Easy & Healthy Miso Grilled Tofu
This miso grilled tofu recipe is easy to prepare and super tasty. It’s marinated and dressed with a delicious homemade sesame ginger miso dressing. Add this vegan tofu dish to your next cookout menu!
What’s your favorite way to enjoy tofu? I like mine baked until crispy or hot off the grill! Grilled tofu is a nutritious and delicious protein alternative to burgers and hot dogs to prepare at your next BBQ. As a Registered Dietitian, I love to encourage eating less meat, and I am always happy to see people enjoying plant-based alternatives!
This miso grilled tofu is super easy to prepare. It features a delicious homemade sesame ginger miso dressing as a miso tofu marinade , which helps impart plenty of flavor into the tofu. You can grill the tofu outside on a grill or use a grill pan indoors. Either way, it is delicious.
More healthy tofu recipes to try: crispy buffalo tofu, honey balsamic tofu, and vegan peanut tofu rice bowls.
Ingredients in miso grilled tofu
Here is everything you need to make this recipe:
- One batch of sesame ginger miso dressing
- Soy sauce
- White miso
- Rice vinegar
- Toasted sesame oil
- Maple syrup
- Ginger
- Tahini
- Tofu: use extra firm or super firm for best results
- Scallions and/or chives
- Sesame seeds
This recipe is vegan, dairy free, and nut free. You can easily make it gluten free by replacing the soy sauce in the dressing with gluten free tamari or coconut aminos.
Best type of tofu to use for grilled tofu
Tofu is sold in blocks of varying textures, including silken, soft, firm, extra firm, and super firm. Each type of tofu has its place in the culinary world, with different textures needed for different recipes.
For grilled tofu, it’s best to use the most firm variety you can find, either extra firm or super firm tofu. These types of tofu have less moisture, so they hold their shape on the grill and don’t break up as easily.
I recommend pressing the tofu to remove excess water before you marinate it – learn all about how to press and prepare tofu for cooking here! That way, the tofu can soak up the flavors of the marinade! You can use a tofu press if you have one, or just wrap the tofu in paper towel and press between two plates.
How to make miso grilled tofu
- Remove tofu from packaging, draining the excess water.
- Press the tofu to remove any remaining water in the block of tofu.
- White the tofu presses, prepare the sesame ginger miso dressing you will use as a marinade.
- Slice the tofu into 1/2 inch “steaks”. You’ll have six to eight pieces of tofu.
- Lay the tofu steaks in one layer in a shallow container.
- Pour over the marinade and flip each piece of tofu so both sides are covered.
- Refrigerate and let marinate for 20-30 minutes. Reserve the marinade.
- Heat up your grill or grill pan on medium heat (about 375 degrees F) and spray a little oil on the grates.
- Cook the tofu for about 3 minutes per side, until browned grill marks are prominent. When the tofu is ready to flip, it should release easily from the grill grates.
- Drizzle the tofu with the remaining marinade and garnish with sliced scallions, chives, and sesame seeds.
Storing grilled tofu
This miso grilled tofu tastes great hot off the grill, and it also keeps well in the fridge. It makes a good meal prep option if you want to prepare some at the start of the week!
Refrigerate the grilled tofu in an airtight container for up to five days. I recommend storing the tofu separately from the miso dressing, and adding the dressing and garnishes when you’re ready to eat it.
Tofu nutrition benefits
Tofu is an incredibly nutritious plant-based protein source to include in your diet. A three ounce serving of extra firm tofu provides:
- 8 grams of plant-based protein
- 1 gram of dietary fiber
- 200 mg calcium (15 percent of your daily needs)
- 1.44 mg iron (8 percent of your daily needs)
Iron and calcium can be difficult to get from food on a completely plant-based vegan diet, and tofu provides both of them. To enhance the absorption of the iron, pair tofu with a food high in Vitamin C such as citrus, bell peppers, or broccoli.
Serving suggestions
This grilled tofu pairs well tons of different meals and recipes!
- Add it to your favorite salad
- Use it as the protein for a grain bowl
- Chop it up for a lettuce wrap
- Paired with a grain salad and grilled vegetables
- In a sandwich with crunchy raw vegetables and avocado
Let me know if you love this recipe by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!
PrintEasy & Healthy Miso Grilled Tofu
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: serves 3
- Category: main dish
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: Asian-American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This miso grilled tofu recipe is easy to prepare and super tasty. It’s marinated and dressed with a delicious homemade sesame ginger miso dressing. Add this vegan tofu dish to your next cookout menu!
Ingredients
Grilled tofu
- 1 block extra firm or super firm tofu
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced, dark green parts discarded
- 1 small bunch of chives, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp white miso
- 1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 inch knob fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp tahini
Instructions
- Press the tofu in a tofu press or between two plates to remove any remaining water in the block of tofu.
- White the tofu presses, prepare the sesame ginger miso dressing by whisking all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Slice the tofu into 1/2 inch “steaks”. You’ll have six to eight pieces of tofu.
- Lay the tofu steaks in one layer in a shallow container.
- Pour over the marinade and flip each piece of tofu so both sides are covered.
- Refrigerate and let marinate for 20-30 minutes. *Reserve the marinade for later use.
- Heat up your grill or grill pan on medium heat (375 – 400 degrees) and spray a little oil on the grates.
- Cook the tofu for about 3 minutes per side, until browned grill marks are prominent. When the tofu is ready to flip, it should release easily from the grill grates.
- Plate and drizzle the tofu with the remaining marinade and garnish with sliced scallions, chives, and sesame seeds.
Notes
Storing grilled tofu
This miso grilled tofu tastes great hot off the grill, and it also keeps well in the fridge. It makes a good meal prep option if you want to prepare some at the start of the week!
Refrigerate the grilled tofu in an airtight container for up to five days. I recommend storing the tofu separately from the miso dressing, and adding the dressing and garnishes when you’re ready to eat it.
Keywords: miso tofu, grilled tofu, sesame ginger miso