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    Home » Tofu

    Vegan Fish

    Published: Apr 13, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    This vegan fish is soft, refreshing, juicy, lemony, and full of Mediterranean flavors. It's oven-baked with Italian seasoning and wrapped in parchment paper to concentrate its aroma and keep it juicy.

    It's really a simple dish, that you can make in half an hour in the oven, as an everyday dinner. We serve this one as a fish replacement, and we cook it exactly like white fish is cooked in Italy.

    vegan fish
    On this page:
    • What to expect
    • Ingredients and substitutions
    • Instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Tips
    • Similar recipes
    • Storage
    • Recipe

    Check out our best tofu recipe collection!

    What to expect

    vegan baked tofu fish

    We developed this recipe as a vegan alternative to a popular Italian recipe of steamed fish, wrapped in parchment paper and baked in the oven.

    This type of cooking, called "al cartoccio" in Italian, helps preserve moisture and aroma in the final dish. And we realized that it works very well for tofu.

    So, from this recipe, you can expect the familiarity and flavors of a traditional Italian recipe: confit lemon, caramelized tomatoes, a mild garlic scent, fresh parsley, salty capers, and earthy olives.

    To recall the flavor of the sea, we add a piece of nori seaweed. The result is very mild, don't worry, and definitely less fishy than real fish. We think it's perfect for this recipe.

    The final dish is served wrapped, directly on a plate, and it creates a beautiful surprise effect when you unwrap the vegan fish, and you are inebriated with a beautiful aroma and a bright color palette.

    Ingredients and substitutions

    • Tofu: we use firm tofu. We don't recommend using silken tofu or soft tofu.
    • Nori seaweed (optional): the same that is used for sushi. You can find it in most supermarkets these days, or in Asian markets. Nori seaweed adds a very light sea flavor. It also looks a bit like the skin of a fish, which makes this dish even more realistic and suitable for non-vegans too.

      If you can't find nori seaweed, or if you don't like its taste, then you can just leave it out. The veagn fish will still be delicious!
    • Cherry tomatoes: you can replace them with any other small tomatoes, like dates, or plum tomatoes.
    • Lemon: since you can actually eat the peal after it's baked, we recommend using an organic lemon.
    • Olives: we like to use mixed black and green olives to make the dish more colorful. We like small olives with stone. But you can use any olives, even canned ones without the stone.
    • Capers: they add so much flavor to this dish. You can use either pickled capers or the ones that come in salt. In this case, wash away the salt.
    • Garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil: best if the olive oil is extra virgin.
    • Parsley: fresh flat-leaf parsley is very common in Italy when cooking fish, and it works great with tofu too. You can replace parsley with dill, thyme, rosemary, or oregano.
    baked tofu like vegan fish

    Instructions

    Preheat the oven to 360F (180C).

    Cut 6 slices of tofu, ⅕ of an inch (0.5 cm) thin. Then cut 3 nori pieces. Each portion is made of 2 slices of tofu, and the nori sheet should be of the size of those two sizes of tofu put together.

    Cut 3 thin slices of lemon, then cut each lemon slice in half. You should have 6 half-pieces of lemon.

    Prepare 6 pieces of parchment paper. They should be large enough to accommodate all the ingredients. Half the size of a standard oven baking tray is enough.

    Then, put a piece of nori sheet on top of 3 pieces of parchment paper and season it with salt.

    Now add two tofu pieces on top of the nori sheet, then season them with salt, pepper, and olive oil.

    olive oil and pepper on top

    Add 1 piece of lemon on top of each tofu slice. Then, for each portion, add 4 cherry tomatoes (cut in half), 10 olives, 7 capers, and 1 crushed clove of garlic.

    Season each tomato with salt and pepper and a few drops of olive oil.

    ready to be baked

    Cover each portion with the remaining parchment paper, and seal the edges, by folding and crushing the edge with your fingers. Put on a baking tray and bake at 360F (180C) for 30 minutes.

    Serve the whole wrap on a plate. You can remove the top part before serving it, or let the person who eats it remove it themselves and have a surprise effect. I love to see the smile on people's faces when they open the vegan fish wrap!

    Serving suggestions

    It's no secret that we are tofu fans in our family! In fact, it's one of our favorite choices for an easy dinner. That being said, if you want to make it a complete and healthy meal, check out these veggie-packed side dishes:

    • Crunchy kale chips
    • Roasted artichokes
    • Steamed artichokes
    • Cucumber and tomato salad
    • Brussels sprout salad
    • Lemon-roasted broccoli
    • Roasted Brussels sprout
    • Oven-baked veggie tray
    • Bruschetta with tomato and avocado

    Tips

    Nori sheet: adding one piece of nori sheet under the tofu is a great way to recall the sea flavor. Also, the nori sheet looks a bit like the skin of a fish, making this dish super realistic in flavor, texture, and look.

    Tofu: do not press the tofu before steaming. A lot of tofu recipes require that, but in this one, pressing is not necessary, as we need moisture in the tofu to create vapor while the tofu cooks.

    Fresh herbs: I use fresh flat-leaf parsley, but feel free to use any other Mediterranean fresh herb, such as rosemary, oregano, or dill.

