Maple Tofu

Maple glazed tofu on a blue plate stacked on top of each other with extra drizzled glaze.

Sticky tofu is so easy to prepare with a simple marinade made from pantry ingredients and a skillet! This delicious vegan main dish features maple syrup, soy sauce, mustard, and garlic. Serve it as a plant-based option for the holidays or for a quick weeknight dinner with rice and veggies.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 226kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

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

US Customary - Metric

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!
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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.

Nutrition