The name says it all. This marinade for tofu recipe is so good you will lick the plate, or your fingers, at the end! This is the perfect tofu marinade recipe to please the picky tofu crowd. An easy and delicious orange sesame marinade with a few simple ingredients for the ultimate sticky tofu marinade. Baked in the oven making it easy enough to enjoy on the weekdays!
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Simple yet delicious tofu marinade recipe
Ever since I first tired this this tofu marinade recipe I fell in love with. Mostly becuase it is an easy marinade recipe for tofu (or other proteins) yet jam packed with flavour. The recipe itself comes together really quickly and the orange sesame sauce can be made in one bowl. I also like to bake the tofu for extra crispiness, but you can certainly cook the tofu in a pan.
This orange sesame tofu recipe really is one of our family’s favourite recipes. The tofu marinade comes together quickly so it is perfect for busy school nights. And there is not heavy prepping. We just serve it with some plain rice and steamed broccoli. The flavours of this sticky sesame sauce are super satisfying and just oh so good.
How to cook tofu
Truthfully if you want to know how to cook with tofu there really is no secret. I find people are so nervous to learn how to cook tofu because they are worried about making an underwhelming recipe.
The main thing to think about is that tofu itself has no real flavour. So if you want a flavourful tofu recipe then a marinade is your best friend! I also see a lot of recipes that call for pressing your tofu. So the trick here is to just buy extra firm tofu. Especially when using sunrise soya extra firm tofu, you can just skip the pressing or towel drying step. Just cube it and throw it into the marinade. Let it sit for a minimum of 2 hours and you will have yourself a delicious recipe
Marinate then bake
After letting your tofu sit in the marinade for a few hours, then to get a great texture you should bake your tofu until they are crispy. This makes this dish soooo much better so make sure not to skip this step. Just place the tofu onto a non-stick (or oiled) baking sheet then bake until crispy. then throw the leftover marinade sauce into a pan and cook until it gets nice and sticky! pour over the baked tofu and you got yourself a killer orange sesame tofu recipe!
The best tofu marinade recipe
The orange sesame tofu sauce is the most important part of this recipe! Obviously right! It is a glossy, sticky, flavour bomb of a sauce. Sweet, garlicky and savoury all in one. Perfect to smoother any kind of protein with!
To make you will add all the ingredients to a bowl. Then reduce it over a hot stove. I told you this was a easy recipe with tofu!
The sticky aspects come from using honey, but if you are honey free then use maple syrup instead. The sauce won’t as sticky but it will still be delicious. And you will want to make sure to use fresh oranges as it adds just the right amount of tart to balance out the sweet honey. The addition of fresh ginger and garlic helps make this a bold, stand-alone sauce.
AtMtTable sesame tofu kid-approved rating
2/ 3
My older and younger sons LOVE this recipe but my middle guy has very sensitive taste buds. So for him, I will serve the tofu plain. You can’t win them all! Two out of three ain’t bad right?
Anyhoo thank you for reading and I hope you love this easy recipe with tofu. If you are looking for more easy vegan family recipes be sure to check out these:
- Smother your tofu in this herbie peanut sauce
- 15 minute vegan alfredo sauce
- The easiest eggplant meatball recipe
- Saucey sesame tofu
- 6 tofu recipes for quick and healthy dinners
If you make this recipe please like and comment, that would mean a lot to me! And tag me with your re-creations so I can share over on Instagram!
Until then, tchau
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
- How do you make tofu taste good: tofu itself is very plain in flavor. to make a good tofu recipe you need to add flavor to your tofu. Make sure to season the tofu at every step in the cooking process. use a nice marinate or toss with oil, garlic, paprika and Italian seasoning before cooking.
- Is tofu healthy for you: Yes, despite the many misconceptions tofu is a healthy food to consume. It has been shown to be protective against cancer, and has many beneficial nutrients and vitamins, such as zinc and iron.
- How do you cook tofu in a pan: Cooking tofu in a pan is actually very easy. Add a bit of avocado or sesame oil to a pan. Once hot add in your cubed tofu. Let that cook over medium high heat for a few minutes. Once it is golden brown turn the tofu to continue cooking the other sides.
- How do you cook firm tofu: Tofu can come in a few different firmness. The easiest tofu to cook with is firm. To cook form tofu you do not have to press it. Simply slice or cube the tofu, toss with some oil, garlic powder, oregano and paprika and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
Ingredients
- 1 block firm tofu cubed
- 1 tbsp tapioca flour (or arrowroot, you may need to add more if your tofu is cubed small. Make sure they are all evenly coated with a thin layer)
Orange sesame sauce
- ? cup soy sauce gluten free (or coconut aminos)
- ? cup honey (or maple syrup)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste (or tomato puree)
- 3 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger ground
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Then take your firm tofu out of the package cube and set aside.
- Then in a medium mixing bowl add in all the sauce ingredients and mix well. .
- Add the cubed tofu to the marinade and let it sit in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Then using thongs take each tofu cube out of the marinade and place into a mixing bowl. Reserve the leftover marinade for later.
- Then add the tapioca flour to the tofu and toss until coated. Place onto a non-stick (or oiled) baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. The tofu cubes will be crispy and golden.
- Meanwhile, add the remaining tofu marinade to a saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until the sauce becomes sticky, about 5 minutes.
- When the tofu is finished baking add to a serving bowl. Pour the cooked marinade over top then sprinkle the tosated sesame seeds on top. Serve with rice and some steamed veggies.
it looks soo good, hmm… toufu… love it:)
It was very delicious! And super simple to make!
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I made this tonight and it was fantastic!!! I’m so happy to have found a solid recipe for when I’m craving takeout. Thank you so much ðŸ™
Amazing thank you so much for sharing that!!! Glad you liked it!
I tried the recipe and the flavor was wonderful. My tofu didn’t crispy and golden though before the bottom started to overcook. I’m wondering if the 1 teaspoon tapioca flour is a typo in the recipe. It didn’t seem like enough to coat the tofu.
Hi kelly and thank you for your comment! So happy to hear you liked the flavor. I am sorry to hear they overcooked. You need to turn them while they bake but I also updated the recipe to add that you may need to add a bit more tapioca. If you add to much the tofu will be soggy so you want a light dusting on each cube. Thanks again for the feedback, it really helps me to ensure these recipes are user friendly and easy to follow :0)