A Complete Guide to Tofu Marinades! (2024)

These are 6 of the best tofu marinaderecipes for baking, grilling, and stir-fries!Have you ever wondered how to marinate tofu to get the flavors to infuse deep inside?Let me take the mystery out of it and show you step-by-step how to get perfect flavorful tofu every time!

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If you're one of those tofu haters who think that tofu is bland, you probably just haven't prepared it in the right way yet.

I've been vegan for over 22 years and I've cooked a lot of tofu in that time. These are my family's favorite tried and true marinated tofu recipes. Tofu is a great plant protein source, so I encourage you to test out some different flavors and cooking methods to find one that you enjoy.

❔ Why Marinate tofu?

Tofu alone is very bland, it needs to be seasoned to have any flavor. Marinating your tofu allows the flavors to penetrate deep into the tofu and flavor it more evenly.

❤️ Why you'll love these tofu marinades

• They're quick and easy to make.
• All of them are vegan and gluten-free.
• You can make a different flavor each time to suit your taste.
• They're perfect forbaked tofu,grilled tofu, pan-fried tofu, or evendeep-fried tofu.

🥄 What goes into a great marinade?

You can marinate your tofu with just about any flavors or spices that you can think of, however, there are a few elements that make a great marinade.

Acid -most great-tasting marinades have vinegar or citric acids like lemon juice, lime juice, or orange juice.The acid helps to break down the protein in the tofu and allows the marinade to penetrate deeper into it, giving flavor to the center of the tofu.

Salt -this gives it flavor and helps to enhance the other flavors in the marinade as well.Salt also helps to break down the soy protein and allows the flavors to soak deeper into the tofu.

Oil -to give the tofu a richer fuller flavor and to help it not stick to the pan or grill when cooking it.(Just a small amount is needed, too much will just make your tofu greasy). Olive oil, canola oil, or any-neutral flavored oil works well. Sesame seed oil gives Asian-style marinated tofu recipes a great flavor.

Sugar -to sweeten the marinade and give it flavor.About half of the marinades I commonly use have some sugar in them.It gives the tofu a nice balance between sweet and savory.

Spices -to give your marinade the flavor that you are looking for.You can use fresh herbs, dried herbs, black pepper, red pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, hot sauce, or other spices.

✨ What type of tofu should I use?

The type of tofu that you will want to use may vary depending on the result that you are looking for and the cooking method that you chose to use for it.

Extra Firm Tofu - this is a great choice for baked, stir-fried, or deep-fried tofu. It is firm enough to hold together while marinating and cooking, yet porous enough that it will soak up a lot of flavors.

High Protein Tofu - this is a great choice for grilled tofu or tofu that you want to be sure doesn't fall apart or crumble. It's a very dense protein, so it doesn't soak up the marinade as fast. You will want to let this type soak longer than the extra firm tofu.

Note - I don't recommend using silken tofu since it is too soft and will fall apart unless you are using it for a silken tofu scramble or silken tofu pasta sauce.

❄️ Fresh or frozen tofu?

If you want spongier, firmer tofu, you can freeze the tofu and then let it thaw again before cooking it.

This gives the tofu a denser meatier texture and allows you to press more water out of it. Since more water comes out, it will also soak up more marinade. Tofu that has been frozen is not necessarily better, just different.

You may want to test it both ways to see which method you prefer.

🧊 How to freeze tofu

To freeze tofu- simply place the block of tofu in the freezer in its original packaging. Leave it in there for at least 24 hours or up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge, then drain and press as you would fresh tofu. (I always keep a couple of packs of tofu in the freezer and then move them to the fridge a day or two before I'm planning on making something with them.)

Tip- Use a sharpie to mark the package so you know which ones have been frozen.

⬜ How to press tofu?

Step 1 - Drain the tofu liquid out of the package and give the tofu a little squeeze while holding it over the sink.

Step 2 - Press the tofu using a tofu press or simply press it between two plates or 2 cutting boards with something heavy on top. (You want enough weight on the tofu to slowly squeeze out the liquid, but not so much that the tofu cracks or breaks. About 1-3 pounds of weight works well. Firmer tofu can withstand more pressure than softer ones.

Step 3 - Allow the tofu to press for about 15 minutes pouring off any excess liquid that has drained out.

Step 4 - Pat the block of tofu with a paper towel or very clean dish towel to remove any excess liquid.

Step 5 - Cut the tofu into large square cubes or rectangles about 1/2 inch thick.

🌶️ How to flavor infuse tofu?

If you want your tofu to be super flavorful throughout the whole bite, these few little tricks will help.

Use extra-firm tofu. The extra firm tofu (that comes in a plastic tub filled with liquid) is spongy and will soak up a lot of the marinade.

Soak the tofu longer if using high-protein tofu. (This is the best type for grilled tofu). The high-protein tofu is super dense, so you can't squeeze enough liquid out of it to make it spongy and then soak up the liquid.

Freeze your tofu. Tofu that has been frozen solid and then rethawed is spongier and you can squeeze out a lot more liquid. Doing this before marinating means that it will soak up a ton more of the marinade. It's not necessary, and it does give your tofu a slightly different texture, but some people really like it this way.

Use a marinade with acids like vinegar or lime juice. This acidity breaks down the protein and allows the marinade to infuse deeper into the tofu.

Marinade your tofu for at least 24 hours. Tofu will have a nice flavor after marinating for about 30 minutes, but if you want very flavorful tofu, allow it to at least sit overnight in the fridge. (Make sure to keep your tofu refrigerated while marinating)!

