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    Oh My Veggies » Vegan Recipes » Vegan Main Dishes

    Baked Barbecue Tofu (Tofu for Tofu Haters!)

    Published: Aug 20, 2012 · by Nicole · Updated: Mar 28, 2023 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This vegetarian and vegan baked barbecue tofu recipe is one that even a tofu hater can love! I'll also teach you some secrets to making tofu more palatable.

    baked barbecue tofu being served on a white plate
    Jump to:
    • Tofu tastes funky.
    • Tofu tastes bland.
    • Tofu has an unappetizing texture.
    • More Tasty Ideas
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    You don't hate tofu.

    Okay, maybe you hate tofu. It's possible! But I'm betting that you don't hate it. I think you hate how it's prepared. It took me years to take a liking to tofu.

    To me, it was bland at best and funky tasting at worst and the texture did nothing for me either. My husband would get it and I'd always give him the side-eye. "Really? This? This is good? You are choosing to eat this?"

    Eventually I came around and started to eat tofu, but I still consider myself picky about it. In fact, I've written an entire article about how to make tofu taste good. So tofu haters, I feel your pain! Let's breakdown the reasons most people dislike tofu:

    Extra Firm Tofu

    Tofu tastes funky.

    Tofu is packed in water and sometimes that water is a little bit gross. This is why pressing tofu is super important. Always! Press! Tofu!

    Really, you need to press it. If you don't, it will retain that funky tofu water flavor. I use a tofu press and I love it and I think it's worth every penny, but if you don't cook with tofu frequently, you can get away with the classic plate-and-paper-towel method.

    tofu in a tofu press

    Tofu tastes bland.

    So you've pressed the tofu and the funkiness is gone, but now it tastes like nothing. Nothing! Well, you need to add a delicious sauce or seasoning to your tofu.

    You can marinate your tofu or pan-fry it and then add sauce. As long as you start by pressing your tofu for at least 30 minutes, it will readily absorb any flavor you add.

    blocks of sliced tofu

    Tofu has an unappetizing texture.

    I think so too. Some people enjoy that texture, but I'm not crazy about it. Luckily, there are several things you can do to improve it:

    Start with extra-firm tofu - not soft, not firm.

    Try freezing your tofu, then thaw it before cooking. When you freeze the tofu, the texture changes. And, as a bonus, frozen and thawed tofu absorbs more flavor too.

    Slice tofu thin (like the tofu used in restaurant-style Pad Thai), then pan-fry it in a tablespoon or two of oil. This will make the exterior chewy or crispy, depending on how long you cook it.

    Slice tofu into ½-inch slabs and bake it. Like pan frying, this makes the tofu more chewy, less mushy.

    baked barbecue tofu on a baking sheet


    Lately I've been making barbecue tofu a lot, so I thought I'd try baking it instead of grilling it for something slightly different. This is definitely my new favorite. Although I do like grilled tofu, I prefer the texture of baked tofu.

    The center gets a little bit firmer when it's cooked slowly in the oven as opposed to being cooked quickly on the grill.

    There's not much to this Baked Barbecue Tofu recipe. Really, it's all about technique. Add some homemade slaw (I like mine simple - just cabbage and cider vinegar) to make barbecue sandwiches or tacos or simply serve the tofu as-is.

    More Tasty Ideas

    And if you love this baked barbecue tofu, be sure to check out these other delicious vegetarian recipes:

    • 20+ Reader Favorite Tofu and Tempeh Recipes
    • Crispy Sesame Tofu
    • General Tso Tofu
    • How to Make Your Own Tofu

    Recipe

    baked barbecue tofu on a baking sheet

    Baked Barbecue Tofu

    This Baked Barbecue Tofu is great by itself, but it also makes a terrific sandwich or taco if you add a little slaw.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Baked Barbecue Tofu, tofu recipe
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 116kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Equipment

