Spicy and tangy, this chipotle grilled tofu recipe is super easy to make, and is a great way to jazz up a salad or noodle bowl! All of the tofu steak marinade ingredients get processed in a food processor before being brushed on the tofu. Grill it outside on the grill, or inside on a grill pan! It’s simple but packed with toasted smokey flavor!
How To Grill Tofu:
When I developed this recipe, it was the dead of winter in New England. You couldn’t PAY me to go grill tofu outside on our grill! Luckily, I had my trusty grill pan that I could just throw on the stove top. If you use a griddle or stove top grill pan, you do miss out on that signature charring that you get from a gas or propane grill. But it is still absolutely delicious! And no matter what, it will taste smokey from the chipotle peppers.
Make sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and list of ingredients!
Tofu On The Grill:
Grilled Tofu Outside On The Grill!
- Preheat a gas grill over medium-high heat with the lid on for at least 10 minutes.
- Pour olive oil into a small bowl, and place a wad of paper towels in the bowl with the oil so it all gets absorbed by the paper towels.
- Using tongs, rub the preheated grill grates with the oil-soaked towels. Let the oil smoke for 40 seconds before repeating the process. Do this 3-4 times.
- Add the tofu to the grill grates, and turn the burners to low heat and close the lid. Grill for 4-6 minutes per side, using tongs to flip them.
Grill Pan Tofu:
Grilled Tofu Using A Grill Pan or Griddle!
- Place the grill pan or griddle over a burner on high heat. Allow it to heat up for 2-3 minutes, until very hot.
- Pour a little olive oil into the grill pan and move it around to coat the bottom.
- Place the marinated tofu steaks on the grill pan. Allow to cook on one side without being disturbed for 4-6 minutes before flipping with tongs and cooking for the same amount of time on the other side.
If you are looking for a good grill pan to use on the stove, this All Clad non stick one is great!
What To Serve With This Grilled Tofu Recipe:
Tofu is such a versatile ingredient! It is high in protein and contains all of the essential amino acids that your body needs, as well as a variety of vitamins and minerals. For this reason, I use it as a main in the place of chicken or meat. Chipotle tofu is a great main to serve with any Mexican inspired dish, but it is also absolutely delicious with noodles or in a salad!
- Mexican Bowl – Rice, corn, avocado, spinach, onion, beans
- In Any Salad, Such as A kale salad or caesar salad – Spinach Salad With Asparagus
- With Rice & A Veggie – White, wild, brown
- In A Noodle Bowl – Try stir frying the noodles with a little coconut aminos and cumin!
Tips:
- Definitely use extra-firm tofu. The other varieties are too soft and will not retain their texture as well when grilled.
- Make sure not to skip the ‘tofu pressing’ step! It releases some of the excess water, which in turn will allow it to absorb more marinade flavor, and will help prevent it from sticking to the grill.
- Don’t cut the tofu steaks too thinly. If you do, they may fall apart or fall through the cracks in the grill. To cut mine, I put the tofu on its side and sliced 4 equal pieces, which I then cut in half for 8 chipotle tofu steaks.
Chipotle Grilled Tofu Recipe
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 16 oz extra-firm tofu
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for grilling
- 1/8 tsp table salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 inch ginger, peeled
- 1 chipotle in adobo pepper, along with 3 tbsp of the chipotle sauce from the can
Instructions
- Drain the tofu, and place between two wads of paper towels. Place something heavy over the top (a pot of water works well), and press the tofu for around 15 minutes.
- Once drained, slice the tofu crosswise into 1/3 inch slabs, and then slice those in half. You will get about 8 per block.
- While the tofu is draining, make the marinade. In a food processor or blender, add the olive oil, lime juice, chipotle pepper and sauce, light brown sugar, salt, cumin, garlic and ginger. Process until smooth.
- Lay the tofu in a shallow dish or pan, and brush with the marinade, reserving about 2 tbsp of marinade for later. Allow it to marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temp or up to 1 hour in the fridge.
If Grilling On Grill Pan On Stove Top:
- Place the grill pan or griddle over a burner on high heat. Allow it to heat up for 2-3 minutes, until very hot. Pour a little olive oil into the grill pan and move it around to coat the bottom. Place the marinated tofu steaks on the grill pan. Allow them to cook on one side without being disturbed for 4-6 minutes before flipping with tongs and cooking for the same amount of time on the other side. There should be nice brown grill marks before flipping. Brush with remaining marinade and enjoy!
If Grilling On Gas Grill:
- Preheat a gas grill over medium-high heat with the lid closed for at least 10 minutes. Pour olive oil into a small bowl, and place a wad of paper towels in the bowl with the oil so it all gets absorbed by the paper towels. Using tongs, rub the preheated grill grates with the oil-soaked towels. Let the oil smoke for 40 seconds before repeating the process. Do this 3-4 times. Add the tofu to the grill grates, and turn the burners to low heat and close the lid. Grill for 4-6 minutes per side, using tongs to flip them. Brush with remaining marinade and enjoy!
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