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    Home > Recipes > Main Dishes

    Marinated Tofu

    Published: Apr 11, 2021 · Modified: Oct 7, 2022 by Iosune · This post may contain affiliate links · 204 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Photo of a bowl of marinated tofu with the words marinated tofu

    Marinated tofu, an easy recipe that makes tofu taste amazing. It's low in fat, high in protein, and requires 8 ingredients and 20 minutes.

    Photo of a bowl of marinated tofu

    This marinated tofu is so easy to make! It is a super simple recipe perfect to enjoy for lunch or dinner. And it only requires 8 simple ingredients and just 30 minutes of your time!

    I absolutely love to have it at least once a week, as it is delicious, flavorful, high in protein, satiating, and low in fat. Besides, you can customize it with the spices and herbs you prefer and serve it with your favorite ingredients.

    Contents hide
    1. Marinated tofu recipe - Short video
    2. How to make marinated tofu - Step by step
    3. Ingredients and tips
    4. Looking for more tofu recipes?
    5. Did you make this marinated tofu recipe?
    6. Marinated Tofu

    Marinated tofu recipe - Short video

    How to make marinated tofu - Step by step

    Step-by-step photos of how to make marinated tofu
    • Mix all the tofu marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl until well combined (photo 1). Add the tofu cubes and let them marinate (photo 2), covered in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
    • Drain the tofu but don’t discard the liquid (photo 3). Set aside.
    • Heat the oil in a skillet (photo 4), and sautée the tofu over medium-high heat until golden brown (photo 5).
    • Add the marinade liquid to a bowl along with the cornstarch (photo 6) and mix until well combined (photo 7). Pour the sauce into the frying pan and cook until it thickens (photo 8).
    • Serve your marinated tofu immediately.

    Ingredients and tips

    • Firm tofu: firm or extra firm tofu work best for this marinated tofu recipe. Soft or silken tofu are not good choices as they will fall apart easily.
    • Water: you could also use vegetable stock instead.
    • Soy sauce or tamari: I use soy sauce, but tamari is a good gluten-free alternative. If you can’t eat soy, coconut aminos is a great substitute. You could also add the same amount of water or vegetable stock and add more salt.
    • Apple cider vinegar: you could also use white vinegar or lemon juice instead.
    • Maple syrup: feel free to use any other type of sweetener. Agave syrup is the best alternative, though.
    • Garlic powder: you could also use fresh garlic and sautée it with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. However, I find garlic powder to be more convenient. Onion powder would also be a good choice.
    • Cayenne powder: omit this ingredient if you’re not into spicy food and feel free to add more or less of it depending on how spicy you want your tofu marinade to be. You could also use cayenne pepper, chili powder, or any other type of spicy sauce. Keep in mind that you may need to add more or less of it if you’re using cayenne powder.
    • Cornstarch: feel free to use any other type of starch instead. You could also omit it, but your sauce won’t have the same texture and it will be more watery.
    • Extra virgin olive oil: I’m Spanish, so I use extra virgin olive oil to cook most of my dishes and I always use extra virgin oils when possible because they're healthier. However, using any other type of oil is also okay. If you don’t consume oil, just use some vegetable stock or water instead.
    • Feel free to serve it along with some delicious salads to easily incorporate more protein!

    Looking for more tofu recipes?

    • General Tso's Tofu
    • Fried Tofu
    • Tofu Scramble
    • Baked Tofu
    • Sesame Tofu
    Close-up shot of a bowl of marinated tofu

    Did you make this marinated tofu recipe?

    Please leave a comment below, share it, or rate it. You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST. I’d love to see what you cook!

    Square photo of a bowl of marinated tofu

    Marinated Tofu

    Marinated tofu, an easy recipe that makes tofu taste amazing. It's low in fat, high in protein, and requires 8 ingredients and 20 minutes.
    4.75 from 60 votes
    PRINT PIN RATE
    Course: Main Dish, Tofu
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Author: Iosune


    Ingredients 

    US Customary - Metric
    • 12 oz firm tofu, cubed
    • ¼ cup water
    • 2 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne powder
    • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Mix all the tofu marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl (water, soy sauce, vinegar, syrup, garlic powder, and cayenne powder) until well combined. Add the tofu cubes and let them marinate covered in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. If you let them marinate for a longer period of time, they will have a more intense flavor.
    • Drain the tofu but don’t discard the liquid. Set aside.
    • Heat the oil in a skillet and sautée the tofu over medium-high heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
    • Add the marinade liquid to a bowl with the cornstarch and mix until well combined. Pour the sauce into the skillet and cook until it thickens.
    • Serve immediately (I added some chopped chives on top, but this is completely optional).
    • Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.

