This pan-fried balsamic tofu is sweet, salty and tangy with a perfectly caramelized exterior. The simple marinade is made with high quality balsamic vinegar, lots of fresh basil, garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
📝 Why You’ll Love this Balsamic Tofu:
- Taste: Tangy, rich, and slightly sweet thanks to the thick balsamic vinegar in the marinade.
- Texture: Firm, with crispy, pan fried/charred edges.
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Customizability: Add in your favorite veggies or grains to make this a complete meal. I love serving this tofu with sautéed spinach, roasted sweet potatoes and jasmine rice.
- Time: Once the tofu is marinated it comes together very quickly- about 15 minutes. For the best taste, marinate the tofu for at least 30 minutes, but preferably overnight.
- Why We Love This Tofu: I love that this tofu recipe is Mediterranean-inspired and it is made without soy sauce so it has a different flavor profile than other tofu recipes. It’s perfect for pairing with Italian or Greek recipes.
Ingredients:
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- The Tofu: I highly recommend using super-firm tofu if you can find it in a grocery store near you. What I love about super-firm tofu is that the block of tofu doesn’t need to be pressed, which saves lots of time and money (since you don’t need a tofu press).
- Just lightly dab the block with a paper towel to dry out the exterior. If you use extra firm tofu, you’ll want to press the tofu with a clean kitchen towel (or paper towels) and a heavy object for about 5 minutes. Don’t use soft of silken tofu in this recipe! The tofu won’t hold up to pan-frying.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A lot of the marinade flavor comes from olive oil, so I recommend using a high quality version for the best taste.
- Balsamic Vinegar: The same note as above applies. Look for a high quality vinegar. Cheaper varieties will be thin and lack the depth of flavor we want. I opt for versions that say ‘aged’ or ‘thick’ on the bottle. The vinegar I use has 6% acidity.
- Basil: Use fresh basil in the marinade and to top the tofu when ready to serve. This adds so much flavor!
- Garlic: I recommend using fresh garlic here, but if you’re short on time or just don’t feel like mincing garlic today, you can sub in garlic powder. Use 1 tsp of garlic powder.
- Maple Syrup: The marinade calls for a touch of maple syrup for extra sweetness. This can be swapped for agave nectar, vegan honey or even a bit of brown sugar.
Helpful Equipment
Here are a few tools that will make creating this recipe extra easy:
- Large Pan: For pan-frying the tofu.
- Shallow Dish: For marinating the tofu in the balsamic marinade.
Step-by-Step Instructions
🌿 *Ingredient Quantities are in the Recipe Card Below!*
STEP 1: Prep the tofu by draining it. Lightly press it with paper towels to remove excess water and cut the block into 1/2″ cubes.
STEP 2: In a large bowl or shallow dish, mix all the marinade ingredients together. Taste, and add more red pepper flakes or salt to taste.
STEP 3: Add the tofu and use a spatula to mix until each piece is coated. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight.
📌 TIP: The longer the tofu is marinated, the more flavor it will have. If you have the time, prep the marinade and tofu the night before you plan on making this for dinner. This tofu would also be great for meal prep- just store the marinating tofu in an airtight container in the fridge and pan-fry when ready to enjoy.
STEP 4: Heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the tofu, reserving the marinade, and pan fry for 3-4 minutes each side. The exterior should be browned, a bit crispy, and slightly caramelized.
Serving Ideas
Once the tofu is pan-fried, it’s ready to enjoy. I love topping it off with fresh basil, cherry tomatoes and an extra drizzle of the remaining marinade (or more balsamic vinegar). This tofu really shines when paired with other simple ingredients and veggies. Here are some of my favorite ideas:
- With Cherry Tomatoes, Sweet Potatoes and Spinach: I love serving it alongside some jasmine rice cooked with vegan butter, baked sweet potatoes, halved cherry tomatoes and spinach.
- In a Caprese Pasta Salad: You could also use it to top a pasta salad with vegan feta, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. I have a recipe for a vegan version in my e-book!
