This lemon herb tofu recipe is a staple tofu recipe for my family, and one that goes way back. Back to my second cookbook, Vive le Vegan.

I’m sharing this tofu recipe today because it’s one that you can turn to time and again. The ingredients are very simple. The preparation is beyond easy. And the flavor is actually far more scrumptious than it looks. One of those situations where the whole is more than the sum of its parts.

My original version of this lemon herb tofu included some oil in the marinade. Not a lot, which means it’s really quite easy to omit from the recipe and make this an oil-free baked tofu dish.

And even if you don’t tend to cook oil-free, I don’t think the oil added a great deal of texture or flavor in this tofu (as it isn’t fried). So it’s really not ‘missed’ in the preparation.

On a personal note, I remember making this tofu recipe so, so often when the kids were young. When they were really little they didn’t love the dried herbs in the dish. But, they soon grew out of that phase and this was a recipe I kept in rotation as everyone loved it.

You can serve this hot with a cooked grain like rice or quinoa, and serving with a side of baked sweet spuds or sweet potato fries is especially good!

I also love leftovers of this tofu. For me, leftovers are little food goldmines for packing lunches and making lunch bowls. I talk about leftovers a lot in Dreena’s Kind Kitchen, and give many ideas to “repurpose” leftovers into new dishes.

So you can use leftovers of this lemon herb tofu in a salad bowl, in a wrap, crumbled to top greens or a soup, or try processing in a mini-processor and mixing with a small amount of a creamy sauce like a caesar or vegan mayo for a sandwich filling. My kids loved that in their lunches! I love my mini-processor for those purposes. It’s brilliant to create a ‘mash’ texture (similar to egg salad) of tofu or beans for a sandwich filling.

The Blendtec mini-processor attachment of the immersion blender is an example (and the bowl is a very nice size). If you want to pick up the Blendtec immersion blender/processor, be sure to use Blendtec discount code YAY-BLENDTEC at checkout).

Those are just a few ideas of how to serve this lemon herb tofu. It’s such an easy recipe – and yet so tasty – that I recommend doubling the batch so you do have leftovers to enjoy in other ways.

Alright, let’s get you that recipe! I hope you enjoy it, guys. Let me know in the comments. x Dreena

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5 from 1 vote

Lemon Herb Tofu

In this simple recipe, the lemon juice and tamari bake deep into the tofu, and the dried herbs coat each piece.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Keyword tofu

Servings 2 -4 people (see notes)

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tbsp tamari
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme or rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• few pinches freshly ground black pepper
• 1 package (12 oz) extra-firm organic tofu cut into squares about 1⁄4" – 1⁄2" thick, and patted to remove excess moisture (see note)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In an 8″x12″ baking dish, combine all ingredients (except tofu), and stir through until well incorporated.
• Add the tofu and coat each side. Bake covered for 15 minutes.
• Turn the tofu over, and continue to bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, turning again when there are just a few minutes of cooking time remaining.
• At this time, the tofu should have soaked up most of the marinade. Remove from oven and let cool a little before serving, or serve hot.

Notes

Tofu Note: The texture of tofu varies greatly by brand, even when described as “extra-firm”. I have used varieties of extra-firm that I would describe as medium. For this recipe, the tofu should be firm enough to easily slice uncooked, without the tofu squishing or breaking off as you slice it. Brands that work well are Trader Joe’s high-protein extra-firm tofu, and Sunrise Soyganic extra-firm tofu. If the tofu you are using seems soft, it’s helpful to press it in a tofu press or between plates (weighted) to remove more moisture. It will still taste fine, just the texture will be softer and may fall apart slightly.

Serving Suggestions:
This tofu serves 4 when paired with a grain, potatoes, pasta, or used as a sandwich filling. For very hearty appetites, or if served with salad, it may more comfortably serve 2-3.
Try in a ‘buddha bowl’ with short- or long-grain brown rice, steamed kale or spinach, grated carrot and beet, and cubed avocado. Use a favorite dressing to drizzle over top!
I often use this tofu to make sandwiches. You can use it in slices, or pulse it through a small food processor until the tofu becomes slightly sticky. Add any condiments of choice, and use them as a filling (much like you had used egg salad in the past).
Serve with pasta and marinara sauce, and add in steamed broccoli – dinner is done!