I love tofu for so many reasons, but here are my top three waste saving reasons you should love it too!
- It lasts longer in the fridge than your other typical proteins like ground meat or chicken.
- Tofu freezes like a dream. I love to marinate firm tofu and freeze it so as to make meal planning throughout the week a little easier. I also prefer the texture of tofu after it is frozen.
- As the cost of groceries rise, tofu is a budget-friendly alternative to my recipe repertoire. It also cooks up quickly which saves time in the kitchen. Any delicious recipe that saves me time in the kitchen cooking, means I am more likely to cook it (eat it) up!
This Garlicky Black Bean Tofu recipe is brilliant in so many ways. Not only is it packed with the flavors of garlic and bold salty, briny, black bean sauce but the perk of lime, ginger, and honey balances everything out. If you are not a super fan of tofu, you got to try this recipe. Beware that it does pack a good Schezuan punch, which I love as an alternative to being super spicy. I make these into little rectangular steaks in the summer and cook over my flaming hot grill with seasonal veggies. Or I marinate them into tiny cubes to have over a rice or grain bowl.
Garlicky Black Bean Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu drained well and cut into cubes or slices (steaks))
- 2 Tbsp black bean sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 Tbsp ground or crushed Schezuan peppercorns
- 5 Kaffir lime leaves, chopped or the zest of 1 lime
- 1/8 cup neutral flavored oil like grapeseed
- 1/8 cup soy or tamari sauce
- 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp honey
Optional Garnishes: chopped green onions or chives, chopped cilantro or Thai basil
Instructions
- After slicing tofu, lay out on a clean tea towel to absorb any extra water while preparing marinade
- In a medium sized bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients to make marinade.
- Marinate tofu steaks in a sealed container for at least 4 hours or up to 4 days in fridge. You can also marinate and freeze in marinade, just defrost in fridge overnight before cooking.
- Remove tofu from marinade, reserving marinade. Over High heat, grill sear tofu a few minutes per side or until browned/seared.
- In a small sauce pot, bring any remaining marinade to a low simmer and reduce if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and/or honey. Pour hot marinade over grilled tofu steaks and serve with optional garnishes.
Love my Garlicky Black Bean Tofu recipe? Try some of our other plant based recipes and follow me on Instagram for more.
