Marinated tofu is a tasty and versatile protein choice with a standalone appeal or a satisfying protein boost for most meals.
You can use it in salads, wraps, stir-fries, pasta, and other recipes, and it is excellent for last-minute dinners and meal prep.
Thanks to its neutral flavor, tofu takes on well the carefully crafted flavor of the marinade, which we make with yogurt, dried herbs, and spices to coat the tofu with plenty of taste.
Table of Contents
Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diet.
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What is Marinated tofu?
Marinated tofu is an excellent alternative to animal-based protein, similar to our baked tofu, air fryer tofu, tofu meatballs, grilled tofu, and fried tofu.
We borrowed this quick marinade technique from our Tofu Tikka Masala and Vegan Butter Chicken recipes, where bite-size tofu chunks are coated in a thick flavor-packed marinade with yogurt, lemon juice, spices, herbs, and garlic.
Similarly to our BBQ Tofu marinated in BBQ Sauce, the thick marinade sticks to the tofu chunks beautifully, rendering them chewy and delicious.
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.
You’ll love this recipe because you can make it quickly for a weeknight dinner, as the tofu doesn’t need to sit in the marinade.
Also, it’s excellent for days after it’s cooked, making it the perfect protein choice for meal prep.
Marinated tofu video
Ingredients & Substitutions for Marinated Tofu
Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Firm Tofu
Use firm or extra firm tofu for the best texture. Avoid silken or soft tofu; they’ll fall apart as you toss them in the marinade.
We don’t press the tofu before tossing it in the marinade as we prefer the texture that hasn’t been pressed.
MARINADE INGREDIENTS
Yogurt
We recommend a thick Greek-style yogurt (there are non-dairy options available) so that it sticks to the tofu.
Olive oil
Olive oil or extra virgin olive oil helps the spices release their fragrance and stick to the tofu as they bake.
Substitute avocado oil or another vegetable oil for olive oil.
Lemon juice
We use freshly squeezed lemon juice for acidity. It makes the other flavors more interesting.
Substitute lime juice for lemon.
Soy sauce
Soy sauce adds a rich, savory flavor.
Substitute tamari sauce or coconut aminos to make the recipe gluten-free.
Garlic
We recommend fresh grated garlic for a zesty garlic aroma.
Substitute one teaspoon of garlic powder for fresh garlic.
Salt and Black pepper
We use sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Spices and Herbs
- Onion powder
- Smoked paprika or liquid smoke.
- Dried dill
- Dried oregano
Note: Take our spices and herbs as a recommendation, and feel free to customize them based on your taste.
You can make an Indian-inspired marinated tofu by adding grated ginger, garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and chili powder to the basic marinade. Please find the full recipe in our Tofu Tikka Masala post.
How to Make Marinated Tofu
US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Make the tofu marinade
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.
Add the tofu
Drain the firm or extra tofu from its package and pat it dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Tip: We don’t find it necessary to press tofu, but if you like, you can do so.
Break the tofu apart with your hands into bite-size pieces and add it to the bowl with the marinade.
Tip: The rugged surface of hand-pulled tofu makes it easy for the marinade to stick.
Gently toss the tofu in the marinade until fully coated.
Tip: You can bake the tofu immediately or let it rest in the marinade for up to 30 minutes. You won’t notice a difference in taste.
Bake the marinated tofu
Arrange the marinated tofu chunks 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.
Serving Suggestions
Marinated tofu is delicious on its own or next to pasta or rice with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon.
You can also serve it next to a simple side salad with warm pita bread, a drizzle of vegan ranch dressing, and quick pickled red onions.
Other dips and sauces that work well with marinated tofu are:
Variations
Indian-style marinated tofu
We use this variation of marinated tofu for our delicious Tofu Tikka Masala, but the resulting marinated recipe is also excellent as a standalone meal.
Tofu Tikka Masala is marinated in India. Paneer is a cheese with a neutral flavor that reminds us of tofu.
Marinade ingredients for 16 ounces or 500 grams of firm tofu.