- With Bell Peppers and other Leafy Greens: Cook up some red peppers and dark leafy greens like kale to serve with it.
- On top of Pesto Rice with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes: Another favorite way of mine to enjoy this recipe. Pesto and balsamic vinegar go incredibly well together.
Storage
This recipe is great because it can be stored prior to pan-frying or after pan-frying:
- To Store the Marinade: Place the marinating tofu in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To Store the Cooked Tofu: Same as above, keep in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can technically freeze the tofu, however, the texture will change. Not necessarily in a bad way but it will become chewier and less spongy when frozen.
Other Cooking Methods
AIR FRYING
Prep the air fryer basket by lining it with parchment paper. I recommend air frying it at 400F for about 12-18 minutes, making sure to flip it halfway through. Be sure to drizzle olive oil on the tofu prior to air frying for the best results.
BAKING
This balsamic tofu can also be made by baking but it takes more time. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the tofu out in a single layer and drizzle with olive oil.
I recommend baking it at 425F for about 25 minutes, making sure to flip it halfway through.
DEEP FRYING
If you’d like super crispy balsamic tofu, you can also deep fry it! Heat a few inches of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat (about 375F if using a thermometer). Fry the tofu in batches to help keep the oil temperature from dropping. It should take about 4 minutes to fry the tofu until it is golden brown.
Helpful Tips For The BEST Balsamic Tofu
❶ Use Super-Firm Tofu: For the best texture, I highly recommend this or extra-firm tofu!
❷ Marinate for as Long as Possible: The longer the better when it comes to marinating. If you can only marinate the tofu for 30 minutes, I recommend drizzling the remaining marinade on the tofu after you cook it.
❸ Avoid Adding the Marinade Liquid to the Pan: For crispy tofu, try not to add excess liquid to the hot frying pan.
❹ For Extra Crispy Tofu: Coat the marinated tofu in 2-3 tbsp of cornstarch prior to pan frying. You can also air fry or deep fry the tofu for extra crispiness.
Want more tofu recipes? Get our free e-book!
More Delicious Tofu Recipes:
- Vegan Tofu Egg Rolls
- Tofu Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
- Pan-fried Garlic Lime Tofu
- Sticky Sesame Tofu
- Vegan Hot Honey Tofu
- Bang Bang Tofu
- Shredded BBQ Tofu
Did you make this Balsamic Tofu Recipe?
I’d love to know! Leave a star rating and comment below!
Balsamic Tofu
Equipment
- 1 Large Bowl for marinating
- 1 Nonstick Skillet for pan frying
Ingredients
Balsamic Glazed Tofu:
- 15 oz super or extra-firm tofu
- 3 tbsp high quality balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- ¼ cup fresh basil - roughly chopped
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes - plus more to taste
- 1 tsp salt
Cooking & Serving:
- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil - or other oil
- ¼ cup fresh basil - roughly chopped
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes - halved
Instructions
- Prep the tofu. Drain the tofu and lightly press with paper towels to remove the excess moisture. Cut into ½” cubes.15 oz super or extra-firm tofu
- Make marinade. In a large bowl or shallow dish, mix all the marinade ingredients together.3 tbsp high quality balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, ½ tbsp maple syrup, 3 cloves garlic, ¼ cup fresh basil, 1 tsp dijon mustard, ¼ tsp fresh cracked black pepper, ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp salt
- Marinate tofu. Add the tofu and use a spatula to mix until each piece is coated. Set aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight. The longer the tofu is marinated, the more flavor it will have.
- Cook tofu. Heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the tofu, reserving the marinade, and pan fry for 3-4 minutes each side or until browned and slightly caramelized.1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Serve. Top with fresh basil, cherry tomatoes and an extra drizzle of the remaining marinade.¼ cup fresh basil, ½ cup cherry tomatoes
Nutrition
Want to Save this Recipe for Later? Pin it to Pinterest!
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this post might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my blog so I can continue to provide you with free content each week!
Leave a Reply