• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
    • Contact
    • Photo Use Policy

Connoisseurus Veg logo

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up for email updates and receive a free copy of my veggie burger e-book!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Free Veggie Burger Book
  • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Entrees / Marinated Tofu Franks

    LAST UPDATED: January 22, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: July 2, 2015

    Marinated Tofu Franks

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These all-vegan tofu franks aren't fooling anyone, but who cares? They're delicious! Made from tofu that's soaked in a smoky marinade and then baked and grilled, for a frank that's tender and juicy inside, while crisp and delicious on the outside.

    Marinated Tofu Franks

    You got me. I'm that person. The one who shows up at your 4th of July barbecue with the homemade tofu hot dogs.

    It's okay though. You really don't need to invent an allergy to tofu or pretend to like them. You probably will actually like these. They're pretty darn good. Hear me out.

    I do not like veggie hot dogs. In fact, I didn't even like regular old meat-based hot dogs when I was a kid. These franks are not an attempt at impersonating hot dogs. That would be a really tough thing to do, and probably not all that great an idea. I have yet to see a cookbook or blogger attempt a realistic version of vegan hot dogs, instead usually seeing things like carrots and eggplants stuffed into hot dog buns. That's just fine by me, because carrots and eggplants are way better than any hot dog I ever ate. I opted to stuff tofu into hot dog buns. Savory, marinated, baked and grilled tofu, to be accurate. As I often do, I chose to play up the good features of meat foods I never really liked. Works every time.

    Marinated Tofu Franks

    Getting the tofu right was a little complicated. The marinade is key. All those smoky, savory flavors, those are the aspects of hot dogs that I wanted in my tofu franks. Baking is my favorite way to prepare marinated tofu, because it cooks all of those delicious flavors in, but I wasn't happy with the outer texture when I finished baking these, which is why I went and grilled them up in a bit of oil. This gave the dogs a nice crisp outer shell, which is exactly what I wanted. I made these a couple times, and on one attempt I left my skillet unattended and burned them a bit...and it was awesome. If you like burned food, then burn these on the stove. If you're grilling, then burn them on the grill, as that would probably be even better. Just brush the outer surfaces of your franks with a bit of oil and you should get that outer crust I was so fond of in my stove top version.

    The recipe yields three to six links. If you want big fat franks that barely fit in the bun, go for three, cutting the brick of tofu lengthwise into three identical strips. For smaller franks, cut into four strips, and for little baby franks, go for up to six, keeping in mind that the outer surface is the best part, and the greater your number of franks, the higher your outer surface to inside ratio. My favorite way to eat these was actually do go with six franks and double them up in the buns. Finally, if want round-ish franks, go and shave down the edges of your tofu strips. Totally not necessary, but fun. Throw your tofu shavings into the marinade with everything else and then eat them on a salad, in a sandwich, or by the handful. They're delicious.

    Marinated Tofu Franks
    Tofu Frank on a bun with ketchup, mustard, and sauerkraut.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print

    Marinated Tofu Franks

    These all vegan tofu franks aren't fooling anyone, but who cares? They're delicious! Made from tofu that's soaked in a smoky marinade and then baked and grilled, for a frank that's tender and juicy inside, while crisp and delicious on the outside.
    Course Sandwich
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 1 hour
    Cook Time 50 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
    Servings 3 -6
    Author Alissa

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb. extra firm tofu drained and pressed at least 30 minutes (the longer, the better)
    • ¼ cup soy sauce
    • 2 tbsp. maple syrup
    • 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tsp. liquid smoke
    • 1 garlic clove minced
    • 1 tsp. paprika
    • ½ tsp. onion powder
    • ¼ tsp. black pepper
    • 1 tbsp. olive oil

