Spicy Tofu Marinade Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Brian

Made the marinade, then baked cubed, marinated tofu at 350 for about 30 minutes. The combination of texture and flavor from the marinade made this a wonderful addition to a salad, stir-fry or just on its own.

Catherine

Made this as an appetizer, mincing the ginger and garlic, and the sauce was great. Pressed extra firm tofu in paper towels to remove excess water, sliced it into triangles and brushed the slices with a little toasted sesame oil before broiling.

Lisa Eugene

Cubed a package of firm tofu and marinaded it in this sauce. Stir-fried yakisoba with julienned carrots, cabbage and onions. Spread the noodles and veggies flat across most of pan bottom. Poured the tofu and marinade over the yakisoba and veggies and let it heat through, just leaving the cubed tofu on top and letting the noodles and veggies on the bottom fry just a little more in this sauce. The sugar in the sauce carmelized just a little adding cool texture and flavor. Tasted wonderful.

Karen L Davis

Excellent flavor. I substituted Thai red curry paste and a few splashes of sriracha for the red chili paste, because they're what I had on hand. Made a great marinade for super jumbo shrimp. After cooking the shrimp, tossed the remainder into the pan with some lime juice, cooked it down a bit and used as a sauce for serving. Yum.

Ruth Gyure

This marinade is outstanding. Everyone in the family commented on how delicious it was. I made a double batch..marinated, then pan seared tofu slices till browned and crisped up on both sides, served with steamed broccoli and sautéed shiitake mushrooms...extra sauce drizzled on top. Delicious!

Dee Dee

This marinade made me fall in love with tofu. I had some firm tofu on hand after making hot and sour soup. Pressed it, marinated it and fried it two different ways…one with a cornstarch/garlic powder coating and another without the cornstarch mix. Prefered the latter. Served it with stirfried bok chow. Delicious!

Marsha Stern

I substituted Marsala, canned chipotle, and peanut oil for mirin, chili paste and sesame oil, the first two because they were on hand, the second because I was shocked at the price of sesame oil. Maybe the original version is better, but this was great. I press the water out of the tofu, which is more trouble than I usually go to, but well worth it. In a stir fry with snow peas, shaved carrots, and baby spinach, it is my new favorite dinner.

Thea

Made this with edits based on what I had in the fridge -- 1/4c soy sauce, 1tbs rice vinegar, 1tsp brown sugar, 2 scallions chopped, 1tbs crushed ginger. drained and cubed the tofu, marinated, ate uncooked. delicious!

Laurie

Marinate, then broil, pan fry or grill.Use excess marinade for dipping sauce, maybe adding some lemon or lime juice.

Theresa

I use this often. I find it best to press the tofu beforehand before grilling or pan-searing. If you prefer a gluten free option, tamari is wonderful and has even more unami. I typically use only one Tbs of sesame oil for pan-searing and use one Tbs vegetable oil with it because the smoke point is just too low for a high temperature sear. It's also fun to try out other spices like chili oil, black bean, or Chinese five spice. I highly recommend a little bit of green onion at the end!

Ann

Made the marinade, then baked cubed, marinated tofu at 350 for about 30 minutes

Yehudit

This is my favorite tofu recipe.

KMA

I added 2 T of rice vinegar instead of 1 and reducedthe chili sauce. This recipe calls for less sugar and is better for it. Well worth cooking.

JW Witcher

This is lovely and flexible. I used 1/2 teaspoon chili oil instead of chili-garlic sauce or cayenne and added a couple of tablespoons of oyster sauce (smooths things out).

Katie Taylor

Didn't have any sesame oil, so I substituted Worcestershire sauce. After I did it, I thought, 'Oh no...what have I done?' But it was delicious! Made the tofu very bright and tangy.

nilssons

I doubled the recipe to have extra sauce for drizzling over rice and this was delicious. I often marinade my tofu for the NYT sweet and spicy soba noodles recipe and I'll use this combination in the future, but won't use it as a stand alone dish. But it got rave reviews on its own and I'll definitely make again.

Catherine

Used this recipe with Mark Bittman's Tofu Escabeche (as an appetizer) and Sam Sifton's Whatever You're Got Fried Rice, a delicious change-up with both.

Jess

Amazing in the air fryer!!!!

rosie

Good

rosie

Yum

rosie

Really good marinade

JC Brown

Another simple, delicious recipe from Martha Rose Shulman! This works as a marinade for tofu or as a dipping sauce for just about anything. It also serves as a nice dressing for cold or hot noodles.

Raven

I've made this multiple times, skipping the chili paste because even though I like it my family isn't a big fan of spicy foods. It's delicious even without. I've also used it as a chicken marinade. Great in a stir fry but it's also flavorful enough that the flavors come through if you toss it in curry! This is my go to marinade now.

boston cook

Use this marinade for grilled portobello mushrooms!

