Make This Meat Lover-Approved Baked Sriracha Tofu

The firm, meaty texture in this baked sriracha tofu recipe pleases vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.

When I asked her what she wanted for dinner, she answered, “Anything but meat. I’m sick of meat.”

But he overheard and shouted from another room, “There’s no such thing as too much meat.”

Well genius hit me as fast as Benny comes running when I open the dog treats. I knew instantly what I would make for dinner. It’s rich in protein, high in umami (a meaty or savory taste) and comes from a bean. A soybean, that is. I’d been tinkering with a spicy baked tofu recipe for several weeks. Now I had two hungry guests – my daughter and son-in-law – to try it out.

How did they like it?

Not only did they eagerly eat large platefuls for dinner, but when I walked into the kitchen the next afternoon, I found them dividing up the leftovers for lunch. My sriracha tofu was a hit, so I was smart to double the recipe the night before.

And only a few days later my daughter texted me for the recipe, so she could make it too. That was a few months ago. Now both of my daughters have the recipe and make it at home.

Why this sriracha tofu recipe satisfies meat-lovers.

• When you bake super-firm slices of tofu, they develop a meat-like texture. Not the mushy tofu that falls apart on your plate, but the kind you have to cut with a firm push of a fork or a knife.
• The sriracha tofu marinade imparts an umami taste like you’ll find in meats, Parmesan cheese and soy sauce.
• It plain ole tastes great.

Find out more things to love about tofu and see my recipe for lemon mustard tofu.

A sriracha warning

2 of these left my mouth on fire!

I spent more time than usual finalizing this recipe because my mouth and I rudely discovered a big difference in the fiery potential of different brands of sriracha sauce. I first played with the idea of a sriracha tofu recipe using the Trader Joe’s brand on the left. The resulting recipe was nearly perfect. So you can imagine my shock when I fiddled with the recipe using the brand on the right – the one I’ve determined to be the spiciest. I used 3 brands of sriracha sauce and about 8 pounds of super-firm tofu before I finally got it right.

Erin and her husband were visiting at the right time for the perfected recipe.

If you have time early in the day, whip up the sriracha tofu marinade and marinate the tofu for several hours. It’s amazing. But no worries if you don’t have time. Even a 30-minute bath in the marinade imparts total deliciousness on the tofu.

Spicy Baked Sriracha Tofu

You'll please both vegetarians and meat-lovers with this spicy, chewy recipe.

Marinate the tofu for 30 minutes to a full day. I've found a couple hours is perfect!

4.43 from 7 votes

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Course: Entree

Cuisine: Asian-inspired

Keyword: sriracha, tofu

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Marinating Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 315kcal

Author: Jill Weisenberger

Ingredients

• 1 pound super firm, high protein tofu or other firm tofu
• 5 tablespoons sriracha sauce or use 3-4 tablespoons sriracha sauce + 1-2 tablespoons water to lessen the spiciness.
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed or chopped
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Wrap the tofu in paper towels and press it between a plate and a heavy pot to remove the excess water.
• Meanwhile combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl to make the marinade.
• Slice the pressed tofu into approximately 16 planks, and combine the tofu and the marinade in a plastic bag. You may need to move the tofu slices around carefully to cover each piece with the marinade. Refrigerate until ready to cook. Periodically, turn the bag over to be sure the marinade fully flavors each piece of tofu.
• Preheat oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Carefully place the sliced tofu onto the baking sheet and pour remaining marinade on top. Bake for about 15 minutes. Using tongs, turn each piece over and continue baking for another 15 minutes. Serve with additional chopped cilantro.

Notes

Watch out! Some brands of sriracha sauce can light your mouth on fire. Depending on the brand you choose, you may want to water it down a bit. I use 5 tablespoons of a mild sauce or 3 tablespoons super spicy sauce + 2 tablespoons water.

Nutrition

Serving: 4slices | Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 550mg