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This epic BBQ tofu recipe is fast, easy and full of savory sweet flavor! A great way to make anyone into a tofu fan.
Here’s a must-make recipe for tofu fans: and eaters on the fence, too. Try this irresistible BBQ Tofu recipe! Each bite has just the right chewy texture, bathed in a silky, sweet, savory sauce. You’ll want to keep eating it for days. This plate disappeared very quickly at our house! This recipe is easy to put together and a great starter recipe for people who are wary of the stuff. In fact, it might turn them into unabashed fans!
How to make BBQ tofu: fast & easy
One huge advantage to this recipe: you can use the tofu out of the package, no pressing required! Many tofu recipes call for pressing the water out of the tofu for 30 minutes prior to making the recipe. But if you’re like us, you don’t have an extra 30 minutes to spare. This BBQ tofu recipe uses tofu right out of the package! Here are the basic steps (but for the full recipe, scroll down!):
- Cut the tofu and pat it dry with a towel.
- Pan fry it 5 minutes in a skillet on medium high heat. Flip and cook 5 minutes more.
- Add BBQ sauce, soy sauce and chili sauce and cook another 4 minutes on low heat until the sauce thickens.
That’s it! It’s one of the fastest, easiest ways to make tofu taste irresistibly good.
Use a good BBQ sauce
We used an organic BBQ sauce for this BBQ tofu recipe. Using a quality brand is key, because the flavor of sauces can vary. Look for sauces that are sweetened with sugar or natural ingredients, not high fructose corn syrup. You can also use homemade BBQ sauce, like one of these recipes:
- Homemade BBQ Sauce: the classic!
- Sugar Free BBQ Sauce: sweetened with maple
- Vegan BBQ Sauce: no honey here! 100% vegan ingredients
We also have Mustard BBQ Sauce and White BBQ Sauce recipes, but they’re a bit different in character so we wouldn’t suggest them here.
Is tofu healthy?
Misinformation swirls about tofu and soy products. Is tofu healthy? Here’s what to know about eating tofu and other soy products like tempeh and edamame:
- Tofu in moderation is part of a healthy diet (several times per week). Per to the Harvard School of Nutrition, soy is a nutrient-dense source of protein that can safely be consumed several times a week.
- Tofu is likely to provide health benefits, especially when you eat it as an alternative to red meat and processed meat. For more, go to Straight Talk About Soy and Is Tofu Good for You?
Ways to serve this BBQ tofu recipe
Once you’ve got your BBQ tofu recipe, there are endless ways to serve it! Turn it into a healthy dinner recipe with a few easy sides. Here are a few of the ways we’d pair it with sides to make a meal:
- Serve with rice (try our stovetop rice or Instant Pot rice)
- Add quinoa (try stovetop quinoa or Instant Pot quinoa)
- Pair with green beans, like sauteed green beans or roasted green beans (swap the lemon for rice vinegar and use half the amount)
- Go Southern-style and add coleslaw and cornbread! Try our best coleslaw and vegan cornbread, skillet cornbread or corn muffins
More great ways to eat tofu
Here at A Couple Cooks, we used to avoid tofu because it felt like it was trying to be meat. But we’ve learned that tofu is so much more than that! It’s a delicious plant-based protein that can be eaten in so many delicious ways. Here are some favorites:
- Try fast and easy Coconut Tofu Curry
- Opt for fusion flavors with Easy Tofu Tacos
- Make weeknight friendly Go-To Tofu Stir Fry
- Try a quick Easy Tofu Scramble any time of the day
This BBQ tofu recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Easy BBQ Tofu
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This epic BBQ tofu recipe is fast, easy and full of savory sweet flavor! A great way to make anyone into a tofu fan.
Ingredients
- 14-ounces firm or extra firm tofu*
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- Kosher salt
- ¾ cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon chili garlic sauce, if desired
Instructions
- Cut the tofu into large cubes (about 1.5″ x 2″) and pat it dry with a towel.
- Add the oil to a non-stick pan and add the tofu cubes and a few pinches kosher salt. Turn on the heat to medium-high. Cook 5 to 6 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom.
- Briefly remove the pan from the heat to reduce spitting. Flip the tofu with chopsticks (the easiest method!) or tongs. Return the heat to medium-high and cook additional 5 to 6 minutes until browned.
- Meanwhile, stir together the BBQ sauce, soy sauce and chili garlic sauce.
- Briefly remove the pan from the heat again and drizzle with the sauce (watch for spitting). Return to low heat and cook 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until sauce is thickened. Serve immediately.
Notes
*Note: You can also use this method with Grilled Tofu: simply substitute BBQ sauce for the sauce in that recipe.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Tofu
- Diet: Vegan
My son and I loved it! Great balance of taste and texture, and simple to put together.
OH. MY. GOSH!!! I made this exactly per the directions. I put it on top of salad with red cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, a little cheddar cheese, green onions, and sesame seeds. SO GOOD! I’m trying to eat more tofu and plant based proteins – and this recipe helps me accomplish just that! It even got the stamp of approval from my meat-eating husband. Thank you so much for making delicious, relatable recipes!! :)
I always use super firm tofu (available at Trader Joe’s or in the plant-based section of your grocery) for recipes like this. Super firm tofu is high in protein, has the consistency of meat, is easy to slice and chop and, best of all, does not need to be pressed to release water. It’s perfect as a meat substitute!
BBU Tufo was so easy and tasteful. So easy to cook. I will be making this recipe again.
Thanks
This was really good and super easy. I did press my tofu first but that’s the only modification I made! Will be in my regular rotation! Thank you!!
Hey, I had a question if I could just dip the tofu in the sauce instead of cooking with it, since then i’d have to use two pans because my parents like spicy and me and my baby bro don’t
Yes! But you may want to reduce the sauce a bit on the stove to thicken it.
Want to try some of your smoothies and dinners. I am trying to cook vegan and plant based some bc I am a recent survivor of breast cancer and my drs highly recommend that I try this way of eating.
Welp… It was ugly but it was delicious. Definitely making this a regular.
Just made this for supper tonight and it was easy and delicious!
Making this tomorrow! I plan to add green onions and sesame seeds _ love that I don’t have to press the tofu. I find it juicier and more velvety than pressed!
Not bad, I’m going to try it with pressed tofu next time because I think it almost always improves the texture
Let us know if you have any questions!