Grilled Tofu Steak

Square photo of a dish with tofu steak, French fries and fresh thyme.

4.73 from 11 votes

Turn boring tofu into a flavor-packed delight with this Grilled Tofu Steak recipe. Made with firm tofu marinated in a smoky sauce and perfectly seared on a grill pan or BBQ until crispy.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Marinating time15

Total Time35

Course: Dinner, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings: steaks

Calories: 263kcal

Author: Iosune

Ingredients

For the tofu steaks:

24 ounces firm tofu 2 blocks of 12 ounces or 340 grams each
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil for grilling

For the marinade:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons 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

US Customary - Metric

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 pressing the tofu will result in tastier tofu.
Slice the tofu horizontally into 2 steaks of roughly equal thickness. I used 2 12-ounce blocks, resulting in 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, simply 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 and serve immediately.

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