Tofu can be controversial in some American kitchens. Not in mine! I saw a photo of this glorious tofu in Bon Appétit magazine and couldn’t pass it up. Writer and editor Ali Francis had this tofu in a sandwich she bought at a bakery and was immediately smitten with it. She contacted the bakery and asked for the recipe. Though she didn’t receive an actual recipe with exact measurements, they supplied her with an ingredients list which was enough to devise a very close rendition of the tofu dish she had fallen in love with.
The plan is a simple one. Grab a few ingredients, place in a Ziploc freezer bag, marinate, bake, eat.
My reliable Tofuxpress has never let me down after using it for more than 13+ years. There are many other versions that do the same job of pressing out the water. If you love tofu as I do, it’s an essential gadget to have on hand.
I used cubed tofu but you could also slice the tofu into slabs for sandwiches. Fresh cilantro can be switched out with parsley or dried herbs.
The tofu has been marinating for 16 hours and is ready to be baked.
The leftover tofu marinade is reduced and brushed over the tofu as it bakes.
Now that is some good-looking tofu. If you chose to bake tofu slabs instead of cubes, you can use them in a sandwich. Slather sriracha mayonnaise on a soft baguette, top with balsamic tofu, crispy lettuce, sliced cucumbers and cilantro sprigs.
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit magazine
Ingredients
3/4 cup balsamic dressing or equal parts balsamic vinegar and olive oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped herbs such as cilantro, flat leaf parsley, or a teaspoon of dried Italian herbs
2 teaspoons maple syrup (optional but recommended)
14 ounce extra firm tofu, water pressed out, cubed or cut into slabs for sandwiches
Directions
- Whisk balsamic dressing, soy sauce, minced garlic, chopped herbs, and maple syrup in a 2 cup measuring cup. Pour marinade into a Ziploc freezer bag. Place tofu cubes or slabs in marinade and turn to coat. Place bag in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours, turning once or twice. I marinated the tofu from 7pm – 11am the following day (16 hours) so that it would be ready for lunch at noon.
- Preheat toaster oven or standard oven to 375 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with foil and place a piece of parchment paper over the foil (for easy clean up). Transfer tofu cubes or slabs to baking sheet. Pour any leftover dressing from the marinated tofu into a small sauce pan (skim off some of the oil and discard). Gently simmer leftover marinade on very low heat until it reduces and thickens slightly, about 5-7 minutes. (It should not be bubbling vigorously or it will burn).
- Bake tofu cubes or slabs for 45-50 minutes or until deeply golden brown, turning once, and basting occasionally with the reduced marinade. Serve with rice, steamed broccoli or your favorite salad or sandwiched between a soft baguette topped with crunchy iceberg lettuce and cucumbers.
I love tofu too and I normally make it all kinds of ways. But I am not a big fan of balsamic vinegar so I think I will pass on this recipe. LOL! I like those tofu recipes that add a lot of flavor to the tofu, and even spicy additives. In fact, when I am lazy, I just eat cold tofu with shoyu and grated ginger or shoyu and black bean/chili paste. But I have also never tried stinky tofu, have you? I think it would be atrocious.
Aloha Alan! I also enjoy eating tofu with ginger and shoyu! It’s so simple but satisfying (with a side of rice please). I will definitely avoid stinky tofu. It doesn’t sound appealing at all! Let me know if you get brave and try it out. Mahalo!