Marinate your tofu in a sealable plastic bag. This allows the whole piece of tofu to be submerged in the marinade. This way the whole piece soaks up the flavor, not just the bottom. (I know that many people avoid plastic, so if you do, simply use any shallow glass or ceramic container with a flat bottom).

Baste the Tofu. While the tofu is cooking, brush on some more marinade to allow more flavor to soak in.

📖 Marinades vs sauces

You want to use a thin tofu marinade and not a thickened sauce to soak the tofu in.A thinner sauce will be able to penetrate the pores in the tofu and soak in.A thicker sauce is not able to soak in as deeply.

A sauce that has been thickened with starch also tends to be sticky and will burn on the tofu when cooked. Some of my sauces that are delicious on top of tofu after it has been cooked are orange sauce, sweet and sour sauce, teriyaki sauce, or BBQ sauce.

⭐ To turn the marinade into a glaze

If you want a thickened glaze or sticky sauce to pour over your tofu after cooking, you can simply thicken your leftover marinade. To do this, simply add 1 tbsp of cornstarch to the cold marinade, stir well, then cook over medium heat in a saucepan for a few minutes until it boils.

Once the marinade reaches the boiling point, it will thicken into a glaze that you can pour on your tofu for extra flavor. This works well with all my more watery marinades like teriyaki, sweet Asian, balsamic, and Thai chili.

❓ Frequently asked questions?

🧄 Tofu Marinade Flavors

I've marinated a lot of tofu over the years, and there are a few basic flavor combos that I come back to, again and again, depending on my mood and what I'm serving it with. These are my family's favorites.

Sweet Asian

This is my go-to marinade forbaked tofu. It's a sweet and sassy flavor that goes well with just about anything. I love to use it when I bake tofu to use as tofu jerky or tofu bites to put on salads. This marinade is also good forgrilled tofu!

What you will need:

• 2tablespoonssesame oil
• 2tablespoonssoy sauceor Tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
• 2tablespoonsmaple syrup
• 1dashcayenne

Balsamic Tofu

This is my go-to marinade forbaked tofu. It's a sweet and sassy flavor that goes well with just about anything. I love to use it when I bake tofu to use as tofu jerky or tofu bites to put on salads. This marinade is also good forgrilled tofu!

What you will need:

• 2tablespoonscanola oilor other neutral-flavored oil
• 2tablespoonsbalsamic vinegar
• 2tablespoonsmaple syrupor any sweetener
• 2tablespoonswater
• 1/2teaspoonsalt

Cilantro Lime Tofu

If you like cilantro, this is an incredibly addictive flavor combo! It's delicious any way you cook it and it goes great with Mexican-style dishes you make like tacos or burritos! Tip: Save the marinade and use it as a condiment on your tacos and rice dishes.

What you will need:

• 1cupfresh cilantro
• 1/3cupfreshly squeezed lime juice
• 2tablespoonscanola oilor other neutral-flavored oil
• 3/4teaspoonsalt
• 1clovegarlic(minced)
• 1smallhot pepperlike a jalapeno or serrano pepper (optional

See Also

Blackened Balsamic Tuna Steaks - Easy, Quick, and Packed with Flavor!

Teriyaki Tofu

This is classic Asian-style tofu. It's deliciousgrilled, baked, pan-fried, orcrispy deep-fried. However, my favorite way to maketeriyaki tofuis to stir-fry it with veggies and pour my homemadeteriyaki sauceover it!

What you will need:

• 1/4cupwater
• 3tablespoonsbrown sugar
• 2tablespoonssoy sauceor Tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
• 2tablespoonsvinegar(either white or apple cider vinegar)
• 1tablespoonsesame oil
• 1clovegarlic(minced)
• 1teaspoongingerfresh grated

Thai Chili Tofu

This marinade is similar to the sweet and spicy dipping sauce that you may get at for favorite Asian restaurant. It makes a great marinade for tofu that you add to your Asian-inspired dishes, especially homemade summer rolls.

What you will need:

• 1/4cupseasoned rice vinegar
• 2teaspoonssugar
• 1teaspoongarlic chili paste

Cornell Tofu

This is a spin on an Upstate New York classic - Cornell chicken. (This was the only type of barbecued chicken I ever ate as a child, so when I went vegan I just had to figure out a way to recreate that flavor that I loved so much as a kid). This marinade is a salty vinegary marinade filled with flavors of sage and oregano from classic poultry seasoning. It makes greatbaked tofuorgrilled tofu.

What you will need:

• 2tablespoonscanola oil
• 2tablespoonswhite vinegar
• 2tablespoonsnutritional yeast
• 2teaspoonspoultry seasoning
• 1teaspoonsalt
• 1/4teaspoonblack pepper

Find the instructions to all of the above marinades in the recipe card below.

🔥 How to cook marinaded tofu

After your tofu has soaked in the marinade for anywhere from 15 minutes to 24 hours, you can then cook it. You can use any cooking method that you want to like pan-frying, baking, grilling, or deep-frying.

✨ Marinating seitan or temeph

You can also use these marinades for other vegan proteins like tempeh or seitan as well. Simply follow the same directions as for the tofu and add a package of sliced tempeh or seitan instead.

I love to use the cilantro lime marinade with my tempeh tacos or use the Cornell marinade with my vegan seitan chicken or vegan turkey recipes. The teriyaki marinade is delicious with my vegan seitan steak recipe too.

🫙 Dipping sauces

We love to dip our cooked tofu in vegan dipping sauces too. Some of our favorites are vegan Chick-Fil-A sauce, BBQ sauce, dairy-free buffalo sauce, and vegan honey mustard.

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📋 Tofu marinade recipes

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