My go-to Baked Tofu! It's easy to make with no pressing or marinating and is irresistibly sticky, tangy, smoky, savoury, and sweet with incredible texture. A real dinnertime winner!
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FEATURED COMMENT
"I made this last night for a dinner party. I'd never made it before and normally wouldn't try a new recipe for guests before testing it myself, but I am THAT confident in your recipes! It is delicious. The guests enjoyed it and gobbled it up, and my husband even had some for breakfast this morning, that's how much he loves it! Thanks, Mel!" - Michelle ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ More reviews →
This Baked Tofu is one of those recipes that, even after years and years, I (and many of you!) keep coming back to. It's just so good, so convenient, and so packed with flavour - The perfect blend of smoky, savoury, sweet, tangy, slightly spicy, sticky, and chewy. Not to mention the texture, which is just incredible!
And all that with no pressing and no marinating...Can't you tell I LOVE THIS BAKED TOFU SO MUCH! It's perfect for people like me who always forget to press or marinate their tofu, then end up in a panic when dinner comes around. In fact, it actually benefits from the tofu not being pressed, so don't be tempted to press it regardless.
There is no salad, noodle dish, stir fry, sandwich, or bowl meal that does not benefit in some way from the addition of some delicious baked tofu triangles, and it's even amazing served as "wings" with some vegan ranch as an appetizer, straight from the fridge as a snack, or in lunchboxes.
Mel x
P.S. Love easy tofu recipes? Be sure to give my very popular Nutritional Yeast Tofu a try, too!
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Let's Make Baked Tofu!
Can't wait to make it? The full printable recipe is below, but first, let me walk you through the steps to set you up for success in your kitchen. I recommend watching my recipe video if you're more of a visual learner:
1 - Mix the glaze ingredients together in a small bowl.
2 - Cut the tofu into triangles and smother it in the glaze.
3 - Lay the triangles of tofu out on a lined baking tray and bake. Keep the leftover glaze - You'll need it in a little while.
4 - At the halfway point, flip and brush generously with more of the glaze before baking again. When you remove the tofu from the oven, brush it with the leftover glaze once more before serving.
Baked Tofu Success Tips
- Don't be tempted to use anything other than extra-firm tofu. You will not get the intended texture or sturdiness.
- You must use a metal baking tray. Don't use a glass or ceramic dish. Your tofu will not caramelize or get the correct texture.
- Be sure to line your baking tray. The glaze gets very burned on. Use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Don't cut the baking time down. It might seem like a long time, but it's necessary to dry the tofu out and get a really good "meaty" texture and slight charring around the edges and on the corners.
How To Cut Tofu Into Triangles
I like to cut my tofu into triangles because I think they look nice and are more interesting than cubes or steaks.
Start by carefully cutting lengthways through the entire block to get 2 or 3 large ½ inch slices. Different brands of tofu are different thicknesses. I usually get 3 slices, but you might only get 2 out of yours if your tofu blocks aren't as thick.
Then take each of those slices and cut it in half to make 2 squares, then cut each of those squares into triangles. Here are some pics to help you visualize it:
Recipe
Baked Tofu
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu , sizes vary depending on brand but one that's about 350g - 400g (12 - 14oz)
Glaze
- ⅓ cup (80 mls) tomato ketchup
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce , or gluten-free soy sauce/tamari
- 1 tablespoon sriracha , or Sambal Oelek, or any other chili paste
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil , (omit to make oil-free)
- 1 clove garlic , minced or grated very finely
- 1 big pinch freshly ground black pepper
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200 °C) and line a large metal baking tray (it must be metal) with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This is important because the glaze will burn onto your tray if you don't.
- Open the tofu, drain any excess water, then lay it on its side and cut carefully lengthways into ½ inch thick large slices. Different blocks of tofu are different thicknesses but from most you will get 2 or 3 slices. Take each of those slices and cut it into triangles. There are pictures showing the process of cutting the tofu in the post above if you need a visual guide.
- In a small bowl, mix up all of the glaze ingredients.
