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

FAQs

How do you get the best flavor in tofu? ›

Removing water by pressing tofu will allow it to absorb flavor from marinades, sauces, and other flavors you might add. If the water isn't removed, the tofu lacks the ability to soak in flavor, and it will turn out bland and spongey. The exception to this is if you plan to cook tofu in a soup.

Baking is my go-to method for how to cook tofu. It yields flavorful, firm cubes that are perfect for adding to a stir fry, salad, or bowl!

You should aim to marinate tofu for at least 2 hours in the fridge. To infuse more flavour, you can leave it to marinade for up to 2 days before cooking up. Top tip: Don't ditch the leftover marinade when you come to cook your tofu.

Once the tofu is marinated, I use a cornstarch coating with some cumin powder in it. Not only does it create a super crispy result, but the seasoning further brings out the flavor of the 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.

Mix the cornflour, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Unravel the tofu from the paper, cut in half through the centre, then cut into triangles, cubes or strips. Toss the tofu pieces in the spiced cornflour to coat all over.

The taste and textures you get are much better than store-bought tofu, and the best part is – you know exactly what is in it! Soybeans, lemon, and water, that's it!

Many cooking experts champion a quick soak as a way to give the protein more texture and flavor. “Simmering cubed tofu in salted water for 60 seconds pulls out excess moisture and tightens the proteins on its surface,” Lukas Volger told Bon Appétit in 2021.

I recommend always pressing tofu before baking it, especially if you're marinating it first — removing excess liquid will make room for all that flavorful marinade.

Considering that we often cut tofu into bite-size pieces with greater surface area (thus creating more points of entry for marinade), marinating can have a profound impact, seasoning the tofu not only at the surface but also deep inside.

Is it possible to marinate tofu for too long? ›

You can leave the tofu in the bag with the marinade for as little as 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. Can I marinate tofu overnight? Technically, yes, but in our tests, the tofu that marinated for longer than 4 hours absorbed too much of the marinade and ended up less flavorful and crispy.

Simply press firm tofu and use your hands to break it up by smashing it between your fingers until it mimics the texture of scrambled eggs. Then season with turmeric, black pepper, garlic powder, black salt (for an “eggy” flavor, or use sea salt or Tamari instead), and add in your favorite cooked veggies.

Cold, raw tofu rejects marinades because of its high water content and low porosity. It will eventually suck up a marinade, but mostly on the surface, and only after a long, long time (think a couple of days). Par-cooking it speeds up the process by driving out some of that water, leaving more room for seasonings.

Rice or Noodles.

We usually serve our tofu stir fry with brown rice (I cook it in the Instant Pot right along with the rest of the meal), but if you prefer tofu stir fry noodles, these are a tasty option, and they cook more quickly too!

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.

First things first: Press your tofu

But tofu that's full of water is less likely to absorb spices and flavors. This can also make the cooking process much longer. Luckily for the home cook, it's fairly easy to squeeze out the excess water. Simply wrap your block of tofu in a kitchen towel or paper towels.

Many cooking experts champion a quick soak as a way to give the protein more texture and flavor. “Simmering cubed tofu in salted water for 60 seconds pulls out excess moisture and tightens the proteins on its surface,” Lukas Volger told Bon Appétit in 2021.