Grilled Lemon Tofu

This lemon tofu is a family favorite for weekend BBQs. It can be made ahead of time and grilled at your convenience. If you want to incorporate more meatless meals into your diet, this tofu recipe is sure to be a summer favorite.

Summer is here!

Time to bring out the BBQ and grill up some lemon tofu.

This drool-worthy recipe is bursting with fresh flavors. The tangy and sweet marinade paired with the charred smoky grilling taste makes this a summer meal the whole family will love.

Looking for more great grilling recipes? Try my carrot hot dogs or vegan Hawaiian burgers. They're delicious, easy to make, and perfect for summer cookouts!

Ingredients You'll Need

This recipe uses the 7 simple ingredients below. I've also included some substitutions for ingredients you may be out of.

Tofu – I prefer extra firm tofu for this recipe, but super firm or firm tofu will also work.

Lemon juice – This gives the lemon tofu its tart and tangy flavor. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor.

Pineapple juice – The pineapple juice helps neutralize the tangy lemon juice. Use the juice from canned pineapple and grill the rings along with the tofu. Apple juice, grape juice, or any light-colored juice can be used instead.

Tamari – This is the savory ingredient of the marinade. To substitute, use soy sauce or liquid aminos.

Sweetener – Use any sweetener you have. I've tried it with coconut sugar, brown sugar, agave nectar, and maple syrup. They all taste great. However, I favor the liquid sweeteners since they easily mix into the marinade ingredients.

Turmeric – This gives the outside of the tofu a lemon-yellow color. You can leave it out if you don't have any with no change to the taste.

Cilantro – Fresh cilantro is best because it has the most flavor. If you're not a fan of it or don't have any, leave it out.

Instructions to Make Lemon Tofu

Lemon tofu easily comes together with sliced tofu and a simple lemon marinade. It can be made in advance so it's ready to grill any time.

How to marinate tofu

1. Start by pressing the tofu. If you're using extra firm or firm tofu, use a tofu press or wrap it in a kitchen towel, or paper towels, and place a flat plate with some weight on top of it. Set aside to drain for 10-15 minutes. This will remove some excess moisture and give the tofu a better texture for grilling.
2. While the tofu is draining, mix together the marinade ingredients in a shallow baking dish or ziplock bag.
3. Now, cut the pressed tofu into your desired shape. You can cut triangle filets, rectangle filets, strips, or cubes for kababs, it's really up to you.
4. Add the cut tofu to the marinade and marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator for the most flavor. Flip the bag half way through to evenly marinate.

Tip: If you're using a baking dish to marinate the tofu slices, lay them in a single layer in the dish. Spoon the marinade on top of each piece of tofu, then cover the dish and place it in the fridge to marinate. Flip each piece of tofu halfway through the marinating process.

How to grill lemon tofu

1. Preheat your outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat, Once it's hot, brush the grates or pan with oil. Allow the oil to cook on the grill for about 30 seconds. Repeat this step to ensure a non-stick surface.
2. Place the tofu slices down and grill for 5-8 minutes on the first side, or until the tofu easily releases from the grates. If it is stuck allow it to cook a bit longer.
3. Flip each piece and cook them on the other side for 3-5 minutes. After grilling, serve immediately or keep it warm on the top rack of your grill and brush with marinade as needed so it doesn't dry out.

Serving Suggestions

This tofu recipe makes a great weeknight dinner. Serve it with rice pilaf and roasted vegetables or veggie fried rice.

Enjoy it at your next summer BBQ alongside vegan macaroni salad and potato salad.

Or, try it topped with pineapple black bean salad. It's a refreshing summer meal.

Try making kababs by cutting the tofu into 1-inch cubes before marinating.

You can also slice the grilled tofu into strips and add it to a salad.

Additions to the marinade

For a lemon pepper tofu, add black pepper to the marinade.

Or add minced garlic cloves, fresh lemon zest, or some fresh herbs to the marinade for extra flavor.

The versatility of this lemon tofu is unlimited and even the kids love it.

Grilling Tips

Tofu isn't very firm: If your tofu is on the soft side and you want to grill it on a charcoal or gas grill I suggest baking it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes before grilling, flipping once halfway through cooking. This will firm up the outside of the tofu so it is less likely to stick to the grill.