- Lay the tofu triangles out in a large dish/bowl. Pour the glaze over the tofu triangles and use one clean hand to rub it all over the tofu.
- Place the glazed tofu triangles on the lined baking tray, leaving a little space around each one. Keep the dish with the remaining glaze in it. You will need it later.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Flip over each triangle and brush it with some more glaze. Put back in the oven and bake for another 20 minutes. Keep an eye on it though as all ovens are different. If it starts getting too dark remove it a little bit earlier. You want it to be really caramelized (dark brown, almost black) around the edges and on the corners. Again keep any remaining glaze (there won't be much).
- Once done, remove from the oven and brush quickly again with the last bits of remaining glaze before serving, or cooling and storing in an air tight container in the fridge.
NOTES
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Debra Wilson says
Really good! I cut my tofu slices a little thinner, about 1/4 inch. So much great flavor and so easy. Thanks for the recipe!
Bea says
So pleased with this recipe! I followed it exactly and was kind of amazed. It turned out just like your pictures. The most delicious way to serve tofu! The leftovers are equally good, hot or cold.
Melanie McDonald says
So pleased you enjoyed it, Bea!
Jenny says
Very quick and easy. This amount of Sriracha gives a kick.
Maureen says
I made this yesterday. OMG it is to die for!! I went a bit heavier on the maple syrup and sriracha. It turned out perfectly sweet, spicy and sticky. Love this recipe and will make this on a regular basis 😊
Melanie McDonald says
So pleased you enjoyed it, Maureen! Thank you for leaving a review. It's much appreciated!
tim huesken says
We were out of Siracha, so I substituted a teaspoonful of smoked paprika and 1/8 teaspoonful cayenne pepper. This recipe is beyond outrageously good.
I always use super-firm organic tofu. Should be 6 stars!
Cherri says
I bought a case of extra firm silken tofu by mistake. Can I use silken tofu for this recipe?
Melanie McDonald says
Definitely not. It's way too soft and delicate. It would just break up in the marinade. Here are some recipes that use silken tofu: https://avirtualvegan.com/#search/q=silken%20tofu (Give it a few seconds for the search results to populate once you click).
CHICHI says
Delicious! I need to keep this around to avoid snacking on things with zero nutrition! Thank you!
Trista says
SO good! I have tried a few tofu recipes but this one is by far my favourite! It's worth the wait and makes the house smell amazing! Will be making it often.
Vanda says
Delicious! I love tofu and am always looking for ways to prepare it. Thanks for a flavorful recipe.
Michelle says
Hi Mel! I made this last night for a dinner party. I'd never made it before and normally wouldn't try a new recipe for guests before testing it myself but I am THAT confident in your recipes! It is delicious. The guests enjoyed it and gobbled it up and my husband even had some for breakfast this morning, that's how much he loves it! Thanks Mel!
Melanie McDonald says
I'm so pleased everyone enjoyed it! Thank you for trusting my recipes. That means a lot ❤️
Stevie says
This recipe is SO good that my non-vegan husband loves it and keeps telling people about it.
I personally like to put it in my tofu press for a bit first, but I love that you don't have to.
It's also really easy to modify and switch things up (sometimes I'll use bbq sauce in place of ketchup or switch up the spices, etc).
I make a batch of this at least once a week, and it's always gone QUICK.
Melanie McDonald says
So pleased you're enjoying the recipe Stevie!
Fiona says
Thank you for this recipe! I have so much ketchup (thanks Costco) and I HATE ketchup but others in my house just have to have it and this recipe turned out so well I'm definitely making it again and again. I served it with noodles and peanut sauce and veggies I needed to use up. Tasted like a restaurant meal and loved by everyone. Thumbs up!
Melanie McDonald says
I'm so pleased you all enjoyed it Fiona!
Jayne says
This recipe makes delicious tofu! It’s my favorite tofu recipe ever. I baked it on a silicone baking mat and used regular sesame oil (not toasted). When I removed the tofu, I didn’t put the rest of the glaze on the tofu. The first amount was enough. It’s great right out of the oven AND delicious cold out of the fridge. Next time, I will double the recipe!