    • tofu press highly recommended

    Ingredients

    • 14 oz extra-firm tofu
    • ½ cup barbecue sauce
    • olive oil mister or cooking spray
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Press the tofu for 30 minutes. Cut into ½-inch thick slices, then quarter each slice.
    • Pour barbecue sauce into an 8-inch square baking dish. Place tofu in dish and gently toss to coat. Let tofu marinate in sauce for 1 hour (or more), turning occasionally.
    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with oil or cooking spray. Place tofu on baking sheet (do not discard barbecue sauce!) and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn tofu over and brush with additional barbecue sauce. Bake 20 minutes more or until tofu is browned on edges. Toss tofu in remaining barbecue sauce and serve.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 116kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 8gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gSodium: 431mgPotassium: 236mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 80IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 1mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
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    Vegan Main Dishes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Main Dishes, Vegetarian Recipes gluten-free, main dishes, tofu

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. CulinarilyCourtney says

      September 18, 2012 at 6:24 pm

      I see what you did there--and I love it!! I inspired you, you inspired me, everybody's happy 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        September 18, 2012 at 8:01 pm

        I loooove baked tofu & I have your blog to thank for introducing it to me! 😀

        Reply
    2. Kayla Seaver says

      October 14, 2012 at 5:22 am

      I'll be taking this to a family birthday party in T minus 8 1/2 hours. My tofu is cut thin, not chunks like yours. It's probably around 1/4" thick, if that. Should I still bake it? How long would you recommend? Would I be better off pan searing it where I have more visual control? Is there a certain texture I should be feeling for since it is sliced so much thinner? I am new to preparing tofu for myself. Any info you can give me, a.s.a.p. would be so helpful!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 15, 2012 at 8:32 pm

        Sorry for not getting back to you sooner--I usually take the weekend off from blogging. I hope your tofu still turned out okay? With thinner tofu, you could definitely still bake it, although it would need less time in the oven. I also like frying it in about a tablespoon of oil until it's crispy and then adding some kind of sauce to it (like peanut or barbecue sauce).

        Reply
    3. Dave says

      January 13, 2013 at 12:59 pm

      Loved the BBQ baked tofu recipe. Just shared it with the new Southern Maryland Vegan Group and it was a big hit. The tofu press would make life easier and freezing the tofu after pressing and cutting it up to change the texture sounds good too. Baked tofu works well with my Take Shape for Life weight loss program.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        January 14, 2013 at 10:27 am

        I'm glad the recipe was a hit--thanks for sharing it too! 🙂

        Reply
    4. WooWoman333 says

      January 31, 2013 at 2:03 pm

      my fried tofu came out tasting "eggy" :/ is THAT normal ?

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        February 01, 2013 at 1:08 pm

        I would say probably not! Did you press it before hand? Sometimes the water tofu is packed in imparts a bit of a funky flavor...

        Reply
    5. Meredith says

      February 06, 2013 at 10:44 am

      Wow, yum! This was actually my first time baking tofu (and I've been vegan for almost 5 years!). I usually make BBQ jackfruit, but that takes hours to prepare. This was delicious and easy! Plus my omni husband liked it a lot. We enjoyed it on corn tortillas, topped with coleslaw and jalapenos. This is going into the weeknight dinner mix for sure. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        February 07, 2013 at 9:36 am

        I've been wanting to try BBQ jackfruit--I keep hearing about it! But I'm glad you enjoyed the tofu. 🙂 It's one of our favorite easy weeknight meals too!

        Reply
    6. Sarah says

      February 17, 2013 at 9:25 pm

      Thanks for all the great info! I'm just wondering though if I'm supposed to press it before freezing or vice versa?

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        February 18, 2013 at 9:22 am

        If you freeze the tofu, you can freeze it in the package it came in, thaw it, and then press it. 🙂

        Reply
    7. Sherry Tejada says

      May 02, 2013 at 10:03 am

      I had no idea a tofu press even existed!!

      Sherry Tejada

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        May 03, 2013 at 7:13 pm

        They are amazing! 🙂

        Reply
    8. chad says

      May 13, 2013 at 6:20 pm

      Funny story - am sitting down to make some of this tonight, and was googling images to show a friend.

      Dat Stubbs in the background. I'm doing it with that and some Buc-cee's Rib Rub. <3 Texas,

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        May 16, 2013 at 8:13 pm

        Stubbs is definitely the best barbecue sauce--I never buy anything else!

