Easy Balsamic Tofu

Looking for an easy meal? Look no further than this Easy Balsamic Tofu recipe! This dish is simple to make and tastes delicious. Tofu is marinated in a balsamic marinade, then grilled or broiled until crispy. Serve this dish with rice and steamed vegetables for a nutritious and satisfying meal. This recipe is my favorite way to prepare tofu!

I’m always on the hunt for quick weeknight dinners that can be prepared in advance.  The last thing you want to do at 5:00pm is decided what you’re making for dinner.  This Easy Marinated Balsamic Tofu recipe can be prepared almost entirely in advance.

There are two categories of tofu – silken or firm. They are both made with fresh curdled soy milk, which is pressed into blocks. The health benefits and nutrients, like extra calcium and protein, remain the same, and both neutral in taste making them versatile bases for flavor. However silken and firm tofu are processed differently and contain different amounts of water.

Silken tofu is soft and falls apart easily, and is best used in sauces or desserts. Firm tofu, also called regular or Chinese-style tofu, is the more common version and holds its shape much better when cooking. It can be bought at different consistencies like medium, firm, or extra firm. For this recipe, I'm using firm or extra-firm.

The ingredients

• Firm or Extra firm tofu
• Balsamic vinegar
• oil
• maple syrup
• shallot
• Mustard
• Garlic

See recipe card for quantities

The preparation

Dry your tofu out as much as possible by pressing it firmly with a clean towel.  This will allow the marinade to penetrate the tofu without being watered down.  Add the marinade at least two hours in advance of dinner, or you can place it in the fridge overnight.  When you’re ready, put the tofu on the grill for 7-10 minutes per side.  The tofu will develop grill marks, and become crispy on the outside. 

FAQS

Tips

The marinade can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.

If you are short on time, you can cook the tofu in a pan on the stove instead of grilling it

Variations

You can add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to the marinade to replace the salt

You can replace the maple syrup with honey

You can replace de shallots with a small onion

If you want to change up the flavors of this dish, try using different types of vinegar or changing the sweetener. You could also add some fresh herbs to the marinade for a different flavor profile. Be creative and experiment until you find a combination that you love.

Oven instructions

• Press tofu with paper towels to remove as much water as possible. You can also use a tofu press if you have one.
• On a cutting board, cut the Tofu into about ½ inch slices
• In a small bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients to make the simple marinade
• Coat the tofu well with the marinade and let marinate in a large bowl for at least 2 hours or overnight
• Place the tofu on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper and cook at 400˚F for 20 minutes

Tofu Recipes

General Tao Tofu

Crispy Sesame Tofu

Asian Tofu Soup