Published: · Modified: by Shane Martin · This post may contain affiliate links.
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This recipe for grilled tofu is easy to follow, healthy, and delicious. Grilled and charred to perfection, it’s sure to become a favorite among tofu lovers.
Tofu is always getting a bad rap. And, many who speak ill of it have never tried it or simply fail to educate themselves about it and how to use it. But, I’m about to show you the BEST grilled tofu recipe EVER!
You won’t believe how easy it is to make.
This tofu recipe has the best flavor! You can toss it on your salad for some added protein, pile it high on a sandwich with some of myCashew Mayo, or simply serve it over rice with some steamed veggies and grilled red bell pepper and onions. The possibilities are endless.
Let me show you!
Table of Contents
How To Press Tofu
When you buy tofu it’s packed in water. So, you’re going to want to press it when making baked tofu. But, you can also purchasesuper firm tofuwhich is vacuum-sealed and not packed in water. The super firm is my personal choice for this and other meatier recipes.
The easiest thing to do is buy atofu press. It’s very easy to use and inexpensive. If you don’t have atofu pressit’s still easy to do. All you need to do is wrap your tofu in a clean dish towel or paper towel, set it on acutting boardor plate, set another plate on top, and place something heavy on top. A cast-ironskillet, books, or canned goods work really well.
This is going to get rid of most of the excess water and only takes about15-20 minutes. I also like to set mine in the fridge overnight. But, it’s not necessary.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The marinade is the star of the show, requires very simple ingredients, and adds so much flavor.
- 1 (14-ounce) block of extra-firm tofu
- fresh lime juice (may sub lemon juice)
- pure maple syrup
- apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
- low-sodium soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- black pepper
How To Make Grilled Tofu
You can grill tofu on a nonstick grill pan or an outside grill.
- Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl, mix well, and set aside while tofu is pressed.
- Slice the tofu into eight ¾″ strips and place in an airtight container or large freezer bag. Pour the marinade over the tofu, seal the container, and allow it to marinate in the fridge for at least 20-30 minutes. But, allowing it to sit overnight is best and will give you maximum flavor.
- Heat a non-stickgrill panover medium-high heat, add the tofu slices to the pan, and cook for about 3 minutes per side or until the tofu has browned and charred a bit.
- NOTE: This recipe is great for barbecues and cooking on an outdoor grill. Clean the grill grates to prevent sticking and be sure to use a metal spatula.
- Remove from the pan, brush with a bit of the leftover marinade, and enjoy!
If you don’t have agrill panyou can very easily bake the tofu.
Preheat your oven to375˚F,line a rimmedbaking sheetwithparchment paper, lay out the tofu in a single layer, and bake for15 minutes. Flip the tofu, brush with more of the marinade, and bake for another 15 minutes.
How To Serve Grilled Tofu
- Make a delicious sandwich by laying this tofu on some whole grain bread withpickled veggiesandcashew mayo.
- Serve it overInstant PotBrown Ricewith some steamed veggies with this delicious peanut sauce.
- Chop it up, stuff it in some tortillas, then top with cashew sour cream to make some delicious tacos.
Storage
Refrigerator:Store leftovers in the fridge for up to1 week.
Freeze It:Place the tofu in the marinade then store it in the freezer. Once you’re ready to cook the tofu simply let it thaw in the fridge and prepare as instructed.
Can I Make It Ahead Of Time
This is a great recipe for making ahead of time. Let the tofu soak in the marinade for a couple of days then cook.
More Delicious Tofu Recipes
Although tofu is usually seen as a vegan meat replacement it’s super versatile Check out these delicious recipes.
- Tofu Bacon
- The Best Vegan Frittata
- Crispy Blackened Tofu
- Vegan French Toast Casserole
- Vegan Tofu Scramble
- Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
- Vegan Tofu Sour Cream
If you make this recipe I want to know. So, please leave a comment below with a star rating. And, be sure and share a picture onInstagramwith the hashtag#shaneandsimple. I want to see your work. Enjoy!
The Best Grilled Tofu Recipe
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
5 from 15 reviews
The best Grilled Tofu recipe.It’s high in protein, low in fat, and requires just5 ingredientsand30 minutes. A simple recipe that’s sure to make you a tofu fan for life.
