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Home » Meal Type » Entree

Published: Jan 7, 2021 · by Laurel Perry · About 4 minutes to read this article. · This post may contain affiliate links

Best Ever Baked Tofu

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This marinated Baked Tofu is packed with savory & sweet flavor! Learn how to make even tofu haters into lovers with this easy recipe.

A stack of baked tofu with a bite out of the top piece.

This baked tofu is juicy and infused with flavor, with a sticky sweet glaze. It is the perfect balance between sweet, salty and savory! The marinade doubles as an irresistible sauce!

Reasons to love this recipe!

  • Made with just 6 ingredients and little hands on time!
  • Is gluten free & vegan!
  • A flavorful addition to sandwiches, grain bowls, noodle bowls!

Ingredients and Substitutions:

  • Extra firm tofu - extra firm sprouted tofu works, too
  • Maple syrup - adds the best flavor, but agave could work too
  • Liquid aminos - or tamari, soy sauce, etc.
  • Smoked paprika - adds a great smokiness. You could also use a drop of liquid smoke, but be careful! It is very strong.
  • Garlic powder - don't be tempted to use fresh garlic, it will burn!
  • Onion powder

The best baked tofu marinade!

Flavorful baked tofu starts with a flavorful marinade! The marinade is equal parts, salty, sweet and savory! Maple adds sweetness, liquid aminios or tamari adds salty umami, and paprika, onion, and garlic powder add rich savoriness!

With this marinade, you'll want to let it sit for at least 1 hour, but the longer the better. I find that at least 8 hours is needed to truly get the flavor of the marinade into the tofu and I have let this marinade for up to 3 days!

The best part, is the marinade doubles as a sweet and sticky glaze. Once the tofu is in the oven, we reduce the marinade on the stove until it is thick and syrupy. Then, remove the tofu from the oven, and brush it on both sides. Delicious!

 

How to make baked tofu:

Marinade: Whisk together all the marinade ingredients. Cut your tofu into large squares by slicing it first hot-dog style (vertically) and then hamburger style (horizontally) into ½ inch thick slices. See the video for a visual. Place the tofu in the marinade and let sit in the fridge overnight.

[one-half-first]Tofu in a marinade.[/one-half-first]
[one-half][/one-half]

Bake: Line the tofu up on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Place in the oven for 20 minutes.

Baste: Once you put the tofu in the oven, add the leftover marinade to a pot and simmer until it is reduced by ⅔rds, which takes about 10 minutes. Baste both sides of the tofu, and bake for another 20 minutes.

[one-half-first]Baked tofu halfway done.[/one-half-first]
[one-half]Baked tofu after basting.[/one-half]

Do I have to baste the tofu?

Actually, no! There are two ways to make great baked tofu. The first is a shorter marinade with basting. Marinate for 1-6 hours and then baste as it cooks.

Second, marinade for longer, 6 hours to 3 days and bake without basting.

The benefit to basting is that the tofu develops a great sticky glaze. The benefit to not basting is that it's easier! Experiment and find how you like it best!

The key to juicy, not dry, tofu:

The end goal of this recipe is a juicy, flavorful, glaze tofu. Emphasis on juicy! Some tofu recipes, including some I've created, are full of flavor but have a spongy or dry crumbly texture. To avoid that, we skip pressing the tofu. The water in the tofu is what keeps this recipe juicy and delicious! Removing too much of it can cause a dry, crumbly texture.

Instead of pressing the tofu, remove it from the carton and pat it with a clean kitchen towel. Press with medium firmness, enough to dry the outside of the tofu, and press out a little moisture, but not so much that we remove too much water. It's a balance, but as long as you're not pressing it with a tofu press or under weight, you should be good!

What to serve with baked tofu:

The flavor of this baked tofu lends well to so many dishes! The savory flavor is great in sandwiches, on salads, grain bowls, noodle bowls and more!

Storage:

Store the baked tofu in a lidded container in the fridge for up to 7 days. I usually eat it cold on salads or in sandwiches, but feel free to heat it up in the microwave.

A stack of baked tofu.

More tofu recipes!

