This sticky maple tofu recipe uses a marinade with soy sauce, Dijon mustard, and garlic. It makes a delicious vegan main dish and can be served over rice or salad or on the side of vegetables. You can even prepare it for guests on Thanksgiving or Christmas if you need a plant-based option!
If you’re looking for new ways to prepare plant-based proteins, look no further than this new maple tofu! It’s easy, fast, and so delicious — proof that tofu doesn’t have to be boring. See my Vegan Crispy Panko Tofu for more proof!
I especially love that this recipe is made in a skillet and doesn’t require the oven. In fact, cooking tofu on the stovetop is key to getting a sticky texture. This technique also makes it a good choice for serving to guests during holiday entertaining, since it doesn’t take up precious oven space.
While maple tofu is fit for Thanksgiving or Christmas, it’s also ideal for a fast weeknight meal! There are few ingredients, and the serving possibilities are endless. Try it on top of a rice bowl, salad, or rounded out with veggies and a whole grain.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Extra firm tofu: Use extra or super firm tofu for best results. These varieties hold up better when pan fried. Here’s an example of a brand I like.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Sub avocado oil if that’s what you have.
- Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Soy sauce: If you want the recipe to be gluten-free, sub tamari or coconut aminos.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is key to a flavorful marinade for maple tofu. If you don’t have fresh, try about a teaspoon of dried minced garlic or garlic powder.
- Dijon mustard: A whole grain mustard also works.
Instructions
The full recipe card for maple tofu is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you in the kitchen.
Prep the tofu by cutting it into 8 rectangles. You can press the tofu first for 15 minutes if you want to remove excess water, which helps the tofu get firmer while cooking. Warm olive oil in a large skillet and add the tofu planks.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. It’s normal for the tofu to stick a little, but use a nonstick skillet if you want to prevent sticking.
Add the maple glaze.
Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until thickened, occasionally basting the tofu with a spoon and rotating the pan to swirl around the glaze as needed.
Storage and Reheating
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet with a little oil until warmed through. You can also enjoy it cold!
Serving
Make your maple tofu a complete meal by serving it on top of brown rice, quinoa, or farro with a side of steamed green beans or broccoli! It’s a great addition to grain bowls or salads. You can even prepare it as part of meal prep to be added to lunches or dinners, since it tastes delicious warm or cold.
More Tofu Recipes
Love this maple tofu? Check out these other delicious ways to use tofu:
📖 Recipe
Maple Tofu
Ingredients
- 14 ounces extra firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
Instructions
- Optional: press the tofu for 15 minutes to remove excess water if desired. I typically put it in between two plates and stack books on top. You can also use a tofu press or just squeeze the block in between your palms over the sink to get some extra water out. If you're short on time, skip this step (it's not included in the recipe prep time).
- Cut the tofu into 8 rectangles. I usually cut it in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 4 rectangles.
- Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Use a nonstick skillet to prevent sticking if desired, but the recipe works with stainless steel and other types of skillets too.
- Add the tofu planks to the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- In the meantime, whisk together the maple syrup, soy sauce, Dijon, and garlic.
- Pour the maple marinade into the pan. Cook for another 5 to 7 minutes until the marinade is thickened into a glaze. I recommend using a spoon to baste the tofu by spooning some of the sauce over the planks a couple of times during the cooking process. You may also want to rotate/swirl the pan to evenly distribute the glaze once or twice while it's cooking.
- Once thickened, remove the tofu from heat. Serve with extra sauce drizzled on top. Enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- This tastes great with rice, quinoa, or farro and steamed or roasted vegetables, such as broccoli or green beans. You can even make it in advance and add it cold or warm to bowls or salads.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet with a little oil until warmed through.
- Sub tamari or coconut aminos if you want to make it gluten-free.
- It’s easy to double this recipe to serve more people. Just be sure to use a large enough skillet so that the tofu doesn’t overlap.
- The size of tofu blocks can vary. If you only have 12 ounces tofu and not 14, the recipe still works great.
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