An easy, step by step guide to marinating and baking tofu for use in Indian recipes. These marinated tofu cubes also make an amazing snack by themselves. You can stir them into curries that normally use paneer, like Vegan Paneer Palak or Matar Paneer, pile them into a wrap like a kathi roll, or toss them into salads.
As anyone who loves tofu knows, there's something rather magical about baked tofu. A little bit of marinating and browning turns a bland, even boring, food into a chewy, crispy, scrumptious treat.
And today, I have for you a tofu recipe that's all of these things -- chewy, crispy, scrumptious, and absolutely not bland and boring. My marinated and baked tofu for use in Indian dishes. If you love air fried tofu, you will love this recipe.
Until a few years back, and certainly until the time I left India to make my home in the United States, tofu was not a food eaten in that country. At all. And that was certainly a pity, because had it been, a few cows -- and a few people perhaps -- might have lived longer. That's because tofu makes a marvelous substitute for the Indian cottage cheese, paneer, and it is, of course, not loaded with unhealthy fats, the way paneer is.
As I adapted to a vegan lifestyle here in the United States all those years ago, I started to regularly sub paneer with tofu in recipes like Palak Paneer and Matar Paneer and Tofu Paratha, and I shared those recipes with you on the blog. Many of you not only began to make them in your own kitchens, you loved them and wrote back to tell me so. Now, of course, the web is inundated with versions of Indian recipes that substitute tofu for paneer, and that's a good thing.
What kind of tofu should I use to sub for paneer in Indian recipes?
A few years back, the unequivocal answer would have been extra firm tofu, with some prep to remove the excess water out of the sponge-like tofu block, making it more dense and therefore a more apt substitute for paneer. But now that super firm tofu is easily available, I have a clear winner.
Super firm tofu is very dense out of the box, which means you can skip that extra step of squeezing out the excess water and the time it required. Super firm tofu also has a texture that's closer to paneer's, and it tastes amazingly like paneer in Indian recipes, more so than any other kind of tofu.
Besides, we Indian cooks like to cook the tofu further once we add it to the sauce, and another kind of tofu would simply not be able to stand all the additional tossing and turning. But with super firm tofu, it's just not a problem.
Why marinate tofu for Indian dishes
You don't really need to marinate the tofu before adding it to Indian dishes. You don't even need to bake it. But the extra step takes little effort and it adds so much flavor to the bland tofu. When you cook Indian food, you build up the flavor in layers, and layering extra flavor into your tofu will take your recipe from good to great.
Besides, the marinated and baked tofu makes a great snack on its own, or you can toss it into salads and wraps without any additional dressing up. And when you add marinated and baked tofu to a recipe like Palak Paneer, you'll automatically dial up the flavor quotient.
For another great tofu recipe you can add to Indian dishes, check out my recipe for Air Fryer Tofu.
I love ginger and garlic but I absolutely can't stand cilantro. Can I mix up the flavors in this marinade?
Yes! The ingredients in my marinade are those a cook would use to make a basic marinade for meat or paneer, but you can certainly tweak things to your liking. If you don't love cilantro, add mint, which is a common enough herb in Indian kitchens (but not basil or rosemary or oregano or thyme because that would just be...weird.)
I wouldn't recommend doing away with the ginger and garlic, though, because these two add incredible and essential flavors to any Indian recipe. And if you're not used to Indian ingredients, don't mix things up just because. The herbs and spices used in Indian cuisine are carefully balanced and thought-out, and you shouldn't experiment just because you feel like it. On the other hand, if you are used to Indian ingredients and understand them, go ahead by all means.
Ingredients for tofu marinade:
- Super firm or extra firm tofu
- Ginger garlic paste
- Cilantro or mint, or both
- Green chili peppers like serrano or jalapeno
- Lime or lemon
- Vegetable oil
- Garam masala
- Salt
Recipes to use this marinated and baked tofu
- Vegan Palak Paneer
- Tofu Cubes in a Black Pepper Curry Sauce
- Vegetable Biryani in 30 minutes
- Instant Vegan Methi Malai Paneer Tofu
- Tofu Egg Curry
- Tofu Tikka Masala
You can also roll up the tofu cubes with some fresh veggies like salad greens, onions, cucumber and tomatoes in a naan wrap for a delicious lunch.
Also google up "Indian tofu recipes" in the search bar in the sidebar for more recipes.
I have a delicious, very Bombay-style vegan wrap for you next where I'll be using these marinated and baked tofu cubes in, and it's so delicious, you'll be making this recipe again and again.
On to the recipe now, and if you make it, be sure to let me know in the comments below. Or take a photo and tag me @holycowvegan on Instagram!
How to marinate and bake tofu for Indian dishes
Equipment
- Bowl or container for marinating tofu
- Rimmed baking sheet or baking pan
Ingredients
- 16 oz super firm tofu (Cut into ½-inch cubes. Can use extra firm, but press out all the water first by swaddling the tofu in paper towels, placing in a colander, then placing a heavy weight on it, like a heavy saucepan. Wait 30 minutes or until most of the water has drained out.)
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 tablespoon cilantro (mint makes an excellent substitute, or use half and half)
- 2 green chili peppers (like jalapeno or serrano. Deseed for less heat. then chop)
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place all ingredients other than the tofu in a blender with ¼th cup water and blitz into a very smooth paste.