        Reply
    9. Deb says

      May 15, 2013 at 5:48 pm

      I tried going vegetarian when I was 15 or so because I learned how toxic animal farming is to the environment (not to mention all of the other serious problems). I tried my first tofu recipe then: a potpie with tofu. I liked everything about it, except for the tofu. Unable to figure out how to make tofu appealing, (and wrongly convinced vegetarians NEED tofu as a source of protein) I gave up on my vegetarian quest...

      While this BBQ tofu was by far the best tofu I've ever had (with the exception of terribly unhealthy deep-fried stuff)...it is still tofu. I doubt I'll try it again (except when it comes with miso soup..)

      BUT I thought this was a great opportunity to point out that beans, nuts and vegetables contain PLENTY of protein; you will not wither away without meat or milk OR TOFU (as long as you eat a variety of sources). So even if you don't like tofu, you can still make an reduced-animal or animal-free diet work!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        May 16, 2013 at 7:35 pm

        Yup, I am definitely not of the opinion that vegetarians need to eat tofu--or anything else, for that matter. I was a vegetarian for about 10 years before I even tried tofu!

        Reply
    10. Sarah says

      June 18, 2013 at 3:15 am

      I have never cooked tofu before, but my mom just bought me some. Let's hope I can attempt this recipe and not fail miserably. 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        June 18, 2013 at 9:10 pm

        You can do it! 😀

        Reply
    11. Janelle says

      June 24, 2013 at 10:08 pm

      When you freeze the tofu do you take out of package then freeze ? Sorry if that's a dumb question ! Thx!

      Reply
    12. Janelle says

      June 24, 2013 at 10:09 pm

      Sorry just saw the answer in above comments !

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        June 26, 2013 at 4:42 pm

        No problem! 🙂 But yes, you do freeze it in the package.

        Reply
    13. Maria says

      August 26, 2013 at 9:51 pm

      I just made this for dinner for the second time. SO good! (I think I need to make a triple batch next time.) Thanks for a great recipe, and great tips on tofu.

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        August 28, 2013 at 9:18 pm

        I'm glad you like it! It's one of my favorite easy dinners. 🙂

        Reply
    14. Rachael says

      October 24, 2013 at 12:46 pm

      Hi can you recommend a good tofu press, I live in the uk and they don't sell them here! However I have nice family in Nashville who will bring it over for me if I can find it in the USA thanks

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 24, 2013 at 8:04 pm

        I use the Tofu Xpress. It's a little bit expensive for what it is (plastic!) and after having mine for a few years, it's starting to crack a little, but I like it because it catches the excess water instead of letting it drain off onto your countertop.

        Reply
    15. Tracy says

      October 27, 2013 at 6:28 pm

      OMGoodness. I HATE tofu. But I LOVE BBQ sauce. Probably what I miss the most about being a vegetarian is BBQ sauce. I mean there really isn't a whole lot you can put it on if you don't eat meat. BUT...I gave your recipe a shot. I've never made tofu before myself. Holy crap. I ate ALL of it. It was SO freaking good. I love you. 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        October 27, 2013 at 7:03 pm

        Woo hoo! I'm glad you were able to get your BBQ sauce fix. And tofu too! You might want to try this next: http://www.kitchentreaty.com/barbecue-tofu-pizza-with-optional-chicken-substitution-or-make-one-of-each/. 😀 I made it and it's REALLY good!

        Reply
        • Tracy says

          October 29, 2013 at 1:56 pm

          Yum! I'll check it out. Thanks!!

          Reply
    16. belinda says

      November 01, 2013 at 1:50 am

      Can this be made the day before and rewarmed the next day. If so, how? I am looking for some vegetarian recipes for thanksgiving that can either be made the day before or earlier and frozen. thanks!

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        November 02, 2013 at 8:32 pm

        Yes, baked tofu will last for a few days in the fridge. I wouldn't freeze it, but refrigerating it would be fine. The sauce might dry out a bit, so you could toss it in a little additional sauce before serving.

