Easy Marinated Tofu (Oil-Free)

How to press tofu

A very common way to buy tofu is packed in water, but if your tofu is vacuum packed and not packed in much water you can probably skip the pressing step. Use firm, extra firm, or super firm (not silken). The super firm tofu I buy isn't packed with much water so you may not need to press it. For super firm, drain, slice it, then dry it off with paper towels.

I use a tofu press; to extract the excess water from the tofu. Place the tofu in the press, turn the press sideways so the water can drain out (depending on your tofu press you may not need to), and place it on a plate or in a baking dish to catch the liquid.

If you don't have a tofu press, simply wrap the tofu in a clean kitchen towel, place the tofu on a plate to catch any liquid that the towel doesn't absorb, and then place a heavy pot on top of the tofu to squeeze out more liquid. 

Another option is to use a plate (or cutting board) and place canned goods on the plate to put pressure on the tofu.  You want to remove the liquid so it will absorb the marinade.

Let the tofu sit and drain for about 20-30 minutes. It can also be left in the refrigerator overnight to remove any excess liquid. For more tofu recipes, try crispy oven baked oil-free tofu, tofu meat crumbles, baked tofu nuggets, and tofu Buddha bowl.

How to make easy marinated tofu

Drain the tofu, then press for 20-30 minutes. 

Then pat dry with a paper towel.

Mix the marinade together. Then slice the tofu into ¼-1/2 inch slices. Then place the tofu in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over it.

Flip the tofu slices around in the marinade to make sure they're covered in the sauce.  

Let the tofu marinate for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through to ensure even marinating. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Line a baking tray with a silicone mat or parchment paper and evenly space the tofu so it's not overlapping.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway through. The finished tofu will have firmed up and turned golden brown. The time will vary depending on how thinly you slice it.

Tips

• Look for firm, extra firm, or super firm tofu in the refrigerated section at your grocery store, not the silken tofu found in the shelf-stable aseptic containers. If your tofu is vacuumed packed with not much water, you may not need to press the tofu. For super firm, drain, slice it, then dry it off with paper towels.
• The tofu can be marinated overnight.
• If you can't find tamari, low-sodium soy sauce works well.  I don't use regular soy sauce because it's too salty.

Storage

The tofu can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

Serving Suggestions

• Leave the tofu as slabs for sandwiches
• Slice smaller for spring rolls
• Cut into cubes for stir fry
• Add it to vegan sushi bowl
• Add it to vegetable fried rice
• Add it to vegan peanut noodles
• Serve it as the main with sides

Need more tofu or tempeh recipes?

• Spicy Tofu Scramble
• Peanut Tempeh Bowl
• Mustard Tempeh Buddha Bowl
• Baked Tofu Nuggets (Oil-Free)