Sesame and Chili Marinated Tofu

By
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson is a freelance writer who has authored many cookbooks, including two Everything guides to Chinese cooking.
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Updated on 05/31/21
Tested by
Laurel Randolph
Photo of Laurel Randolph
Tested by Laurel Randolph
A fervid lover of the culinary arts and all things Instant Pot, Laurel has been writing about food for 10 years. One of her cookbooks was the #2 cookbook of 2017.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Asian Marinated Tofu

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Marinate: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 2 to 4 servings

Tofu is a wonderful culinary building block. Its mild taste makes it an extremely flexible ingredient. And its texture is perfect for soaking up a flavorful marinade.

This tofu marinade made with rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili paste does double duty as a marinade and a sauce. Pressing the tofu and then dry-frying before marinating removes all of the moisture, enabling the tofu to really soak up the flavors. For a milder flavor, simply use pressed tofu. The recipe is designed to have extra marinade to add to the stir-fry at the end to make a sauce.

"An easy and super-flavorful marinade that works great for pressed tofu, whether it's cubed, sliced, or dry fried. It also works nicely for stir-fried veggies and meat. For a less salty mixture, add less soy or marinate for less time, as little as a few hours." —Laurel Randolph

Tofu Marinade Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons rice vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons light soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 3/4 teaspoon chili paste

  • 1 pound tofu

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Tofu marinade recipe

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. In a small bowl, whisk together ​the rice vinegar, light and dark soy sauces, olive oil, garlic, sesame oil, sugar, and chili paste.

    Tofu marinade recipe

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. Cover and refrigerate while preparing and dry frying the tofu if you haven't done so already.

    Tofu marinade in a bowl covered with plastic wrap

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Put the marinade in a large bowl or large resealable plastic bag. Add the tofu pieces.

    tofu and marinade in a plastic bag

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure all the tofu pieces are covered.

    tofu and marinade in a plastic bag

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. Drain the tofu, reserving the marinade to use as a sauce at the end of stir-frying. Create a slurry with the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water.

    drain the tofu and reserve the sauce

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  7. Stir-fry and enjoy!

    Asian Marinated Tofu

    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

How to Use Tofu Marinade

  • After marinating the tofu, stir-fry it in a wok or large non-stick skillet with a little oil over medium-high heat until heated through, tossing frequently. If desired, add more sauce towards the end. Add a little cornstarch slurry if you want to thicken the sauce.
  • This marinade can also be used for meat like chicken or pork or used as a stir-fry sauce.

Tips

  • It is important that you use extra-firm tofu for this recipe, as well as similar recipes that involve marinating and stir-frying. There are different types of tofu, from silken and soft to firm and extra-firm; the water content of the softer tofus is higher than the firmer types, making firm and extra firm best at soaking up marinade.
  • Tofu is usually sold in a package filled with water which keeps the tofu from drying out. But it also results in wet and water-logged tofu, making it harder for the soybean curd to absorb a marinade and remain intact. Pressing a block of tofu beforehand will help remove some of this liquid. Simply place the tofu between paper towels and weigh down with a plate or cutting board topped with something heavy, like a frying pan, a large can of food, or even a big cookbook. Let the tofu sit for about half an hour.
  • To remove even more moisture you can dry-fry the tofu. This simple process involves slicing the tofu into pieces (like triangles) and placing them in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat without any oil. Cook until golden, pressing on the tofu with a spatula to release more water. Flip and repeat the process for the other side.
  • Pressed tofu (not dry-fried) results in a mellower flavor.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
177 Calories
13g Fat
5g Carbs
13g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 177
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 16%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1316mg 57%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 330mg 25%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 240mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)