but not only was this easy to make, it was absolutely delicious. Switching to meat alternatives because of fatty liver disease scared me because I thought the things I would have to eat would tast bad but oh my goodness this was so good.
Hi Ashley! You are welcome, and I am so glad that you loved the tofu! Made well, tofu is really delicious! There are so many fun ways to make it! Thank you for sharing your review!
I found this recipe today and I made it today. I cannot stop eating it straight from the pan. This is definitely going to be a sweet repeat. Can’t wait to make this for my grandson!
Hi Molly! Thanks for sharing your great review! I love the term ‘sweet repeat!’ I’m glad you love the tofu!
You can try this by using fish sauce and a little bit of sugar instead of soy sauce, trust me it’s taste won’t let u disappointed
I enjoyed this .. will really try doing it ASAP..
Thanks Nora
Glad you enjoyed the tofu! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Hi! I’d like to try this recipe. Can i sub the rice vinegar with white wine vinegar? If not, can i use regular white vinegar? Thanks!
It won’t have quite the same flavor and it might taste pretty vinegary. You could just leave it out, or use just a little bit of vinegar.
Nora, this really is the best tofu recipe! Thanks for getting me over my fear of cooking tofu. I made it specifically for veggie spring rolls but my boyfriend and I ate half of it straight from the pan 🙂
Hi Carmen! I’m glad you guys loved the tofu! There are so many fun and delicious ways to cook tofu. I hope you’ll check out some of my other tofu recipes1. Thanks for taking time to share your wonderful review and comments!