I am going to confess something really shameful to you right now. When I decided to make this recipe, I realized that the dried rosemary in my pantry was 12 years old. Escandalo! If my rosemary were a person, she would have Justin Bieber posters in her room and be sass-mouthing me when I ask her to do her chores. Herbs! They grow up so fast! I think you're supposed to keep dried herbs for a year, so this is pretty embarrassing. In my defense, I hardly ever use dried rosemary in my cooking. Which is good because when I opened it up, it smelled like dust and nothing instead of smelling like rosemary.
Whenever I post a tofu recipe, people ask me how to press it. There are some cooking techniques that I never know if I should take the time to explain because I'm not sure if people know about them already. I don't want you guys to be like, "Duh, thanks, I knew that." But I don't want you to be confused either! So I thought I'd post another baked tofu recipe and explain how to press tofu. Then when I post a tofu recipe in the future, I can link back here.
In my opinion, the best way to press tofu is with a tofu press (which you can read about here). But pressing tofu with a tofu press is self-explanatory and if you have a tofu press, odds are, you know how to use it. So if you don't have a tofu press, all you need to do is:
1. Take two paper towels and fold them in half and in half again.
2. Place one of the folded towels on a cutting board. Make sure the cutting board is on a surface that can get wet, like your countertop.
3. Take the tofu out of the package, drain off the water, and put it on top of the first paper towel.
4. Put the second paper towel on top of the tofu.
5. Place something heavy on top--either a plate, another cutting board, or a skillet. I usually put additional weights on top of that too. Make sure the weight is evenly distributed or the plate/skillet/cutting board will fall off, usually smashing one side of your tofu in the process.
6. Let this sit for 30 minutes. You can change out the paper towels once or twice if needed.
Is this worth it? HECK YES IT IS WORTH IT. When you press out all that tofu water, the tofu can better absorb the flavors you add to it. Even if a recipe doesn't call for me to press my tofu, I still press it. I can't stress enough how important this is.
So this gave me a good excuse to make Baked Italian Herb Tofu, which had been on my to-make list for a while. I used to buy it, but they stopped selling it locally, which was a bummer. This tofu is simple to make and it's a delicious addition to pasta, sandwiches, and salads. You can bake the slices for 30 minutes, which results in tofu that's soft and golden brown in color, or you can bake them for a full 40 minutes, which makes the tofu browned and chewy.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons liquid aminos I used coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- A dash of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 15-ounce package extra-firm tofu, pressed for 30 minutes and cut into 8 slabs
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together the liquid aminos, oil, water, vinegar, garlic powder, herbs, and pepper in a small baking dish. Place the tofu slices in the baking dish and marinate for 30 minutes, turning the slices over after 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Transfer the tofu slices to a baking sheet that's been lined with parchment paper or sprayed with cooking spray. Rub any remaining marinade onto the tofu and season with a few sprinkles of salt. For softer baked tofu, bake for 30 minutes; for chewier tofu, bake for 40 minutes. Flip the tofu over halfway through cooking time.
Alexis @ Hummusapien says
I got a tofu press last year over the holidays and I love it!! SO much better than wasting a bajillion paper towels like I used to. I've never had an italian tasting tofu, but it sounds fab! I bet it would be delish with some tomato sauce and fresh mozz in a crusty bun 🙂
Kiersten says
Isn't it so worth it?! I hate doing it the paper towel way. If you make a lot of tofu, the press is a must!
Cory says
That looks really good. Going on my shopping list right now 🙂
No Tofu presses in Germany. So weird! Eurgh...Not even on any UK sites... 🙁
And no coconut aminos either...What else could I use? Soy sauce maybe?
Kiersten says
Can you order from Amazon US? I use the Tofu Xpress, which they sell. I haven't tested soy sauce with this particular recipe, so I was hesitant to list that substitution in my ingredient list, but yes, I usually use soy sauce (or tamari) and liquid aminos interchangeably. 🙂
Cory says
I can...looking at the shipping now...Closing my eyes.