    For Serving

    • 3-6 hot dog buns
    • ketchup
    • mustard
    • hot sauce
    • sauerkraut

    Instructions

    1. Cut tofu lengthwise into desired number of links. Optionally, shave down the corners of each link using a sharp knife, to get a round shape.
    2. Stir soy sauce, maple syrup, vinegar, liquid smoke, garlic, paprika, onion powder and pepper together in a shallow dish.
    3. Place tofu links into marinade and gently toss to coat. Allow to marinate at least 1 hour at room temperature, or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator (again, the longer, the better), tossing periodically to recoat with marinade.
    4. Preheat oven to 400º. Arrange links on a parchment lined baking sheet. bake 40 minutes, turning about half way through cook time and basting with any excess marinade. Remove from oven.
    5. Coat a medium skillet with oil and place over medium heat. Once hot, arrange links in skillet in a single layer, working in batches if they don't all fit. Cook about 3 minutes per side if you cut your links square, or just roll them every three minutes or so if they're round, until nicely browned all over.
    6. Stuff links into buns and top with ketchup, mustard, hot sauce and/or sauerkraut.
    Marinated Tofu Franks

    « Indian Curry Veggie & Chickpea Burgers
    Thai Sweet Potato Salad »

    Sharing is caring!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email

    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

    Subscribe

    Subscribe for email updates and receive a free copy of my veggie burger e-book!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nichole Kraft, Food Writing Copyeditor says

      July 02, 2015 at 2:43 pm

      Mmmmm, these look delish. And you wouldn't even have to put them in a bun--I bet they're just as wonderful straight up! What an easy, prep-ahead supper.

      Reply
      • Maggie says

        October 11, 2017 at 8:18 am

        whats the calorie count?

        Reply
        • Alissa Saenz says

          October 11, 2017 at 5:51 pm

          I'm slowly adding calorie info to my recipes but haven't hit this one yet. Sorry! This is the best resource I know of for checking it yourself: https://www.verywell.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4129594

          Reply
    2. Jenn says

      July 02, 2015 at 5:31 pm

      These look soooo good! I am NOT a fan of packaged grocery store vegan hot dogs. But, these I could get on board with! Must try!

      Reply
    3. Katie (The Muffin Myth) says

      July 03, 2015 at 2:33 am

      I must admit that veggie dogs on the bbq are a summertime guilty pleasure of mine. I only have them when I'm back in BC visiting my family, so it's like a once a year for a week or so treat, and I'm not ashamed of it! But I'm loving the looks of these tofu dogs, and that smoky marinade... oh yes!

      Reply
    4. Linda says

      July 05, 2015 at 4:59 pm

      These look really good! I'm actually making them right now and was wondering, once cooked, how long will they keep in the fridge?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 05, 2015 at 8:45 pm

        Thanks Linda! I probably wouldn't keep them around more than a day or two. Hope you enjoy! :)

        Reply
    5. Ana @ Ana's RocketShip says

      July 06, 2015 at 8:04 am

      When it looks this yummy- I don't know who would care!

      Reply
    6. chrysta @ noshed says

      July 06, 2015 at 9:23 am

      This is the coolest idea! I've only ever found one vegan brand that I like but if I can make my own even better! I love the marinated tofu idea. I have a press too which I think will help dry out my tofu enough. Giving this one a try! Thanks!!

      Reply
    7. Stephanie says

      July 24, 2015 at 1:02 pm

      Just found these, can't wait to try!
      Question: Do you think these would work if prepping a bunch of the marinated tofu and then freezing?
      (I'm new to cooking with tofu)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 25, 2015 at 11:19 am

        Hi Stephanie! I actually wouldn't recommend that, as freezing tofu changes the texture. Your best bet would be to just prep the marinade in advance (which you could freeze), then soak the tofu shortly before you're ready to go. Hope you enjoy!
        PS - Frozen tofu is great for other stuff though, as it gets super crumbly, so it makes a nice stand in for ground meat.

        Reply
    8. Kathy says

      August 15, 2015 at 12:23 pm

      What an awesome idea! I would freeze the tofu first though...give the tofu a meatier texture!!! Just my preference!! I plan on making this in a couple of days!!! Thanks for an awesome recipe!!! All I can say is that some people are geniuses!!!!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        August 16, 2015 at 9:48 am

        Thanks Kathy! Let me know how it works with freezing the tofu. I had a few people ask about that but was concerned that it wouldn't hold the marinade. Enjoy! :)

        Reply
        • Kathy says

          August 26, 2015 at 12:16 pm

          Alissa...I always freeze my tofu, defrost, rinse, then wrap in a tea cloth and a heavy pot cover goes on to squeeze out the water...I do it for an hour or so. Then I prepare any type of marinade and put in the tofu...I like to marinade for 24 hours. I freeze my tofu to make my tofu bacon but for that I pan fry first then put it in the marinade...keeps the pan from getting too sticky and burnt pieces. The tofu bacon is really delish!!

