When it comes to vegetarian protein, you can’t beat big chunks of marinated tofu! It’s ready in 30 minutes and you can add it to most meals.
You guys, this recipe is so simple and your tofu has never tasted this good. We think you’ll love it in our protein bowl with peanut sauce, mango, and easy pickled red onions.
Introduction
Tofu is my (Nico) favorite plant-based protein because it’s the only one that makes me feel completely satiated after a long day of work 😋.
Marinating the tofu is a great way to add flavor to this otherwise flavorless food. Honestly guys, it’s delicious made this way. And it’s super simple, no lengthy marinated time needed.
We borrowed this quick marinade technique from our Tofu Tikka Masala and Vegan Butter Chicken recipes: it has yogurt, lemon juice, spices, herbs, and garlic. It’s so good! 🤤
Like in our BBQ Tofu marinated in BBQ Sauce, the most important tip that no-one ever tells you is to pull the tofu apart with your hands (don’t cut it with a knife) so that the thick marinade sticks to the rugged tofu chunks beautifully.
You’ll find yourself using this recipe in all kinds of meals; it’s the perfect protein boost for delicious salads, wholesome soups, and comforting pasta dishes.
Try it dipped in vegan ranch dressing, peanut sauce, or marinara sauce, or add it to one of our easy vegetarian dinners.
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
To a large mixing bowl, add all the marinade ingredients: Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt, olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, grated garlic, onion powder, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, dried dill, and dried oregano.
Stir until well combined.
Step 2: Drain the tofu from its package and pat it dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Break the tofu apart with your hands into bite-size pieces and add it to the bowl with the marinade.
Gently toss the tofu in the marinade until fully coated.
Tip: The rugged surface of hand-pulled tofu makes it easy for the marinade to stick. There’s no need to press the tofu.
Step 3: Arrange the pieces on a single layer on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Bake in the oven at 400°F or 200°C for 30 minutes or until the tofu is golden brown.
Did you see how easy it was? You can add marinated tofu to most dishes. Louise and I often put it on a plate with a squeeze of lemon and parsley.
You can also use it to make tofu salad; it’s great with vegan ranch dressing and easy pickled red onions.
If you tried this Marinated Tofu recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
Marinated Tofu
Ingredients
- 16 ounces tofu firm or extra firm
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon onion powder optional
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 twists black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.To a large mixing bowl, add ½ cup Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 cloves garlic (grated), 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried dill, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 twists black pepper.Stir until well combined.
- Drain 16 ounces tofu from its package and pat it dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.Break the tofu apart with your hands into bite-size pieces and add it to the bowl with the marinade.Gently toss the tofu in the marinade until fully coated.
- Arrange the pieces on a single layer on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.Bake in the oven at 400°F or 200°C for 30 minutes or until the tofu is golden brown.
- You can add marinated tofu to most dishes. Louise and I often put it on a plate with a squeeze of lemon and parsley.You can also use it to make a salad or grain bowl.
Video
Notes
Tips
- There’s non need to press the tofu.
- Pull tofu apart by hand into rugged and irregular pieces for better marinade adhesion.
- Use a thick marinade as tofu doesn’t absorb much flavor.
Substitutions
- Firm tofu: also works with extra firm. Avoid soft tofu.
- Yogurt: thick Greek-style yogurt is best. Use non-dairy yogurt to make this vegan.
- Olive oil: substitute another vegetable oil.
- Lemon juice: substitute rice vinegar.
- Soy sauce: substitute tamari sauce to make this gluten-free.
- Garlic or garlic powder.
- Smoked paprika or a few drops of liquid smoke.
Storage
- Make ahead: Marinated tofu is an excellent recipe for meal prep as it keeps well in the fridge for 4 days. Note that reheated marinated tofu is chewier than freshly made marinated tofu.
- Refrigerator: Keep it in an airtight container for 4 days.
- Freezer: Transfer to a freezer-friendly container and freeze for 3 months.
- Thaw & Reheat: defrost in the fridge for a few hours. Warm it in the microwave for 2 minutes.
Nutrition
More easy tofu recipes
Tofu is so versatile you can make it a million different ways: check out our baked tofu, air fryer tofu, tofu meatballs, grilled tofu, and fried tofu for other simple basics.
Some other delicious tofu dishes we think you’ll like are:
Or have a peak at our 30+ easy tofu recipes.
I usually never comment on recipe sites, but this was so delicious that I feel I must leave a 5 star review! I used ⅓ cup of unsweetened coconut milk yogurt, as I don’t have vegan Greek yogurt near me, and it worked perfectly. Amazing flavor!
That sounds delicious, Leah!! Great idea, I am very happy that you liked it.
Thanks so much for taking valuable time to leave a comment here. Have a great Friday and weekend 🥳
Wow, what a delicious way to prepare tofu! I especially love that this was mostly “hands-off,” so that once the tofu was in the oven, I was able to put a pot of rice on and prepare a quick cabbage slaw. I can’t wait to riff on this with other herbs and spices. Thank you, Nico and Louise!
Fabulous!
It was very easy to make I love the taste and my family too
I love this recipe so much! It was so good. I want to make a jar of the marinade only so that I can use it later during a busy week. Any idea how long it will last on its own in the fridge?
Hi Ari,
The marinade would store for app. 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Alternatively, you could make the dried spice mix (no yogurt), which would store for a month in your pantry in a sealed jar 🙂
What a great idea to make a bigger batch for a busy week ahead 💪
Hope this helps. Kindest, Louise
I just made this today for the first time. I tore small pieces. It became mushy when I added tge marinade. No distinct pieces. What did I do wrong?
We will have it tomorrow night we each took a nibble and it looks delicious!. Last minute, We decided to have pizza tonight instead.
Hi Judy,
Thank you for your message 🙂
Did you use firm tofu? From what you describe it seems like you used soft or silken tofu.
That could be the problem.
I hope this helps.
All the best,
Nico
Yes, I did use firm tofu. I broke the tofu into small pieces.
Should I try larger pieces next time?
Thank you so much!
Yes, I would probably do that.
You can also try a different brand of tofu if you still have the same problem 🙂
Best of luck 🙂
Thank you for you reply, Nico! I use Srouts tofu. I will try a name brand next time.
I cannot get non dairy Greek yogurt in my area. I wonder if the thinner yogurt affects the outcome. Should I try straining some non dairy yogurt to thicken it?
Thank you for all your hard work, Nico
Hi Judy,
Louise here, I have Nico just next to me while he is working on an apple cake-batter.
It will most likely work just fine with regular non-dairy yogurt, but add a little less to begin with as you mix up the marinade 🙂
Hope this helps, happy cooking 🎉
Judy: I haven’t made this recipe yet. Planning to make tomorrow. However, my extra firm tofu doesn’t look like the recipe. I plan to press the tofu to get most of the liquid out and that might help. To me, they blocks of tofu shown in the photos looks like super firm tofu…the version that is not packed in water.
This is seriously one of the best ways to cook tofu that I’ve ever eaten! So easy to make and absolutely delicious. I will be making this regularly. Thanks for sharing it!
Fantastic, Maggie – I’m delighted you enjoyed the tofu, YAY!!
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment here 🎉
Kindest, Louise
I loved the previous recipe for marinated tofu before you updated it. Would you please put the old recipe back on your website
Hi Ruth,
of course, the old recipe is in the “Variations” chapter with the name “Soy sauce marinated tofu”.
I hope this helps.
Nico
Outstanding and delicious!