    Similar recipes

    Do you love tofu as much as we do? Take a look at our weeknight-friendly tofu recipes:

    • Pan-fried mushroom tofu
    • Lemon tofu
    • Tofu Cacciatore
    • Fried tofu
    • Easy Tofu cream cheese
    • Tofu in pizzaiola sauce
    • Scrambled tofu
    • Spinach tofu pesto
    • Crispy spinach cutlets

    Isn't tofu incredibly versatile? Let us know in the comments below how you like to eat tofu, we'd love to hear.

    Storage

    Vegan fish is best eaten straight out of the oven, still in the baking paper wrapping.

    If you have some leftovers, then transfer the tofu and the other ingredients from the baking paper onto a container. Then store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days max.

    Reheat the tofu either in a preheated oven at 360F or 180C. Alternatively, you can reheat it in the microwave, or on a pan with a drizzle of olive oil.

    We do not recommend freezing this tofu recipe.

    For many more tofu ideas, check out our tofu category page.

    Recipe

    vegan fish tofu

    Vegan Fish

    Author: Nico
    This vegan fish is soft, refreshing, juicy, lemony, and full of Mediterranean flavours. It's baked in the oven, with cherry tomatoes, olives, and lemon, and wrapped in baking paper to concentrate its aroma and keep it juicy.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 11 votes
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 3 people
    Calories 229 kcal

    Equipment

    • baking paper

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 8 ounces tofu firm or extra firm
    • 12 cherry tomatoes
    • 30 small olives black or green
    • 21 capers
    • 1 sheet nori seaweed cut in 3 pieces
    • 3 thin slices lemon
    • 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • salt & pepper
    • 1 tablespoon parsley finely chopped

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
      Cut 6 slices of tofu, ⅕ of an inch (0.5 cm) thin. Then cut 3 nori pieces. Each portion is made of 2 slices of tofu, and the nori sheet should be of the size of those two sizes of tofu put together.
      Cut 3 thin slices of lemon, then cut each lemon slice in half. You should have 6 half-pieces of lemon.
      slicing the tofu
    • Prepare 6 pieces of parchment paper. Half the size of a standard oven baking tray is enough.
      Then, put a piece of nori sheet on top of 3 pieces of parchment paper and season it with salt.
      Now add two tofu pieces on top of the nori sheet, then season them with salt, pepper, and olive oil.
      tofu slices on top of nori sheet
    • Add 1 piece of lemon on top of each tofu slice. Then, for each portion, add 4 cherry tomatoes (cut in half), 10 olives, 7 capers, 1 crushed clove of garlic.
      Season each tomato with salt and pepper and a few drops of olive oil.
      tofu seasoned with lemon, tomatoes, olives and capers
    • Cover each portion with the remaining parchment paper, and seal the edges, by folding and crushing the edge with your fingers. Put the three wraps on a baking tray and bake at 350F (180C) for 30 minutes.
      baked tofu wrapped in parchment paper
    • Serve the whole wrap on a plate. You can remove the top part before serving it, or let the person who eats it remove it themselves and have a surprise effect. I love to see the smile on people's faces when they open the wrap.
      Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley before eating.
      vegan fish

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Vegan Fish
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 229 Calories from Fat 171
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 19g29%
    Saturated Fat 3g19%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
    Monounsaturated Fat 12g
    Potassium 183mg5%
    Carbohydrates 7g2%
    Dietary Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 2g2%
    Protein 9g18%
    Vitamin A 541IU11%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin C 17mg21%
    Vitamin E 3mg20%
    Vitamin K 10µg10%
    Calcium 140mg14%
    Folate 12µg3%
    Iron 2mg11%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 13mg3%
    Zinc 1mg7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Naja

      November 11, 2022 at 7:49 am

      5 stars
      The simplicity and elegance, just as I first learnt to love the italian cuisine! We are returning to this one regularly. Thanks so much!

      Reply
      • Nico

        November 11, 2022 at 8:47 am

        Hi Naja, I'm so happy you like this recipe, it's one of our regular weekday recipes too! Thanks for coming back to leave and comment. Cheers, Nico

        Reply
    2. Paula H.

      April 23, 2022 at 11:05 pm

      5 stars
      I can't remember the last time a recipe made me so happy. It's perfect!!! Thank you and greetings from germany <3

      Reply
      • Nico

        April 24, 2022 at 6:08 am

        Aww, Paola, thank you for sharing! We are so happy to hear you liked the tofu 🙂 Cheers, Nico

        Reply
    3. Anne

      January 22, 2022 at 1:16 pm

      I make this time and time again and it has become a family favourite. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Chef Nico

        January 30, 2022 at 8:28 am

        I am so happy your family likes this! Thanks for letting us know, Anne.

        Reply
    4. Filippo

      August 26, 2021 at 3:29 pm

      ciao Nico - ti seguo dall'Ethiopia dove vivo e lavoro. Non trovo l'alga di base. Cosa posso usare al suo posto? Grazie. Filippo

      Reply
      • Nico

        August 26, 2021 at 5:01 pm

        Ciao Filippo, puoi non metterla se non la trovi, viene bene anche senza 🙂 Ps. anche altri tipi di alga andrebbero bene, ma se non trovi la nori credo che farai fatica a trovarne altre.

        Reply

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