Ridiculously Juicy Grilled Balsamic Marinated Tofu
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This is my family’s absolute favorite grilled marinated tofu- NO tofu press required!! It’s ridiculously juicy, tender, and refreshing with punchy savory flavor, and an absolute crowd pleaser for both vegans and non-vegans/meat-eaters. Honestly, it’s what made my chicken-loving dad fall in love with tofu. This will be a staple for your weekly dinners!
The juiciest grilled marinated tofu- all without a tofu press!
For YEARS, I avoided tofu- I hated it. Thought it was flavorless, disgusting, and I’d rather eat beans (I mean, when these mushroom bean burgers exist, who could blame me?!). And yeah, I’ve been vegan for almost a decade, and hated contributing to the cliche.
That was, until I discovered how to cook tofu right– juicy, flavorful, and ridiculously satisfying. In fact, it’s so delicious, my non-vegan dad, who has also scoffed at tofu, was absolutely obsessed when I made him this grilled marinated tofu. And we do that all through the marinade- but not just any marinade!
It’s a quick, 15-second homemade marinade using simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. That, plus a little waiting time to let all of the flavors tenderize our tofu, and you have grill able tofu ready for any cookout, barbecue, summer party, or weeknight meal (hey, grill plates exist!).
I served this here with my peach, tomato, and cucumber salad, but trust me, this goes great with any salad or picnic side (especially my herbed potato salad!). And just warning you now- the non-vegans will be begging you for a bite, so just make sure you feed the true vegans first!!
Pro vegan tip: If you need more help cooking tofu, check out my Beginner’s Guide to How to Cook Tofu! This turned me from someone who hated tofu into absolutely obsessed!
The key to delicious marinated tofu is all in the marinade
Tofu is just like any other protein- if the marinade is off, then the protein won’t taste as good. And a good marinade has a solid ratio of high salt and acid, fat, and in my opinion, sweet. That’s why we’re mixing together soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and a touch of sesame oil to balance it all out.
The soy sauce and balsamic vinegar will tenderize the tofu while it marinates- vinegar is what produces that really juicy flavor when cooking protein. Then the maple syrup will help round out the saltiness. Finally, the sesame oil will add just a hint of nutty flavor but really help the tofu cook through thoroughly while maintaining all of its juiciness. And help it not stick to the grill!
Of course, we also have a few additional flavor enhancers, like garlic and onion powder, mustard, and parsley. This will help round out our flavors in the tofu so that there’s depth.
Make sure you’re using extra-firm or super firm tofu! Any softer, and you risk your tofu sticking to the grill or grill plate (I’ve done that before!).
Why I’m not pressing my tofu:
This is most often the most “crucial” step that many vegan chefs recommend, but I actually have found it’s an inconsequential step. In fact, part of me also really think it makes your tofu worse. Now hear me out.
I’ve tried pressing the extra-firm tofu. The thing is that it has already been pressed really, so any additional water you’re pressing out, you’re losing the chance for super juicy tofu. That’s like taking another source of SUPER dried-out protein and trying to rehydrate it with a salty marinade. Not going to work too well!
Skip the press and save yourself some time- and the results are phenomenal!
Pro tip: the longer you marinate your tofu, the better!
In my testing, I’ve tried this marinated grilled tofu with just marinating it for 2 hours, 4 hours, and overnight. And the best results are definitely overnight (like with any cooking protein- this isn’t just specific to tofu!). But if I forgot that step the night before, then at least 4 hours is the trick.
It can be done in 2 hours, but I found that the results will not be as juicy and tender. I personally will prep this in the morning, let it marinate in the fridge, then it’s ready to grill by the evening!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
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Ridiculously Juicy Grilled Balsamic Marinated Tofu
- Prep Time: 120
- Cook Time: 8
- Total Time: 2 hours 8 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
This is my family’s absolute favorite grilled marinated tofu- NO tofu press required!! It’s ridiculously juicy, tender, and refreshing with punchy savory flavor, and an absolute crowd pleaser for both vegans and non-vegans/meat-eaters. Honestly, it’s what made my chicken-loving dad fall in love with tofu. This will be a staple for your weekly dinners!
Ingredients
- 2 blocks extra firm tofu
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) soy sauce
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) maple syrup
- 2 tbsp mustard
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley or 1 tbsp dried parsley, plus additional fresh parsley for garnish
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Prep: Slice each block of tofu in half width-wise, then in half height-wise (see photo references for shape). Make sure that if you’re using fresh parsley that it’s chopped. It should be a rectangle that’s 1/2 inch thick.
- Whisk: In a large sealable container, whisk together all marinade ingredients (soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, and sesame oil).
- Marinate: Dip each tofu slab into the marinade to evenly coat. Then place all tofu slabs back into the marinade, already in a sealable air tight container. Seal the container and gently flip the container over a few times to evenly coat the tofu again. Marinate for at least 2 hours, but preferably as long as you can (overnight is even better!!).
- Grill: Once the grill is heated, you can place each tofu slab onto the grill and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until slightly charred on the edges. Flip to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes on the other side. Then remove from the grill.
- Grill plate option: Alternatively, you can use a grill plate. Coat the grill plate in avocado oil, and heat on high. Follow the instructions for placing the tofu on and cooking the tofu per the grilling method above.
- Serve and enjoy! Top with fresh chopped parsley, and enjoy! Store in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 6 days.
Notes
Balsamic vinegar: If you want a more traditional teriyaki flavor, you can use rice vinegar. But the balsamic really adds a nice sweetness to the salty marinade!
Mustard: You can also use 1 tbsp mustard powder.
Gluten-free: Use tamari or coconut aminos!