Heidi says
This is sooooo good! Thanks for the recipe!! I ran out of tamari sauce and substituted it with vegan Hoisin sauce. OMG, unreal how it came out. Thanks for your excellent recipes.
Melanie McDonald says
Oh, I bet it was good with the Hoisin sauce. So pleased you're enjoying the recipe!
Phyllis Sage says
I made the baked tofu tonight. It was delicious but the sauce went all over the silicon mat and burned on the mat. I transfered the tofu to another pan lined with parchment paper for the last 10 minutes because I was afraid it would catch fire in the oven. It ruined my silicon mat. I would like any suggestions on what I might have misunderstood in the directions because i would like to make it again but I don't want to ruin another sillican mat.
Melanie McDonald says
Glad you enjoyed it! I bake mine on Silpat silicone mats all the time. It is a sugary sauce so it's normal for the mat to get some baked on black bits but it shouldn't be anywhere near catching fire. It's only baked at 400 f. Have you checked the temperature of your oven with an oven thermometer in case it runs hot? Most ovens unless calibrated aren't entirely accurate.
The black bits come off easily for me after soaking in hot water and a little scrub. I sometimes put mine in the dishwasher when they need a good clean too. It brings them up great. I put the mat in dirty side down in a U shape with each side in between the plate holders so the water can shoot up into it.
Something else worth checking, did you check the max temperature your silicone mats can go up to in the oven? Silpat is 480 f but some cheaper ones can't take that kind of heat. The oven should only be at 400 but if your oven runs a bit hot coupled with the sugary sauce, it could have pushed it over the max.
Hope that helps!
Mary S. says
I don't know if th baked tofu I want, can be made at home. I've made baked tofu of my own just like yours, with several sauce variations just like yours too, but (and I'm not trying to be funny) your and my recipes are so delicious and addictive that I don't make it very often, it disappears too fast. And homemade baked tofu never has the texture of those little packages of baked tofu you can buy readymade... the ones with two small squares in a vacuum sealed package that go for a high price, and they are sold with more than one flavor profile. Your recipes for baked tofu are just like mine, and the resultant texture still isn't as firm and "toothy" as the tiny store ones. That's that texture I wish I could imitate, the sauces with different flavor profiles are easy to make at home, And the price of the store ones are ridiculous. I called one of the manufacturers to ask how they get that firm texture, but they said it was proprietary! Maybe it's vacuum pressed, machine pressed, or some other technique we can't do at home. It's a mystery to me. But if any of you haven't tried her recipes... do it, you'll love it, I guarantee!
Jean says
This is really yummy. Tofu is pretty tasteless but the marinade tastes like barbeque. I used less Siracha because we don't like it too spicy. It made a nice glaze without having to leave it in the marinade. I always think I'm make extra and end up eating it all! It's my go to tofu recipe. Love it.
Bec says
I was amazed by how well the flavour seems to permeate the tofu without needing to marinate ahead of time! Love the chewy texture and so easy to prepare.
sabina says
Hi Mel, why do so many of your tofu preparations use ketchup? Ketchup has a lot of sugar and salt and generally speaking is really not a great nutrition item...what do you recommend for substitute?
Love your website and happy that your cookbook is such a success!
Thanks,
Sabina
Melanie McDonald says
Because I like it and it works well in some recipes. For the best results I recommend following the recipe as written and not substituting anything else. You don't have to buy ketchup with lots of sugar and salt in it. There are many healthier brands available if that's what you prefer ;O)
Vanessa says
I used a sugar free ketchup that has hidden veggies. You can find it at sprouts:)
Cheryl says
I tried this recipe tonight for dinner & paired it with your Mushroom Fried Rice recipe = an excellent meal. While the tofu was baking first 20 minutes....I was preparing the rice ingredients & when the tofu was baking the last 20 minutes....I was cooking the Mushroom Fried Rice & the timing on all of it was perfect and on the table in less than an hour. My husband really enjoyed both dishes & went back for seconds (and there are some leftovers for his lunch). Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes!! :-)
Melanie McDonald says
The perfect combo. So pleased you enjoyed them both!