          Reply
          • Alissa Saenz says

            August 27, 2015 at 9:46 am

            Thank you! I've only ever used frozen tofu in recipes where it gets crumbled. I'll definitely be giving this a try soon. :)

            Reply
    9. Jeanne says

      April 07, 2018 at 4:00 pm

      Yum! I haven't been able to find a hot dog that is both vegan and gluten free so decided to try this recipe. They were better than any veggie dog I've ever tried...even before having to be gluten free! The texture was great and the flavour delicious. Thank you!
      PS I had leftovers (after cooking them) so I froze them. Today I thawed them in the microwave then reheated them in a frying pan, briefly. They were great!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        April 08, 2018 at 6:35 pm

        Yay!! I'm so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks Jeanne!

        Reply
    10. Alexandria Phillips says

      May 10, 2018 at 5:39 pm

      5 stars
      Everyone in the family loves these. The kids gobble them up.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        May 11, 2018 at 9:52 am

        Yay!! I'm so happy to hear that!

        Reply
    11. Milou says

      May 09, 2019 at 2:22 am

      I have tried to drain the tofu but after that there was no way to make a tofu dog out of it. It totally crumbled tot pieces. Gonna try tot make burgers now but what is your secret?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        May 12, 2019 at 4:10 pm

        Are you by chance using silken tofu? That's the only kind I've known to crumble all by itself. Make sure you're using extra firm - I really like Soyboy and Trader Joe's brands because they're so firm.

        Reply
    12. Annette says

      June 13, 2019 at 9:58 am

      5 stars
      These are delicious! They are also perfect for a vegetarian on a budget. They are tastier and cheaper than any veggie dogs ysou could buy. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        June 16, 2019 at 2:18 pm

        Yay!! I'm glad you like them!

        Reply
    13. Emilie says

      July 12, 2019 at 3:25 pm

      Hi! That sounds absolutely delicious! If i wanna cook them on the barbecue, do I still have to cook them in the oven before? If so, can I cook them in the oven today and put them on the barbecue only tomorrow?

      Thank you very much! :)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 14, 2019 at 10:45 am

        I'd recommend baking them in the oven first and then cooking them on the grill. And they should be fine if you bake them a day in advance!

        Reply
    14. Bern says

      July 20, 2019 at 1:46 pm

      5 stars
      I made these tofu dogs for the first time July 4th, 2019. My husband and I really like them. Nice to have fun foods for vegetarians/vegans. This is a delicious recipe. My menu for dinner today is picnic foods so I'm making them again. We'll be indoors though since theyre calling for "feels like" temperatures of 110 degrees in the D.C. Area.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 21, 2019 at 10:43 am

        I'm so glad you both enjoyed them! I'm in the Philadelphia area dealing with similar weather and staying indoors too!

        Reply
    15. John says

      July 11, 2020 at 4:27 pm

      I'm going to try this with some extra firm tofu my adult daughter left here. As far as I know, it's the first tofu that was ever inside our house... I might have missed something in the recipe foreplay but how do you press tofu for 30 minutes?.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 12, 2020 at 4:41 pm

        I'll do a post soon with detailed instructions on how to press tofu, but basically what you want to do is weigh it down for a half hour to squeeze some of the water out. Wrap it in a few layers of paper towels, then wrap everything in a dish towel. Place something flat and heavy on top - I like to use a cast iron skillet, but cookbooks work, or a cutting board with canned goods or a bag of flour on top. Let it sit for 30 minutes and then proceed with the recipe. Good luck!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Alissa Holding a Coffee Cup

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • The Best Vegan Banana Bread
    • Crispy Baked Teriyaki Tofu
    • Creamy Vegan Rice Pudding
    • Classic Lentil Soup

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About
    • Contact
    • Photo Use Policy

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more here.

    Copyright © 2013-2022 Tofu Press LLC & Alissa Saenz

    699 shares
    • 319