WHAT they don't ship to Germany. Boohoo!
Hate when that happens 🙁
Oh well, I guess I'll have to wait until the next time I travel to the US.
I probably would have to pick up the Tofu press up at customs anyway and they're usually really interested in what I'm ordering...I must be on the list for fascinating packages.
Kiersten says
Ha! I ordered some kitchenware from Sweden over the summer and customs held it all hostage, so I know how that is. By the time it got to me, some of the stuff was broken. 🙁
Stephanie@Henry Happened says
Thanks for all the tofu pressing tips! This Italian herb thing sounds delicious.
Julia says
No shame in tween-aged dried rosemary, that's a pretty amazing feat! Hopefully it didn't give you too much winy sass talk while you were using it! Gimme one of them pitas! 🙂
Kiersten says
I didn't use it in this recipe--I couldn't! I had to get a new bottle. BUT I still kept the old bottle. I feel like this is how hoarding starts.
Caitlin says
most of my herbs are about three and a half years old, but i just can't bring myself to throw them out. i'm sure they're fine! right?
i've always wondered about pressing tofu...so now if i want to make this awesome recipe, i can!
Liz says
Caitlin,
I'm like you -- I can't bear to throw old pantry items out, even with dried spices which I KNOW have a shelf life. BUT, I have a test for dried herbs that let's me know if and when to call Time Of Death on them. While Italian herbs are primed for this, it won't work for powdered/ground spices. I just take a pinch of the herb and rub them between my fingers; if they become fragrant and release an aroma, I know they still have some life left in them and will lend some flavor to my dishes. If I can barely smell a thing, in the trash they go. No smell = no taste. You won't contract illness from them so they're "fine" in that sense, but they won't me imparting much in terms of flavor and yumminess to your foods. Whether new or old, I rub all dried herbs between my fingers as I add them to my foods, anyway, to release more of their flavor.
Also, FYI, all dried herbs and spices will lose flavor and potency the warmer they are and consequently, stay fresher much longer the cooler they are. So, if you have room in your fridge, that's a good place to store them. At the very least, keep them as far away from the stove and the oven as possible.
Kiersten says
I had no idea you could store dried herbs in the fridge! Thanks for the tip. 🙂
Kiersten says
I've started buying mine in bulk when I can. Not in bulk as in big amounts, but bulk as in from the bulk section. Then I can buy a tiny amount and use it before it goes bad. 🙂
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says
I used to think that pressing tofu was just an annoying extra step and skipped it, um YUCK! Only when I had an incident with a mushy tofu scramble did I found out pressing is essential, love the tips!
Kiersten says
Oh no, it is definitely a must! 😀
Erica {Coffee & Quinoa} says
Love the looks of this tofu in that wrap! And no shame about the rosemary. I still have a few spices that were passed down from my boyfriend's old roommates to him to me and I think expired circa 2004. Oops. It just happens!
Kiersten says
I have a tin of black pepper that expired in 2005 too. 🙂 I feel like such a bad food blogger!
Liz says
Girl, you are reading my mind! I have a lone little block of tofu that's been languishing in my fridge, and I've had NO idea what to do with it. Looks like Italian herb tofu is on the menu tonight!
Kiersten says
Baked tofu is the perfect way to use up random packages of tofu. 🙂
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says
I have been crazy obsessed with tofu lately, so finding a new way to season it has me super excited! 🙂
Kiersten says
I love it too. Which is so funny, because for so long, I hated it!
Brittany @WeHeartVegan says
Yumy!! This sounds and looks fantastic!!!
Martina says
What are "liquid aminos?" Do you find them in the herb/spice section of the supermarket? Thanks!
Kiersten says
The liquid aminos give the tofu a nice savory flavor. You can usually find them with the sauces. I used to buy Bragg's, but now I've started buying coconut aminos. You can also substitute tamari or soy sauce--I haven't tested them in this particular recipe, but I tend to use them pretty interchangeably.
