Best Grilled Tofu Recipes

PERFECT GRILLED TOFU

Steps:

• Wrap tofu in a clean dish towel and weight it with something heavy such as a large can; leave it to drain for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix together remaining ingredients in a bowl.
• Cut each piece of tofu crosswise into 6 thick slices and put it all in a baking dish. Pour marinade over tofu, turning to coat, and chill, covered, turning occasionally, at least 30 minutes or up to 48 hours. Longer is better, but shorter is totally fine.
• Preheat a gas grill on high heat (450 degrees F to 650 degrees F) 10 minutes, then reduce heat to medium (325 degrees F to 375 degrees F)--or do whatever the equivalent is if you're using charcoal. Oil grate.
• Transfer tofu from marinade (letting excess drip off and reserving marinade) to grill with a spatula. Cover grill and cook tofu, turning once, until well browned but before grill marks get black, 10 to 15 minutes total. Transfer tofu to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
• Bring reserved marinade to a boil in a saucepan and boil until it reduces to about 1 cup, about 2 minutes. Pour over tofu and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

GRILLED TOFU

Steps:

• Arrange sliced tofu in a single layer on a paper towel-lined plate. Press top with more paper towels to remove excess water. Arrange tofu in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, or any shallow dish that can hold the tofu in one layer.
• In a small saucepan, combine oil, garlic and ginger over medium; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant, 2 minutes. Add soy sauce, sugar, pepper and 1/4 cup water, and cook, stirring to dissolve the sugar, about 2 minutes.
• Pour hot marinade over tofu. Gently turn tofu slices to evenly coat, then cover dish tightly with plastic wrap to seal in heat. Refrigerate for 6 hours (or up to 8 hours), flipping tofu slices halfway through.
• Heat grill to medium and grease grates well (or heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium and lightly grease). Grill tofu over direct heat until golden and caramelized, about 3 minutes per side.
• Meanwhile, transfer marinade to a small saucepan over medium and warm through, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in scallions.
• Transfer tofu to a serving plate and spoon over the sauce. Serve warm.

GRILLED SOY, GINGER AND LIME TOFU STEAKS WITH CHARRED BABY BOK CHOY

Steps:

• Put the tofu steaks on a paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet and top with more paper towels, pressing gently to remove excess moisture. Remove the paper towels and towel and sprinkle the tofu with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Stir to combine the soy sauce, cilantro, lime juice, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and scallion whites in a medium bowl. Pour 1/3 cup of the marinade over the tofu steaks, flipping to coat both sides. Reserve the remaining marinade for serving.
• Put the bok choy on another rimmed baking sheet and brush all sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Prepare a grill for medium heat and brush the grates of the grill with oil.
• Put the tofu steaks and bok choy, cut-sides down, on the grill at an angle across the grates. Close the lid of the grill and cook for 5 minutes, then rotate both the tofu and the bok choy 90 degrees and cook another 5 minutes with the lid closed. Flip the tofu steaks and bok choy and cook for another 10 minutes with the lid closed, rotating 90 degrees halfway through to create crosshatch grill marks.
• Remove the tofu and bok choy to a platter. Spoon the reserved marinade over the tofu and bok choy and sprinkle the tofu steaks with the scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds.

CILANTRO LIME GRILLED TOFU

Steps:

• Place the block of tofu onto a plate and place another plate on top. Set a 3 to 5 pound weight on top (a container filled with water works well). Press the tofu for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain off and discard the accumulated liquid. Slice the tofu lengthwise into 4 thick slabs or cut into cubes and thread on skewers. Place tofu pieces or skewers on a plate.
• Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Brush the tofu with the marinade. Cover the plate with plastic wrap, and marinate tofu in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate. Grill the tofu until almost blackened in spots, brushing occasionally with the marinade, about 10 to 15 minutes.

