Pan-Grilled Marinated Tofu With Two Variations

kelly in TO's Note:

An easy, mild flavor marinated, mainly to use in recipes such as stir frys, pasta, noodles, rice, soups and practically anything else, when you want to add a little flavor and texture to otherwise plain tofu. I also find this flavorful enough to eat plain with a little rice and steamed veggies. Time does not include the 30 minute marinade time.

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

Basic Marinated Tofu

• 1 (16 ounce) package water packed firm tofu, well drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh stemmed shiitake mushrooms or 1 tablespoon dried shiitake mushroom
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 6 garlic cloves, minced or 1 tablespoon garlic granules
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Asian-Style Marinated Tofu

• 1 (16 ounce) package water packed firm tofu, well drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh stemmed shiitake mushrooms or 1 tablespoon dried shiitake mushroom
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 6 garlic cloves, minced or 1 tablespoon garlic granules
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Latin-Style Marinated Tofu

• 1 (16 ounce) package water packed firm tofu, well drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh stemmed shiitake mushrooms or 1 tablespoon dried shiitake mushroom
• 2 -3 chipotle chiles in adobo
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 6 garlic cloves, minced or 1 tablespoon garlic granules
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Cut tofu into 1-inch thick slices. Arrange tofu sliced in a 3 quart rectangular baking dish; set aside. If using dried mushrooms, in a small bowl combine dried mushrooms and enough hot water to cover; let stand for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse mushrooms; chop mushrooms.
2. For marinade, in a blender or food processor combine all the ingredients for the chosen marinade and blend together until nearly smooth. Spoon mixture over tofu in dish. Turn tofu slices to coat with marinade. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, carefully turning tofu slices occasionally.
3. In a large skillet heat remaining 1 tbsp of oilie oil over medium heat. Remove tofu slices from marinade, allowing excess to drip off; discard marinade. Add tofu to skillet. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or util browned and heated through, turning once.

Reviews

[Chef #1353604]

I made this for vegetarian friends from India. They loved it and we thought it was pretty good as well.

[hannahactually]

Outstanding. I love tofu and am always looking for new, healthy ways to prepare it. I chose the Asian style marinade and I thought it was fabulous--easy to do, and with ingredients I generally have on hand. I followed the recipe to a T, except I omitted the parsley as I am not a fan. I would definitely recommend using real garlic cloves; I think they added a lot to this dish. Thank you for posting this gem; it's definitely something I will make again!