Tofu Steak

Transform tofu from bland to flavorful with this tofu steak recipe. Made with firm tofu marinated in a smoky sauce and grilled until crispy.

I've been obsessed with this tofu steak recipe lately. Tofu is my favorite plant-based source of protein, I could eat it all day, every day, that's why you'll find so many tofu recipes on the blog.

However, not everybody loves tofu as much as I do. I understand it can be a boring ingredient as it tastes really bland if you don't know how to cook it, but I promise you this recipe it's the opposite. It’ll change anybody’s mind about tofu!

The marinade I've used has been inspired by the one I used to make my vegan bacon recipe, a super tasty sauce that will make your tofu taste great. Then you just need to grill them for beautiful grill lines, and that's all. You'll have a super flavorful, protein-pack, quick, and easy dinner in minutes.

If you're looking for more vegan steak recipes, you need to try my vegan steak, cauliflower steak, and portobello steaks. Even carnivores will love them!

Ingredient substitutions

• Firm tofu: firm and extra firm tofu work best for this recipe. Soft and silken tofu will fall apart easily.
• Extra virgin olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil to cook most of my dishes. However, any type of oil is okay. Sesame oil works really well too.
• Maple syrup: feel free to use any other syrup instead like agave, coconut, or rice syrup.
• Soy sauce: use tamari for a gluten-free version of this recipe. You could also use coconut aminos if you want.
• Liquid smoke: this ingredient is optional, but it will give your tofu steak a delicious smoky flavor. You can also use smoke powder or even smoked paprika. However, liquid smoke is the best choice.

How to make tofu steak

1. Press the tofu.
2. Slice the tofu in half horizontally into 2 steaks roughly the same thickness. I used 2 12-ounce blocks, so I got 4 tofu steaks.
3. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
4. Brush all sides of the tofu steaks with the marinade sauce and let the tofu marinate for at least 15 minutes. 
5. Heat a grill pan over high heat. Then brush it with the extra virgin oil. 
6. Add 2 tofu steaks to the hot grill pan and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Flip them over and cook for 3 more minutes on the other side. They should have grill lines on them. 
7. Once they’re cooked, use the leftover marinade sauce to brush the steaks on both sides and then remove them from the pan. 
8. Repeat with the 2 remaining tofu steaks.
9. Serve immediately and enjoy!

You’ll find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.

Pro tips

• Use firm or extra firm tofu, otherwise it will fall apart easily. Soft and silken tofu don't work for this recipe.
• Marinate the tofu for at least 15 minutes, but if you can wait longer your tofu will taste even better. You can let it marinate overnight for the best results and cook it the next day.
• The grill pan has to be hot, as high temperatures are needed to get a truly caramelized, deep-brown sear on the surface of the tofu. Add the oil and set the pan over high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer and smoke just slightly, you’re ready to add the steaks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Looking for more tofu recipes?

• Baked Tofu
• Tofu Scramble
• Fried Tofu
• Marinated Tofu
• Sesame Tofu

Did you make this tofu steak recipe?

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📖 Recipe

Tofu Steak

Transform tofu from bland to flavorful with this tofu steak recipe. Made with firm tofu marinated in a smoky sauce and grilled until crispy.

4.63 from 8 votes

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Course: Dinner, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Marinating time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 steaks

Author: Iosune

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Ingredients 

½x1x2x

US Customary - Metric

For the tofu steaks:

• ▢ 24 ounces firm tofu
• ▢ 2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, for grilling

For the marinade:

• ▢ 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoon maple syrup
• ▢ 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon liquid smoke, optional
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

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Instructions

• Press the tofu (just wrap the tofu in a clean towel and apply a steady weight to squeeze out the moisture). This step is optional, but your tofu will be tastier if you do.
• Slice the tofu in half horizontally into 2 steaks roughly the same thickness. I used 2 12-ounce blocks, so I got 4 tofu steaks.
• Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
• Brush all sides of the tofu steaks with the marinade sauce and let the tofu marinate for at least 15 minutes.
• Heat a grill pan over high heat. Then brush it with the extra virgin oil. If you don't have a grill pan just use a regular skillet.
• Add 2 tofu steaks to the hot grill pan and cook for about 3 minutes. Don’t worry if they stick to the pan at the beginning. After 3 minutes they should release easily from the pan. Flip them over and cook for 3 more minutes on the other side. They should have grill lines on them.
• Once they’re cooked, use the leftover marinade sauce to brush the steaks on both sides and then remove them from the pan.
• Repeat with the 2 remaining tofu steaks.
• Serve immediately with your favorite side dishes, like vegan mashed potatoes, vegan scalloped potatoes, or French fries.
• Store leftovers in and airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

• Firm and extra firm tofu work best for this recipe. Soft and silken tofu will fall apart easily.
• Feel free to use any other syrup instead like agave, coconut, or rice syrup. And also any type of oil. Sesame oil works really well too.
• Use tamari for a gluten-free version of this recipe. You could also use coconut aminos if you want.
• Liquid smoke is optional, but it will give your tofu steak a delicious smoky flavor. You can also use smoke powder or even smoked paprika. However, liquid smoke is the best choice.
• Marinate the tofu for at least 15 minutes. You can let it marinate overnight for the best results.
• The grill pan has to be hot, as high temperatures are needed to get a truly caramelized, deep-brown sear on the surface of the tofu. Add the oil and set the pan over high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer and smoke just slightly, you’re ready to add the steaks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1steak | Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.2g | Protein: 14.8g | Fat: 16.6g | Saturated Fat: 2.8g | Sodium: 546mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 8.2g

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!