GRILLED SMOKY TOFU TACOS WITH PEACH CUCUMBER SALSA

Steps:

• For the tofu: Sandwich each piece of tofu between 2 sheets of paper towels and place on a plate. Top with a second plate and weigh the plate down with a can or a heavy book to press any liquid out of the tofu. Set aside, changing the paper towels every 30 minutes, for 2 hours.
• For the lime sour cream: Whisk together the sour cream and lime zest and juice in a small bowl, then transfer to a squeeze bottle or container. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• For the salsa: Combine the peaches, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice and onion in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• For the black beans: Saute the onion in the oil in a large skillet until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste. Add the beans and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to partially mash the beans. Cover to keep warm or reheat when ready to serve.
• Make the tofu: Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high.
• Cut the tofu into 1-inch-wide logs. Mix the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper together in a bowl, then sprinkle the tofu on both sides with the spice mix. Brush the tofu with a generous amount of olive oil. Oil the grill grates, then place the tofu on the grill and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
• To build each taco, spoon some beans onto a tortilla. Top with the tofu and salsa. Drizzle with lime sour cream and serve immediately.
• Place the onions in a jar. Whisk the vinegars together with the sugar, salt and 1 cup water in a bowl until dissolved. Add the peppercorns. Pour over the onions and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours (see Cook's Note). Pickled onions keep about 2 weeks in the fridge.

GRILLED OR PAN-FRIED MARINATED TOFU

Steps:

• Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a 2-quart bowl. Whisk together well.
• Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Slice into 1/2-inch thick slabs, and blot each slab with paper towels. Add to the bowl with the marinade, and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to an hour, or for up to a day.
• To pan-fry the tofu, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. When the oil is hot, add the tofu in one layer (you may have to do this in batches). Cook on one side for one to two minutes, until lightly colored. Using tongs, turn the tofu over and cook for another one to two minutes, or until lightly colored on the other side. Remove from the pan, and serve with additional marinade or soy sauce. To grill the tofu, prepare a medium-hot grill. Brush the grill with oil, and grill until grill marks appear, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from the heat, and serve with additional marinade or soy sauce.

GRILLED TOFU AND BROCCOLI WITH PEANUT SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk the coconut milk, soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, ginger, brown sugar and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Firmly press the tofu dry with paper towels, cut into eight 1/2-inch-thick slabs, then firmly press dry again. Arrange in a small baking dish and pour half of the coconut milk mixture over the top; turn to coat. Refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, whisk the peanut butter and vinegar into the remaining coconut milk mixture until smooth; season with salt and pepper and set aside for serving.
• Preheat a grill to medium high. Oil the grates. Trim the broccoli and peel the stalks; slice into thin spears. Toss with the vegetable oil; season with salt.
• Grill the broccoli, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and crisp-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the tofu from the marinade and pat dry; season with salt. Grill the tofu, lightly brushing occasionally with the marinade, until well marked, about 2 minutes per side. Serve the tofu and broccoli with the peanut sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

GRILLED JERK TOFU AND PLANTAINS WITH MANGO SALSA

Steps:

• Tofu
• Wrap tofu in 2 layers of paper towel, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and weigh down with something heavy (large cans or a small cast-iron skillet work well). Let sit 30 minutes. (Alternatively, press tofu in a tofu press 15-30 minutes.)
• Meanwhile, process red onions, scallions, garlic, chiles, thyme, ginger, allspice, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, lime juice, browning sauce (if using), black pepper, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a food processor or blender to a coarse purée. With motor running, stream in oil and process to a fine purée. Transfer jerk sauce to a bowl.
• Unwrap tofu and cut each block crosswise into 6 slices. Pour 1 cup jerk sauce into a baking dish, then add tofu slices and turn to coat. Set remaining jerk sauce aside for brushing and serving. Cover and chill tofu at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. Do ahead: Jerk sauce can be made 3 weeks ahead. Cover and chill.
• Salsa
• Pulse lime juice, chile, mango, bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, agave (if using),and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a food processor just until coarsely chopped, 5-10 pulses. Taste salsa and season with more salt if needed. Transfer to a bowl; cover and chill until ready to serve.
• Plantains and assembly
• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; lightly oil grate. Arrange tofu on grate, cover, and grill, brushing with reserved jerk sauce as you turn tofu, until lightly browned and grill marks appear, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and brush with additional sauce, if desired.
• Meanwhile, mix brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, and remaining ¼ cup oil in a small bowl. Brush cut sides of plantains generously with mixture.
• Arrange plantains, cut side down, on grate, cover, and grill, brushing all over with brown sugar mixture as you turn, until deep golden and grill marks appear, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer plantains to plates with tofu.
• Top tofu and plantains with scallions and serve with salsa and lime wedges.

