Lemon Basil Tofu

This Lemon Basil Tofu recipe is quick, easy to make and only uses 10 ingredients. A perfect healthy dinner meal that is completely vegan.

For me, the combo of lemon and basil are just so refreshing and enjoyable this time of year. While there are many lemon basil recipes out there, most I have come across are not vegan. And this alone inspired me to try and fill that empty space with some Lemon Basil Tofu.

Ultimately, I wanted to make sure that this recipe used similar simple ingredients and could also be used for an easy vegan weeknight dinner.

Why you need to make this tofu dish

• Healthy Yet Indulgent. The sauce that coats this perfectly firm tofu tastes like spring time. Nice and light to taste, but has a lot of bold flavor from the combination of zingy lemon juice, garlic and fresh basil.
• Weeknight-friendly. This is an easy meal to prep on a busy work night. Most of the cooking is actually done in the oven and the sauce takes just 5 minutes to prepare and coat the tofu with.
• Only requires 10 ingredients. Nothing fancy is needed here. Just a few basic ingredients that you might already have on hand.

Key Ingredients

• Tofu: I used extra firm tofu that I pressed, but you can use super firm tofu that doesn’t require pressing to help save time
• Soy Sauce: We use this to flavor our tofu and to help amplify the flavors of the sauce
• Nutritional Yeast: Helps add umami flavor to the tofu and helps make your tofu more golden and crisp in the oven
• Garlic: Fresh minced garlic really helps elevate all the star flavors in this dish, try not to skip on this
• Maple Syrup: To help sweeten and balance the lemon
• Lemon Juice: Fresh squeezed lemon juice makes a big difference and if you really want more intense lemon flavor, add some zest as well
• Basil: Fresh is best because it offers more of that intense flavor in this dish compared to dry

How to make this lemon basil tofu recipe

Start by prepping your tofu. Preheat your oven and then place your tofu in a container along with the marinade ingredients and toss it around until fully coated.

• 

• 

Once coated, spread your tofu pieces on a lined baking sheet, making sure they are not touching. Place in the oven to bake and prepare your sauce.

• 

• 

Combine your sauce ingredients making sure to reserve your fresh basil for the end. When tofu is done baking, sauté your onion with a little oil and a pinch of salt and cook until softened. Add in your tofu along with your sauce and sauté until fully coated and the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Remove your pan from the heat and add in your fresh basil and stir to combine before serving.

Tips for making the perfect tofu

• For the optimal texture, I do recommend pressing your tofu before getting started. Pressing your tofu will help to remove excess water and allow it to achieve optimal chewy texture while also baking to golden perfection. You can find out more about pressing tofu from my article, Tofu 101.
• Use super firm tofu as a short cut. This tofu is very chewy does not need to be pressed in advance, just pat dry with a clean cloth and you are good to go.
• The sauce is meant to be cooked quickly. Avoid overcooking your sauce as the lemon may become a little more bitter.
• Don’t skip on zesting your lemon. The natural oils in the zest provide extra lemon flavor in the dish. I recommend using a microplane for zesting, but in case you don’t have one, you can read this article on how to zest a lemon without a grater.

How long do you bake your tofu for?

When it comes to baking the tofu, we want to make sure that we bake it long enough until the edges of the tofu are nice and golden. If you’ve pressed your tofu well and removed as much excess liquid as you can, baking it should take about 20-25 minutes in a 400F oven.

How to make it in an air fryer

You may need to adjust your air fryer settings based on your particular air fryer. In general, set your air fryer to 375F. After marinating your tofu, place each piece of tofu in the basket making sure you avoid over crowding. Air fry your tofu for about 10-15 minutes or until golden, flipping is totally optional depending on the type of basket you have.

What to pair your tofu with

Once you make your tofu, you have quite a number of options for what to pair it with. Personally for me, I enjoy my tofu paired with rice. However, your tofu will also pair really well with pasta, quinoa or even couscous. You can always double the sauce and use it to flavor and coat some of your starches of choice. This tofu can be paired with many delicate spring vegetables like asparagus, zucchini and even sautéed spinach.

More tofu recipes

• Sheet Pan Cashew Tofu
• Vegan Garlic “Honey” Tofu
• Tahini Pesto Tofu Salad

Print

Did You Try This Recipe?
Then let me know what you thought in the comments below! Share your creations by tagging me on Instagram with the hashtag #plantbasedrdeats

★ Catherine