Do you want to marinate some tofu but find that every recipe you find calls for soy sauce? Do you want a vegetarian option and every tofu marinade without soy sauce calls for something like fish sauce?
If you’re in either of these scenarios, you’ve come to the right place. This tofu marinade doesn’t call for soy sauce, is entirely vegan and offers a delicious way to prepare tofu for your next dinner.
Instead of using soy sauce, the base for this tofu marinade is umami-rich miso paste (an ingredient I also use in my vegetarian pad thai recipe and my olive tapenade recipe!).
Sweetened with a bit of maple syrup and brightened with a touch of lime juice, it comes together in just a few minutes and can transform some bland tofu into a delicious part of your dish that can stand on its own.
The other great thing about this tofu marinade is that the tofu benefits from just a short sit in the marinade, so it doesn’t require a bunch of advance planning.
So if you want to make a quick and easy tofu marinade without any soy sauce, you’ve come to the right place
How to Make Tofu Marinade Without Soy Sauce
If you’re wondering how to cook tofu without soy sauce, this recipe will be delicious.
The first thing you need to do is, in a mixing bowl large enough to hold all of your tofu, add a few tablespoons of miso paste.
Miso is a fermented soy bean paste that has distinct umami flavours and is really delicious. It is the perfect substitution for soy sauce in this recipe.
To your miso, add a bit of lime juice for some acidity and a bit of maple syrup for some sweetness. Go ahead and use honey here if you don’t want to use/don’t have maple syrup.
Then, add in a bit of neutral oil and toasted sesame oil to further boost the flavour. Next, grate in a couple of cloves of garlic using a rasp-style grater.
After that, grate in a bit of fresh ginger. If you don’t have fresh ginger, you can absolutely use dried ground ginger here, but remember to cut the quantity down by 50%.
All you need to do now is pour in a bit of water and then whisk your tofu marinade until all of the miso paste is dissolved in the liquid.
At this point, you should have some firm tofu pressed to drain and cut into small pieces. Add your tofu to the marinade and ensure that it is fully submerged.
Then, you can transfer the marinade to the fridge and allow your tofu to sit in the marinade for at least an hour and up to overnight – the longer it sits the more pronounced the flavour will be. The tofu does benefit from a short stint, however.
After your tofu is done marinating, you can cook it in whatever way you choose.
If you’re not worried about making this vegetarian, the tofu pairs perfectly with my stir-fry sauce without sauce! And if you’re looking for other soy sauce-free Asian recipes, check out my dumpling sauce recipe!
Tofu Marinade Without Soy Sauce
This tofu marinade has similar umami flavours without using any soy sauce. It also happens to be completely vegan!
Ingredients
- 30g (2 tablespoons) light miso paste
- 30ml (2 tablespoons) neutral oil
- 15ml (1 tablespoon) lime juice
- 15ml (1 tablespoon) maple syrup
- 5ml (1 teaspoon) toasted sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 10g (1 teaspoon) fresh ginger, grated
- 80ml (1/3 cup) water
- 400g (14 ounces) firm tofu, drained and cut into small pieces
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add miso, oil, lime juice, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and water. Whisk until well combined and miso completely incorporated into the liquid.
- Add the tofu and ensure that it is fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to overnight.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 83Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 4mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 10g
Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Making a tofu marinade without soy sauce is easy and this recipe is so delicious, that you won’t even miss the soy sauce!
Are you wondering how to cook tofu without soy sauce? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments.