GRILLED TERIYAKI TOFU BOWLS

Steps:

• Slice tofu into 4 thick slices. Marinate in 1/3 cup of teriyaki sauce while you prepare the vegetables.
• Cut bell pepper into 4 wedges; remove core and seeds. Cut ends off zucchini, then cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Slice pineapple into 4 wedges. Cut onion into quarters. Place vegetables and pineapple onto a large platter. Brush with olive oil and season vegetables with salt and pepper.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate.
• Grill onions for 4 minutes, turning halfway through. Add bell pepper, zucchini, and pineapple to the grill and continue grilling, turning occasionally, until done to your liking, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a platter as each item finishes cooking, and cut into bite-sized pieces when cool enough to handle.
• Remove tofu from the marinade. Lightly oil the grate and grill 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Divide hot rice between 4 bowls. Top with grilled vegetables, pineapple, and tofu. Drizzle with remaining 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

GRILLED TOFU AND VEGETABLE SKEWERS

Steps:

• If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes.
• Cut the tofu into 12 equal pieces by making 2 cuts through the short side of the block and 3 on the longer side; each piece will be a 1 1/4-by-2-inch rectangle. Place the tofu pieces on a paper towel lined-plate, top with another paper towel and press gently to dry.
• To assemble the skewers, thread a piece of tofu vertically onto a skewer, then top with a piece of zucchini, yellow squash, red onion and bell pepper. Repeat twice more, ending with a bell pepper. There should be 3 pieces of each ingredient per skewer. Repeat with remaining tofu and vegetables and place the skewers on a rimmed baking sheet or large platter.
• To make the marinade and sauce, stir together the parsley, oregano, shallots, garlic, honey, vinegar, oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl. Pour 2/3 cup of the marinade into a small bowl and stir in the pine nuts; set it aside for serving.
• Spoon the remaining marinade over the skewers and use a pastry brush to coat all sides of the tofu and vegetables. Season the skewers with salt and pepper.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Brush the grill grates with oil and grill the skewers, covered, turning them occasionally, until the tofu has grill marks and the vegetables are cooked through and a bit charred on the edges, 16 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer the skewers to a platter and spoon the pine nut and herb sauce over them. Serve with warm naan or pita.

GRILLED OR ROASTED TOFU SATAY

Steps:

• Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dry tofu and red pepper and toss gently with a rubber spatula to coat evenly. Let marinate 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. Refrigerate if longer than 1 hour.
• Prepare the grill or preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• To make the sauce, place all the sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a decorative serving bowl.
• Remove about 1/3 cup of the sauce and drizzle it over the tofu. Use the rubber spatula to toss the tofu gently with the sauce. If you are grilling the satay, thread the tofu and red peppers on skewers. (Bamboo skewers must be soaked for 30 minutes.) If you are roasting the tofu in the oven, place it in 1 layer in a large, shallow baking dish such as a 9 x 13-inch lasagna pan. Use 2 pans if one pan isn't large enough.
• Cook the tofu on the hot grill at least 20 minutes, turning it occasionally, or roast in the oven for 25 minutes. The tofu is done when it is a deep golden brown. Let the tofu cool to room temperature before serving. Serve alongside a bowl of sauce for dipping.
• Tip: Canned coconut milk sometimes separates so that there is a thick, pasty mass at the top of the can and thin liquid on the bottom. Also, if the can has been kept in a cool cupboard, the milk will appear solid rather than liquid. In either case, stir the coconut milk before measuring it. Once heated, the coconut milk will thin out.

