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.
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.
Marinated tofu recipe - Short video
How to make marinated tofu - Step by step
- 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!
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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.
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Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 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
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.
Lori Sweeney says
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?
Iosune Robles says
Hi Lori! Feel free to freeze it 🙂 Hope you like it!
Wanda Jones says
Yes,... It came together so, quick and easy. I love it!
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Thank you so much for your kind comment 🙂
Sally says
When do you add in the tofu liquid?
Iosune Robles says
Hi Sally! We don't add the tofu liquid 🙂
Shari R. says
Great flavor and super simple This is now my favorite marinade for tofu. Instead of frying I used an air fryer - yummy!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Shari! Sounds so good 🙂
Cheryl Blanchette says
It was good. My husband did not complain that makes it a 5 star recipe!
Iosune Robles says
Hi! That's amazing 🙂
Paulette says
I can't wait to try this recipe.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Paulette! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
sally says
yummy but I must love fresh grated ginger which I added for an added dimension of flavour!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Sally! Sounds so good 🙂
S says
I’ll definitely be trying this! What is the best way to follow you guys?
Iosune Robles says
Enjoy it 🙂 The best way to follow us is through the blog or IG!
Dani says
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!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Dani! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
Jaimie-lyn says
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.
Iosune Robles says
Thanks for your kind comment 🙂 I'm so glad you both liked it!
Peggy Lee says
I have made this recipe twice now . The only thing that I changed was reducing the vinegar to 1/2 tsp. An irresistible snack as well as an entree.
Iosune Robles says
Hi! I'm so glad you liked our marinated tofu 🙂
Mary says
I have been looking for a great tofu marinade for decades. This is so delicious and foolproof that my husband declared he could eat it every week. We are not vegan but trying to eat more plant based. This is a keeper for sure. Just an FYI- we are in our 60s.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Mary! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂 So glad you both liked it!
Lisa says
Will try this recipe this weekend. This says don't discard the tofu liquid but doesn't say what, if anything, to do with it. ???
Iosune Robles says
Hi Lisa! You need to use the tofu liquid in step 4 with the marinated liquid! Maybe, you can have a look at the video recipe. I'm sure it will help you a lot! Enjoy it 🙂
HEATHER RANAY MCCALL says
My favorite tofu recipe. I couldn't stop myself from eating the whole thing!
Iosune Robles says
Hi! That's good! I'm so glad you liked it 🙂
Tracy says
This is the best I have ever had. Yum👌🏻!!!!!!
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Wow, that's amazing 🙂 I'm so glad you liked it!
Mary Seale says
My first try at cooking tofu. This recipe was easy and delicious! I used sugar free maple syrup sweetened with monk fruit. This is a keeper!
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
Paola says
My favourite marinated tofu. I have tried many recipes, but none is so simple and tasty!!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Paola! Thank you so much 🙂 I'm glad you liked it!
Mari says
This is a keeper. I made it tonight and my husband and I loved it! I served it over rice with sautéed veggies which I dressed with sesame oil and rice vinegar. I also added a tsp of sesame oil to the pan when sautéing the tofu, and added some toasted sesame seeds on top for garnish. (I had chives but it was cold today so I didn’t go out to pick them!). We will be putting this in our rotation for sure!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Mari! So glad you liked it 🙂
MargieW says
Hi Iosune, This Marinated Tofu recipe is delicious. My husband even commented "Honey, you hit it out if the ball park with that tofu." The only thing I changed was I used Agave instead of maple syrup, and less cayenne.
I haven't made anything tofu in years, but recently have been eating a more plant based diet. I'm so happy I found your Simply Vegan Blog site. Thank you. A New Subscriber.
Iosune Robles says
Thanks for your kind comment 🙂 So glad you both liked it!
meera says
Hi, Can you make this in an air fryer? Thanks
Iosune Robles says
Hi! I haven't tried it myself but I think it would work 🙂
Joy says
I'm working on this recipe for dinner tonight. Can I put this in the oven instead of frying pan?
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Feel free to put it in the oven 🙂
k m says
Such a quick and easy marinade for tofu - and so tasty! What is the nutritional information for the marinade alone? I've tried working out the calories minus the tofu but it doesn't seem to add up for me.
Iosune Robles says
Hi! So glad you liked it 🙂 In this app, you can calculate calories: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Sheila Kendrick says
My tofu didn’t fry correctly despite adding oil. It was just kind of soggy and crumbly and steamed in the fry pan on medium heat.
Iosune Robles says
I'm so sorry about that! Have you followed the recipe accurately?
Mary Steele says
Mine did exactly the same thing and I fry and bake Tofu all the time - this just fell apart. Sometimes it’s just the Tofu - flavors were amazing but very soggy and looked terrible. I will try again!
Sean says
Do we press the tofu before marinating? And do we press it after marinating, or just strain it? I'm new to cooking tofu, but it seems like it wouldn't get crispy if it still has a lot of liquid in it.
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Don't worry, it's not necessary 🙂
Kathryn Gannon says
You could press before marinating as it would absorb more marinade but of course not after as what would br the point? The lady seems confused about the recipe.
Iosune Robles says
Feel free to do that!
aideen ohalloran says
very quick and tasty
Iosune Robles says
So glad you liked it ☺️
Sally Smart says
This is the best marinade ever!! It’s sooo tasty and just unbelievably easy, I’ve made it every day since I found this recipe. I add some sesame seeds while I’m cooking the tofu in the marinade and it’s perfect. Thank you so much for posting, it has transformed my tea times!!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Sally! So glad you liked our recipe 🙂
Alice says
Super yum, I cooked this and added some beetroot noodles and carrot to the pan with the leftover marinade and it was a great filling meal
Iosune Robles says
Sounds so good Alice 🙂 Have a nice day!
K says
What do you do with the tofu liquid?
Iosune Robles says
We don't use the tofu liquid 🙂 Have a nice day!
K says
Ok, what does Step 2 mean, "Strain the tofu, but don’t discard the liquid."
a says
i believe the liquid means the marinade it was in not the... tofu water? whatever it's called?
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Yes, that's what I'm trying to say 🙂 Thanks for your help!
I'm not sure how the tofu water is called!
Iosune Robles says
Have a look at 'a' comment 🙂 She/he has explained it better than me!
Phyllis says
I tried it and it was amazing.After marinating and pan frying it I added it to a French beans,baby carrot and pepper stirfry.suited me well cos I dont do gluten.
Iosune Robles says
Sounds so good Phyllis 🙂 Have a nice day!
Coral says
This is utterly delicious and so easy to make. I was looking for a simple recipe to make because I've never been a big fan of cooking. I added a little bit of diced ginger to give it a little extra zing and it was perfect! I was just wondering at what heat do you fry your tofu at? Wanted to make this again and was hoping to improve my cooking technique. Thanks!
Iosune Robles says
Hi! So glad you liked our marinated tofu 🙂 I have fried it at medium-high heat! Have a nice day!