I have made this drool worthy Grilled Lemon Pineapple Tofu countless times. It’s an old favorite my family use to enjoy at a local eatery. However, within the last year, we have decided to eat 100% at home due to health and sanitary issues. This meant no more lemony tofu and we couldn’t have that. My daughter was requesting it almost weekly so I knew I had to recreate a recipe just as good, if not better.
I was successful! All the flavor was there and the family loved it!
The initial zing of lemon that hits your tongue as you bite into the tofu is quickly met by sweet pineapple. Yum! Not to mention, grilling tofu is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it. It gives the tofu the perfect texture; not too mushy and not too dried out. Plus I’m an avid fan of grill lines on my tofu! 🚧😋
To prep the grilled lemon pineapple tofu you want to marinate it for at least 3o minutes. I place the tofu single layer in my dish then spoon the marinade on top. Cover it and set aside.
Marinating it on the counter at room temperature, allows the tofu to absorb as much flavoring as possible. It keeps the pores open and thirsty. However, if you’re going to prep the tofu ahead of time, place it in the fridge to marinate.
Grilling tofu can be a bit tricky.
The first few times I tried grilling tofu I was left with white, flavorless lines. It was stuck, and the grill had stolen my beautiful char lines. By about the 4th time making white lined tofu, I realized it was sticking because the tofu was still too moist. So I lowered the heat to just above medium, seasoned the grill a few extra times and allowed the tofu to cook longer on the first side.
It worked! I had my beautiful grill lines!
This grilled lemon pineapple tofu recipe is also great for leftovers and can be enjoyed straight from the fridge. I’ve been known to make a double batch and snack on it during the day.
Slice the leftover tofu into strips and add it to a salad. Or serve warm with a side of rice and veggies. The versatility of this tofu is unlimited and kids love it.
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Calories
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Protein
The initial zing of lemon that hits your tongue as you bite into the grilled lemon pineapple tofu is quickly met by sweet pineapple. Yum! Serve warm with a side of rice and veggies. Or slice leftover tofu into strips and add it to a salad. The versatility of this tofu is unlimited and kids love it.
Yields 6 tofu filets
Save Recipe5 based on 1 review(s)
Ingredients
1 fresh pineapple, or 1 can of pineapple rings
1 block extra firm tofu
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, about 3 lemons
3 Tablespoons pineapple juice*
2 teaspoons tamari
1 Tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Handful of cilantro
Instructions
- Press tofu to remove excess moisture. (I love my tofu press.) If you don't have a press, sandwich the tofu between 2 plates and place a semi-heavy object on top. Make sure not to crush the tofu.
- While the tofu is being pressed, prep the marinade. In a 9x13 inch glass dish, whisk together the marinade ingredients: lemon juice, pineapple juice, tamari, sugar, turmeric and cilantro.
- Now slice the tofu into triangle filets. Cut the tofu in half diagonally then slice 3 even filets from each half. Place the filets between 2 tea towels or paper towels and gently press out any extra moisture with your hands.
- Position the filets single layer in the marinade. Spoon marinate over the top of each piece of tofu. Set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour, but overnight will definitely yield more flavor.
- Heat your grill just above medium 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 again.
- Now, carefully lay each piece of tofu down. Grill the tofu for 15-20 minutes on the first side. Then flip and cook for another 10-12 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 sticking to the grill allow it to cook longer. The tofu will pop free from the grill when it is ready to be flipped. (see note)
- If your grill is large enough, carefully place pineapple rings down once the tofu has been flipped. Otherwise, grill your pineapple as you remove the tofu. Grill for 5-10 min, or until pineapple rings have nice grill lines.
- Remove your tofu from the grill and place them back in the remaining marinade. This will bring back any flavors lost during cooking.
- Store any extra tofu in an air tight container with the remaining marinade. Keeps well for up to a week in the fridge.
Notes
Grilling Note You can always bake the marinaded tofu ahead of time 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 Note: A normal-sized, whole pineapple can yield about 8-10 slices. I like to slice 6 pineapple rings and juice the rest for the marinade. However, jarred or canned pineapple juice works as well, and on lazy days I've had equal success with apple juice.
If you’re looking for another way to prepare tofu, check out my BBQ Tofu with Caramelized Onions. It’s a weekly meal at my house.
Courtney
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