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This baked tofu is just delicious! Made simply with a flavorful salty and slightly sweet marinade, this tofu is baked to perfection for use in salads, sandwiches, stir fries, or on its own. A bit crunchy on the outside but still soft on the inside, this is our favorite classic baked tofu recipe.
This baked tofu couldn’t be easier or more delicious! With just a few simple ingredients, this marinated tofu is the perfect way to add to your Asian dishes. Just prepare your tofu, mix together a few ingredients, let your tofu get nice and marinated, and then bake! It’s absolutely delicious alone, but so good with other recipes. (Check out the top tips for a few ideas.)
What Makes This Recipe So Good
Soy sauce – Salty and a little umami, soy sauce makes a delicious marinade that tofu just soaks up.
Maple syrup – We love a little sweet with our salty soy sauce for our tofu, and maple syrup is perfect for that!
Sesame oil – Provides a nice savory flavor that isn’t reserved just for Asian food!
Sesame seeds – Sesame seeds add visual interest and a nice extra little crunch. Plus they look so pro!
How To Make It
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it a little to prevent the tofu from sticking.
- Combine all the liquid ingredients and toss the tofu cubes in the mixture. Let them sit for at least 15 minutes. An hour is ideal, but no stress if you don’t have that kind of time!
- After the tofu has marinated, remove the pieces from the marinade and arrange evenly on the baking sheet. Reserve the marinade to the side.
- Bake the tofu in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove the tray from the oven and use a pastry brush to brush more of the marinade on top of the tofu. Flip the tofu over and brush marinade on the other side, then sprinkle the tofu with sesame seeds.
- Return the tofu to the oven and bake until the tofu is crispy and browned, about 30 more minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool a little before serving.
Chef’s Tips
- To prepare your tofu, wrap the block in a couple layers of paper towels and place it on a plate. Place another plate on top to help weigh it down and quicken the draining. It should sit for at least 30 minutes.
- This tofu is absolutely delicious alone, but if you’re looking for an easy way to bulk it up, try it with coconut rice, Instant Pot brown rice, Instant Pot basmati rice, with ramen, or with fried rice.
More Delicious Asian-Inspired Recipes
- Tofu and Broccoli
- Best Ever Tom Kha Gai Soup (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup, Whole30, Paleo)
- Egg Roll in a Bowl with Creamy Chili Sauce (Whole30, Low Carb, Keto, Paleo)
- Hibachi Chicken with Fried Rice
- Slow Cooker Tom Kha Soup (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
- Beef Negimaki
- Kung Pao Beef
Delicious Baked Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra-firm or firm tofu drained and cut into 1" cubes or 8 even slices
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 sesame seeds or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper or grease lightly. Combine soy sauce, maple syrup, and sesame oil. Toss cubes in mixture. Let sit for 15 minutes minimum. 1 hour is ideal.
- After marinating, remove tofu from marinade and arrange evenly on baking sheet. Reserve marinade. Bake tofu 30 minutes.
- Remove tray from oven. Use pastry brush to brush marinade on top of tofu, then flip tofu and repeat on opposite side. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Return to oven and bake about 30 more minutes or until tofu is crisp and browned. Remove from oven and let cool slightly prior to serving.
Video
- To prepare tofu: Wrap the block in a couple layers of paper towels and place it on a plate. Place another plate on top to help weigh it down and quicken the draining. It should sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Serving suggestions: Eat alone, or try it with coconut rice, Instant Pot brown rice, Instant Pot basmati rice, with ramen, or with fried rice.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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This was amazing, definitely will be having again.
So glad you enjoyed it! 😊
Delicious 😋 😋 marinade is good on everything!!!!
So glad you love it, Darcy! 🙂
I added 2tsp of corn starch to the mixture and stirred well as I heard that this would help with crispness. I also baked mine for ten minutes, flipped all pieces and 10 minutes more. My tofu pieces were small enough that this time was perfect. They were crispy, brown and super delicious!
Love to hear it, Griselda! I’m so glad you enjoyed this tofu recipe. Thank you for sharing your review!