  • 30 Minute Sweet & Sour Tofu
  • General Tso's Tofu
  • Vegan Egg Roll in a Bowl
  • Salt and Pepper Tofu
  • Coconut Crusted Tofu

 

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Best Ever Baked Tofu

★★★★★ 4.7 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Laurel
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 90 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Asian
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Description

This 6 ingredient Best Ever Baked Tofu is jam packed with savory & sweet flavor! Learn how to make even tofu haters into lovers with this easy recipe.


Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup each:
    • maple syrup
    • liquid aminos
    • water
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 14 oz block block extra firm tofu, cut into large squares

Instructions

  1. Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients.
  2. Slice the tofu into ½ inch thick squares and submerge them in the marinade. Cover and let marinade overnight in the fridge.
  3. The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place the tofu on the baking tray, with a little space in between them so they aren't touching. Reserve the marinade. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
  4. While the tofu is baking, take the reserved marinade and heat it in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until reduced by two thirds. The marinade will be thick and syrupy.
  5. Once the tofu has baked for 30 minutes, baste the top and sides of the tofu with the reduced sauce. Flip the tofu and baste the other side. Return the tofu to the oven and bake for another hour, basting and flipping the tofu every thirty minutes. Serve.

Notes

To cut the tofu: Cut your tofu into large squares by slicing it first hot-dog style (vertically) and then hamburger style (horizontally) into ½ inch thick slices. See the video for a visual.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ⅙th recipe
  • Calories: 115
  • Sugar: 24g
  • Sodium: 646mg
  • Fat: 1g
  • Carbohydrates: 28g
  • Protein: 3g

Keywords: gluten-free, grain-free, oil-free, vegan

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Julie says

    April 22, 2017 at 7:10 am

    Wow this looks and sounds amazing! Adding it to my list to try for sure.

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      April 23, 2017 at 8:31 am

      Thanks Julie! I hope you LOVE!

      Reply
    • Heather says

      May 25, 2020 at 4:42 pm

      I'm not sure what happened, but this did not tun out well for me. I followed the instructions to the letter, but the tofu turned out hard and burnt. Because this was a long bake, I used a reliable oven thermometer to make sure the oven didn't go above 300 F. 2 hours later, after flipping and glazing every 30 minutes, the glaze was almost black, quite burnt on the edges, and the tofu slices were so hard around the edges you could barely cut or bite through them. The middle part of each piece wasn't bad. The texture was chewy in the middle, but the burnt flavour of the glaze and the hard edges of the tofu made this a fail. Not sure how yours turned out so well. I was very careful with the oven temperature and time, as well as the other instructions. I wanted to take these out early because they seemed to be overdone well before the 2 hour point, but based on a response to another commenter concerned about a similar thing, I kept them in for the full amount of time. I should have followed my instinct.

      Reply
      • Karen says

        October 06, 2020 at 8:01 pm

        I think you may have cooked it thirty minutes too long. You cook for 30 minutes then baste, flip, baste that side and cook for 1 more hour flipping (and I basted again) at the 30-minute mark.

        Reply
  2. cakespy says

    April 24, 2017 at 7:20 am

    OMG, I already love it and I haven't even made it yet. I love baked tofu but this one looks like a stellar specimen of culinary delight!

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      April 24, 2017 at 7:43 am

      So glad you like it! It is one of my absolute favorites! I have a batch in the fridge at all times.

      Reply
    • R says

      September 14, 2020 at 2:51 pm

      Your “cook time” says 120 minutes but your instructions say bake 30min then baste and bake another 1 hour. That’s 90 minutes of cook time. Which one do we use?

      Reply
      • Laurel says

        September 14, 2020 at 2:52 pm

        Follow the cook time in the instructions, 90 minutes. Updating the "cook time" to match!

        Reply
  3. Natalia says

    April 24, 2017 at 8:02 am

    I need to make this !!!! NOW!
    The recipe isn't showing me directions- just ingredients :( I tried to open your page in another browser with no luck! HELP!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      April 24, 2017 at 8:38 am

      Hi Natalia, I suppose the instructions would be helpful ;). I am not sure why they weren't showing for a while, but the problem is fixed and the instructions are up! Hope you love this recipe! It is one of my faves!