For grill marks: I used a grill pan brushed with oil to create the grill marks. To use an outdoor grill, clean and oil the grill grates. Then preheat the grill over medium-high heat before placing the tofu down. Cook until it easily releases from the grill and grill marks have formed.

To flip the tofu: Slide a thin, sturdy spatula under the edge of the tofu. Gently try to pop the tofu off the grill by lifting it. If the tofu doesn't want to release from the grill, leave it to cook another minute or two before trying again.

Recipe

Grilled Lemon Tofu

prep time: 30 minutes minutes

cook time: 35 minutes minutes

total time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

servings: 6 tofu filets

This grilled lemon tofu is a weekend BBQ family favorite. It can be made ahead of time and grilled at your convenience.

4.93 stars (14 reviews)

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Ingredients

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• ▢ 1 (14-ounce) block extra firm tofu
• ▢ ⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, about 2-3 lemons
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons pineapple juice, or apple juice
• ▢ 2 teaspoons tamari, or soy sauce
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon agave nectar, or maple syrup
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ▢ Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
• ▢ 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple rings, or 1 fresh pineapple (optional)

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Instructions

Press The Tofu

• Use a tofu press to remove the excess water from the block of extra firm tofu. If you don't have a press, wrap the tofu in a clean kitchen towel or a few paper towels. Place a flat plate (or chopping board) on top of the wrapped tofu, then set a slightly heavy object on the plate. Make sure not to crush the tofu. Press for 5-10 minutes.

Prep The Marinade

• While the tofu is being pressed, add the marinade ingredients to a gallon ziplock bag or a 9x13-inch glass dish and mix.
  ⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice,3 Tablespoons pineapple juice,2 teaspoons tamari,1 Tablespoon agave nectar,¼ teaspoon ground turmeric,Handful of fresh cilantro

Cut The Tofu

• Now slice the tofu into filets. You can cut it into rectangles, triangles, or 1-inch cubes for kababs.

  Tip: To cut triangles, diagonally cut the tofu in half. Now, stand up the triangles and slice 3 even filets from each half.
• Position the tofu slices in the marinade in a single layer. If you're using a baking dish, spoon the marinade over the top of each slice.

  Marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour, but overnight in the refrigerator will yield the best flavor.

Grill The Tofu

• Heat your grill to medium-high heat. When the grill is hot, carefully season it with cooking oil. Allow the oil to cook into the grill for about 30 seconds. Repeat this step.
• Now, carefully lay each piece of tofu down. Grill the tofu for 5-8 minutes on the first side. Then flip and cook for another 3-5 min on the other side. Grilling the tofu longer on the first side will allow it to dry out making it easier to flip. If you notice the tofu is sticking to the grill allow it to cook a bit longer. The tofu will pop free from the grill when it is ready to be flipped. (see note)
• Serve immediately or keep it warm on the top rack of your grill and brush with marinade to keep it from drying out. You can also remove the tofu filets from the grill and place them back in the remaining marinade. This will bring back any flavors lost during cooking.

To Grill Pineapple Rings

• If your grill is large enough, carefully place the pineapple rings down along with the tofu. Grill for 5-10 min, or until the pineapple rings have nice grill marks. For smaller grills, place the pineapple down as you remove the tofu.
• Store any extra tofu in an airtight container with the remaining marinade. Keeps in the fridge for 5-7 days.

Notes

• Precook the tofu: You can also bake the marinated tofu ahead of time and then simply reheat it on the grill. Bake at 375ºF for 15-20 minutes then flip and bake for another 10 min or until tofu is no longer wet. Store in the remaining marinade until ready to grill.
• Pineapple Juice: If you're using canned pineapple use the juice from the can.
• Fresh pineapple rings: A normal-sized, whole pineapple can yield about 8-10 slices. You can use 2-3 slices to juice for the marinade or use apple juice.
• Sweetener: I use agave nectar or maple syrup because it easily mixes with the marinade ingredients. I have also tried it with coconut sugar and cane sugar and they are fine options, but you may find a few sugar granules in the marinade.

*For more helpful tips check out the "Grilling Tips" section in the above post.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tofu filets | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 242mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 21g

**Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**

course: Main Dishes

cuisine: American

author: Marlena Luna

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This recipe was updated in July 2024 with new images. The delicious marinade remains the same.

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