Do you need to press tofu before marinating it?

This will depend on the type of tofu used. If using firm or extra firm tofu, it is recommended to press and drain the tofu for at least 30 minutes to remove excess water. This will help the marinade penetrate the tofu better and improve the texture. If you’d like to skip pressing the tofu, opt for super firm tofu varieties instead as they are conveniently made to skip the pressing step.

How long should you marinate tofu?

When marinating tofu, marinate it for at least 30 minutes. For best tasting results, marinate tofu overnight to allow the tofu more time to absorb the flavors.

Can you eat tofu raw?

Yes! There are many common cold tofu preparations around the world that involve just pouring a flavorful sauce over the tofu to eat.

Can you eat tofu everyday?

Most individuals can safely consume tofu daily. It provides protein as well as other valuable minerals. It is best to avoid tofu if you are dealing with a soy allergy or a medical condition that requires you to avoid it.

How long do the marinades keep?

Make sure to store the tofu and marinades in clean airtight containers. You can keep the tofu and marinade in the fridge for up to 7 days. Do make sure that if using a small portion of the tofu at a time that you use clean utensils to retrieve the tofu.

4 Tasty Tofu Marinades + How to Use Them

Description

Learn to make 4 easy and delicious tofu marinades. Each marinade is less than 10 ingredients, but still packs in a lot of flavor! Save the marinades to create sauces to enjoy your tofu with.

Ingredients

Scale

4 packages of Nasoya’s Super Firm Tofu
Corn Starch, as needed
Water, as needed

Orange Gochujang Tofu

2 tbsp gochujang
2 tsp brown sugar
Juice of one small orange + 1 tsp orange zest
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 tsp gochugaru, optional

Balsamic Glaze Tofu

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
3 cloves garlic, crushed

Cilantro Lime Tofu

2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3 cup cilantro, finely minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 a vegetable bouillon cube or 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
Juice of 2 limes, zest of 1 lime
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Marinated Tofu Feta

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp yellow miso paste
1 tsp each dry oregano and dry basil
1/2 tsp salt

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Instructions

Prep Tofu. Remove the tofu from package and pat dry. Cut into desired cube shapes and divide the tofu between 4 different airtight containers and prepare the accompanying sauces.

Balsamic Glazed Tofu

Add all of the balsamic glaze ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together to emulsify. Pour over tofu and allow to sit and marinade for at least an hour.
Remove the tofu from the marinade and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Bake in the oven at 425F for 20 minutes or in an air fryer at 400F for 10 minutes. To the leftover marinade add 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water and whisk together to combine.
Heat up a pan over medium low heat and when warm, pour in the marinade and stir to thicken for about 2 minutes. Add in the baked tofu and toss until completely coated in the sauce. Serve the tofu with your favorite vegetables and grains.

Orange Gochujang Tofu

Add all of the orange gochujang ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together to emulsify. Pour over tofu and allow to sit and marinade for at least an hour.
Remove the tofu from the marinade and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Bake in the oven at 425F for 20 minutes or in an air fryer at 400F for 10 minutes. To the leftover marinade add 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water and whisk together to combine.
Heat up a pan over medium low heat and when warm, pour in the marinade and stir to thicken for about 2 minutes. Add in the baked tofu and toss until completely coated in the sauce. Serve your tofu with some pickled or fresh vegetables, rice and kimchi.

Marinated Tofu Feta

In a small bowl, combine all of the tofu feta ingredients and whisk to combine until the miso paste is fully dissolved. Pour over tofu and allow to marinate overnight. Once marinated, this tofu is ready to use as is to top salads or add to wraps and pitas.

Cilantro Lime Tofu

Add all of the cilantro lime ingredients to a small bowl and whisk together to emulsify. Pour over tofu and allow to sit and marinade for at least an hour.
Heat up a skillet over medium heat then heat up your oil. Once warm, remove the tofu from the marinade and place in the skillet to pan fry for 2-3 minutes on each side.
You can serve the tofu in tacos along with sauteed peppers and onions. Reserve the marinade as a drench sauce that you can pour over the tofu tacos for extra flavor when serving.

Notes

Make sure to store the tofu and marinades in clean airtight containers. You can keep the tofu and marinade in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Vary your tofu cuts. Depending on the application you may want your tofu cubes to be smaller or larger. I like to use smaller cubes for the tofu feta and large cubes for things like the balsamic glazed tofu and the gochujang tofu that get coated in a sauce.

Make sure to use an acid in your marinade. Citrus juice and vinegars help to tenderize the tofu and allow more flavor from the marinade to penetrate into the tofu.

Pick the cooking method that you prefer. For any of the tofu recipes requiring cooked tofu feel free to cook the tofu by pan-frying, baking or air frying.

For smaller portions or feeding just 2 people during the week, just use 2 blocks of tofu and divide with the same marinade measurements.