      Reply
      • Natalia says

        April 24, 2017 at 11:18 am

        Yes, I see them now!! Wonderful- thank you so much!! I have NO doubt that this will become one of my favorites too. Thank you for sharing! :)

        Reply
        • Laurel says

          April 24, 2017 at 2:41 pm

          You're welcome! When you make it, let me know how it goes!

          Reply
  4. Jane says

    April 25, 2017 at 1:24 pm

    What is liquid amino? Would love to give it a try!

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      April 25, 2017 at 3:25 pm

      Hi Jane! Liquid aminos is my favorite gluten-free soy sauce substitute. It is a bit less processed than regular gluren-free tamari. It is a little less salty and has more flavor, in my opinion. If you have soy sauce or tamari on hand, they make great substitutes for the liquid aminos in this recipe! Just reduce either by 2 tablespoons and replace that with water, as they are a bit saltier and we want to mellow that out a bit. If you are in the market for a new soy sauce-like addition to your cupboards, I highly recommend liquid aminos :) I buy mine from Amazon, and there is a link to it in this post! Just click on the link that is titled "liquid aminos" in the 10th paragraph. Happy cooking!

      Reply
  5. Michelle says

    April 30, 2017 at 3:33 am

    I'm not a huge fan of tofu, even though I'm vegan, but I'll definitely be trying this. Looks like it has a lot more flavor than your average tofu dishes.

    Thanks!! Lovely photos too.

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      May 01, 2017 at 8:04 am

      Thanks Michelle! I hope you love it!

      Reply
  6. Ann says

    May 08, 2017 at 5:59 am

    Do you have to press the tofu before putting it in the marinade?

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      May 08, 2017 at 8:26 am

      Hi Ann! I usually use High Protein Tofu, which doesn't need to be pressed before marinading. If your tofu is pretty soft and wet, I would press it before so that more of the marinade can soak in :)

      Reply
  7. kelli bowen says

    December 12, 2018 at 1:25 am

    2 hours cooking time in total? isnt that abundant for 1/2 inch pieces? they would shrivel up to nothing, or? will you please confirm this for me? surely its 1/2 hour and then another 1/2 hour? thank you for your time!! :-)

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      December 12, 2018 at 11:18 am

      The cooking time is correct. The tofu needs a lot of time to loose its excess water. The end result is well worth it!

      Reply
  8. Franci says

    February 05, 2019 at 10:16 am

    I'll be making this tomorrow - thank you for sharing the recipe! One question though, do you press the water out of the tofu before marinating?

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      February 05, 2019 at 10:29 am

      Hi Franci! I am excited to hear how the recipe goes tomorrow! If you are able to find "high protein tofu" at your grocery store, then you won't need to press the water out. This usually comes in a vacuum sealed bag, instead of the normal sealed plastic tray, and is in the same refrigerated section as regular tofu. If you can't find this type of tofu in your store, then regular extra firm tofu will work, but I do recommend pressing the water out before. Happy cooking!

      Reply
  9. Erica says

    March 25, 2019 at 7:39 am

    I am eager to try this, but my husband and I are new to tofu.... I see that you have this listed as a side dish. What do you suggest serving it with? Rice? Or is it intended to be more of a snack? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      March 25, 2019 at 1:16 pm

      Hi Erica! So glad you are going to give it a try! I love having it with rice and veggies, like you suggested. I also treat it as "meat" and eat it in sandwiches and wraps, on salads (like this one, which uses the tofu from this recipe), and even as a snack too :) Oh! And it would be amazing on this Avocado BLT Toast recipe instead of the tempeh! Happy cooking!

      Reply
  10. Becky says

    April 19, 2019 at 5:35 pm

    Hi Laurel. Can’t wait to make this! I’m curious as to if this re-heats well. Can I make it ahead of time? If so, how would you recommend re-heating so it doesn’t dry out or become rubbery?
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      April 22, 2019 at 3:04 pm

      Hi Becky! This is one of my favorite recipes and I can't wait for you to try it! I have made this a zillion times, but have actually never reheated the tofu. I store it in the fridge and use it cold in wraps, salads, (like this one!) or bowls throughout the week - so it does keep very well, but I can't vouch for how it reheats. Though I wouldn't call it rubbery, the tofu does become quite chewy and firm - more so than most store bought baked tofu brands. If you are looking for a softer texture, you can bake the tofu for less time. I would recommend checking it each time you baste it to find your ideal texture. Happy cooking!

