Tofu Marinades

Not everyone likes tofu for many reasons, flavor being the main one. I used to despise tofu, couldn't stand the stuff, didn't want anything to do with it. I didn't like the flavor, consistency, the smell. But you know what I realized I was doing wrong? I was just throwing a little salt and a little pepper, cubing up some tofu, and serving it with rice. Not very tasty, I might add. But I was young, a baby vegan, and I really did not know anything at all on how to prepare tofu.

Then it dawned on me... Maybe I could marinate this stuff and try it out then? Because I really don't like the fake meats they come out with. Too... meaty? I don't like replicas and reminders on what humans shouldn't have been consuming to begin with... but that's just me. There are plenty of vegans out there who enjoy the alternatives, and if that's what makes it "easier" for you to be vegan then by all means! It's the animals that matter after all. So here are some of my favorite marinades for tofu. Each makes enough for one block of tofu, and be sure when you marinade your tofu that it is in a deep enough dish to cover your block! I usually just let it marinade in a plastic seal baggie.

Ginger Sesame Marinade

• 1/ cup of soy sauce or tamari (I prefer tamari.)
• 1/4 cup of rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of lime juice
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 table spoon of minced fresh ginger (love the ginger... It's the best part. I love ginger anything, though...)
• 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons of Sriracha or a similar hot sauce (Who wouldn't want the Sriracha, though? That stuff is the bomb dot com.)
• Last but not least, 2 cloves of garlic, thickly sliced (I add a little more garlic, about 2 more cloves.)

Mix all ingredients together, toss that bad boy over your tofu, and let it marinade for a few hours.

Maple Marinade

• 1/4 of a cup of soy sauce or tamari (Again, I prefer the tamari.)
• 1/4 of a cup of vegetable broth or water (veggie broth... duh)
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke (You can leave this out if you want a less smoky flavor. This stuff can be found near the bbq sauces at your local market.)
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, thick slices (Again, I add about 2 more cloves. What can I say, I'm a garlic fiend.)

Mix together and marinade your tofu for a few hours.

Citrus Marinade

• 1/2 cup of orange juice
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce or tamari (tamari, tamari....)
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger (I like to add about a small little teaspoon more. I love ginger almost as much as I love garlic, and the extra ginger goes great with this marinade.)
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of Sriracha or similar hot sauce
• 2 cloves of garlic, thick slices (Add two more cloves, trust me.)

Mix well and marinade that block for a couple of hours.

Now not everyone enjoys cooking with tofu. It’s tricky and confusing and frustrating… But believe me, these tasty marinades will change your mind and give you a mouth full of flavor with every single bite. Another thing I like to do, just to give it a bit of a flavor boost: When my tofu is done cooking and I have my plate ready, I like to sprinkle some nooch over the tofu. Just a little bit, don’t overdo it. Trust me, it’s worth it.