Grilled Tofu Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

It is really easy to make a flavorful tofu steak, by using this spicy, smoky marinade. We also show you 4 WAYS(!) to grill tofu slices until they get a crispy crust. Serve it with a refreshing chimichurri sauce, baked baby potatoes and garlicky roasted asparagus. It is a perfect feast for dinner.

Do you need more flavorful tofu recipes? One of our favorites is this copycat Chipotle sofritas. We also spiced up our crispy rice paper spring rolls with delicious shredded Hoisin tofu. Oh, and you must try these grilled buffalo tofu skewers and our Chinese BBQ tofu burger. Check out all of our vegan tofu recipes.

What to expect from this recipe?

A lot of people find it challenging to season tofu. They say it is hard because tofu tastes too bland. That is true. You need a lot of spices, seasoning, or marinade to make it tasty.

Some people don’t like this comparison, but meat and tofu are the same when it comes to seasoning. Nobody likes meat au naturel or only with salt and pepper, right? Well, nobody really likes plain raw tofu too. So it is essential for you to pick a flavorful marinade. Here is a list of the most flavorful tofu marinades that will turn you into a tofu lover.

In this tofu steak recipe, we thought about how to flavor tofu like beef and therefore, we used our cauliflower steak and our vegan Philly cheesesteak as inspirations. We wanted to have a spicy, smoky beefsteak-like seasoning.

We added sweet smoked paprika powder, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and a bit of balsamic vinegar to get it smoky, dried oregano, cumin, onion, and garlic powder to make it flavorful, and chili flakes to give it an extra kick.

Ingredients

First of all, you need to prepare the marinade for this grilled tofu steak recipe. Here is the list of ingredients we used:

• Tofu -> We recommend using a firm or extra-firm tofu. Since it is a grilling recipe, you can also use smoked tofu, it would give an additional charcoaled taste for sure.
• Soy sauce -> Sadly it is not gluten-free. If you need a compliant alternative, choose 1 of these 5 gluten-free soy sauce substitutes like tamari or liquid aminos.
• Worcestershire sauce -> Yes, there are vegan and gluten-free brands
• Balsamic vinegar -> While vinegar is usually gluten-free, be sure to check the label.
• Olive oil
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Sweet smoked paprika powder
• Dried oregano
• Ground cumin
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Liquid smoke (optional) -> If you want to enhance the charcoaled flavor.

🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Instructions

Marinating tofu

1. After you pressed the tofu cut them into 1-inch thick slices (approx. 2 cm). If you use a 12-oz block (approx. 340g) then cut it in half horizontally.
2. Take an oven-safe shallow glass bowl and layer the tofu slices in one layer.
3. Pour the marinade on them and gently mix them. We use a silicone brush or a spoon to make sure it is thoroughly covered.
4. Let the tofu marinate for 15 minutes.

Grilling tofu steaks in 4 ways

In a grill pan

1. Heat the grill pan over medium-high heat and add a bit of oil or dairy-free butter.
2. Place the marinated tofu steaks on it leaving a small space in between them.
3. Fry both sides for approx. 2-3 minutes.

Under the broiler

1. Preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
2. Take a baking tray with a grill rack and spray or sprinkle the grids with a bit of oil.
3. Place the tofu steak slices on top. Leave some space in between.
4. Place the tray close to the broiler.
5. Grill them under the broiler for 8-10 minutes, turning them at halftime.

On a gas grill

1. Our little trick is to use aluminum foil drip pans* or grill mats*. This way you can be sure they don’t fall down even if you have large space between grids.
2. Spray or sprinkle the drip pans with a bit of oil. Grill mats are supposed to be non-stick.
3. Pre-heat your gas grill to 400 Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) and grill the marinated tofu slices for 8-10 minutes, turning them at halftime.

On a Blackstone or griddle

1. They can be super hot super quick as they have a completely flat surface, unlike grill racks. So preheat your Blackstone to 300 Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius).
2. Spray or sprinkle it with a bit of oil. If you have a non-stick griddle, you don’t need to do that.
3. Grill your tofu steaks for 4-5 minutes, turning them at halftime.

Top tips to make them perfect

• Try freezing them – Have you heard of freezing tofu to get a chewy and firm texture? It should be done after pressing the tofu. Freeze it overnight, let it thaw in the refrigerator, pat it dry with a paper towel, and use it afterward. If you prefer meatier tofu, then you should definitely try it.
• Marinate overnight – It is a relatively thin marinade so after pressing the tofu it will soak up the juices nicely. The longer it is sitting in the marinade, the more flavors it can absorb.
• Use high heat – You need high heat to create a crispy crust. It doesn’t have to be cooked all the way through so to speak.

What to serve with them?

Side dishes

Several side dishes pair perfectly with these spicy tofu steaks. But in this recipe, we added some baked baby potatoes and garlicky roasted asparagus (pictured). Other delicious combinations are:

• Roasted veggies like asparagus, mushrooms, carrots, green beans, broccoli, and other leafy greens
• Roasted or fried potato, or sweet potato
• Riced sweet potato
• Potato salad
• Easy vegan coleslaw
• Wedge Salad or other fresh garden salad
• Vegan mashed potatoes
• Vegan scalloped potatoes
• Vegan risotto
• Creamy polenta
• Rice or quinoa or couscous (Note: Couscous is not gluten-free)

Sauces

We really love to serve these grilled tofu steaks with Chimichurri Sauce, because the fresh tangy parsley sauce perfectly balances the spiciness of the tofu marinade. Other delicious sauces you can try:

• Green peppercorn sauce (we have it in our Cauliflower Steak recipe)
• Vegan spinach pesto
• Vegan BBQ sauce
• Vegan tzatziki sauce (we have it in our Vegan Gyros recipe)
• Vegan steak sauce from Veggies Don’t Bite
• Vegan garlic mushroom sauce from Veggie Rose

FAQs

How to store it?

If you want to make the marinated tofu ahead of time, let it sit in the marinade overnight and grill it the next day. Once grilled it can be stored in an airtight container in a fridge for up to 3-4 days at most.

Can you freeze it?

We don’t recommend freezing tofu after grilling or frying as the texture will completely change. If you want to use frozen tofu to make this recipe you can expect to be a more chewy, gummy texture. People who want the tofu to resemble meat like to freeze tofu before starting with any recipe.

Allergen info

This Tofu Steak recipe is meat-free, dairy-free, and egg-free.

• Vegan – All ingredients are supposed to be vegan. The only ingredient you need to pay attention to is Worcestershire sauce as not all brands are vegan.
• Nut-free – All ingredients are supposed to be nut-free but check for cross-contamination info on all packaging you need to use.
• WFPB-friendly (whole foods plant-based) – It is really hard to make it compliant since the marinade contains oil. You should choose other oil-free tofu marinades before trying to substitute oil in this one.
• Gluten-free – Soy sauce is not gluten-free, so you need to use tamari, liquid aminos, or other substitutes. Worcestershire sauce is also not always gluten-free. If you choose unseasoned tofu, then that should be gluten-free, but smoked and flavored tofu you should watch out for. All other ingredients are supposed to be gluten-free but always look for the certified label.
• Soy-free – Since tofu is the main ingredient in this vegan steak recipe, you cannot really skip that to make it soy-free.

More vegan tofu recipes

For more inspiration check out the most flavorful tofu marinades or browse through all of our vegan tofu recipes or

More vegan grilling recipes

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UPDATED: This recipe was originally posted in July 2021. More tips, info, and FAQs were added, and it was republished in July 2022.