        Reply
    17. Lizzie says

      November 18, 2013 at 10:05 pm

      I'm a tofu newbie and college student. I just made this recipe and, needless to say, this was awesome for an inexperienced cook with little but tofu and BBQ sauce in the fridge! 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        November 20, 2013 at 9:10 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it--thanks for the comment! 🙂

        Reply
    18. Pauline says

      January 10, 2014 at 4:10 pm

      I must be the odd one out. Think I can definitely say now that "I hate tofu!" I have given it my best shot. I've had it in a salad where it was "meh" at best, in an orange stir-fry where it was just plain gross, in a curry in which it was so bad I picked it out & threw it away, and now I have had it bbq'd because everyone I have told "I don't like tofu" to has said; (1.) you're not making it right & (2.) you need to bbq it. I have followed all the advice I can on "making it right" freezing, pressing, marinating, etc and I still think it is just plain yuck! The texture is gross no matter what you do & no amount of marinating makes it taste good to me. But I tried, I really did. Going to go hide in my tofu hating corner....anyone else want to join me?

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        January 10, 2014 at 9:10 pm

        You know what, I hate fresh tomatoes, feta, and avocado and people think I'm nuts for that. Sometimes no matter what you do, you just don't like something. And that's okay! At least you tried it. Because I haven't even tried an avocado. 😉

        Reply
    19. Michaela says

      February 18, 2014 at 5:24 pm

      We had this for dinner tonight. My tofu-haters liked it, and so did I.
      I am okay with tofu, but don't go out of my way to cook with it. This awesome recipe is a keeper!!! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        February 19, 2014 at 7:23 pm

        Thank you for your comment--I'm glad it's a keeper! 🙂

        Reply
    20. Whitney says

      February 26, 2014 at 9:31 pm

      I've been a vegetarian for almost 20 years and just braved up enough to cook tofu within the past month. I loved to eat it but I had no idea how to cook it. This was my second try and MAN, THIS is how you cook tofu! My first attempt was so-so. I pressed it, cubed it, marninated it in teriyake, breaded with cornmeal, and cooked it in oil. But it really just tasted like slightly Asian inspired cornmeal blobs. Such a bummer. This bbq recipe is delicious though! My 2 year old couldn't get enough and my 4 year old liked it when I rubbed some of the sauce off. It was too spicy. Need to find a sauce without too much kick and I think we'll be golden! Now just to get my carnivore of a husband (with serious tofu phobia) to try a bite!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        February 27, 2014 at 2:39 pm

        Yay, I'm so happy to hear you liked it! Tofu can be tricky to prepare, but once you get the hang of it, you will want to make it all the time. 🙂 And I think tofu slathered in BBQ sauce is about as carnivore-friendly as you can make it!

        Reply
    21. Gisrla says

      March 21, 2014 at 8:38 pm

      Just made this and I loved it. Freezing tofu really made a difference. Thanks foe the reipe.

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        March 23, 2014 at 9:28 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
    22. Leisha says

      May 17, 2014 at 4:43 am

      what sort of BBQ sause do you use?

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        May 20, 2014 at 12:10 pm

        I just use whatever I have on hand - any kind will work.

        Reply
    23. Susan says

      May 25, 2014 at 8:53 pm

      I had a block of tofu and I have been wanting to use a bottle of Salt Lick BBQ sauce I have. I ate the whole block of BBQ tofu myself. Yikes! It was delicious. Crisped right up and had some simple slaw in a whole grain tortilla wrap. Yum! Thank you for the baking tips. Will be making this again.

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        May 27, 2014 at 7:18 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!

        Reply
    24. Jen says

      June 11, 2014 at 8:29 am

      made this today and it was delicious!! Even my tofu fearing forced-veggie husband liked (loved!) it!
      We put it in crusty rolls with homemade vegan coleslaw. Will definitely make again! I used the freeze/defrost/ press method and the texture of the tofu was the best I've had! 😀

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        June 11, 2014 at 3:44 pm

        I'm glad you managed to win over the husband! Thanks for your comment. 🙂

        Reply
    25. Tanya G says

      August 11, 2014 at 2:47 am

      I just made this for dinner and... it's good! I say this not necessarily as a tofu-hater, but definitely a tofu skeptic who has been made leery for various reasons. This was great! I'll definitely make it again and I'll use the freeze/thaw/press method for my next batch of something. (This go-round I just pressed.) Thank you so much for this!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        August 12, 2014 at 2:53 pm

        Yeah, tofu skepticism exists for a good reason - a lot of tofu at restaurants is mushy and flavorless. 🙂 I'm glad this recipe won you over!

        Reply
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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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