This flavor-packed baked tofu is soaked in a marinade of zesty lemon juice, zippy garlic, and savory herbs, then baked to perfection. It's perfect stuffed in a sandwich or sprinkled on salad!
I make baked tofu often, using a bunch of different flavors, but lately this one has been in heavy rotation. I'm all about the savory herbs!
I make a big batch of it, stash it in the fridge, and then eat it over the course of a couple days. It could make its way into a salad or sandwich, or I might just snack on it, all by itself.
Have you ever baked tofu before? It's just about the easiest way possible to prepare tofu.
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What You'll Need
- Soy sauce. Or use gluten-free tamari for a gluten-free version.
- Lemon juice.
- Olive oil. You can omit this for an oil-free version if you'd like.
- Spices. We're using garlic powder, dried thyme, rubbed sage, and black pepper.
- Tofu. Preferably the extra-firm variety!
How to Make Baked Tofu
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you're just here for the recipe!
- Press your tofu. Not sure how to do that? Check out my tutorial on how to press tofu.
- Cut your tofu into small pieces. You can dice it, cut it into strips, triangles, or squares like I've done.
- Mix up your marinade ingredients in a small bowl: soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, and spices.
- Place your tofu into a bowl or shallow dish and pour the marinade overtop. Gently stir to coat the tofu in marinade. Let it soak for about 30 minutes.
- Arrange your marinated tofu pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and be sure to hang on to any excess marinade.
- Pop your baking sheet into the oven to bake. You'll need to cook your tofu for about 15 to 20 minutes on each side, at 400°F. Spoon the reserved marinade over the tofu pieces when you flip them.
- Your baked tofu is ready when the pieces have shrunk and darkened a bit.
Lemon & Herb Baked Tofu Tips & FAQ
- Can this recipe be made gluten-free? Sure! Just substitute gluten-free tamari for the soy sauce.
- Shelf-life & storage: Your baked tofu will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Make ahead option: You can let the tofu marinate for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator, and then bake it on the day of serving.
- How is baked tofu served? However you like! Stuff it in a sandwich, use it to top a salad, or make it a main dish with a couple of veggies on the side.
- Want to learn more about tofu? Check out my post on everything you need to know about tofu!
More Tofu Recipes
- General Tso's Tofu
- Crispy Baked Tofu Nuggets
- Grilled Tofu with Mango Salsa
- Crispy Black Pepper Tofu
- Spicy Sriracha Tofu Jerky
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Savory Lemon & Herb Baked Tofu
This flavor-packed baked tofu is soaked in a marinade of zesty lemon juice, zippy garlic, and savory herbs, then baked to perfection. It's perfect stuffed in a sandwich or sprinkled on salad!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon rubbed sage
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (14 ounce or 400 gram) package extra firm tofu, drained and pressed for at least 30 minutes
Instructions
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Stir the soy sauce, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder, thyme, sage, and pepper together in a small bowl.
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Cut the tofu into cubes, slabs, or whatever shape you like, and place the pieces into a bowl or shallow dish.
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Spoon the marinade over the tofu and allow it to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, turning the pieces halfway through.
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Preheat the oven to 400°.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the tofu pieces in a single layer on top. Reserving any excess marinade.
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Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the tofu pieces and spoon any reserved marinade over them. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the marinade has dried up and the tofu pieces have shrunken a bit and taken on a chewy texture.
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Enjoy the tofu immediately or store it in a sealed container or bag in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Do you know that you have McDonalds sausage mcmuffin ads popping up?
Thanks for letting me know! I'm actually getting ready to switch my ad network so hopefully that fixes the problem!
I'm trying to eat more soy products so I just bought a ton of tofu...this is going to be one of my first recipes to try! It looks incredible!
I think baked tofu is a great way to go for one of your first recipes! I hope you enjoy this!
Hi
Can we use cottage cheese in place of tofu?
Thanks
These look amazing
I'm afraid I'm not sure! I don't have much experience cooking with cottage cheese.
This baked tofu is amazingly delicious and versatile. I make a big batch and use it in salads, sandwich, stir fry, throw a few pieces in soup, or slice thin and use it like jerky when I hike.
Yay! I'm glad you're enjoying it!
Thanks for the recipe. I froze my tofu first then thaw and did this recipe. It's very good. I have also put it on cooked rice and added more of the sauce and veggies, yum!
Sounds like a delicious meal! Glad you like it!
This recipe is delicious and so easy!
