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This lemon tofu is baked until lightly crisp, then coated in quick and easy homemade lemon garlic sauce. Made with Big Mountain Soy-Free Tofu, this easy plant-based dinner is ready in about 30 minutes and is perfect served over rice for a simple weeknight meal.
If you love this recipe, you might like my Hot Honey Tofu recipe.
Recipe Testing Notes
This recipe took a couple of tries and testing to get the sauce just right. The first time, I made it with dark soy sauce because that’s what I had on hand, but I didn’t get the results I wanted. The sauce turned much darker, and the stronger, salty flavor covered up the fresh lemon.
Regular soy sauce keeps the sauce light in color and lets the lemon be the star, as it should be.
I also tested the sauce using only sugar. It was sweet enough, but it tasted a little flat and didn’t cling to the tofu as well. Adding honey gives the sauce a smoother texture and helps it coat every piece of tofu without making it overly sweet.
Ingredients
This is a brief overview of the ingredients used in this recipe, with substitution ideas when available. Read the recipe card for measurements.
- Big Mountain Soy-Free Tofu: This tofu bakes nicely with crisp edges while staying tender in the middle. I have to use soy-free tofu, but you can use regular tofu for this. Use firm or extra-firm tofu, and you can freeze it beforehand and press it to get rid of extra moisture for a better texture.
- Cornstarch: Coats the tofu before baking for a crisp exterior. It’s also used to thicken the sauce into a glossy coating.
- Regular soy sauce: Adds savory flavor to both the tofu and the sauce. Use regular soy sauce instead of dark soy sauce, which makes the sauce too dark and overpowers the fresh lemon flavor. For a gluten-free option, use tamari.
- Oil: Helps the tofu brown in the oven and helps with cooking the garlic.
- Vegetable broth: Gives the sauce more flavor than water while keeping it light.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds lots of savory flavor that balances the bright lemon.
- Fresh lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives the sauce its bright citrus flavor. Bottled juice works too, but it doesn’t taste quite as fresh. Still very lemony though!
- Sugar: Balances the acidity of the lemon without making the sauce overly sweet.
- Honey: Gives the sauce a smoother texture and helps it cling to the tofu. For a vegan option, try agave syrup.
Jacqueline’s Tips for Making This Recipe
Instructions
Prep Tips:
Pat the tofu dry and slice the block in half. Cut each half into 12 evenly sized squares.
Toss the tofu with the soy sauce, oil, and cornstarch until evenly coated.
Spread the tofu on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 8 minutes. Flip and bake for another 8 minutes until lightly crisp.
While the tofu bakes, cook the garlic in oil until fragrant.
Stir in the vegetable broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, and honey. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
Add the baked tofu and gently toss until every piece is coated.
What to Serve With Lemon Tofu
This lemon tofu is great served with white rice, Instant Pot brown rice, quinoa, or noodles to soak up the extra sauce. Add broccoli, snap peas, green beans, asparagus, or bok choy for an easy meal, or pair it with a simple cucumber salad for something fresh alongside the bright lemon flavors.
Storage
Store leftover lemon tofu in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave until warmed through. The tofu will soften slightly after being stored, but the flavors continue to develop. The sauce will thicken in the fridge. Add a splash of water to loosen it while reheating.
FAQ
Yes, although baking times may vary depending on the moisture content. I tested this recipe using Big Mountain Soy-Free Tofu.
Yes. Replace the honey with agave syrup or maple syrup, although the flavor will change slightly.
More Tofu Recipes
If you’ve made this Lemon Tofu recipe or another recipe on My Plant-Based Bowl, I’d love it if you’d leave a comment with a recipe rating. I’d love to know how you enjoyed it, and ratings help other people know that the recipe is worth trying.
Lemon Tofu
Ingredients
Tofu
- 340 g Big Mountain Soy-Free Tofu, cubed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oil
Lemon Sauce
- ½ cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Toss the tofu with the soy sauce, oil, and cornstarch until evenly coated.
- Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 8 minutes. Flip and bake for another 8 minutes.
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic for about 30 seconds.
- Add the vegetable broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, and honey. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir together the cornstarch and water. Add to the sauce while stirring until thickened.
- Add the baked tofu and gently toss to coat.
- Serve immediately with rice and vegetables if desired.
Video
Notes
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