Oven baked BBQ tofu is a tasty addition to salads, buddha bowls, stir fries and more. This recipe uses firm tofu cubes, which are marinaded in a simple but flavour-packed sauce. Gluten free, dairy free… and vegan, of course!
When I ask my readers what they would like to see more of on the blog, the reply is often that they would like to see more vegetarian or vegan recipes. Now that I’ve got a little more time to be creative in the kitchen (as uni is over, yay!) this is something I’d really like to work on. So, let’s get started with this Oven Baked BBQ Tofu!
I must confess I’m not the world’s biggest tofu consumer. It’s not an ingredient that regularly appears on my shopping list, but as part of my commitment to creating more vego and vegan food, I’d like to use it more often. Not just to please my readers, but because I’d like to introduce more vegetarian and vegan meals into our household, too. Perfecting this Oven Baked BBQ Tofu recipe has actually been a really pleasant surprise, I’ve enjoyed eating tofu regularly more than I thought I would.
What you need to make this BBQ Tofu
The most important part of this recipe is to use an EXTRA FIRM TOFU. This will allow you to cut the tofu easily into cubes, coat it in the marinade, bake and store it without it falling apart! I feel like the world of tofu is extremely confusing as there are so many different types, so I photographed a packet of the extra firm tofu I have been using. It’s an extra firm organic tofu by a brand called Nutrisoy. I don’t think you need to get the exact same brand, just thought it would be helpful to see it… just try to find a really firm tofu.
Aside from the tofu, the rest of the recipe is pretty simple; it’s just a marinade of tomato paste, tamari or gluten free soy sauce, smoky paprika, ginger and garlic. Plus a little cornflour. Now, I’ve made the marinade with and without the cornflour, and I think adding in the cornflour helps the tofu get a slightly crisper exterior with a better coating, but if you don’t have any cornflour it still works pretty well.
Serving suggestions for Oven Baked BBQ Tofu
This recipe is perfect for a bit of food prepping, as it will last around 4 days in a sealed container in the fridge. My favourite way to eat this tofu is in a buddha bowl like the ones pictured in this post. In my buddha bowl I added:
- salad greens
- brown rice
- corn
- coleslaw mix tossed with apple cider vinegar and sesame oil
- homemade tahini dressing
You could also use this Oven Baked BBQ Tofu in a salad, add it to a stir fry or noodle soup or even pop some in a wrap. If you want to use it in a sandwich/burger/wrap kind of thing, marinade larger flat slices so it’s easier to get in between some bread.
As the tofu is baked until crisp, there’s not much sauce going round, so I do recommend serving this recipe with some kind of sauce/dressing. It could be as simple as a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lime juice, or maybe some chilli sauce. For the homemade tahini dressing in my buddha bowls, I combined tahini, olive oil and apple cider vinegar with a dash of maple syrup and a pinch of salt. (I also drizzled on a whole lot more dressing after I took the photos!)
If you make this recipe, take a snap and tag me on Instagram, you can now find me at @moniquecormacknutrition, I had a recent name change on there 🙂
Oven Baked BBQ Tofu
Ingredients
- 300-350 grams extra firm tofu
- 2 tbsp gluten free tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Drain tofu and pat dry with paper towel, removing as much liquid from the tofu as possible. Cut into 1cm cubes (or any other desired size).
- In a small jug or cup, dissolve the cornflour in the water. Then, add the tamari, tomato paste, olive oil and spices and stir to combine.
- Place the tofu in a shallow dish and pour over the marinade, and gently toss the tofu around to coat it. Let the tofu sit in the marinade while you preheat the oven to 160 C.
- Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Spread the tofu out across the tray so the pieces are not touching. Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes, or until the edges of the tofu are starting to blacken and crisp. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
I’d love to know the exact measurements for the dressing you mentioned.
Thank you!