How to Cook Marinated Tofu
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
1 hr 15 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Calories
79 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Appetizer
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Cuisine
Asian, South American, American
How to Cook Marinated Tofu
Description
The recipe begins by pressing tofu to remove excess moisture, which enhances the tofu's ability to absorb marinade and achieve a better texture, especially when aiming for a crispy result. Cubing the tofu into small pieces increases the surface area for soaking in flavor. The marinade combines soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, a hot chili paste (sambal oelek), Chinese five spice powder, and water to create a balanced mix of salty, tangy, spicy, and aromatic notes.
Tofu cubes are marinated covered for several hours or overnight, allowing the flavors to penetrate deeply. Stirring occasionally ensures even coating. The dish can be cooked by pan-frying, which will develop a crisp exterior while keeping the inside tender. The marinated tofu is suitable as a protein component in various meals or served on sandwiches.
Pressing and marinating greatly influence texture and taste, and leftovers keep for three days refrigerated. Water in the marinade helps submerge tofu pieces but can be omitted when using a shallow dish and turning tofu carefully during marination. Proper draining and marinating techniques yield tofu that carries flavor well and works in different culinary applications.
Ingredients
- 1 firm tofu package, or extra-firm tofu
Asian tofu marinade:
- 6 Tbs soy sauce Tamari sauce, or Bragg's amino acids
- 3 Tbs rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tb sambal oelek or Sriracha sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder or cumin
- 3 Tbs of water
Instructions
- Press the tofu to drain between your hands to extract fluids. Alternatively, to get even more liquid out, place the tofu on a cutting board, top it with a plate, and top the plate with a heavy can. Leave to drain for 15 minutes.
- Cut the tofu into small cubes, each slightly smaller than 1-square inch. You can also cut it into triangles for sandwiches.
- In a square or rectangular bowl, make the marinade by whisking together soy, rice vinegar, hot sauce, spices and water. Add cubed tofu to bowl and toss the tofu in the marinade, covered with plastic wrap or lid, overnight or at least for a few hours (you can even let it marinate for a few days, soaking up flavour as it goes along, so don't hesitate to plan several meals from this tofu). Give the tofu pieces a stir every few hours, to ensure all are evenly coated with sauce.
- Uncooked, marinated tofu stays good for 3 days in an airtight container.
PAN FRIED TOFU METHOD
- Preheat a grill pan, a cast iron pan or a non-stick pan to high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of oil. Remove the tofu from the marinade, add tofu to the pan and grill 2-3 minutes per side. Turn each piece over to the other side, repeating until the tofu is browned on all sides and you can see grill marks if using a grill pan.
- Top with a few spoonfuls of the remaining marinade, if desired.
OVEN BAKED TOFU METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Cover a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Remove the tofu from the marinade, arrange on a baking sheet so there’s no overlap between the slices. Bake for 15 minutes on one side; flip over, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
- Top with a few spoonfuls of the remaining marinade, if desired.
AIR FRYER TOFU METHOD
- Preheat the air fryer to 375F. Spray with non-stick spray, or drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil. Remove the tofu from the marinade, arrange in the air fryer so there’s no overlap. Air fry tofu for 15 minutes, shaking the basket a couple of times in the process. You want your tofu nice and golden brown for this simple recipe.
- Remove tofu from the air fryer and top with a few spoonfuls of the remaining marinade, if desired.
Notes
- Press tofu to remove moisture for better texture and more effective marinating.
- The water in the marinade helps submerge tofu but can be omitted with a shallow dish and turning tofu pieces regularly.
- Marinate tofu for several hours or overnight, stirring occasionally to ensure even flavor absorption.
- Marinated tofu keeps for up to three days refrigerated in an airtight container.
- Pan-fry to create a crispy exterior while maintaining a tender interior.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 79 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 79kcal | 4% |
| Carbohydrates | 5g | 2% |
| Protein | 10g | 20% |
| Fat | 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.3g | 2% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.4g | 2% |
| Sodium | 1780mg | 74% |
| Potassium | 214mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 1IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0.1mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 39mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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