Simple Baked Tofu with Sesame Soy Marinade

Step 1

Press all the water out of the tofu. You can do this by wrapping the tofu in dish towels and then setting something heavy on top like a pan or book. The weight of the pan will help to push as much liquid out as possible, so that when cooked the tofu stays nice and firm. This will take about 5 minutes. Then cut your tofu into bite size cubes. Here is some more helpful info on how to press tofu if you have never done it before.

Step 2

Make your marinade by mixing the tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic powder, and ground ginger together in a small bowl.

Step 3

Lay the cut tofu cubes in a 8x8 dish or pan. Now, pour the marinade over the tofu and flip the cubes over to ensure all sides have been covered being careful not to break up the tofu. Then cover the pan with a top or plastic wrap and set in the fridge to marinate. You want to allow it to marinate for at least one hour. I let mine marinate overnight for the best flavor. The longer the better in this case giving the pressed tofu more time to absorb the flavors of the marinade.

Step 4

Once marinated and you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 400°F or 205°C. Then line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray or oil. I use cooking spray. Now, remove your tofu from the marinade with a slotted spatula and lay on the prepared baking sheet. The foil is a great heat conductor helping to evenly brown the tofu.

Step 5

Bake the tofu for 15 minutes. Then flip the tofu over, rotate the pan, and cook for another 10 minutes. Now, check the tofu. It should be nice and brown, but not burnt. Let the tofu cook another 3 to 5 minutes if it's not there yet. The total time in baking should be about 25 to 30 minutes depending on your oven.

Step 6

Serve the tofu over rice with your favorite veggies and sauce. I like to serve mine with vegan hoisin and sriracha. You can also use it to top salads, add to noodles, or even in wraps.