This one-tray oven bake is a delicious Asian-inspired vegan friendly main meal with plenty of protein. Made with busy weeknights in mind, it is very easy and mostly hands-off.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- High protein, oil free and vegan – a nutritious and filling meal.
- Hands off cooking – pop it in the oven and walk away!
- Delicious sticky sweet and spicy flavors.
- Versatile. You can use the tofu as a protein on its own which makes it very handy for meal prep. Omit the broccoli and serve it as the protein in a salad – it would be very tasty with my Asian Baked Cabbage Salad. It’s delicious as a sandwich filling too. Try it in a Vietnamese
- Banh Mi – a crusty baguette, fresh salad veggies, mayo, hoisin sauce and coriander. Heaven!
Ingredients
Here’s a shopping list of everything you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Extra firm tofu. Please make sure to buy extra firm (sometimes called “hard”) tofu. Classic, firm or silken will not work, they will be too soft.
- Orange juice
- Brown rice syrup (or agave syrup, or maple syrup)
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Lemongrass
- Long red chili
- Broccoli
- Cornstarch
- Rice (to serve)
Instructions
This Baked Lemongrass Tofu recipe is really easy. It’s critical to use extra firm tofu so it is hard enough to withstand being pressed and will absorb the marinade well. It’s also important to press the tofu to draw out any excess water – think of tofu like a sponge. We want to squeeze out any existing water within the block so it can soak up as much marinade as possible. After pressing, you just need to chop your veggies and tofu, mix the marinade and bake. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the detailed instructions with timings, temperatures etc. For visual learners, here’s a step-by-step photo guide on how to make this recipe:
Step one: Press the tofu for at least 20 minutes. To do this, wrap the tofu in a clean kitchen towel. Place a heavy object like some books on top and leave for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.
Step two: and slice the tofu into triangles.
Step three: Chop broccoli florets, lemongrass and sliced chili.
Step four: Combine marinade ingredients: orange juice, brown rice syrup, soy sauce, rice vinegar.
Step five: Place broccoli, tofu, chili and lemongrass into a tray.
Step six: Pour the marinade into the tray. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the broccoli is well cooked and tender. Flip halfway through.
Step five: Remove the tofu and broccoli from the tray and set aside. Transfer the remaining marinade liquid to a small saucepan. Add cornstarch to the saucepan and whisk over low heat until the sauce has thickened.
Step six: Serve the tofu and broccoli over cooked rice. Pour the thickened sauce over the tofu and broccoli.
Substitutions and Varations
- Sweeteners: If you don’t have brown rice syrup, you can use agave syrup or maple syrup as a substitute.
- Soy Sauce: Tamari or coconut aminos can be used as a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce.
- Lemongrass: If you can’t find fresh lemongrass, try using 1-2 teaspoons of lemongrass paste.
- Chili: Adjust the amount of chili to suit your heat preference, or leave it out entirely. If you don’t have a fresh chili but still want a bit of heat, you could swap it for a tablespoon of sriracha or half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Broccoli: Swap the broccoli for broccolini or green beans. You can also leave out the vegetables entirely and focus on the tofu (it’s really the star of the show). I will sometimes make only the tofu and use it as a protein for other meals throughout the week like salads or sandwiches.
- Rice: The recipe suggests serving this with plain white rice, but if you’re looking for something a little more flavorful I think it’s delicious with a creamy coconut rice. I like this easy coconut rice recipe from Nagi at Recipe Tin Eats.
Storage
The great thing about this baked tofu is that it is delicious cold as a protein in sandwiches or salads. You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Now, on freezing. This recipe is perfectly safe to freeze, but unless you have tried frozen and thawed tofu before, I would say proceed with caution. Tofu’s texture changes a lot when frozen and thawed, it becomes quite spongey and stringy. It’s actually a technique used to make tofu more meaty (see my Tofu Chicken recipe if you’re curious). If you’re familiar with the consistency and don’t mind it, then of course, freeze away. It will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 months in the freezer.
I hope you enjoy this Baked Lemongrass Tofu recipe – it requires a little bit of prep upfront but then once it’s in the oven, it’s mostly hands off. Let me know what you thought of it by leaving a star rating and review in the comments section (scroll down below the recipe card). You can also tag me on Instagram (I’m @glowdiaries___ and I will reshare your post to stories – always love to see what you’re cooking up 🙂
Baked Lemongrass Tofu with Broccoli
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 21 oz extra-firm tofu pressed and sliced into large triangles; approx. 600g
- 1 cup orange juice fresh or bottled
- 1/2 cup brown rice syrup or sub maple syrup or agave; approx. 170g
- 1/3 cup soy sauce approx. 80ml
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar approx. 80ml
- 1 stalk lemongrass sliced in half lengthwise; then into 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces
- 1 whole red chili thinly sliced; optional
- 1 medium broccoli cut into florets; approx. 12 oz / 350g
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch for thickening sauce
- cooked white rice to serve
Instructions
- Wrap the tofu in a clean kitchen towel and place a heavy object (like a cookbook or skillet) on top. Let sit for at least 20 minutes, or up to 1 hour to remove excess moisture.
- Once pressed, cut the tofu into ½-inch thick slices, then diagonally into large triangles.
- In a medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the orange juice, brown rice syrup, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the tofu triangles and broccoli florets in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Add the lemongrass and sliced chili (if using), then pour the marinade over everything.
- Transfer the tray to the oven and bake for 50–60 minutes, flipping tofu once halfway through, until the broccoli is tender and slightly browned, and the marinade has reduced.
- Remove the tofu and broccoli from the tray and transfer the remaining liquid to a small saucepan. Whisk in the cornstarch and heat over low, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 2–3 minutes).
- Serve: Divide the cooked rice between bowls, top with the tofu and broccoli, and spoon the thickened sauce over everything. Serve warm.
Tine says
loved how the tofu baked up. crunchy outside and tender inside. the sauce was so good too, its sweet, citrusy, with a little kick.