These lemon-marinated, baked tofu slices are good for sandwiches or for serving as a protein supply with any easy vegan meal. The slices are tangy and seasoned with herbs. I like to make use of tremendous agency tofu on this recipe, in order that the slices are particularly dense and chewy!
Yesterday night, I put a batch of those lemon-marinated baked tofu slices into the oven.
It had been a type of days once I felt immune to any quantity of cooking. I didn’t even need to whisk up a marinade.
However whisk it I did, and after that marinade had a number of hours to work its magic, I popped my lemony, seasoned tofu slices into the oven.
Inside ten minutes, my condominium smelled properly of garlic and rosemary. I breathed a sigh of reduction, figuring out that when the tofu slices got here out of the oven, I’d have a healthful vegan protein to work with for the subsequent few days.
I already used the slices for a sandwich on my lunch break right this moment.
A easy meal with the baked tofu slices, a grain of some sort—perhaps mushroom farro?—and my easy steamed broccoli with tahini dressing will occur for dinner sooner or later this weekend.
As is often the case once I overcome my inertia and handle to do only a small quantity of meal prep, I’m grateful.
Whereas I sit down and plan the tasty makes use of that I’ll discover for these baked tofu slices, I would as effectively share the recipe with you!
A many-sided marinade
I’ve created many sorts of marinades for tofu and tempeh.
Balsamic marinade is all the time a favourite, and I really like making teriyaki tofu cubes for bowls and noodle dishes.
The tamari glaze for my sheet pan tempeh and broccoli is a favourite as effectively.
By some means, nevertheless, I preserve coming again to lemony marinades.
The lemon pepper tempeh cubes that I posted years in the past are nonetheless the preferred tempeh recipes on this website, and I can’t say that I disagree.
The intense acidity of lemon can elevate so many sorts of dishes. A lemony protein works effectively with creamy pasta, with entire grain pilafs, in crispy, colourful salads or Mediterranean-inspired grain bowls.
My mom likes to joke that she knew I used to be half Greek once I would get caught sucking on lemon wedges and asking for triple parts of tomatoes as a child.
I really like acidic flavors, and there are only a few dishes that I don’t suppose could possibly be improved with a giant squeeze of recent lemon juice to complete.
It’s no shock, then, that I really like the marinade for this recipe. Lemon—plenty of it—is the predominant taste, together with delicate garlic and herbs.
I exploit soy sauce, reasonably than salt, for saltiness, as I feel that the soy sauce provides a little bit of umami and complexity.
The herbs that I counsel are thyme and rosemary, however you can use oregano as effectively.
As glorious because the marinade is for tofu, you additionally might use it for tempeh, seitan, and even roasted chickpeas.
Why tofu slices?
I’ve posted a number of recipes for tofu cubes, so why do I select slices right here?
The principle cause is that I feel the lemon marinated tofu is very good for sandwiches. It’s a lot simpler to layer a slice of tofu between slices of bread than a bunch of cubes.
Slices will also be shortly sliced into spears, that are then straightforward to layer into wraps.
Slabs or slices of tofu work effectively for while you’re serving tofu because the central protein on a dinner plate.
Typically I set up my dinner plate round a grain, a vegetable, and a protein, in a mode that’s harking back to the non-vegan dinner plates that I grew up with.
Once I create a dinner plate like this, I like the thought of slicing into slices of tofu, reasonably than poking round my plate for smaller items.
Lengthy story quick, I feel that the baked tofu slices have versatility and usefulness. However you probably have a particular love of tofu cubes, then you’ll be able to definitely adapt this recipe to work for cubes, reasonably than slices.
Tremendous agency tofu for tremendous agency slices
You might be very conversant in tofu that’s labeled as “agency” or “additional agency.”
“Tremendous agency” tofu is a sort of tofu that’s even firmer. Much more moisture has been faraway from the bean curd than typical, leading to tofu that’s particularly dense.
Due to that density, tremendous agency tofu additionally packs extra protein into every slice. The truth is, you might even see one of these tofu labeled as “excessive protein” tofu, reasonably than tremendous agency.
In america, the Nasoya and Wildwood manufacturers each distribute tremendous agency tofu. I actually love one of these tofu for the baked tofu slices; I feel its dense, chewy texture is good for sandwiches particularly.
In the event you can’t discover tremendous agency tofu, nevertheless, it’s not an issue. Further agency tofu, which is on the market in lots of main grocery shops, will work within the recipe as effectively.
Methods to make lemon marinated baked tofu slices
That is a straightforward recipe to meal prep. You possibly can rely on it for these days when cooking actually seems like a chore.