- Author: Shane Martin
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Marinate Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Vegan Main Dishes
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
UnitsScale
- 1 block extra firm tofu (NOT Silken)
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced or 1 Tbsp already minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
Instructions
- Drain tofu and press for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Use a tofu press or wrap in a cloth and set something heavy on top like a cast iron skillet.
- Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl, mix well, and set aside while tofu is pressed.
- Slice the tofu into eight ¾″ strips and place in an airtight container or large freezer bag. Pour the marinade over the tofu, seal the container, and allow it to marinate in the fridge for at least 20-30 minutes. But, allowing it to sit overnight is best and will give you maximum flavor.
- Heat a non-stickgrill panover medium-high heat, add the tofu slices to the pan, and cook for about 3 minutes per side or until the tofu has browned and charred a bit.
- NOTE: This recipe is great for barbecues and cooking on an outdoor grill. Clean the grill grates to prevent sticking and be sure to use a metal spatula.
- Remove from the pan, brush with a bit of the leftover marinade, and enjoy!
Notes
If you don’t have a grill pan you can bake this tofu. Preheat your oven to 375˚F, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and bake the tofu for 15 minutes. Flip the tofu, brush with more marinade, and bake for another 15 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 181
- Sugar: 7.1 g
- Sodium: 266.7 mg
- Fat: 5.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.2 g
- Fiber: 2.1 g
- Protein: 12.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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More Main Dish
- Vegan Carrot Hot Dogs
- Easy 5-Minute Spicy Peanut Butter Ramen Noodles
- Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers with Mushrooms and Lentils
- Easy Apple Butternut Squash Soup
Reader Interactions
Comments
Carol Ann McCollumShane…. good grief!! I’m having a problem with your recipes. I need to get out to the garden to plant the gazillion veggie & herb plants I bought…. but… I just sit here printing out recipe after recipe!! Your recipes are amazing!! Thank you for all your efforts & experimentation that it takes to create such healthy vegan recipes for us!! OK… I am turning off my laptop… I am turning off my laptop NOW…. ok…. going out to the garden… now….
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- Shane Martin
Thank you so much…and I’m laughing. LOL!
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- Kathi
Another delicious recipe, Shane. You have yet to disappoint! Thank you so very much.
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- Shane Martin
Thank you so much!!!
See Also5-Ingredient White Chicken Chili Recipe | Gimme Some OvenThis Pressure-Cooker Ramekin Eggs Recipe Is Ready in Less Than 5 MinutesThe BEST Taco Soup Recipe | foodiecrush.comSlow Cooker French Dip RecipeReply
- Melissa
When you list the ingredients in the beginning you mention ACV or rice vinegar but when the recipe is actually presented the ACV is missing? Is it in the recipe or no? Thanks!!
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- Shane Martin
My bad…it should be in there. I’ll fix that:)
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- Sarah
How much ACV? I’d like to try this tonight but not sure how much to add since the recipe doesn’t have ACV listed yet.
Thanks - Shane Martin
It should be down in the recipe card at the bottom of the post
- Shelly
Shane, I still don’t see acv anywhere on the recipe card.
- Shane Martin
Just fixed it…it’s 2 Tbsp. Thanks!!!
- Tessa Flores
Thank you for this tasty recipe! It was delicious. I served it with a watermelon, cucumber & mint salad and had some left over for tofu and avocado sandwiches. The marinade is fantastic!
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- Shane Martin
Thank you!
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- Robbie
This looks good. I wondered if you have ever tried boiling your tofu in salt water for a chewy bite? I’ve been pressing mine for years but found out about boiling and it really made a difference. Looking forward to trying your recipe!
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- Shane Martin
Sounds interesting, but I’ve never tried it.
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- Becki
My son can’t have citrus. Would ACV work as an alternative?
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- Shane Martin
ACV is always my go-to sub for lemon and lime juice.
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- Elke Drayton
Made this yesterday for my Sunday Lunch and it was delicious it’s a keeper fir sure, the next time I will get my Iron Pan out to get it more crisoy.
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- Vickie
Question: Can I use a regular grill (now that it’s the season!) for this if I use a grill-pan of some kind?
