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    Home » Recipes » Main Courses

    Balsamic Tofu [with Vegan Option]

    Published: Oct 26, 2022 by Sherri Hall · This post may contain affiliate links.

    This crispy Balsamic Tofu recipe is the perfect dish to whip up any night of the week. It's made with a homemade marinade that is bursting with flavor from balsamic vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, honey, and seasonings.
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Inactive Prep 1 hour
    Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
    JUMP TO RECIPE
    close-up overhead of finished tofu on top of rice in a bowl.

    If there's one thing I LOVE, it's tofu and this marinated balsamic tofu is one recipe that I absolutely can't get enough of.

    I just love how simple it is!

    These tasty balsamic tofu pieces are just light and easy to pop in your mouth and enjoy.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients you'll need
    • How to Make Balsamic Tofu
    • Storage
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Tips and Variations
    • More Tofu Recipes
    • Balsamic Tofu

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • Crispy cubes of tofu that are full of flavor
    • Great source of dietary fiber and protein
    • Easy to scale to make more for later
    overhead of balsamic tofu in a white bowl on top of rice with a fork in it.

    Ingredients you'll need

    Get more info on these simple ingredients in the recipe card below.

    • extra firm tofu
    • balsamic vinegar
    • olive oil
    • garlic cloves
    • lemon juice
    • honey
    • dried rosemary
    • fine sea salt
    • freshly ground black pepper
    • fresh parsley, optional
    overhead of ingredients for making balsamic tofu.

    How to Make Balsamic Tofu

    Using a tofu press, press tofu for 30 minutes.

    Use a fork to whisk together the marinade ingredients in a shallow dish to combine together.: garlic, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, honey, rosemary, salt, and black pepper.

    marinade in a shallow dish with a spoon in it.

    Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes using a sharp knife and cutting board.

    overhead of tofu cubes on a cutting board.

    Add the cut tofu to the marinade in the shallow dish.

    Carefully turn each cube of tofu to ensure all sides are coated.

    overhead of tofu marinating in a shallow white dish.

    Cover and marinate for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator, flipping once in the balsamic marinade.

    After marinating, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet skillet over medium heat.

    Add the tofu to the pan using a slotted spoon or tongs, while reserving the remaining marinade.

    Cook for 6-8 minutes, occasionally turning the tofu cubes so they brown on all sides.

    Pour the remaining marinade over the tofu in the pan and cook until the sauce has evaporated, stirring constantly to ensure all the pieces are coated (about 3-4 minutes).

    tofu cubes after cooking in cast iron pan.

    Remove from the heat and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

    Storage

    For best results, any leftover balsamic extra-firm tofu should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What can I use if I don't have a tofu press?

    If you don't have a tofu press, you can use any heavy object to press the excess liquid out. Make sure that you press the tofu on a flat sturdy surface, something like a cutting board on the kitchen counter. Wrap the block of tofu with a clean kitchen towel or a few paper towels before placing the heavy thing on top. Whatever you choose to wrap the tofu in will become wet. There's also a chance that the heavy-weighted object will get wet also. You can use a heavy pot, a book, or something else that has some weight to it to pres the tofu. If you're using this method, you'll need to press the tofu for about 45 minutes.

    What's the best kind of tofu to marinate?

    Extra firm tofu has less water than firm tofu and is easier to press. Some will say that firm tofu absorbs marinade better than extra-firm because of the texture. Always press tofu first as too much water will ruin your marinade.

    How long should you marinate tofu?

    I suggest marinating your tofu for 30-60 minutes, whatever you have time for. However, you can marinate your tofu for up to 24 hours. The longer you leave it in the simple marinade, the more flavor it will have. If you leave it in there longer than a day, you may mess up the marinade and destroy your whole dish. I suggest trying an hour first and you'll see it has soooo much flavor, even after just a little bit of time.

    Tips and Variations

    • If you want to make this a vegan balsamic tofu recipe, instead of honey, use agave or a good quality maple syrup.
    • Always make sure you press your tofu to remove any excess moisture before marinating it. Yes, it requires more time, but it is absolutely necessary.
    • If you don't have fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder, but you will need to adjust the amount.
    close-up front view of tofu on top of rice in a bowl.

    More Tofu Recipes

    • Baked BBQ Tofu
    • Air Fryer Buffalo Tofu
    • Easy Honey Garlic Tofu Recipe
    • Vegan Tofu Parmesan
    • Tofu Pasta Recipe with Tomato Sauce
    close-up overhead of finished tofu on top of rice in a bowl.
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    5 from 2 votes

    Balsamic Tofu

    This crispy Balsamic Tofu recipe is the perfect dish to whip up any night of the week. It's made with a homemade marinade that is bursting with flavor from balsamic vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, honey, and seasonings.
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, vegetarian
    Keyword balsamic, tofu, vegetarian
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Inactive Prep 1 hour
    Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 201kcal
    Author Sherri Hall

    Ingredients

    • 14 oz. extra-firm tofu
    • ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 1 ½ tablespoon honey (use agave or maple syrup for vegan)
    • ¼ teaspoon crushed, dried rosemary
    • fine sea salt to taste
    • freshly ground black pepper to taste
    • fresh parsley (for garnish), optional

    Instructions

    • Press tofu for 30 minutes using a *tofu press.
    • Add balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, honey, rosemary, salt, and pepper to a shallow dish and whisk together with a fork to combine.
    • Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and add to the marinade. Carefully turn each cube to ensure all sides are coated.
    • Cover and marinate for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator, flipping once.
    • After marinating, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a cast iron **skillet over medium heat.
    • Use tongs or a slotted spoon to add the tofu to the pan, while reserving the remaining marinade.
    • Cook for 6-8 minutes, occasionally turning the tofu cubes so they brown on all sides.
    • Pour the remaining marinade over the tofu in the pan and cook until the sauce has evaporated, stirring constantly to ensure all the pieces are coated (about 3-4 minutes).
    • Remove from the heat and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

    (Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)

    Suggested Equipment/Tools

    Tofu Press

    Notes

    *If you don't have a tofu press, place the block of tofu in the center of a clean, absorbent kitchen towel on a sturdy plate. Wrap the tofu with the towel. Place a heavy object, such as a large pot or some books on top of the tofu. Please note that the item(s) you use will get wet. Press for about 40-45 minutes if using this method.
    **You could also use 10- or 12-inch nonstick skillet.
    The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Fiber: 1g

    Post photography by: Petranka Atanasova.

    ©Watch Learn Eat. All content and images are copyright protected. Recipes and photos are not to be used or republished without prior permission. If you adapt this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, and link back to this post for the original recipe.

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    About Sherri

    Founder, Author, Recipe Developer, & Photographer

    With a lifelong passion for cooking, I specialize in creating easy meatless meals that are omnivore-approved!

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