How do you make tofu more flavorful?

Here are a few ideas: Marinate it: Tofu can be marinated in a variety of flavorful sauces or spices. ... Press it: Firm tofu can be quite bland if eaten straight out of the package. ... Fry it: Fried tofu can be crispy and delicious. ... Add it to stir-fry: Tofu can be added to stir-fries for extra protein and texture. More items... Apr 6, 2023

What should I marinate tofu in?

In a mixing bowl or measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the marinade: soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ginger, and Sriracha . Drizzle over the tofu. If any pieces look bare, turn them over in the marinade a few times so all of the sides are coated.

Do you put cornstarch before or after marinating tofu?

If you want to bake the tofu instead, I recommend following my Baked Tofu post instructions – 400°F for 20 minutes, flipping in between. I would still recommend doing the marinade with cornstarch step afterwards (just heat up the pan a bit and add the tofu right after it comes out of the oven).

Should you fry tofu before marinating?

If you want the flavor to get all the way inside, you have to get heat involved somehow, whether that's in the form of a dip in boiling salty water, or by pan-frying, baking, or my new favorite pre-marinade technique: Air-frying. Cold, raw tofu rejects marinades because of its high water content and low porosity .

What not to mix with tofu?

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

Why does my tofu have no flavor?

Plain tofu has no specific flavor and is honestly, quite bland. This might be why people tend to hate it but the fact that it's bland is exactly why we should LOVE it. The texture of tofu is more important than the taste- all the different types of tofu have different textures.

How do you make tofu taste less bland?

Soy sauce/tamari - This is pretty crucial for flavour, as tofu naturally has a very bland taste. Either soy sauce or tamari can be used. Tamari is a (generally) gluten free soy sauce, whereas regular soy sauce usually contains wheat. Apple cider vinegar - Adds a mild tanginess to the tofu.

How long does it take for tofu to absorb flavor?

How long must I marinate my tofu? The larger and thicker the tofu, the more time is needed to absorb the marinade. The minimum time to marinate small cubes, thin slices and grated or 'scrambled' tofu is 15 minutes . For the tastiest results, marinade the tofu overnight.

What do people season tofu with?

Most seafood seasonings include celery seed, paprika, mustard powder, salt, and black pepper . Add lime juice to the tofu marinade to bring forward more of that classic seafood flavor. 5. Soy sauce: Marinating tofu in soy sauce helps the tofu absorb flavor quickly.

Can you season tofu with anything?

They have different flavors such as soy, and some have a little spice. So you can potentially go down this road and stay with Asian flavorings... soy, sesame oil, sambal, fish sauce, teriyaki, lemongrass, Chinese BBQ sauce, XO sauce, etc . Also, I know that the baked tofu, etc.

Marinated Tofu Recipe (for the BEST Tofu Flavour!) (2024)

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posted by Jessica Hylton on Mar 1, 2021 79 comments »

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5 (from 79 ratings)

This Marinated Tofu recipe will make you fall in LOVE with tofu with LOTS of great tips! It’s great for baking, pan-frying, grilling, in the air fryer and so much more! Perfect for a multi-purpose simple marinade and makes your tofu so flavourful.

Marinated Tofu Recipe (for the BEST Tofu Flavour!) (1)

A common question I hear is, “my tofu is so bland by itself – how do I get it to taste tasty?”. I love hearing this because it means there are SO many possibilities and that I get the opportunity to blow someone’s mind with how good tofu can taste!

Just like you would pretty much ANY protein source, you HAVE to season tofu if you want it to have flavour. As I said in my Tofu 101 blog post (a must read), it’s not tofu’s job to taste good. It’s a complete source of protein, and a beautiful blank slate to season with whatever your heart desires. Season it well (in fact – season all your veggies) and your tastebuds will thank you. It’s that simple. This is the general tofu marinade recipe that I use for many of my tofu recipes at home. When we just want some tasty tofu, we make this!

Notes on the Ingredients

Marinated Tofu Recipe (for the BEST Tofu Flavour!) (2)

block of tofu – always ensure it’s not silken (just regular firm or extra firm) and pressed for at least 30 minutes!

soy sauce– I always use light soy sauce, you can also use liquid aminos or coconut aminos or tamari. Don’t skip this – this helps to really penetrate the tofu for that inside out flavour.

rice wine vinegar– I love the flavour, feel free to experiment with regular vinegar or apple cider vinegar too although it won’t taste the same.

sesame oil– you could also use your favourite flavoured oil here.

agave– you can also use maple syrup! Helps to balance out the other flavours, doesn’t make it sweet.

garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, paprika (preferably smoked)– my preferred seasonings for this marinade!

cornstarch – this helps to thicken up the rest of the marinade to make the marinated tofu a bit saucy too after cooking! You could also use regular flour if you can’t use cornstarch, but it might not be the exact same texture.

How to Make Marinated Tofu (Step by Step Instructions)

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In a medium-size bowl place the pressed and cubed tofu. Add the soy sauce and toss to coat. Add in all of the other marinade ingredients and toss to thoroughly combine. Ensure all the pieces are coated and let the tofu sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 days.

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In a pan over medium high heat, add the oil. Once hot, scoop your tofu out of the leftover marinade (do not toss your marinade) and add into the pan. Crisp up your tofu on each side for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until all sides are crisped up and browned.

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While your tofu is cooking, add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch to the marinade and whisk vigorously to combine.

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Once tofu is finished cooking. Turn off the heat. Immediately add in your marinade and stir to combine. The residual heat will heat through the sauce and cook off the cornstarch. Stir to combine and let it all sit together for at least 2 minutes.

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Remove from the stove, serve and enjoy!

Expert Tips & FAQ

Allowing the marinade to sit on the tofu for at least 30 minutes really makes a massive difference to penetrating the tofu and giving it a deep flavour. Marinated tofu really is the best!
Make sure you’re not buying silken tofu! That will yield the wrong texture and will break apart if you try and press it. Check out myTofu 101post for more, or watch mytofu 101 IG series.
If you want to bake the tofu instead, I recommend following my Baked Tofu post instructions – 400°F for 20 minutes, flipping in between. I would still recommend doing the marinade with cornstarch step afterwards (just heat up the pan a bit and add the tofu right after it comes out of the oven).
How to press tofu:I cover this in detail in myHow to Cook Tofu 101 post! The prep time includes the time to press the tofu
Often times tofu sticks in your pan if you’re trying to flip it too early, the heat is too low, or your non-stick coating is gone. If your tofu is sticking, consider one of these and adjust accordingly – it’s usually that you’re trying to flip it too quickly!

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Enjoy friends! If you make thisMarinated Tofu Recipe, please snap a photo and tag#jessicainthekitchenonInstagram! We’d also love if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!