Tofu Marinade (6 ways!)
ONE simple formula, 6 flavorful tofu marinades - cilantro lime, BBQ, teriyaki, balsamic, fajita, and Thai peanut. Each one whisks together in about 5 minutes with pantry staples and turns a block of tofu into something juicy, savory, and seriously craveable. Marinate for 30 minutes, overnight, or freeze it for later!
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime marinade:
- 14-16 ounce block of tofu
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup/ honey
- ½ cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
BBQ marinade:
- 14-16 ounce block of tofu
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- ¼ cup favorite BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Dash of liquid smoke optional
Teriyaki marinade:
- 14-16 ounce block of tofu
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- ¼ cup of soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons of fresh grated ginger
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Balsamic marinade:
- 14-16 ounce block of tofu
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
Fajita marinade:
- 14-16 ounce block of tofu
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons of water
- 1 teaspoon of maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1-2 tablespoons chili powder
- Optional: dash of liquid smoke
Thia Peanut marinade:
- 14-16 ounce block of tofu
- ¼ cup of peanut butter
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons of maple syrup
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons of fresh grated ginger
Instructions
- Prep your tofu: Follow my instructions HERE for pressing tofu and cut it into your desired shapes. I like to cube mine into bite sized pieces but really anything works! Set side.
- Make the marinade: I like to whisk together my marinade directly in the dish/ bag that I plan to marinate the tofu in. A plastic baggie, stasher bag, or really any kind of shallow resealable container works well. Add all of the ingredients (minus the tofu) and whisk until fully combined.
- Add the tofu: add in your tofu pieces and let marinate for 30 minutes or even overnight. See notes above for freezing. Ideally this will marinate for a good few hours but even just 30 minutes makes a big difference.
- Cook as desired and ENJOY! As desired, you can use the leftover marinade to make a sauce for your tofu (this works with all of the marinades EXCEPT the peanut marinade). Add it into a saucepan with a cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons of water + 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch) and cook over medium heat until thickened (about 3-5 minutes). It makes for a great sauce to put on top of the tofu!
Video
Notes
Nutritional info is just for the cilantro lime marinade as it will only let you display one.
- Freezer packs: Seal the tofu and marinade in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge during the day and cook - no pressing needed.
- Storage: Keep uncooked marinated tofu covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Cooked tofu keeps 4-5 days in an airtight container.
- Gluten-free: Swap soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos.
- Nutrition: Calculated for the cilantro lime marinade only.
Nutrition
Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 139IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 136mg | Iron: 1mg
