Don’t mind me for disappearing for a couple days. I had an eye infection with eyes so puffy I could barely see the light of day. It was so random. Luckily, the doc gave me some eye drops and my eyes are rapidly on the mend, even though I don’t think one single eye drop has actually landed in my eye.
Now that I’m back in action, I have a quick and easy recipe to share. This is another staple meal that I find myself going back to when I just want to get back to the basics. While this recipe might not be the most ground-breaking or inventive, it sure is a wholesome, balanced meal that can be thrown together in 15-30 minutes.
I usually start off by preparing a quick cooking grain like millet or quinoa. Or if we have leftover grains in the fridge, the meal comes together even faster. Millet and quinoa both take about 20 minutes to cook, so I always start off with prepping the grain first. See the directions in these recipes for how to cook millet or how to cook quinoa. I cook my grains in vegetable broth for more flavour and I also like to stir in garlic powder and season with Herbamare to make it pop.
Next up, BBQ tofu!
This part is simple too. Just pan fry pressed tofu until crispy and then coat it in your favourite BBQ sauce. I use Stubb’s Original BBQ sauce.
While the tofu is frying, I steam broccoli or other vegetables that we might have on hand. A simple side salad also works. I like to serve this dish with a drizzle of BBQ sauce on the grains and broccoli to add more flavour. Millet is definitely not my favourite grain to eat plain, but I do enjoy it with a fun sauce to add some zip.
Nothing fancy or complicated here. Just good food with a little help from a bottle of sauce.
By the way, BBQ tofu is also great served in a sandwich or wrap.
Easy BBQ Tofu
Yield
3 servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
A super easy BBQ Tofu recipe that comes together in minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 package organic firm tofu (I love Sol Organic Firm Tofu)
- 1 tbsp high heat safe oil (such as grapeseed or coconut oil)
- Herbamare/sea salt and pepper, for seasoning
- Garlic powder, for seasoning
- 1/4 cup of your favourite BBQ sauce, plus more for serving if desired (I use Stubb’s)
Directions
- Press tofu for at least 30-45 minutes, or if you are able, overnight in a tofu press. I got a Tofu Xpress recently and it’s my new best friend.
- Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Slice tofu into about 32 rectangles (or as many as you desire).
- Add 1 tbsp of oil to the skillet and then carefully add the tofu. Be careful as the oil can splatter. Spread tofu out into a single layer, season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and fry for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat. (Tediously) flip each piece of tofu (a couple forks works for me) and fry for another 5-6 minutes, or until golden all over and charred in some spots. I like to cook it until it’s nice and crisp.
- Remove from heat and stir in the BBQ sauce to coat the tofu. Serve immediately with more sauce on the side if desired.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
We had a few tech-related issues on the blog Monday night into yesterday morning. Everything should be looking normal again, but if you are still seeing a scrambled page please let me know!
I made this today and it was so good. Thank you for coming up with these recipes and sharing them with us. You make a newbie vegan like me feel happy! Happy that I can go to your website and learn new recipes to share with my hubby :)
Thanks a bunch!
Im so glad you enjoyed it Rena!
I made this last night and my meat-eating husband loved it too. I pressed the tofu overnight and it was nice and crispy. Thanks for another great recipe!
Mmm this is so good! I don’t have a tofu press so I usually buy the “fried” tofu at the grocery store. It looks almost exactly the same!
Hi Angela, just wondering where you got your tofu xpress here in Canada? I want one :) Thanks!
I think it was purchased from their website. I have no idea if you can find them in Canada though! I think a friend told me the vegan restaurant in Burlington might carry them (not kind food but the other one..the name escapes me right now!)
Thank you! Btw i just discovered your wesbite through a friend and i love it so much!!! I am on here everyday – thank you for all your recipes and inspiration :)
Made this tonight! Soooo delish! I roasted broccoli as one of the sides, tossed in olive oil, curry powder, garlic powder and pepper. Will make again really soon!
Wow! So many fabulous recipes, so little time. I’m an ovo-lacto-pescatarian looking to go vegan 3 – 4 days a week and your website gives so many fabulous ideas! Thanks a bunch.
I can’t eat enough of this one! It is phenomenal! And thank you for going to the effort of providing nutritional information on your recipes too. So appreciated!
Do you ever marinate your tofu? Tofu has fallen out of favor fore, unless it’s blended in a sauce or dessert. Even with a sauce, it tastes … beige.
Tofu is a great protein source, so I’m interested to heat what you think about pressing and marinading.
Thanks!
E
Easy and delicious! Will definitely do this again.
I tried this recipe yesterday with orange ginger sauce and it is totally delish! First time trying your recipes Angela, thanks for this amazing blog! It makes me feel excited as a vegetarian!
This was super good! I popped it into the oven instead–tossing it with some sunflower oil and seasonings. I added the bbq sauce at about 30 minutes and let it go for another 5. Yum!
I just tried this tonight – my first time to cook tofu. It was AWESOME! I used a bbq dry rub as my seasoning b/c I didn’t have any garlic powder. Yum! It even impressed the hubby who hates the idea of meatless. Thank you so much for the recipe and inspiring me to A)buy a tofu press B)cook tofu.
I have a question. How much salt and pepper should I use? Also, do I need to use the whole tofu block? Or can I keep some refrigerated for another time?
Hi Diane, feel free to season with salt and pepper to your own taste preferences! And you can definitely make as much or as little BBQ tofu as you want–you may just need a little less BBQ sauce if you don’t use the full block. Hope this helps!
Thank you for your reply! Any way I can store the leftover bbq tofu pieces and the actual unused tofu block so they won’t all go bad?
You’re very welcome, Diane! You can refrigerate any unused tofu for up to one week in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It’s recommended that you cover it with water, changing the water daily; it’ll keep the tofu moist and at its freshest! Freezing the tofu is also an option, though doing so will change the texture slightly. (This can actually be a good thing! In fact, some recipes will have you freeze tofu as part of their advanced prep, because once frozen it takes on a sturdier, chewier texture. Lots of people also find it more flavourful!). Tofu can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container or zip-bag. As for the leftover BBQ tofu pieces, they can be stored for up to one week in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Hope this helps!
One last question, though (sorry). When I change the water, must I do the draining process every time? (The one with plates and paper towels)
I want to make the ‘easy BBQ sauce’ from the Oh She Glows Everyday book to go with this but one of the listed ingredients is tomato sauce. I’m not sure if that means ketchup, passata, tomato puree, or something else entirely. I’d really appreciate it if someone could advise me.
Also, I live in Scotland and we don’t have molasses. Think I can use black treacle?
Hi Heather, Thanks for your questions! The “tomato sauce” the Easy Barbecue Sauce recipe calls for is simply tomato puree (most grocery stores here carry it labelled as “tomato sauce”). As for the molasses, I believe you’re right that you can substitute in black treacle! I did a quick Google and it seems to be the same thing? I hope you enjoy the sauce once you get a chance to try it!
Thank you for the recipe, so yummy! I use the EZ tofu press it has no springs so it only takes 15 mins to extract water from tofu plus it’s bpa free and made in the USA which is an added bonus. Ps your recipes are fantastic!! Thanks.