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- Shane Martin
YES! I grill this all the time. But, if you like to grill, be sure and check out my newest recipe…you’re going to love it!
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- Donna
Hello from Boston! Could this be cooked in an air fryer? TY 🙂
- Shane Martin
For sure.
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- Deborah
Finally!! A tofu recipe that I love!! Thank you for creating all of your great recipes.
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- Joanne Freund
Mmmm, mmm, I LOVE marinating super firm tofu and this marinade is terrific (For the reader who is concerned with sodium – I am also careful with sodium consumption, so I only used one tablespoon of low sodium tamari sauce and cut the block of tofu into 7 slices. I used one slice in a sandwich with arugula, tomatoes, and a simple dressing on a ciabatta roll. That way I am only getting 1/7 (at most) of the marinade and sodium). This is a great party/entertaining food. You can cut the slices so they fit in a small roll and you have a slider. I just love this recipe. I am going to try baking and then freezing, so all I have to do is a quick turn on the griddle before I serve. YUMMY!!!!
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- Marge Teilhaber
Shane, If I leave out the tamari or soy sauce or aminos and also leave out the maple syrup, I suppose I should not bother, right? Or maybe sub the 2T each with broth? I love soy sauce but I stay away because the sodium makes my ankles swell. Love maple syrup but not in savory foods.
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- Shane Martin
Hi, Marge! Have you ever tried coconut aminos? Very low in sodium. I would try that before the broth.
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- Shanna
I love this marinade. My tofu was delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
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- Sandra Polichino
I am on the third day of a three day fast for the purpose of autophagy, This will be my first meal. I can’t wait.
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- Shane Martin
I hope you enjoy it:)
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- Cyn
Do you think firm tofu would work? The pieces would then be cooked on a griddle.
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- Shane Martin
Yes, just make sure it is regular tofu and not silken. You will also want to press it before using.
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- Michelle
Can you cook on a regular grill?
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- Shane Martin
For sure!!!
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- Jared
Came out great!
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- Shane Martin
Great to hear, Jared! Thanks for reaching out.
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- Jared
Can I use regular soy sauce instead of Tamari?
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- Shane Martin
Absolutely!!!
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- Kathy Whitaker
Can’t wait to try this😊
I make Shane and Simple SPICY VEGAN BREAKFAST SAUSAGE PATTIES once a week. I make enough to eat one sausage patty every morning for breakfast.
Great sausage recipe except I leave out the anise as a matter of personal taste.
Thank you for sharing such great recipes, I have many Shane and Simple recipes stored in my Anylist app and look forward to adding more S and S recipes in the future 😊Reply
- Kim
Wow! It was so easy and has a great flavor from only 30 minutes. I will definitely marinade for longer next time to intensify the great flavor.
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- Suzi
Pressing my tofu now. It is wrapped in a cloth diaper! lol Looking forward to trying it. I’m learning to go vegan and appreciate the simplicity. I’m serving this with your instant pot cabbage recipe.
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- Shane Martin
Suzi, that sounds great…and innovative:) Way to go and good luck on your journey. Never hesitate to reach out with a comment or question. Blessings.
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- Angel Hayes
I don’t have a grill pan, but agree with you, I love grill marks. Do you think it would work if I let the George foreman get really hot first? I am going to try it unless you have and think it’s a bad idea. It works with my oil free hash browns but have to let them cook for a really long time so they don’t stick.
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- Shane Martin
I think it’s a great idea:) Lately, I’ve just been using cast iron. Enjoy!
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- Shannon I Duffy
One of your best recipes! I love it so much I shared with my son.
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- Shane Martin
Wow! Thank you, Shannon! So glad you liked it. Great to hear from you and hope you are doing well. Miss all of you.
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- Lindsey Hoy
I had this yesterday with steamed broccoli. It is very good.
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- Shane Martin
Thank you, Lindsey! We love it with broccoli over rice. So glad you enjoyed it. Peace.
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- Julie
Going to buy some tofu and make it this weekend! Thanks, Shane! It looks delicious and simple..my favorite! 🙂
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- Shane Martin
Thank you, Julie! I hope you enjoy it. It’s one of our faves. So simple and flavorful. Let me know how it turns out.
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