This is the best baked smoky tofu! It is really rich in smoky flavor, accented with spices and an overall bold flavor so that it really stands out in dishes you add it too! Vegan, oil-free, baked and easy to make.
THE BEST SMOKY TOFU
This healthy baked tofu is my first ever tofu recipe! And it’s delicious! Y’all know how much I love smoky flavors, so obviously I went there for this recipe. The marinade is so flavorful and soaks in the tofu overnight for such a rich, bold flavor to stand out in whatever dish you add it to.
1. Slice a 10 ounce package of “firm tofu” after it’s been drained (by tofu press or several paper towels) into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces.
2. Mix the marinade and add the pieces to the marinade in a bowl that will fit all pieces to lay flat. It’s very important to toss all pieces well and then spoon the marinade over each piece of tofu, so that it really soaks into it.
3. Cover and chill the tofu overnight. DO NOT skip this step because this is what will allow the tofu to turn out extremely flavorful and not bland.
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a pan with parchment paper. Place each piece of tofu on the pan.
5. Bake 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350°F and flip over each piece and bake another 5-10 minutes, depending on how browned you want your tofu.
I hope you all love this easy smoked baked tofu! It’s baked, oil-free and absolutely delicious!
WAYS TO SERVE THIS TOFU
- I served it with my vegan ramen noodle soup and seasoning recipe!
- Add it to sandwiches for a delicious smoky flavor instead of using deli meat.
- You can literally serve this smoky tofu to any buddha bowl in place of beans. Serve it with some grains, veggies and a sauce or pesto!
The Best Smoky Tofu
Ingredients
- One 10 ounce package "firm or extra firm tofu" SEE NOTES at bottom
MARINADE
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (I recommend the Colgin "hickory" brand)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or agave
- 3 tablespoons (45g) low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- You'll need a large shallow bowl that will allow all pieces to fit flat, to add the sliced tofu and marinade.
- Drain the tofu really well. I simply used several layers of paper towels to wrap up the block of tofu, set it on a plate and set a couple of heavy books on it. Let it sit about an hour.
- Slice the tofu in about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch cubes.
- Make the marinade by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well.
- Pour the marinade over the tofu and toss gently to ensure the pieces are all coated.
- Important: Now make sure to spoon the marinade over EACH PIECE and don't rush this. You want the marinade fully on top, too, so that it soaks well into the tofu overnight. This will ensure really delicious, flavorful tofu!
- Place the bowl in the fridge overnight or 8 hours. Please do not skip this step. The tofu turns out so flavorful this way.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a pan with parchment paper.
- Place each piece of tofu on the pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Flip over each piece and lower the heat to 350°F and bake the tofu for another 5-10 minutes depending on how browned you like it. I went about 6 minutes. Just wait until your house smells so insanely delicious and smoky while this bakes!
- Let the tofu cool about 10 minutes and serve immediately or chill for later. I used the tofu in my vegan ramen noodle soup! See post for other ways to serve this tofu.
Notes
Nutrition
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I haven’t tried draining tofu this way yet, but read just the other day, that if pieces are tossed into boiling water for a minute or two, it draws out more of the interior liquid quickly and makes it easier to dry more quickly too. Thought I’d pass it along in case you’d like to try it.
Excellent. I had planned to use this in a soup, but ran out of time and had to quickly figure out something else for dinner: brown rice bowl with sauteed zucchini and chipotle-lime sauce. I did add 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil and a pinch of cayenne pepper. I only had 3 hours to marinate, so I put the tofu in a leak-proof snapware dish and flipped it upside down periodically to keep the tofu covered in marinade. I was worried it might not be as flavorful because of the short marinating time, but it was great! For those who only have mesquite liquid smoke, don’t worry, it will be terrific. Hint: if you want your tofu a little crispier on the outside, increase your oven temp to 425 degrees about halfway through cooking.
Love this recipe so much. Shared with others! Tonight I will add the smoked tofu to my rice paper rolls.
Yay!!
Love this recipe. I had doubled the marinade so when the tofu cubes were done, I used the leftover marinade and added a little more water and some soy curls. Maybe I’ll use them for smoky fajitas this week.
So curious about cooking with soy curls. Can you be more detailed on how I’d use the leftover marinade with soy curls? Thank you
I’ve made this recipe multiple times, it’s SO good! I’ve swapped the soy with Bragg liquid amino, and it’s still fabulous. Pairs well with spaghetti squash/sautéed veg & tomato sauce. Thanks for another fool proof recipe, Brandi!
So very happy to hear this Sara, thank you so much!
Best tofu recipe I have ever tried. The flavor tastes ‘real’. Brandi has a real knack for flavor combinations and this recipe is one of her very best
Aww thank you so much! Thrilled you love it so much!
Great recipe, Brandi! I haven’t always liked tofu, but this marinade imparts so much flavor! I used it in a wrap, per your suggestion, with sweet potato and spinach. It was a very filling and delicious dinner!
I have made this a few times. Even non vegan eaters loved it and asked for the recipe. It is probably one of my favourite tofu recipes ever. I placed all the ingredients in a zip lock bag then just turned it over each time went in fridge, loved the idea of using a jar which I will do the next time. Having it in a Buddha bowl tonight, can’t wait.
Thanks and can’t wait to try some more of your recipes
Yay, that is so wonderful to hear, thanks for sharing Jackie!
