Delicious tofu, ideal for grilling in the summer. This is the only way I like to eat tofu. The marinade is aromatic and quite tasty. Serve in a tortilla or with grilled vegetables.
| Prep Time: | 25 mins |
| Cook Time: | 10 mins |
| Additional Time: | 2 hrs |
| Total Time: | 2 hrs 35 mins |
| Servings: | 4 |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the block of tofu onto a plate and place another plate on top. Set a 3 to 5 pound weight on top (a container filled with water works well). Press the tofu for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain off and discard the accumulated liquid. Slice the tofu lengthwise into 4 thick slabs or cut into cubes and thread on skewers. Place tofu pieces or skewers on a plate.
- Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Brush the tofu with the marinade. Cover the plate with plastic wrap, and marinate tofu in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate. Grill the tofu until almost blackened in spots, brushing occasionally with the marinade, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Reviews
Loved this marinade! I used to for both tofu and chicken. My vegetarian daughter said the tofu was the best she’s had and wants it again! The chicken was amazing as well. I did add some jalapeno to the marinade because I was chopping it up for salsa anyway. I marinated in a ziploc bag for about 4 hours. Will definitely make again!
Honestly, just not much flavor. I’ll try the grilled tofu in a salad, perhaps the oil and vinegar dressing will liven it up a bit.
Not bad by any means but even after marinating for hours not much flavor
Good but more oil
Excellent!
This was very good. Like others, I cut the lime and added 1 T honey, 2 T olive oil, 1 T rice vinegar and 2 T soy sauce. Great base recipe that you can add your own twist to.
I’ve made this recipe several times. On skewers (with mushrooms and sliced summer squash) and as slabs. We prefer the slabs, it marinates better and is easier to grill. I’ve made a few changes to the original recipe. I use a tofu press, it takes more water out then just a weighted plate. I use fresh parsley instead of the cilantro, 2 T. of olive oil and add 2 T. of soy sauce to the marinade. The longer you can marinate it the better. I turn it over several times throughout the day. I brush the remaining marinade over the tofu once it comes off the grill. Thank you for a tasty summer dinner recipe.
My go to grilled tofu recipe! Takes time and a bit spicy, but amazing as long as you turn them frequently on the grill.
Used 1/2 lime and 1/2 lemon juice based on other reviewers. Ended up marinating for two days, rotating, etc, and flavor was still not especially strong. Not bad, but just eeehhh…
I was rather shocked at how bland the tofu still tasted. I was very hopeful that a marinade such as this would help convert me to tofu, as we are eating more and more vegetarian. As many others have commented, all I tasted was a faint sour flavor. I still have a portion left marinating, so maybe it will get better with more time, but I think maybe the “wow” factor others have had with this recipe must be because of the smoky flavor from grilling the tofu. That’s not an option for me today, but maybe I’ll try that in the future.
i made this primarily for bf’s daughter (vegan).. and it was such a success.. we all really liked it.. bf’s daughter said she’ll try making this recipe at home as well.. i subbed bottled lemon juice for the lime, veggie oil for the olive and omitted the cayenne (she doesn’t like spicy).. i used our Marinator and marinated the tofu for about 2 hours and it could have benefitted for longer.. will definitely make this again as bf really enjoyed this and i’m trying to make healthier dishes for him.. ty for the recipe
This was very good! Made exactly per the recipe but reduced the amount of cilantro a bit. Did it on a grill pan indoors and served it with Spanish rice and corn. The lime flavor came through very well, and the cayenne warmed it up a little—will make again! TY!!
I made this tofu for a group of 30 people on a picnic day, and everyone loved it! I received comments like”best tofu of my life” or “even better than Thai tofu”. The only thing that I added more than the recipe was chili, because I like it spicy.
I’ve made this recipe three times and the trick really is to get the tofu as dry as possible so it will absorb the marinade. Also, it is preferable to use fresh lemon juice and cilantro. I have never had it turn out too sour, but my results do vary by how long I marinate it (overnight is best) and how dry I get the tofu first. I have doubled this recipe and used it to marinade other veggies that will go on the grill, too.
Loved this. The only change I made was to double the garlic. (I really like garlic.) Grilled on charcoal grill. I used leftover marinade to sautee spinach. Wonderful.
Excellent and simple. Love the spiciness of the dish. Works well broiling it in the oven as well. I paired it with veggie noddles and it helped balance the heat.
This came out great. One tip I found in an other online recipe is to add some sugar so that the tofu can caramelize, which it did. And, I pureed the whole thing so that the cilantro can really get into the tofu. Finally, I used half as much chili and cayenne pepper.
I find that marinating tofu never really works. My “marinating” technique works every time. I boiled a few cups of water and seasoned the water with garlic powder and kosher salt to taste, then I poured it over my tofu cubes and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Then I followed the recipe except there is no need to add any salt at this point.
DELICIOUS!!! Since I didn’t have chili powder or cayenne pepper at hand, I used ground chipotle powder and it was still very delicious! I also used zucchini and yellow squash to accompany the skewers and served it with a side romaine lettuce salad.
Made these for my daughter and she loved them. I only marinaded the tofu for an hour but will try the 2 hrs next time to see if they turn out differently.
I used dried cilantro (about 2.5 tbsp) and reconstituted lime juice (1/4 cup) and skewered them for the grill. I only marinated 2.5 hours and didn’t find it overly tangy or sour. I think people need to be really careful marinating tofu, since it’s basically a sponge (especially if you press it right–I used a TofuXpress overnight). Anyway, I was using this recipe as a component in my Copycat Moe’s burrito attempt. I think it did very well, though fresh cilantro and lime juice will greatly benefit my next attempt.