Baked Tofu Recipe

Minimal ingredients, perfect chewy texture, oven baked for easy clean-up, plenty of plant based protein, and even an oil-free option! This Baked Tofu Recipe is great for snacking on it’s own or with a dipping sauce and, of course, delicious as part of a larger meal.

Tofu is a high protein plant based food that is often a staple of vegan diets. It’s a complete protein and also boasts high amounts of calcium, selenium, iron, healthy omega-3 fats, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins. [source]

There are a lot of ways to season baked tofu, but I like this particular recipe for its simplicity. Tofu can be quite bland on it’s own, so I use just enough seasoning to give it flavor, but it’s still mild enough to pair with any type of cuisine.

This is a versatile recipe that I make about once a week. Sometimes, I even double it because the whole family loves it cooked this way. I hope you enjoy it, too!

Ingredients you need

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Tofu ~ For this recipe I prefer Extra Firm. Trader Joe’s sells a Super Firm that I really like. Regular firm will also work, it will just have a bit more water to press out.

Definitely do not use soft or silken varieties. Those are much too soft for this oven baked recipe.

Also, I suggest always choosing organic, non-GMO tofu. I don’t always fuss with organics, but I think in the case of soy, it’s important. So, be sure to read labels and choose accordingly.

Coconut aminos ~ You may use tamari, a gluten-free soy sauce alternative, or traditional soy sauce instead. I prefer coconut aminos because I find it less salty than the others.

Apple cider vinegar ~ Rice vinegar, white wine vinegar, or even lemon or lime juice will work. You just need a bit of tang to balance out the flavors.

Pure maple syrup ~ Agave is a good alternative if you prefer.

Sesame oil ~ Used here for added flavor. If you don’t have it, you can skip the oil altogether. No need to replace with another oil. And, of course, if you follow an oil-free diet, just leave it out.

How to make the recipe

1) Press

If you have a tofu press, you can use that.

Personally, I’m not a fan of most gadgets, so I just use what I already have. See the above photo for my setup.

• Slice the tofu block into thick slabs, two or three is fine.
• Place the slabs in an even layer on a plate lined with a few paper towels. I like to use a plate with a lip to keep the liquid contained in case it’s not all absorbed by the towel. (Alternately, wrap a clean dish cloth around the slabs instead of the paper towels if you prefer.)
• Place another few paper towels on top followed by another plate.
• Weigh the top plate down with books or bags of dried beans or rice.
• Press for at least 20 minutes.

2) Marinate

Cut the slabs into bite size pieces and place into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss well to ensure the pieces are evenly coated.

For many recipes, I would say to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight to really soak up the flavors. However, this baked tofu recipe is intended to have a mild, neutral flavor so that it pairs with almost anything. For this reason, 20 minutes is plenty, but feel free to do longer if you wish.

3) Bake

Place the marinated tofu pieces, evenly spaced out in one even layer, onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, flipping all the pieces over half way through to ensure even cooking.

Pro tips for success

~ Be sure to use firm, extra firm, or super firm organic tofu. Do not use soft or silken!

~ Press the tofu to release as much water as possible. Slicing the block into 2 or 3 thick slabs and then pressing will help get even more water out than pressing the whole block. See notes above or in the recipe card for directions on pressing.

~ Dice the tofu into equal bite-size pieces to ensure they cook uniformly.

~ If not all of the marinade gets absorbed, drain it before placing the tofu on the baking sheet.

~ Be sure to flip the cubes half way through cooking to ensure crisp edges all around.

~ Sprinkle on salt and pepper as soon as it comes out of the oven for an extra flavor boost.

FAQs

More firm tofu recipes

• Sesame Ginger Tofu
• BBQ Tofu Bowl
• Pineapple Tofu Stir Fry
• Baked Tofu Tacos
• Vegan Palak Tofu

Chewy Baked Tofu

Minimal ingredients, perfect chewy texture, oven baked for easy clean-up, plenty of plant based protein, and even an oil-free option! This Baked Tofu Recipe is great for snacking on it's own or with a dipping sauce and, of course, delicious as part of a larger meal.

5 from 1 vote

Print Rate

Course: Tofu and Tempeh

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 89kcal

Author: Jenn Sebestyen

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 block 14-16 ounces extra firm tofu (firm and super firm will work, as well)
• ▢ [2 tablespoons coconut aminos or tamari or soy sauce]
• ▢ 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sesame oil optional
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Press the tofu for 20 minutes. (See notes for How to Press Tofu)
• Cut the tofu into bite size cubes.
• Gently toss the tofu cubes with coconut aminos, vinegar, maple syrup, and sesame oil, if using. Let sit for 20 minutes, gently stirring every 5 minutes to ensure all the tofu soaks up the marinade.
• While the tofu is marinating, preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Place the tofu cubes onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, flip all the tofu cubes over, and bake another 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper immediately after taking them out of the oven.
• Serve immediately or let cool and store in an airtight container for later use.

Notes

*Be sure to use firm, extra firm, or super firm organic tofu. Do not use soft or silken tofu!

*Press the tofu to release as much water as possible. Slicing the block into 2 or 3 thick slabs and then pressing will help get even more water out than pressing the whole block. (See the final note below for more details on how to press tofu.)

*Dice the tofu into equal bite-size pieces to ensure they cook uniformly.

*If not all of the marinade gets absorbed, drain it before placing the tofu on the baking sheet.

*Be sure to flip the cubes half way through cooking to ensure crisp edges all around.

*Sprinkle salt and pepper on the tofu while it is still hot as soon as it comes out of the oven for an extra flavor boost

*To press tofu: Slice the tofu into thick slabs, two or three is fine. Place the slabs in an even layer on a plate lined with a few paper towels. I like to use a plate with a lip to keep the liquid contained in case it’s not all absorbed by the towel. Place another few paper towels on top of the tofu followed by another plate. (Alternately, wrap the tofu in a clean dish cloth instead of using paper towels, if you prefer,) Weigh the top plate down with books or bags of dried beans or rice. Press for at least 20 minutes. (Alternately, you may use a tofu press instead of this plate and towel method).

Nutrition

Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 329mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g

Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.

Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Veggie_Inspired or tag #VeggieInspired!