    Notes

    • The original recipe was made with 10 oz or 275 g or firm tofu.
    • Feel free to use any type of vinegar, sweetener, or starch.
    • Add or omit any spices you want.
    • Water can be replaced with vegetable stock.
    • If you’re not into spicy food, omit the cayenne powder or add less of it. You can also use chili powder.
    • Prep time and cook time don’t include marinating time.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.4g | Protein: 13.4g | Fat: 5.8g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Sodium: 1024mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 7.5g

    Update Notes: This post was originally published in March of 2018, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips in February of 2022.

    More Vegan Main Dish Recipes

    • Beer-Battered Vegan Fish
    • Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup
    • Jackfruit Carnitas
    • Tofu Steak
    2.8K shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. anonymous says

      January 21, 2023 at 2:21 am

      3 stars
      Does the tofu in this recipe need to be pressed first? We are just learning how to prepare tofu. Perhaps tofu always gets pressed before using it in recipes? Please clarify. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        January 24, 2023 at 9:35 am

        Hi! I never press my tofu to make this recipe and it works great, but it's up to you 🙂

        Reply
    2. Kayla X Cupcakes says

      January 14, 2023 at 3:49 am

      My mummy made this for me and I sprinkled some chives xx on at the end for some sweetness as the flavours are strong, but probably because I added a little bit too much spice for me with the lemon juice and onion powder. It was a little overpowering at first but when I got used to it and added chives too. 😋 It tastes Georgous x although we did not sauté or skillet, as we do not have a skillet and there was x no time. The food itself was delicous and extremely scrumptious especially with chopsticks. 🥢 x it was better than already bought tofu products x 🌷🌸🪷💐☺️🤗😊💖💗💓💕💞😀😃😄

      Reply
      • Iosune says

        January 16, 2023 at 4:57 pm

        Hi kayla! So glad you liked it 🙂

        Reply
    3. andrea says

      September 07, 2022 at 5:13 pm

      5 stars
      Easy and SO good! Delicious to keep on hand and toss into a salad for added plant protein! WINNER!

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        September 14, 2022 at 9:40 am

        Hi Andrea! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂

        Reply
    4. Lori Sweeney says

      July 21, 2022 at 11:55 pm

      This looks amazing and I am going to try it! (just bought some medium firm tofu today!) plus going to add grated ginger as well! My question is, can you freeze it after it has been cooked?

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        July 22, 2022 at 2:47 pm

        Hi Lori! Feel free to freeze it 🙂 Hope you like it!

        Reply
    5. Wanda Jones says

      April 22, 2022 at 11:34 pm

      5 stars
      Yes,... It came together so, quick and easy. I love it!

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        April 26, 2022 at 10:42 am

        Hi! Thank you so much for your kind comment 🙂

        Reply
    6. Sally says

      April 18, 2022 at 10:30 pm

      When do you add in the tofu liquid?

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        April 22, 2022 at 9:18 am

        Hi Sally! We don't add the tofu liquid 🙂

        Reply
    7. Shari R. says

      March 06, 2022 at 10:24 pm

      5 stars
      Great flavor and super simple This is now my favorite marinade for tofu. Instead of frying I used an air fryer - yummy!

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        March 07, 2022 at 10:09 am

        Hi Shari! Sounds so good 🙂

        Reply
    8. Cheryl Blanchette says

      February 17, 2022 at 6:36 am

      5 stars
      It was good. My husband did not complain that makes it a 5 star recipe!

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        February 17, 2022 at 10:41 am

        Hi! That's amazing 🙂

        Reply
    9. Paulette says

      January 29, 2022 at 8:56 pm

      I can't wait to try this recipe.

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        January 31, 2022 at 10:19 am

        Hi Paulette! I hope you enjoy it 🙂

        Reply
    10. sally says

      December 14, 2021 at 8:31 pm

      4 stars
      yummy but I must love fresh grated ginger which I added for an added dimension of flavour!

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        December 16, 2021 at 9:12 am

        Hi Sally! Sounds so good 🙂

        Reply
    11. S says

      December 02, 2021 at 3:19 am

      I’ll definitely be trying this! What is the best way to follow you guys?

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        December 02, 2021 at 10:34 am

        Enjoy it 🙂 The best way to follow us is through the blog or IG!

        Reply
    12. Dani says

      October 22, 2021 at 10:02 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this today! It is a very nice base marinade. I made half of the tofu after about 15 minutes and am letting rest steep for awhile in the fridge for later. Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        November 05, 2021 at 9:58 am

        Hi Dani! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂

        Reply
    13. Jaimie-lyn says

      September 10, 2021 at 9:57 pm

      5 stars
      This was very tasty. My husband hates ACV and was put off when I mentioned I had some in the recipe.
      He had some anyways and said it was great tasting and he didn't really notice the ACV. Which makes this an awesome recipe.

      Reply
      • Iosune Robles says

        September 13, 2021 at 11:30 am

        Thanks for your kind comment 🙂 I'm so glad you both liked it!

        Reply
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