GRILLED TOFU AND SAUTEED ASIAN GREENS

Steps:

• Cut tofu crosswise into 6 slices. Arrange in 1 layer on a triple layer of paper towels and top with another triple layer of towels. Weight with a shallow baking pan or baking sheet and let stand 2 minutes. Repeat weighting with dry paper towels 2 more times.
• Stir together soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, Tabasco, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a glass pie plate. Add tofu slices in 1 layer and marinate, turning over every couple of minutes, 8 minutes total.
• Heat a lightly oiled well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Lift tofu from marinade with a slotted spatula (reserve marinade) and grill, turning over once carefully with spatula, until grill marks appear and tofu is heated through, 4 to 6 minutes total.
• While tofu grills, heat remaining teaspoon vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté greens, tossing with tongs, until beginning to wilt. Add reserved marinade and sauté, tossing, until greens are just wilted, about 1 minute. Lift greens from skillet with tongs, letting excess marinade drip off, and divide between 2 plates.
• Serve greens with tofu slices.

GRILLED TOFU TACOS RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Set the pressed tofu on a baking sheet and freeze for at least 4 hours, up to overnight. Let thaw completely, then cut into ½-inch-thick slabs. (Freezing is optional, but will give the tofu a meatier texture.)
• In a wide, shallow dish, whisk together the lime juice and zest, soy sauce, chili powder, cumin, coriander, brown sugar, salt, and canola oil.
• Add the tofu to the marinade and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
• While the tofu is marinating, make the grilled pineapple salsa. Brush a grill pan with canola oil and heat over high heat until just smoking. Working in batches, add the pineapple to the hot pan and cook undisturbed for 5-6 minutes, until distinct grill marks appear and the pineapple is beginning to soften. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until grill marks appear on the other side. Transfer the pineapple rings to a cutting board and cut into ¼-inch pieces.
• Transfer the pineapple to a medium bowl, along with the onion, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, salt, and lime juice and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Grill the tofu: Brush the same grill pan with more canola oil. Heat over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Working in batches, remove the tofu from the marinade and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side, until distinct grill marks appear. Cut each tofu slab into ½-inch slices crosswise on the diagonal.
• Just before serving, grill the tortillas over medium-high heat until just warmed through and some brown spots appear, about 1 minute per side.
• Assemble the tacos: Fill each tortilla with grilled tofu and top with 2-3 tablespoons of pineapple salsa and 1-2 avocado slices. Serve with lime wedges alongside.
• Enjoy!
• RECIPE BY: Karlee Rotoly

ASIAN-STYLE GRILLED TOFU

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine teriyaki, vinegar, lime juice, ginger, Splenda, red pepper flakes and garlic powder.
• Open package of tofu and drain.
• Slice tofu diagonally in half to form 2 triangular shaped pieces; turn triangle onto long flat cut side with point facing up; cut into 3 triangular slices, each about 1/2-inch thick.
• Repeat with second triangle to form six 1/2-inch thick triangular slices.
• Spread tofu onto a paper towel-lined tray; top with more paper towels, and cover with a sheet pan; evenly weigh down sheet pan with soup cans and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Change paper toweling and repeat.
• Transfer tofu to a shallow glass dish and add marinade; let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning slices over after 15 minutes.
• Drain marinade into a small saucepan.
• Bring a large pot of water to boiling.
• Heat a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with 2 teaspoons oil.
• Cook fettuccine in boiling water according to package directions, adding snow peas, pepper and onion during the last 4 minutes of cooking.
• Grill the tofu, about 2 minutes per side, until nicely marked and hot.
• Stir broth and cornstarch into marinade and bring to a boil; boil until thickened, about 2 minutes.
• Drain noodles and vegetables.
• Toss noodles and vegetables with thickened marinade and sprinkle with sesame seeds, then top with grilled tofu.

