Marinated Grilled Tofu
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An amazing grilled tofu recipe with the best sweet and savory citrus marinade that doubles down as a luscious sauce made of freshly squeezed orange juice infused with tons of umami flavor and the perfect amount of heat and subtle smokiness from chiles in adobo. The sauce is perfectly balanced with zesty lime, a touch of maple syrup and fragrant basil. (The best ever! + Video instructions)
Grilled Tofu
Super easy and amazingly delicious this adobo style marinated tofu is the perfect Asian Spanish fusion that will make you lick your plates clean and definitely go back for seconds. Zesty, citrusy, subtly sweet and fragrant from the basil but perfectly savory with just enough garlic and chile to awaken the senses. My all time go to favorite recipe for grilling tofu!
About the Tofu
- To press or not to press? – For this recipe I used an extra firm block and pressed it for about 20 minutes to get rid of as much moisture as possible before adding flavor back in with the marinade. If you’d like to skip the pressing altogether, it’s important that you use the high protein tofu blocks that are vacuum sealed not the ones packed in water. In any case you must use an extra firm block or it won’t hold up to the grilling process.
- Slicing – You can certainly get creative here, I wanted to get smaller and thinner slices that are easy to work with on the grill and that will saturate better in the marinade. I sliced the block lengthwise then got 6 slices out of each half for a total of 12 pieces. I’m happy with this size on a grilled veggie platter, a salad and stuffed in tacos. If you don’t mind the extra grill time you could go for one inch cubes instead in which case make sure to grill all the sides. You can certainly skewer them as well but for me that’s a missed opportunity to get those nice charred marks all over the sides.
- Leftovers – Although I love this best hot off the grill with puddles of the sauce all over, it also makes nice leftovers served cold in a salad or reheated in a skillet or microwave oven until warmed through.
Best Tofu Marinade
- The Flavor Profile – Zesty, citrusy made from freshly squeezed orange juice + zest balanced by tangy lime, a touch of sweetness from maple syrup and plenty of savory umami from shoyu, garlic and my secret ingredient: chiles in adobo sauce. So delicious! Once blended, I added in some fresh basil leaves and gave it another pulse or two just to chop it up, I like to see little specks of green floating around. Alternatively you can opt for cilantro leaves if you are partial to that flavor profile and maybe feel that the flavor of the chiles in adobo might be calling for that balance instead. Try both and decide which one is best for you!
- Marinading Time – A quick 30 minutes marinading time with a flip half way works great on a busy weeknight. If you can plan ahead it’s even better to marinade overnight so the flavors get to sink in deep but not really necessary as you have plenty of flavorful sauce to dip in or drizzle on top too. It’s important to bring the tofu to room temperature about 30 minutes before you plan to grill it however; this will prevent it from sticking due to temperature shock between the chill of the fridge and a sizzling hot grill pan.
- Can I use store bought orange juice instead of fresh? – In a pinch that will work just fine but most importantly you still need to add the orange zest which is the major component of that deep orange flavor throughout. In my honest opinion, It’s just not as good without the zest so I don’t like to compromise on that.
Serving Ideas
- Grilled or stir fried veggies
- Tofu Noodles
- Vegan fried rice
- Coconut spinach rice
- Vegan tacos
- Ramen bowls
- Lettuce wraps
- Mushroom stir fry
- Garlic spicy noodles
- Roasted Smashed Potatoes
- Citrus rice
How to Make Amazing Grilled Tofu with Adobo Marinade
Marinated Grilled Tofu
Amazing grilled tofu with the best sweet and savory citrus marinade that doubles down as a luscious sauce made of freshly squeezed orange juice infused with tons of umami flavor and the perfect amount of heat and smokiness from chiles in adobo.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 oz block tofu (extra firm)
Marinade + Sauce
- 1/3 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed from 1 juicy orange)
- zest from 1 orange (about 2 tsp)
- 3 Tbsp lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 Tbsp shoyu or tamari
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 5 garlic cloves grated
- 2 chipotles in adobo sauce
- 1/4 cup basil leaves (or 1/2 cup cilantro leaves)
Instructions
- PREP the TOFU. Slice the tofu block in half lengthwise then slice each rectangle into 6 equal slices for a total of 12 square slices. Place them on a lint free tea towel lined plate and wrap them padding as much of the moisture as possible without breaking the slices. Use a fresh towel if needed and re-wrap your tofu slices then place a heavy item on top and let it press for 20 minutes or so while you work on the marinade.14 oz block tofu
- MARINADE. Blend all the marinade ingredients except the basil until smooth. Add the basil and blend a couple more seconds just until you can see specks of green throughout. Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade to serve as the sauce with the grilled tofu.1/3 cup orange juice, zest from 1 orange, 3 Tbsp lime juice, 4 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbsp shoyu or tamari, 2 Tbsp maple syrup, 5 garlic cloves, 2 chipotles in adobo sauce, 1/4 cup basil leaves
- Add the tofu slices to a bowl or glass container and pour the marinade over the top. Marinade at room temperature for 30 minutes flipping the pieces half way through. Alternatively you can marinade overnight and bring to room temperature about 30 minutes before grilling.14 oz block tofu
- Preheat a cast iron grill pan or griddle over medium hight heat. Use a brush and oil it well to make sure none of the tofu will stick to it.
- Working in batches as needed add the tofu pieces to the hot griddle (it should sizzle and smoke as soon as it hits the pan). Grill for a few minutes on each side just until nice dark char marks form. (I like to also quickly hold the tofu on each sides using kitchen tongs and get a quick sear all around but this is totally up to you).
- Transfer the grilled tofu to a serving platter and drizzle with the reserved adobo sauce. Serve alongside grilled vegetables and garnished with fresh basil (or cilantro if you prefer that flavor profile).
Video
Notes
- Can I use store bought orange juice instead of fresh? - In a pinch that can work but you still need to add the orange zest which is the major component of that deep orange flavor throughout. In my honest opinion, It's just not as good without the zest so I don't like to compromise on that.
- To press or not to press the tofu? For this recipe I used an extra firm block and pressed it for about 20 minutes to get rid of as much moisture as possible before adding flavor back in with the marinade. If you'd like to skip the pressing altogether, it's important that you use the high protein tofu blocks that are vacuum sealed not the ones packed in water. In any case you must use an extra firm block or it won't hold up to the grilling process.
- Marinading Time - A quick 30 minutes marinading time with a flip half way works great on a busy weeknight. If you can plan ahead it's even better to marinade overnight so the flavors get to sink in deep but not really necessary as you have plenty of flavorful sauce to dip in or drizzle on top too. It's important to bring the tofu to room temperature about 30 minutes before you plan to grill it however; this will prevent it from sticking due to temperature shock between the chill of the fridge and a sizzling hot grill pan.
Nutrition
Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Sodium: 724mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 127IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 235kcal
One word: AMAZING! Between your tofu bolognese and this tofu marinade I have become a tofu lover and both of those recipes will be regulars at our dinner table. Thank you for all the fabulous creative and always delicious recipes!