This is the BEST tofu I have ever had!! My husband agreed! I ended up letting this marinate for about 12 hours. I cooked it in my air fryer at 370F (it doesn’t do 5 degree increments and I thought 380 would be too high) for about 15 minutes and it was perfect! We loved this in the ramen soup as well as in wraps the next day. I don’t know how you come up with these creations but they are simply amazing! I found our permanent tofu recipe! Thank you!
Oh goodness, you totally made my day Samantha! Thank you so much!
This recipe is a keeper! So much flavor. So easy. Made a double batch to throw on salads and grain bowls for lunch throughout the week. Thanks Brandi!
Yay, so glad to hear that Michelle!!
So happy to hear it Michelle!
So I cut my 10” tofu into 1/2 inch cubes as directed and I got 235 cubes. The recipe detailed to turn each piece during cooking…. Thats 235 pieces. I look at the recipe photo and the pieces are way bigger than 1/2 “ so I think there needs to be some adjustment in the instructions.
Recipe states 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces, as can be seen in the photos, not actual 1/2 inch ONLY in square pieces. As the pieces are more rectangular. Photo is nowhere near 200+ pieces. This is why I also share step by step photos in addition to the directions.
I used this recipe for some vegan nachos and I really like the flavor of the smoky tofu. I think I might omit the maple syrup next time due to the sweetness of the tofu. It wasn’t overpowering, but I just don’t think it was needed. I am glad to know I don’t have to hunt down smoky tofu at the store!
I have a suggestion for you for easy Tofu marinading: A Quart Jar! Put the marinade ingredients into a quart jar and mix, a mason or ball canning jar works great. Then add the cubed tofu. The jar will work for a full 16oz of tofu.
Put on a lid with the rubber ring and close tightly. Now, roll the jar around, turn it upside down. Every time you open the fridge door, turn the tofu. Perfectly marinated tofu with out coating and spooning each piece. Enjoy!
Oh, that is a great idea, thank you!
Amazing! My 10 year old and 18 year old loved this in a recent rice bowl I made. This will be in regular circulation at our house. Well done Brandi!
That is so wonderful to hear Angie!
I used Nasoya extra firm tofu (Walmart) and doubled the marinade. With this tofu, you do not need to press since it is drained and it worked perfectly. I cooked it in the Air fryer and we loved it! I was hesitant with the amount of liquid smoke but it complimented the dish perfectly and was so yummy. Glad you’re back to new recipes Brandi ❤️.
Yay, that is awesome!!
Hi Brandi,
My husband I loved the flavor of the tofu. We used it in the ramen which was also wonderful. We both agree the firm tofu is just not firm enough for us. We enjoy grilling super firm tofu and I think we have gotten used to that texture. Your directions say not to use extra firm. Do you think that firmness would work if we marinated it longer? Thanks for all the great recipes!
Hi Beth, try clicking to refresh your browser. I edited the post regarding firm tofu, so you may have seen the previous version! See the NOTES. 🙂
I used this with Tempeh. First, I steamed it then cut it into pieces and added the marinade for an overnight soak. At dinnertime, I fried it up on both sides and used the rest of the juice in my veggie stirfry. I put the Tempeh on top of the stirfry. It was fabulous. I will be using this marinade a lot I am certain. Thanks.
Amazing idea Angela! I’m so glad you loved the marinade. I feel it is so good that it would work well on many things! Thank you for sharing!
So good! We made this the other night and it was both easy and delicious. The smoky flavor really does make the house smell so good while it’s cooking.
That is so wonderful to hear Amanda, thank you! I know right, the aroma is intensely wonderful!
Holy moly this is amazing! My husband agreed👍🏻 5 Stars…little flavor bombs. Yummy! Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much Molly, your review made my day!
Thanks for this délicieuse recipe !!!
Every body loves it.
So awesome to hear that, Brenda!
Made this in my air fryer. Came out great the marinade is delicious smoky and tasty. For some reason my son liked it better before I cooked it when it was just cold and marinating haha
So glad you enjoyed it! Haha, that’s too funny! The marinade IS delicious cold too, so I understand!
Well, DANG! This meal was worth the wait! The marinated tofu was super simple to make and INSANELY FLAVORFUL! Since I could only find 16 oz of firm tofu I doubled the marinade and WOO BOY was this delicious!! Smoky-check. Savory-check. Spicy-check. Bold-double-check. My husband and I were licking the marinade off the spoon! 😆 Dinner was this tofu, brown rice & quinoa, and steamed broccoli. Can you say YUMMM?!? Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, Brandi!!
This makes me soooo happy Colleen! I’m so thrilled it was such a yummy recipe for you!
Great easy recipe is marinating in my fridge now. Have you tried air frying vs baking this tofu?
Hi Luci! I don’t own an air fryer, so I have not.
I have to wait until tonight to enjoy the tofu but I’m starting by giving this marinade 5 stars!! Holy smokes, Brandi! I couldn’t help but taste a tad and it is chock-full of smoky savory flavor! In fact, I haven’t even started baking the tofu yet and my hubby came upstairs to ask me what smelled so good. 😄
I told him it was the marinade and now he is excited to try dinner tonight! Thanks for sharing this one, Brandi. It’s already a keeper!!
I made it with smoked paprika and it became delicious.