SPICY GRILLED TOFU

Steps:

• Place the tofu slices on several layers of paper towels and cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 20 minutes, pressing down occasionally with your hands to squeeze out the water.
• Place the tofu in a single layer in the bottom of a 13x9 glass baking dish.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, maple syrup, tamari, chile paste, garlic, and pepper.
• Pour mixture over the tofu, stirring to coat all the slices.
• Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• When the tofu is marinated and ready to cook: Spray grill rack or pan with nonstick cooking spray. Heat grill or grill pan to medium heat.
• Place tofu slices on the grill. Reserve the marinade.
• Grill tofu 3 or 4 minutes on each side, or until the outside is browned and crisp.
• Return tofu to the baking dish and toss the slices with the reserved marinade.
• Serve immediately.

GRILLED TOFU AND CHICKEN PAD THAI

Steps:

• Heat grill to high. Brush both sides of tofu and chicken with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the tofu on each side for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly charred, remove, and cut into thin slices. Grill the chicken for 4 minutes per side or until slightly charred and just cooked through, remove, and cut into thin slices.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan on the grates of the grill or side burner on the grill. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft. Add the ancho powder and cook for 10 seconds. Add the tamarind mixture, vinegar, fish sauce, brown sugar, and peanut butter and bring to a boil. Place the cooked noodles, tofu, and chicken in a large bowl. Pour the boiling sauce over the noodles and toss gently until until combined. Fold in the green onion, cilantro, and bean sprouts and top with the chopped nuts. Serve with grilled limes on the side.

GRILLED TOFU AND VEGETABLE PITA POCKETS

Steps:

• Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Whisk dressing and mint in small bowl to blend. Arrange tofu, bell peppers and green onions on small platter; brush with some of dressing mixture.
• Wrap pita bread in foil; place at edge of grill to warm through. Grill vegetables and tofu until lightly charred and heated through, occasionally turning and brushing with some dressing mixture, about 8 minutes for vegetables and 5 minutes for tofu.
• Cut tofu and peppers into 1/4-inch pieces. Fill each pita half with 1/4 of tofu and peppers. Top each with 2 green onions and 1/4 of feta cheese. Drizzle with any remaining dressing mixture and serve.

GRILLED TOFU WITH CHIMICHURRI ON TOAST

Steps:

• Combine red onion, parsley, oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic, and red-pepper flakes in a bowl; season with salt. Reserve 1/2 cup sauce for serving. Marinate tofu at room temperature in remaining sauce, basting occasionally, for 1 hour.
• Combine avocado and cucumber. Season with salt and black pepper. Squeeze lemon over salad, and drizzle with oil; gently toss to combine.
• Heat a grill (or grill pan) to medium; lightly oil hot grates. Lightly brush bread on both sides with marinade. Grill until crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Grill tofu until lightly charred, about 4 minutes per side. Serve on bread with reserved sauce, and avocado salad on the side.

GRILLED TOFU WITH CHILI LIME MARINADE

Steps:

• Slice tofu in half lengthwise, then cut each half into two long strips, approximately 1/2-inch thick.
• Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
• Lay tofu strips in a shallow pan and pour marinade over, turning tofu to coat. Marinade for at least 1 hour, or as long as overnight.
• Heat oil in grill or nonstick pan over high heat. Sear tofu on each side until browned and heated through, approximately 2-3 minutes per side.

GRILLED TOFU SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Press tofu.
• Whisk together fish sauce, 1/4 cup vinegar, sugar, shallot, Sriracha, and ginger. Transfer tofu to a baking dish and top with marinade. Marinate at room temperature, 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toss carrots with remaining vinegar. Season with salt and refrigerate.
• Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Coat with vegetable oil and add tofu (reserve marinade). Grill, turning, until crisp and charred in spots, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Generously brush cut sides of baguette with olive oil. Grill until toasted and golden, about 1 minute. Top bread with grilled tofu, carrots, herbs, and a drizzle of reserved marinade.