Ash-foodfashionparty says
Hate tofu water and this is something I do too..just a lot of tomato and garbanzo cans:).
They look so perfect with the herbs, great.
Kiersten says
I use whatever I can find in my pantry. 🙂 The more weight, the better!
Maria Tadic says
Pressed tofu makes a heck of a difference! My husband only eats the pressed kind...much better consistency I think!
Kiersten says
I only eat it if it's been pressed too. I'm very picky when it comes to tofu. 🙂
dixya| food, pleasure, and health says
one reason why i make less of tofu is that freaking water. will be trying your technique soon.
Kiersten says
It's so gross, right?!
Emma says
Pressing tofu is so worth it! Great tutorial and the Italian baked herb tofu looks very scrummy.
Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ says
Great tips! I have never pressed tofu, I'll do it the way you just explained.
Anna {Herbivore Triathlete} says
I always, always press my tofu! This looks really tasty, love the wrap, sprouts are so good.
Martina Lively says
I read something about freezing tofu to get the water out. Does anyone know about this technique?
Kiersten says
Yes, you can freeze tofu too; it changes the texture and makes it more absorbent. 🙂 Just pop it in the freezer (leave it in the package!), then take it out and thaw it in the fridge before you're going to use it.
Natalie @ Once Upon a Cutting Board says
I'm starting to like tofu more and more but still don't make it much myself... This will be a great post to refer to when I do! When my sister posts tofu recipes she doesn't describe how to press it and I'm always telling her she should because I don't know what pressing means, but she argues that anyone who would be making this recipe would probably know how to press tofu - not everyone does though!
Kiersten says
Ha! My husband and I had the same conversation many times and I gave him the same answer. But then I started getting comments from people asking how to do it and I realized that maybe Chris was right. 🙂
Genevieve says
I know exactly what you mean about tofu instructions too...I always just want to say "press your tofu" but I know somebody could be a new reader or new to tofu so I usually end up giving some kind of middle-ground brief explanation of what to do. From now on, I should link to you! I tend to make asian-flavoured tofu because I can find more uses for it, but I should try a new variation like this italian version!
Kiersten says
Yeah, I never know sometimes! But I got so many questions about it that I figured maybe it would be a good idea to write a post. 🙂
Grace @ FoodFitnessFreshAir says
The number of things I've used as pressing mechanism for tofu before is comically absurd. My stacks are usually high, and filled with whatever heavy odds and ends I can find around the house. I'm sure a tofu presser would do me well...
Kiersten says
Yeah, it might be time to invest in a press! 🙂
Deena Kakaya says
I'm really impressed at the texture of your tofu! I bet the flavours penetrate and cooperate much better this way! I really no more space for gadgets but I'm so tempted to invest after seeing your post xx
Kiersten says
If you make a lot of tofu, it's worth it. But if not, you can just press the tofu with paper towels and a weight. 🙂
cp says
I made this today and placed it on top of some brown rice and assorted roasted veggies. YUM! I've tried your baked tofu before and I've loved that-(I've made that 3x already). This one will be in the regular rotation. They're great in sandwiches (with some kale) and keep well for the week. I highly recommend both. You've helped make baking tofu something easy and something not to be intimidated by. It's made eating less meat easy and not a sacrifice at all because tofu made like this is delicious.
Kiersten says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 I agree, baked tofu is definitely easy to make and great to keep on hand!
Caitlin says
Making this tofu as we speak for supper.
We received a tofuxpress for a wedding gift and I totally thought it would be one of those things, like the ice cream or bread maker, that never gets used once the novelty wears off. Totally love this thing and refuse to prep tofu any other way- it's like magic!
Kiersten says
It IS like magic! We've used ours so much that we need to replace it. It's definitely well worth the cost for anyone who makes a lot of tofu. 🙂
Colleen @ Culinary Colleen says
I'm always too impatient to press my tofu, but it sounds like I should give it a shot! This looks so great in that sandwich!
Kiersten says
Definitely take the time to do it--you will never go back! 🙂