If you’ve ever thought that tofu lacked flavor, you need to try these blackened tofu steaks. They are marinated and coated in an aromatic blend of spices, then cooked until they are rich and smoky.
Toasted spices bring out so much flavor in tofu and turn a simple tofu steak into a perfect centerpiece for all kinds of dishes.
This is a simple way to cook tofu, but it is so effective. The smoky spice flavor permeates the steak and makes every bite delicious. The center remains soft, but the coating becomes rich and crispy.
If you’re a hesitant cook, take comfort in the fact that you’re not the only one allowed To burn this dish – it is actively encouraged! Not so much that you can just taste the carbon, but enough that you get a nice crumbly black crust that packs so much smoky flavor and really brings a boring slab of tofu to life.
I served my tofu steaks with asparagus and rice, but really these vegan steaks would be great with all kinds of side dishes – crispy jacket potatoes, couscous, cauliflower mash… This is one of those recipes that can be reused in all kinds of ways.
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❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- The flavor of toasted spices is incredible!
- It is very easy to make even if you are new to cooking tofu.
- You can choose any spice mix.
- It can be served with all sorts of different side dishes, so it’s really versatile.
- It is completely vegan.
🥗 Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this recipe:
A few ingredient notes:
- tofu. You must use firm or extra firm tofu to make these tofu steaks. Silken tofu will not work
- I am Willow. I used dark soy sauce for a stronger flavor.
- spices – Black pepper, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic cloves and dried thyme.
See printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient amounts.
👌 Top tip
Feel free to use a different combination of spices if you like. Why not go for an Indian flair with garam masala or curry powder, or a simple garlic and herb blend.
📋 Instructions
Here’s how to make these tofu steaks – see below for a printable recipe with detailed ingredients and instructions.
Step 1: Cut the tofu block into 4 ‘sticks’.
👌 Top tip
You can press your tofu using a tofu press, if you have one – here’s one with great reviews on Amazon US/Amazon UK. This helps remove any water from inside the tofu, making it firmer and allowing it to soak up more of the marinade.
If you don’t have a tofu press, you can sandwich pieces of tofu between some clean tea towels or kitchen paper and press firmly a few times to remove the liquid.
Step 2: Marinate tofu on both sides in soy sauce. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to give it some time to soak.
Step 3: Mix the spices.
Step 4: Coat the marinated tofu steaks on both sides with the spice mixture.
Step 5: Bake the tofu steaks from the toasted spices until crisp and blackened.
💭 Tofu Steak FAQs
No, silken tofu will not work for this recipe. To get the ‘steak’ shape, you need to use firm or extra firm tofu.
no This recipe is not designed to imitate meat in any way, and although I’ve never had a meat-based steak, I feel pretty confident that they’re not particularly similar. These tofu steaks are a thing unto themselves and they are delicious.
Vegan steak can be served in all sorts of ways. For example: with a baked potato and some asparagus; Stir in rice and stir-fried vegetables; With pasta in creamy sauces etc
Yes! The marinades get better the longer you let them sit, so you can definitely prepare these tofu steaks in advance. I would probably add soy sauce and spices, and then refrigerate the coated tofu for up to a day until you’re ready to cook. Then fry the steaks before serving.
📖 Printable Recipes
Blackened tofu sticks
These blackened tofu steaks are marinated and coated in an aromatic blend of spices, then cooked until they’re rich and smoky.
If you cook this recipe, don’t forget to give a star rating!
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Serving: 2 people
Calories: 404kcal
instructions
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Cut the tofu into 4 ‘steaks’. Use a clean tea towel or some kitchen paper to squeeze out as much liquid as possible from each piece of tofu (or you can use a tofu press, if you have one).
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Place the tofu pieces in a dish, and drizzle with half of the soy sauce. After a few minutes, flip the pieces over and drizzle the remaining soy sauce on the other side. Leave to marinate for a few minutes.
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Mix all the spices well in a small plate.
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Once the tofu has marinated for a few minutes, press each piece into the spice mixture, on both sides.
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Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the coated tofu steaks. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or so on each side, until the spices are dark brown and the tofu begins to crisp. Best served immediately.
Comment
If you want to make these vegan steaks ahead of time, simply marinate and coat the tofu with spices, then store it in the fridge for a day or so and cook just before serving.
nutrition
Worship: 2 Steaks – Calories: 404 kcal – Sugars: 5.8 g – Protein: 33 g – Fat: 26.6 g – Saturated Fat: 3.2 g – Cholesterol: 0 mg – Sodium: 1860 mg – Potassium: 135 mg – Fiber: 2.1 g – Sugar: 0.8 g – Calcium: 437 mg – Iron: 5 mg
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional value if your health requires accuracy.
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