- Place the tofu cubes in a rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold the tofu in a single layer without overlapping, or in a baking pan.
- Pour the marinade over the tofu and toss the tofu lightly in the marinade to coat evenly.
- Place the tofu in the hot oven and bake 40-50 minutes. Halfway through baking, turn over the tofu cubes so they brown evenly. Remove the baking sheet from the oven when the tofu is lightly brown and slightly crispy and chewy on the inside.
Recipe notes
- This is not necessary, but cover the baking sheet or pan with aluminum foil before adding the tofu to it for easier cleanup.
Kim Dunne
Did you use dried ginger, mint & coriander or fresh?
Vaishali
Fresh. Dry ginger and mint are fine if that's what you have, but use smaller quantities.
Nicole Mann
This was delicious with my leftover RoganJosh sauce. I'll be making it a lot in the future!
Kelsey
I don't know what happened but the result was super dry and tasteless! The only thing I did differently was that the tofu sat in the marinade for 10 mins before cooking. I only baked it for 40 mins. Having said that I will try another recipe from your site (I'm trying to learn to cook vegan altho so far not much luck!).
Vaishali
Hi Kelsey, sorry the recipe didn't work for you. The tofu will be fairly dry and chewy because that's the effect we are going for, so it acts as a great meat substitute in curries. But if you want it to be softer, bake for 20 minutes, then check to see if the texture is to your liking. You could also try adding more salt to your recipe.
Ravi
Can you freeze this and use it later ?
Vaishali
Yes!
vatsala
Agree with Valerie that the tofu was very flavorful and firm and an easy add to a variety of recipes!
Thank you!
Vaishali
Thanks for the feedback, Vatsala. Happy you liked it!
Preeti
I came upon your website because I'm cooking for friends who can't have dairy, and decided tofu would be a good substitute for the paneer in mattar paneer. What saddened me (but didn't surprise me) was the disdain with which you attacked paneer: "That's because tofu makes a marvelous substitute for the Indian cottage cheese, paneer, and it is, of course, not loaded with unhealthy fats, the way paneer is." The scorn vegans pour on the majority of humans on the planet is pitiful because we don't buy into the cult of plants having feelings. Your prose could have ended at 'paneer'. For factual balance: "Fats in paneer are about 20% and it is a rich source of saturated fats. But it also has healthy Monounsaturated fats (MUFA). MUFA is associated with lowering the LDL (bad cholesterol) in the blood. Oleic acid, the main MUFA in paneer, has been associated with lowering BP. Paneer also contains a fair amount of alpha linoleic acid, an omega-3 polyunsaturated fat, associated with a moderate lowering of risk of cardiac diseases." Paneer is cheese - of course it contains fat ? I shall use your recipe, baking it for a far shorter time as referenced by the comments from cooks, but please, have some respect whilst you erringly demand it from those of us who choose to eat food in the manner in which humans were designed.
Vaishali
Hi Preeti, thanks for your message. I hope you enjoy the tofu.
I don't really buy the argument that paneer--or dairy products like ghee--have health benefits. These are canards largely spread by the well-funded dairy industry lobby and "research" from scientists on its payroll. All dairy products are loaded with cholesterol and responsible not only for a higher risk of heart disease, but also diabetes. There is good reason why India and the U.S., both among the world's largest consumers of dairy, are also among the nations with the highest rates of diabetes.
Even more, it is important to remember that paneer, like all dairy products, in the U.S. and in India, comes from immense cruelty to cows. I am not passing judgement on you or anyone else who chooses to eat it, but you should know that cows, or buffalos who are usually used for milk in India, are treated horribly in tabelas, which are just Indian factory farms. Unless you are sourcing your paneer from someone who has one or two cows in his or her backyard that they are treating like family, it is very likely coming from a cow or buffalo who lives in a tightly packed factory farm and whose udders are swollen and bleeding and oozing pus from metal tubes attached to her udders. Her calves are being snatched away from her soon after birth and the males are being slaughtered for the veal market.
I loved paneer, I loved ghee, I loved milk, even. I just chose to educate myself and move on and I can say for sure I am happier, and healthier, for it.
Sarah
"have some respect whilst you erringly demand it from those of us who choose to eat food in the manner in which humans were designed."
Humans were absolutely not designed to consume cows milk, this is nutritionally perfect for calves NOT humans.
It's very rude to use the resources provided for you by someone who is vegan and attack them for their beliefs while doing so.
Valerie
Made it yesterday and had to tell you how much we loved it. The tofu was chewy and just a little crispy and so good. Thanks for the clear instructions. To the commenter above I would also say to tweak the oven temperature because ovens can bake differently at the same setting. Mine were perfect. Thank you, thank you! Love your website.
Vaishali
So happy to hear, Valerie! Thanks. 🙂
Jen Coulter
I loved the flavour of this marinade but it burned on my parchment paper after about 20 minutes in the oven. I had to change pans and the tofu did not seem to have absorbed much flavour. Any suggestions?
Vaishali
Try reducing the temp to 350 -- the marinade will dry up and stick to the tofu as it bakes. You might need a little longer in the oven. If you want the tofu to absorb more flavor use extra firm tofu, which is more porous.