Grilled or Pan-Fried Marinated Tofu
- Total Time
- 15 minutes, plus 1 hour's refrigeration
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:Serves four
- 1tablespoon Asian sesame oil
- ¼cup soy sauce
- 2tablespoons mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
- 1tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger
- 1pound firm tofu
- 1tablespoon canola oil or peanut oil
- Additional soy sauce or marinade for topping
For the Marinade
For the Tofu
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
245 calories; 17 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 19 grams protein; 892 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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For the Marinade
- Step 1
Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a 2-quart bowl. Whisk together well.
- Step 2
Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Slice into ½-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.
- Step 3
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, 1½ to 2 minutes per side. Remove from the heat, and serve with additional marinade or soy sauce.
Tip
- Variation: For a spicy dish, add 1 teaspoon Asian chile sauce, such as sambal oelek, to the marinade. Advance preparation: Pan-fried or grilled tofu can be kept in the refrigerator and served hot or cold. It makes a good snack.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
BCTaggart
I find that pressing the tofu for a half hour or so prior to marinating it makes it more absorbent. I put a couple layers of paper towels above and below the block of tofu, then put a standard paver brick on top. The more moisture that is pulled out of the tofu in this process, the more the marinade will soak in.
Stephanie
Consider a little maple syrup (habanero-infused if you've got it) in place of the mirin. Our family favorite! The sesame oil brings beautiful flavor, so try not to skip it. It's a great marinade on eggplant and portabellas, too.
Jen A
Simplified the recipe using canola oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger. If you are marinating more than 1 hour, flip the tofu halfway through. I pan-fried, and it took ~4 min per side, though I like them a bit more browned.
Very easy, flavorful weeknight dish.
Ann
Delicious! I made a few substitutions - dried ginger instead of fresh, and small squeeze of honey instead of mirin. Very yummy warm and sprinkled over a kale and butternut squash salad using the left over sauce as a dressing. Still good the next day when cold from the fridge.
Diane
I pressed diced the tofu, doubled the marinade, put it all in a zip-top bag and forced out all the air so the cubes were all submerged. Also added a good amount of chopped garlic. Served alongside stir-fried veg, pink rice and scallion pancakes. So good. I'll use this recipe often.
shoshana
This was good. My family loves tofu but when I fry it coated with cornstarch and make a hoisin glaze. Which is not too healthy. For this i did the cooks illustrated suggestion of cutting the tofu and microwaving the tofu between sheets of paper towels for 4-6 minutes to dry the tofu out. I did the soy sauce mirin siracha and sesame oil. I omitted the rice wine vinegar on the second attempt and added honey with ginger. Delish I grilled the tofu on the grill and finished with topping the marinade
BCTaggart
Check the sodium in your soy sauce. Some brands are very high in sodium (around 1320mg/tbs), and I find them too salty for everything except beef. Kikkoman Less Sodium (575mg/tbs) works well with tofu and vegetables.
Steve
Make twice the amt. of marinade. Be sure and use the largest square glass dish we have and the tofu will fit in. Turn the tofu halfway through the process to get it to penetrate the full thickness.
Jada
Added Korean red chile pepper flakes (gochugaru), sesame seeds, and sambal oelek for spice!
Big cut white onions added a sweet touch.
I made lettuce wraps with the tofu and onions - easy, healthy, and delicious dinner :)
David
This one's really easy to prepare and quick to grill. I let the tofu marinate overnight and grill it in the morning before I go to work.
Maribeth
Yummy favor but did not release well from grill pan after first flip. Will pan fry with non-stick next time.
Barb
This was a big hit! I was surprised at how much delicious marinade the tofu absorbed after I had pressed out the water for several hours. I only wish I had cooked more!
M. L Plaine, Ottawa
I just read Sam Sifton's Guide to Grilling. He might want to know that some of us find those charcoal briquettes and starter fluids noxious. A neighbor of mine - just next door - barbeques almost every night. When he does - the fumes seep through my windows - I rush around the house to close them tight - and I am forced out of my backyard and indoors. Some jurisdictions control these grilling activities - which are polluting the air and hurting people, especially in cities.
AB
Delicious
ranch dip
Use clean dish towels instead of paper towels.
mkw
Easy, fast, delicious. I usually reserve the marinade and thicken with some cornstarch to use as a sauce for stir-fried veggies that I serve alongside the tofu.
Chris
Should this be toasted sesame oil or untoasted?
absolut_foodie
This was great with firm tofu grilled on the BBQ, but even better as a marinade for chicken tenders.
Mimi A.
Make at least twice, or more, the amount of marinade. As it stands, there isn't any marinade left in order to complete this portion of Step 3: "serve with additional marinade ..."
David C Morris
Try adding some Worcestershire sauce to the marinade. It’s good.
Sue
As others have noted, the marinade is too salty as written. Next time I will add a couple tablespoons of water. Otherwise an easy and tasty weeknight supper.
Etc
This is going to be my go to recipe for tofu! The secret is marinating it overnight - so tasty inside and out. (Also adding a splash of maple syrup to marinade is where it's at!)
MJM
You can use a clean tea towel to press water from the tofu. Tea towels can be washed and reused. Cutting down on paper towel use is better for the environment.
ken m
Followed the recipe for grilling except we used 1 tbsp Red Boat fish sauce instead of soy sauce in the marinade, as well as a bit more ginger than the recipe called for. Delish!!!
P. Howard
Love This Marinade! Lacking a grill and frying skills, I baked the tofu on parchment for 15 min @ 375 followed by 12 min@ 475. The 12 min included the time for the oven temperature to rise to 475. Along with the tofu, I baked marinaded oldish shiitake mushrooms that were hanging out in a paper bag in the refrigerator. Both went into a rice bowl that also included short grain brown rice, a soy egg, and blanched bok choi and kale. Topped off with a bit of light soy sauce it was del.
Sue Blanco
Yummy and easy! We have been looking for tasty tofu dishes. The true seal of approval - my husband didn't leave any leftovers!
Rachel P.
too salty. I prefer other S. Asian marinades a little better, like the one for the kimchi cucumbers, which is pretty similar to this one, but a bit more complex in flavor.
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