The one factor you must learn about making the tofu slices is that they’ll want time to marinate. I counsel a minimal of 4 hours, however as much as in a single day is ok.
Typically I discover it simpler to interrupt a recipe into steps over two days, reasonably than one. So, if an in a single day marinating time fits you, go for it.
Step 1: Slice your tofu
Tofu slices for this recipe ought to be about 1/4-inch / 6mm. You’ll need to slice the tofu width-wise.
Step 2: Whisk collectively your marinade
The elements for the lemon marinade are easy:
- Lemon juice
- Soy sauce
- Olive oil
- Garlic powder
- Dried or floor, dried thyme
Can you utilize recent, minced garlic? Sure, however since garlic powder flavors the marinade effectively, and mincing garlic creates extra mess, I go for the powder (or garlic granules, that are comparable).
It’s also possible to commerce dried oregano, Italian seasoning, or herbes de Provençe for the thyme.
Step 3: Pour the marinade over your tofu slices
I like to rearrange my slices of tofu in a single or double layer in a flat, rectangular container. The container turns into the vessel that you simply’ll marinate the tofu slices in.
Pour the marinade over your slices, cowl the container, after which switch it to the fridge.
The slices ought to stay within the fridge for at the least for hours, or as much as twenty-four hours.
Step 4: Put together the tofu for baking
First, take away the tofu slices from their marinade, reserving the marinade. Switch the tofu slices to a nonstick, rimmed baking sheet or a baking sheet that has been lined with foil.
Use a pastry or basting brush to brush the tops of the slices evenly with a few of your reserved marinade.
Distribute some rosemary sprigs or leaves over the tofu—it will season the baked tofu slices evenly. If in case you have dried rosemary, it’s positive to sprinkle that over the slices, too.
Step 5: Bake
Switch the slices to a 375°F / 190°C oven and bake them for fifteen minutes. Then, take away the sheet from the oven. Push the rosemary to the aspect and flip the slices over.
Brush the brand new high sides of the tofu with just a little extra of the reserved marinade, then re-arrange the rosemary on high.
Return the tofu to the oven and bake it for an additional 15-20 minutes, or till the tofu is crisping and browning on the edges.
That’s it!
Methods to serve lemon-marinated baked tofu slices
I’ve already shared a few of the methods during which I prefer to get pleasure from these easy slices. However listed below are a number of extra recipes that I feel the tofu would make an particularly good addition to:
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Meal prep & storage
The lemon-marinated baked tofu slices are precisely the form of recipe that I prefer to meal prep once I don’t have a lot time or vitality to meal prep.
Why? As a result of versatile vegan fundamentals, and particularly vegan proteins, can be utilized in lots of children of meals.
Furthermore, you’ll be able to depend on any protein as an “add-on” to an present meal.
The baked tofu slices could be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days. It’s additionally positive to freeze them; the slices could be frozen for as much as six weeks.
Whenever you’re able to get pleasure from them, simply defrost them within the fridge in a single day earlier than serving.
Yields: 4 servings
- 16 ounces tremendous agency (excessive protein) tofu, lower width-wise into 1/4-inch / 6mm slices (450g)
- 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried or floor thyme
- Recent rosemary sprigs (substitute two teaspoons dried rosemary)
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Switch the tofu to a large hermetic storage container, ideally in a single layer. Whisk the lemon juice, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic powder, and thyme collectively, then pour this combination over the tofu. Cowl the container and switch the tofu to the fridge.
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Permit the tofu to marinate for at the least 4 hours or as much as 24. If potential, flip the tofu over at one level throughout marinating in order that the edges marinate evenly.
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Preheat the oven to 375°F. Take away the tofu slices from the marinade, reserving the marinade for basting. Switch the tofu items to a nonstick or foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet and high them with the recent rosemary sprigs. Use a pastry or basting brush to evenly brush a few of the reserved marinade over the tops of the tofu slices. Switch the baking sheet to the oven.
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Bake the tofu for quarter-hour. Push the rosemary to the aspect, flip the slices over, after which use your pastry brush to brush some further marinade over the brand new high sides of the tofu. Rearrange the rosemary on high. Return the sheet to the oven and bake the tofu for an additional 15-20 minutes, or till the tofu the slices are darkened and crisp and browning on the edges.
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Serve or retailer in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
On a Friday afternoon, I all the time get to desirous about the one or two easy issues that I can put together over the weekend for ease within the following week.
I really feel blissful to have gotten a tiny head begin on that course of. Maybe you’ll find a while for this easy, nutritious protein this coming weekend, too. If that’s the case, I hope you’ll be proud of the hassle.
xo