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–+ servings
Four different types of marinated tofu each in its own reusable freezer bag.
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5 from 1 vote

Best Ever Marinated Tofu

Marinated tofu is a great plant-based protein! Try these 4 different tofu marinades: Classic, Lemon Rosemary, Chipotle and Ginger Sesame!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time12 hours
Total Time12 hours 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Asian-Inspired
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 128kcal
Author: Taylor Stinson

Ingredients

  • 1 block firm or extra-firm tofu drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari to make gluten-free
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil or 2 tbsp sesame oil and 2 tbsp olive oil to change the flavor
  • 4 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Optional add-ins (feel free to mix and match to play with different flavours)

  • 1 tbsp minced ginger
  • 1 tsp spice blend of choice or other fresh/dried herbs
  • 1-2 tsp hot sauce tabasco, sriracha, etc
  • 1-2 tbsp maple syrup or honey

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients except for tofu to a large bowl with a lid, or a ziptop bag, mixing together well. I recommend trying the base recipe first, then adding the optional add-ins the next time you make it so you can see what you'd like to add.
  • Drain tofu and squeeze out excess liquid with a towel (don't worry about pressing it). Cut it into 1-inch cubes, then add to the marinade, gently tossing to combine and make sure the tofu is saturated.
  • Let sit overnight, at least 12 hours and ideally up to 24 hours for full flavour. You will need to move the tofu around occasionally as some cubes may sit above the liquid and need to be pushed back down. Just gently toss or stir a couple times during the marinating process.
  • Once the time is up, you can serve immediately cold in a bowl, salad, wrap or sandwich. I recommend a buddha bowl (recipe linked below in the notes section of this recipe card). You can also stir fry it with rice and veggies.

Notes

There are 3 other marinade recipes pictured in the blog post if you don't feel like mixing and matching the ingredients as listed above in this recipe card.
Lemon Rosemary: 
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 4 cloves minced garlic 
  • 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Chipotle:
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
  • 1 pinch each salt & pepper
Ginger Sesame:
  • 1/4 cup sesame oil
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 4 cloves minced garlic 
  • 1 inch piece ginger, sliced into coins
See all my spice blend recipes here.
See my buddha bowl recipe, which I recommend serving this tofu in, here.

Nutrition

Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 351mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg