Marinated tofu, a super simple recipe that makes tofu taste amazing. It’s low in fat, high in protein, and only 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 immediately.
Marinated tofu ingredients
- Firm tofu: firm or extra firm tofu work best for this 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.
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Marinated Tofu
- Prep: 10 mins
- Cook: 10 mins
- Total: 20 mins
- 2 1x
- Main Dish, Tofu
- American
- Vegan
Servings 2 1x
Marinated tofu, a super simple recipe that makes tofu taste amazing. It’s low in fat, high in protein, and only requires 8 ingredients and 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 12 oz firm tofu (340 g), cubed
- 1/4 cup water (60 ml)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne powder
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp 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 frying pan 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 Size: 1/2 of the recipe (without oil or chives)
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 7.5 g
- Sodium: 1024 mg
- Fat: 5.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.4 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 13.4 g
Update Notes: This post was originally published in March of 2018, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips in April of 2021.
I’m working on this recipe for dinner tonight. Can I put this in the oven instead of frying pan?
Hi! Feel free to put it in the oven 🙂
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.
★★★★★
Hi! So glad you liked it 🙂 In this app, you can calculate calories: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
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.
I’m so sorry about that! Have you followed the recipe accurately?
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.
Hi! Don’t worry, it’s not necessary 🙂
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.
Feel free to do that!
very quick and tasty
★★★★
So glad you liked it ☺️
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!!
Hi Sally! So glad you liked our recipe 🙂
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
★★★★★
Sounds so good Alice 🙂 Have a nice day!
What do you do with the tofu liquid?
We don’t use the tofu liquid 🙂 Have a nice day!
Ok, what does Step 2 mean, “Strain the tofu, but don’t discard the liquid.”
i believe the liquid means the marinade it was in not the… tofu water? whatever it’s called?
Hi! Yes, that’s what I’m trying to say 🙂 Thanks for your help!
I’m not sure how the tofu water is called!
Have a look at ‘a’ comment 🙂 She/he has explained it better than me!
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.
★★★★★
Sounds so good Phyllis 🙂 Have a nice day!
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!
★★★★★
Hi! So glad you liked our marinated tofu 🙂 I have fried it at medium-high heat! Have a nice day!