- ½ cup (120 grams) Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil swap avocado or vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 inch (2 cm) ginger grated
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon garam masala or curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or chili powder
BBQ Sauce marinated tofu
BBQ sauce-marinated tofu is meaty and packed with flavor. It’s delicious to make a BBQ tofu burger with coleslaw salad.
Check out our BBQ tofu recipe.
Soy sauce marinated tofu
You can make a simple soy sauce marinade if you are not into yogurt marinades.
Marinade ingredients for 16 ounces or 500 grams of firm tofu.
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari sauce
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano or another dried herb
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 twists black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch optional
Toss the tofu in the marinade and bake it in a preheated oven at 400°F or 200°C for 30 minutes or in an air fryer at 400°F or 200°C for 10 minutes.
Tips
Break the tofu apart with your hands: this makes it easier to make bite-size pieces with an uneven, rugged, and porous surface that helps the marinade stick, making the tofu more flavorful.
Make a thick marinade: since tofu doesn’t absorb flavor, most of the taste will be from the marinade. To make the marinade stick, make it thick. You can thicken a marinade with Greek-style yogurt (non-dairy options are available) or with cornstarch.
Questions
According to the book “Professional Cooking” by Wayne Gisslen, to marinate means to soak a food product in a seasoned liquid.
Marinades are usually used for meats, fish, and vegetables, but more recently, they have been applied to tofu, tempeh, and other protein-rich plant-based products.
We marinate foods to flavor and tenderize a product.
Since marinades contain at least one acidic ingredient (lemon juice, vinegar, wine), we could damage our product (especially tofu) if we marinate for too long.
For instance, we noticed that marinating for more than 30 minutes starts making the tofu softer, which is not the result we want since the tofu is already more tender than meat.
Marinades are made up of 3 main categories of ingredients: oils, acid, and flavorings, and it’s advisable to use all three.
Oils: olive oil, sesame oil, or any other vegetable oil.
Acids: lemon juice, vinegar, wines, and beers.
Flavorings: herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, or spices such as pepper, cumin, ginger, garlic powder, garlic cloves, onion powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Even sugar, maple syrup, agave syrup, and soy sauce are used to add flavor.
Tofu doesn’t absorb flavor, so there is no need to let it sit in the marinade. We recommend cooking it right after tossing it in the marinade.
What’s essential is preparing the tofu so that the marinade sticks to it when you cook it.
To do so, break the tofu apart with your hands so that each piece has a rugged, uneven surface to allow the marinade to stick.
Also, make a thick marinade by adding a thick yogurt or cornstarch.
Storage & Make Ahead
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.
More Tofu Dinners
- Tofu Tikka Masala
- Tofu Soup
- Tofu Curry or Vegan Curry
- Orange Tofu
- Lemon Tofu
- Mushroom Tofu
- Tofu Cacciatore
- Tofu Stir Fry
- Braised Tofu
- Kung Pao Tofu
Or have a peak at our 30+ easy tofu recipes.
Quick Tofu Recipes
For many more tofu ideas, check out our tofu category page.
Marinated Tofu
Ingredients
- 16 ounces tofu firm or extra firm
- ½ cup Greek yogurt or Greek-style 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
MAKE TOFU MARINADE
- Preheat 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, 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 combined.
ADD TOFU CHUNKS
- Pat dry 16 ounces tofu with kitchen paper.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.
BAKE MARINATED TOFU
- Arrange tofu chunks on a single layer on prepared baking tray.Bake at 400°F or 200°C for 30 minutes or until the tofu is golden brown.
MAKE IT A MEAL
- Serve it next to a simple side salad with warm pita bread, a drizzle of vegan ranch dressing, and quick pickled red onions. All recipes in "Serving Suggestions" chapter linked in the notes below.
Video
Notes
- What is Marinated tofu?
- Substitutions for Marinated Tofu
- Serving Suggestions
- Variations
- Tips
- Questions
- More Tofu Dinners
- Quick Tofu Recipes
Nutrition
If you liked this marinated tofu, you might also enjoy:
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!