Balsamic Glazed Tofu

I really love Tofu as you have probably noticed!  I am a big fan of Tofu’s clean taste and ability to absorb so many different flavors.  I am always looking for different ways to prepare Grilled Tofu.  I am a big fan of Balsamic Vinegar!  I love everything about it, it’s a staple in my house.  I always dress my salads with a simple Balsamic and Extra Virgin Olive Oil dressing.  Salad dressing is not the only thing you can do with Balsamic Vinegar.  It works really well for Tofu!

I use Balsamic Vinegar as a base for the tofu marinade which is then turned into a delicious glaze!  This Tofu is really tasty.  I have been playing around with the recipe for a few months and I think I finally got it right!  This Balsamic Glazed Tofu has a slightly tangy taste with a touch of sweetness.  It can be made grilled or baked, I tried both ways and both turn out really tasty!  Like I said earlier the tofu marinade does not go to waste because it is reduced into a scrumptious glaze! 

This Tofu is great served in a number of ways.  I like to serve it with a grain and a vegetable side or chopped over a salad.  This tofu recipe is great for the summer time when you are looking to fire up the grill even though it’s winter now!  Here’s the recipe:

Balsamic Glazed Tofu
Grilled Version serves about 2-3 people, Baked Version serves about 3-4 people.

1 pound Extra-Firm Tofu, drained and pressed

For the Marinade/Glaze
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1/2 – 1 Tablespoon Agave nectar (This depends on how sweet you like it, if you like it more sweeter use ! tablespoon or more.
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves of garlic smashed
A Pinch of Thyme, Oregano, Rosemary, and Marjoram. (Feel free to use any of your favorite herbs or leave them out completely if you wish)

You can Cut the Tofu anyway you like, I like to cut it into triangles or slabs.
For Triangles
Cut the Tofu in half diagonally. Now take the two tofu triangles and cut them into three triangles each. For the baked Tofu, cut it into 4 triangles each. You should get 6 triangles for the grilled tofu and 8 for the baked tofu.
For Slabs
Cut the Tofu width-wise into 5-6 pieces for grilled tofu and 7-8 pieces for the baked tofu.

After you have the cut the tofu, mix all the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl.  I like to marinade the tofu in an 8 by 8 baking pan.  Pour the Marinade over the tofu.   Marinade the tofu for at least an hour.  Turn it  halfway through.  The longer you marinade it the better!

When the Tofu has marinated take the tofu out and set it aside. Strain the marinade to remove the garlic. Preheat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the Marinade mixture to the saucepan. Bring it to a boil. You want to keep it on a medium simmer. Cook the marinade for about 10 minutes until it starts to thicken and look like a glaze. Remember to keep stirring unless you have a non-stick saucepan. You want to keep an eye on it to prevent it from burning, it happened to me once so that’s why I bring it up. I actually burned a saucepan from doing this a while back!

For Grilled Tofu
Preheat a Cast-iron grill pan to medium-high heat. When it is hot, place the tofu on the cast iron grill pan. Grill the Tofu about 2-3 minutes per side. If your tofu is cut into slabs, grill the tofu 1-2 minutes per side and then turn it 90 degrees to form cross-hatch grill marks. As the Tofu is grilling, brush it with the Balsamic Glaze.

For Baked Tofu
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the tofu on a slightly greased baking sheet. Bake the tofu for about 20 minutes. Then flip it over and bake it for about 10 minutes. Brush it with the glaze towards the end because you don’t want the glaze to burn. If you like a chewier tofu place it under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, make sure to keep an eye for it!

Enjoy!