Ann

Made the marinade, then baked cubed, marinated tofu at 350 for about 30 minutes

Isabel Liss

This is a great marinade for tofu! I use extra firm and press it out. I have to say, I let it sit it the fridge for 3 or 4 days before I fry it up. Not sure how long it lasts after that -- it's gone w/in a day!Also I added some thinly sliced scallions (cut on diagonal) and some sesame seeds to marinade (but mostly don't cook the green onion with the tofu) because they help catch some extra (delicious!) sauce when serving.

tate

This keeps for months! Great for any quick flavor for most asiany dishes

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Spicy Tofu Marinade Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best spice for tofu? ›

Smoked Paprika: Imparts a smoky profundity, just the ticket for a barbecue-style tofu escapade. Cumin Powder: Delivers an earthy warmth, a star in spice rubs or marinades. Garlic Powder: The universal maestro of flavor, perfect for a savory twist.

Do you put cornstarch before or after marinating tofu? ›

Once the tofu is marinated, I use a cornstarch coating with some cumin powder in it. Not only does it create a super crispy result, but the seasoning further brings out the flavor of the tofu.

How long should you marinate tofu? ›

In a sealed container, add your tofu and cover in the marinade. You should aim to marinate tofu for at least 2 hours in the fridge. To infuse more flavour, you can leave it to marinade for up to 2 days before cooking up. Top tip: Don't ditch the leftover marinade when you come to cook your tofu.

Why is tofu not absorbing marinade? ›

Cold, raw tofu rejects marinades because of its high water content and low porosity. It will eventually suck up a marinade, but mostly on the surface, and only after a long, long time (think a couple of days). Par-cooking it speeds up the process by driving out some of that water, leaving more room for seasonings.

How do you get the best flavor in tofu? ›

One of the best ways to infuse tofu with flavour quickly and all throughout the tofu is to marinade it. You can literally use any meat marinades for tofu, just pump up the flavours.

What is the tastiest way to make tofu? ›

Baking is my go-to method for how to cook tofu. It yields flavorful, firm cubes that are perfect for adding to a stir fry, salad, or bowl!

Should you press tofu before marinating? ›

Drain the firm or extra tofu from its package and pat it dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Tip: We don't find it necessary to press tofu, but if you like, you can do so. Break the tofu apart with your hands into bite-size pieces and add it to the bowl with the marinade.

How much cornstarch per block of tofu? ›

Ingredients
  1. 1 (14- to 16-ounce) block. extra-firm tofu.
  2. 1 teaspoon. kosher salt.
  3. 3 tablespoons. cornstarch.
  4. 2 tablespoons. vegetable oil.

Is tofu worth marinating? ›

Considering that we often cut tofu into bite-size pieces with greater surface area (thus creating more points of entry for marinade), marinating can have a profound impact, seasoning the tofu not only at the surface but also deep inside.

What not to mix with tofu? ›

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

Can I eat tofu raw? ›

How to safely eat raw tofu. While tofu comes in a variety of textures — silken, firm, and extra firm — technically any of them can be eaten raw. Before enjoying raw tofu, drain off any excess liquid from the packaging. It's also important to store tofu properly to prevent germs from growing on any unused portions.

Can I use normal tofu instead of silken? ›

Both silken and regular tofu can be found in soft, medium, firm, and extra-firm consistencies. They are made with the same ingredients, but they are processed slightly differently and are not interchangeable in a recipe.

What happens if you don't drain tofu before cooking? ›

Here's the thing: even though tofu might be labeled firm or extra-firm, it contains a lot of water. This excess water can cause the tofu to crumble when you cook it, and it will also have a hard time crisping up. But when you press tofu, you remove the excess moisture.

Why do you squeeze water out of tofu? ›

Pressed tofu absorbs more flavor.

This technique of squeezing water out of tofu is necessary to take on new flavors. So if you're marinating tofu, you remove water to basically replace it with the marinade to add flavor to a commonly bland ingredient.

What happens if you marinate tofu too long? ›

You can leave the tofu in the bag with the marinade for as little as 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. Can I marinate tofu overnight? Technically, yes, but in our tests, the tofu that marinated for longer than 4 hours absorbed too much of the marinade and ended up less flavorful and crispy.

What flavors go well with tofu? ›

Tofu can take on the flavors of Japanese cooking, which include miso, sake, soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin or sweet rice wine, ginger, sesame seed oil, sesame seeds and wasabi.

How do you get the best tofu texture? ›

Many cooking experts champion a quick soak as a way to give the protein more texture and flavor. “Simmering cubed tofu in salted water for 60 seconds pulls out excess moisture and tightens the proteins on its surface,” Lukas Volger told Bon Appétit in 2021.

How does tofu get its flavor? ›

So, the answer to what tofu tastes like is simple: tofu tastes like what the person cooking it adds to the dish. Draining the water from the package and pressing the tofu will help it absorb the flavor from whatever liquid you choose to marinade it with, per the Tasting Table.

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