      Reply
  11. Alissa says

    July 02, 2019 at 9:12 am

    How would it be if I used firm tofu instead of extra firm tofu? Would I need to alternate the cooking time?

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      July 02, 2019 at 10:53 am

      Hi Alissa! While extra firm tofu is best, I think firm tofu should work! I wouldn't alter the cooking time since a longer cook would cause the glaze to burn on the tofu. The end result might be a bit softer but still delicious. Happy cooking!

      Reply
  12. Sue says

    September 13, 2019 at 5:53 am

    The video said 350’ but the directions said 300’

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      September 13, 2019 at 9:26 am

      Hi Sue, sorry for the confusion! 300 is correct.

      Reply
  13. Kay says

    September 29, 2019 at 2:45 pm

    Hi Laurel. I am already in love with this recipe and I haven’t even made it yet. Looking forward to cold sandwiches and lovely chunks in salads. Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      September 30, 2019 at 1:43 pm

      Hi Kay! I am so glad you are enjoying the recipe :)

      Reply
  14. Kristene Rodrigues says

    October 08, 2019 at 3:22 pm

    It looks as if it might be overly sweet! But I love tofu (not fond of sweetness though)...so I will give it a try before passing judgement. I will say, I've never seen a recipe like this one before, so for the uniqueness alone it deserves a go!

    Reply
  15. Deborah says

    October 18, 2019 at 3:04 pm

    The light gray print on your page and on the printed recipe is hard to read.

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      October 18, 2019 at 3:25 pm

      Hi Deborah, thank you for the feedback. We will definitely look into the problem :)

      Reply
  16. Isabella b says

    November 04, 2019 at 3:59 am

    What’s is nutrition breakdown

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      November 04, 2019 at 8:21 am

      Hi Isabella, I just updated the recipe to include nutrition facts :)

      Reply
  17. Leah says

    March 26, 2020 at 11:28 am

    Do you need to press the tofu before you marinate it?

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      March 26, 2020 at 12:05 pm

      Hi Leah! If you can find super firm or high protein tofu at your local market (I usually grab mine at Trader Joe's!) then theres no need to press it before marinading. If you are using extra firm tofu, I would give it a press :)

      Reply
  18. Renee says

    April 10, 2020 at 8:36 am

    Made this last night....just pressed the extra firm tofu to get the water out. It turned out great and so yummy...thx!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  19. Erin says

    May 22, 2020 at 3:06 pm

    Can I use the leftover marinade for something else? This turns out great every time I make it! Thanks

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      May 23, 2020 at 9:12 am

      Hi Erin, Absolutely! If you simmer it on the stove for a few minutes to reduce the water content, you could use it in stir fry, fried rice, or any similar preparation. So glad to hear the tofu is turning out :)

      Reply
  20. Karen says

    October 06, 2020 at 7:58 pm

    I made this and it was quite good but a little on the salty side for me. I will probably sub in low sodium soy sauce next time.

    Reply
  21. Ali says

    January 18, 2021 at 7:05 am

    Can I use something else instead of maple syrup? Would honey work?

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      January 18, 2021 at 12:11 pm

      Hi Ali, The recipe also works great with agave! I haven't tried honey, but do think it can work. Just check the tofu more frequently to make sure the sugars in the honey aren't burning and remove from the oven earlier, if needed. Happy cooking!

      Reply
  22. Michelle says

    March 14, 2021 at 3:28 pm

    Delicious! I made sauteed mushrooms, onions, peppers and additional sauce with rice to go wirh this. Awesome recipe!

    Reply
  23. Maggie says

    April 10, 2021 at 6:57 pm

    Hi,

    When I use the 2x button, it doubles the seasoning but not the liquid in the marinade. Is this intentional? Or should I also double the water, liquid aminos, and maple syrup?

    Reply
    • Laurel says

      April 11, 2021 at 2:16 pm

      Hi Maggie! I am sorry that the button didn't work correctly - looking into it! Please double all ingredients including the liquid. Happy cooking!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Laurel

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