Seriously Delicious Marinated Tofu
User Reviews
4.9
Seriously Delicious Marinated Tofu
Description
The recipe starts with extra firm tofu that has been frozen and defrosted to modify its texture, making it more suitable for absorbing marinade and achieving a meatier bite. After pressing out excess moisture carefully, the tofu is sliced into slabs then cubed. The marinade blends soy sauce or tamari, toasted sesame oil, organic brown sugar, rice vinegar, Chinese five spice powder, white pepper, garlic powder, ground ginger, and a pinch of kosher salt, infusing the tofu with complex Asian-inspired flavors.
Once marinated, the tofu cubes are coated with arrowroot powder before cooking, which helps create a subtle crust without imparting the chalky aftertaste sometimes associated with cornstarch. This process maintains a good texture and enhances the tofu's ability to absorb flavor.
The finished tofu works well as a protein component in various meals, providing a balance of sweet, savory, and aromatic notes from the spices and sauces.
Choosing tamari keeps the recipe gluten-free, and using arrowroot powder over cornstarch avoids unwanted chalkiness. The freezing step is highlighted as key for improving texture and taste, with further tips on freezing and defrosting provided in accompanying notes.
Ingredients
- 1 (14-ounce/400g) tofu previously frozen and defrosted, extra firm, block
Marinade
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari**
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil toasted
- 2 ½ tablespoons brown sugar organic
- 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- salt kosher salt; a pinch
Finishing
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
Instructions
- For defrosted tofu: over the sink, gently squeeze the block tofu with both of your palms to extract as much water as you can but don’t squeeze so hard that you crumble it.For regular (non-thawed) tofu: skip this step, as the tofu might crumble.
- Slice the tofu into 4 vertical slabs. For defrosted tofu: You can press it for 5 to 10 minutes (see below), or you can simply press down on each slab with a dry towel to remove a lot of the water (almost as if you're giving the tofu slab CPR!). For regular tofu: cover the slabs with a thin dish towel or paper towels, weight down the tofu with a heavy cookbook, and press it for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a jar, combine the Marinade ingredients in a jar and shake until well combined (note: this does NOT include the arrowroot powder).
- Slice each tofu slab vertically in half, so you have 8 slabs. Now slice each slab into 3/4 inch-cubes (~ 2 cm).
- Add the tofu to a quart-sized ziploc or zip top bag. Pour the marinade on top and toss gently to coat, shaking the bag back and forth. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours, flipping the bag over a few times (at least twice during 1 hour) to distribute the marinade evenly.
- Preheat to 425ºF/218ºC and arrange a rack in the middle or bottom third of the oven. Line the a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Add the arrowroot to the marinated tofu in the bag and seal. Toss and massage gently to coat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the tofu to the pan and spread out in a single layer, leaving behind any extra marinade.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip the tofu. I use my hands to make it easiest, but be careful!Rotate the pan by 180º for even heating and return to the oven and bake for 10 to 13 minutes, or until tofu is nicely browned (a few blackened spots are okay).
- Rest for 5 minutes. The tofu will be rather soft when it comes out of the oven, but after resting for 5 minutes, it will crisp up.
Notes
- Freeze and defrost the tofu beforehand to improve texture and enhance flavor absorption.
- Tamari is a good gluten-free alternative to soy sauce in the marinade.
- The recipe uses Chinese five spice powder and white pepper to add distinctive flavor profiles common in Chinese cooking.
- Arrowroot powder is preferred over cornstarch to avoid any chalky aftertaste on the tofu.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 164 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 164kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 11g | 22% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Sodium | 469mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 203mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 3IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0.3mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 48mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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