Lemon tofu – Lazy Cat Kitchen

Today’s recipe for lemon tofu is dead simple, it features only six commonly available ingredients (plus salt and pepper) and makes a great addition to your savoury meals. This lemon tofu is fresh, zingy, herbaceous and perfect for warmer weather, I add it to salads, pastas and bean stews to increase the dish’s protein content and to add another texture too.

I love combining this lemon tofu’s bright flavour with other Spring and Summer flavours, like this asparagus salad with a dill dressing so addictive that I could eat with a spoon, I swear. Don’t get me wrong I don’t always go to the trouble of marinating my tofu in anything other than soy sauce, but as much as I love my Asian-inspired meals, sometimes I feel like a change and this is where this lemon tofu comes in. It goes with so many flavours, it’s bright and crispy.

It goes nicely with a simple bean salad, it mnakes a great bean stew or creamy pasta topper too. I can be made in advance and eaten throughout the week. I hope you’ll give this lemon tofu recipe a go and that it will become a mainstay in your house too.

MORE ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

TOFU: I used two blocks of extra firm tofu for this dish. I recommend either extra firm or firm, the type that needs pressing (not silken tofu, which looks like custard and can also be confusing labelled as firm). I used Super Firm tofu from Sainsbury’s and I pressed it well using a tofu press.

LEMON: Lemon is a key ingredient here. I used the zest of two unwaxed lemons and a half cup (120 ml) of freshly squeezed juice. It may seem like a lot of lemon juice but I wanted a prominent lemon flavour and it does mellow out during baking, trust me!

NUTRITIONAL YEAST: Nutritional yeast is such a great flavour enhancer so using it in this recipe was a no brainer. It gives this lemon tofu some depth of flavour, it also sticks to the tofu pieces and gives them nice crispiness after baking.

SALT & PEPPER: I wanted the flavours of these lemon tofu pieces to be clean so that’s why I used salt dissolved in lemon juice to season the tofu rather than soy sauce. I also added a bit of pepper to enhance the flavour and add a touch of subtle heat.

GARLIC POWDER: Lemon and garlic are such flavour companions that it would be rude not to pair them up here. I used powdered garlic as it’s less prone to burning in the oven.

OREGANO: Lemon and oregano (and garlic) is a beautiful flavour pairing that reminds me of Greece! I used good dried quality oregano that I crushed between my fingers when adding to the marinade. Sage or thyme or rosemary or a combination of all four would also be good, I think.

OLIVE OIL: Olive oil is an essential marinade ingredient as keeps the tofu moist while baking and also allows the surface to crisp up nicely.

HOW TO MAKE IT?

1) MAKE THE MARINADE

Put all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined.

2) MARINATE THE TOFU

Cut pressed tofu into equal size pieces. I cut mine into triangles but squares or cubes also work well. Coat the tofu pieces in the marinade. Leave it to marinate for several hours if possible to absorb all of the moisture and flavour from the marinade.

3) BAKE (OR FRY)

Spread the tofu on a lined baking tray and bake in a hot oven until golden on both sides, depending on the size of your pieces this could take between 30-45 minutes. If you wish to fry the tofu, dust it with a thin layer of cornstarch (shake off any excess) and fry on a preheated oil until browned on both sides. It’s important not too overcrowd the pan so you will need to fry the tofu in batches for best results.

This Spring-inspired (I know it’s June already but doesn’t feel like it yet) asparagus salad with a deliciously creamy dill dressing is an example of how you can use this lemon tofu to create a delicious, filling and nourishing meal. If you would like to make it, you’ll find the recipe here.