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When I came home from work yesterday, I was so hungry. All I had was some brown rice, a head of broccoli, some green onion, and only 4 bucks in my pocket. So, I walked to the corner store and purchased some cilantro, a little ginger, and 3 oranges, and I’m happy to say that I still had 2 bucks to spare! This Best Ever Marinated Tofu Recipe is what I came up with..
Don’t be fooled by the medium difficulty level. It’s actually just a lot of waiting. And patience requires a medium-level skill for me! Otherwise, this recipe is a piece of cake and tastes super good to boot.
This Orange Ginger Tofu is so delicious, you’ll want to serve it to your friends at your next dinner party. It’s sweet and salty, filling and packed with plant-based protein. Let’s check what we need to prepare it!
To make this recipe you’ll need extra firm tofu, orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, vegetable oil, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, green onion, and cilantro. With these incredible ingredients, it’s easy to see where this dish gets its intense flavors.
Best Ever Marinated Tofu Goodness
Tofu is oftentimes accounted as a meek ingredient, and while this is true, pairing it with a good sauce can do wonders, and more or less it will become a tasty meal that’s on par with the meat people usually eat. Here’s another simple Spicy Sesame Tofu Stir-fry that you might enjoy!
If you think tofu is bland, dull, or hard to make, let me change your mind. This easy tofu marinade will show you that it’s not that bad after all. I’ll be exhibiting ways to cook the tofu properly and how you can create a marinade that will complement this dish perfectly. Here’s also a great Guide to Tofu that might be helpful!
I love setting this out with rice or some stir-fried vegetables and some salads or sandwiches. I kid you not, once you try this marinade out with tofu, it will be a staple at your home. In under 15 minutes or less, you’ll get a delicious snack or a quick dinner.
How To Cut The Tofu?
You can cut or slice the tofu in many different ways. You can cut it into squares, strips or you can even crumble it for your morning tofu scramble. This particular recipe calls for slicing your tofu into triangles which makes it slightly more fancy and perfect for a more formal occasion. But how to achieve those perfect thick triangle shapes?
First, turn the tofu onto its side lengthwise and cut it into slices. Then, cut those slices into 2 triangles. This should yield between 8-16 triangles. And voila, you have your tofu ready to absorb all those amazing flavors!
Why Marinate Tofu?
Some people eat tofu as is, and that’s completely fine. But if you’re new to its taste or you’re looking for that extra flavor, marinating tofu makes such a HUGE difference. What I love about tofu is that it’s adaptable and it can quickly soak up any seasoning that you’ll add to it.
If you find yourself not liking tofu, it’s probably because it wasn’t seasoned well 😉
Tofu has many probabilities and it doesn’t just end here! But for now, we’re starting with this delicious and easy marinade that I think is the best recipe ever to help make your bland tofu dish into something extraordinary!
It’s all about the flavor and if you’re not a fan of tofu yet, this might turn you into an acclaimed fan.
Make-Ahead, Freezing, and Storage Tips
If you want to make this ahead of time, leave it soaking in the marinade sauce for about a day or two before you start to bake it. However, you might have to make more of the marinade sauce because the tofu will have absorbed them by the time you take them out.
Freezing tofu is okay as long as you place the marinade along with it before you being to bake. You will also need more sauce or marinade for this one because of the absorption.
Keep tofu in the fridge for 4-5 days for storage.
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Best Ever Marinated Tofu Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce package of extra firm tofu
- 1 cup of fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup of rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup of soy sauce
- ⅓ cup of vegetable oil
- 4 teaspoons of sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon of grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup of chopped green onion
- ¼ cup of chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Turn the tofu onto its side lengthwise and cut it into slices. Then, cut those slices into 2 triangles. This should yield between 8-16 triangles.
- For the marinade ingredients, combine the orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, oils, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a bowl and whisk.
- Preheat the oven in medium-high heat to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Lay the tofu in a glass baking dish in a single layer and pour the marinade over until tofu is completely submerged. Evenly sprinkle the green onion and cilantro on top of the tofu. Allow the marinade to sit for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight if you have the patience that I do not possess.
- Pour out a portion of the marinade so that the tofu is only about halfway submerged. Put it in the oven for about 40 to 45 minutes, until the baked tofu is golden and most of the marinade has been absorbed.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
I’m trying to cut down on my added oil consumption. Could I sub in broth for the vegetable oil, and keep the sesame oil (because it has such a delicious flavour!)
We at PBOAB haven’t tried that for this recipe just yet, so we can’t guarantee the results. If you do end up giving it a go, please let us know how it goes 🙂
This was de-liciuos!! So easy!!!..my husband`s only comment was that it was too soft….cooked for 45mins….he suggested maybe cooking it in the oven then pan searing it to put a crisp to it?! Will try that next time!
So glad you guys enjoyed it! That sounds like a great idea for extra crispiness!
Same for me, cutting down oil. I’m going to try with just the sesame oil no broth. Will let you know. I’ve down this with other recipes just leave out the oil, usually works fine.
can I leave out the oil in the marinade?
yes you can omit or substitute the oil if that is your preference. Enjoy!
So flavorful and delicious!
Oh my, this recipe looks so inviting! I’m adding tofu to my grocery list this week 😉
It’s an easy and very delicious one!