I'm glad you think so! Thanks Valerie!
This has been my GO TO tofu marinade recipe for a couple of years now - thank you!! I just wanted to let you know! I tend to go heavy on the lemon juice (you can never have too much lemon), and sometimes use liquid aminos instead of tamari (but it adds a bit too much salt taste, depending on what type of flavors i'm craving)
That's great to hear! I'm so glad you like it!
I've had a lot of tofu in my life, but this recipe is worth commenting on. Wow! Absolutely delicious, very simple to make, full of all kinds of flavors, and doesn't have that tofu-y texture. I like that it is half an hour, in press, half an hour in sauce, and half an hour in oven (sorta). Easy to remember. Thank you for this keeper recipe!
Yay! I'm so glad you like it!
This was amazing!! Had to come back and say THANK YOU!! Doubled the marinade and tossed and turned the tofu all day in the fridge before baking for dinner. Served over steamed brown basmati rice and broccoli. Used the extra sauce with melted vegan butter to make a drizzle to put over our bowls. DEELISH!!
oops you deserve 5 starts!! :)
Thank you!!
Sounds like a delicious meal! So glad you enjoyed it!
Oh!!!! This is one of my new faves! HUGE hit with my kiddos.
I don't see the sauce recipe
Looks delicious. I'm looking forward to trying it with or without sauce!
There's no sauce recipe! I think you'll find this tofu to be flavorful enough that it doesn't need it. I hope you enjoy it!
Literally the BEST tofu I've ever eaten! The marinade permeated it completely, and the crispy edges were perfect. I almost ate the whole pound by myself in one sitting, and my husband liked it, too!
Thank you for this excellent recipe. I absolutely loved it -- the flavors and the texture of the baked tofu "steaks." It's been one of the most successful cooking experiences I've ever had with tofu, as I'm not very experienced or comfortable working with it. Served with a side of lemon asparagus spears, a side garlic-olive oil quinoa-brown rice (Seeds of Change), & white wine. Easy, healthy, low calorie & filling meal. Trader Joe's High Protein Tofu blocks (5 servings, organic) worked well in this recipe.
adding stars rating to comment above
Easy AND delish! Thank you, Alissa!
I should have made a double batch! I marinated for a couple hours in the fridge ( turning once) and baked it off. I forgot to flip it in the oven - no biggie!
I also added raw garlic into the marinade (3 cloves) instead of dried, chopped some fresh rosemary, and also used fresh thyme I had. Lovely!
This recipe is fabulous!
I've made this a number of times, and each time I'm impressed with how good it is. The only change I make is to use use fresh garlic instead of dried. I cut 2 cloves into a few large chunks and fish them out before baking. I also use different firmnesses of tofu - they'll all fine. I sometimes munch a piece or two before it even gets into the oven.
I nearly never bother commenting on recipes but this one is so good I just had to say thank you for posting it.
Great recipe!
How many servings?
Thank you! 4 servings. :)
My new favorite baked tofu recipe! I had to stop myself from eating the whole batch...
I made this recipe recently and it was DELICIOUS. Just perfect. I couldn't keep from snacking on it - it was gone in one day! Thank you so much for all your great recipes; this is my favorite vegan recipe site. I've made many of your dishes in my nearly two years as a vegan. They make being vegan a pure delight, no joke! Thank you!
SO delicious! Like others who posted, I couldn't stop snacking on it. i put the few slabs of leftovers in the fridge overnight and ate them cold the next morning. New favorite tofu recipe. Yay!
Thanks for a great recipe! So easy and delicious! Like other people, I used fresh garlic. I also didn't have sage. I used parsley and also some sesame seeds. One of the best tofu recipes I've ever eaten.
All I want to say is .. THANK YOU for this recipe. I have never been able to figure out how to properly prepare and cook tofu and this recipe DID IT FOR ME. It is DELICIOUS. I seriously forget I’m eating tofu. I have it as a main dish with sides, like roasted potatoes and steamed veggies. Immaculate!
I am new to cooking with tofu. This turned out delicious! I used toasted sesame oil instead of olive oil, just because I like it. Yum!! Thank you for the recipe.
Five stars! My husband and I eat a very low carb diet and this was fantastic! Served the tofu with a spinach strawberry almond and red onion salad with lemon vinaigrette. What a hit, will be making your tofu on a regular basis!
I have made a lot of tofu, but this really upped my game. There is only one problem with the recipe... you may not get them into the oven if you taste one first.