Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets
These Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets are massively meaty, full of balsamic-tomato-garlic-y flavor thanks to a delicious tofu marinade, and very easy to make! Our easy balsamic tofu recipe is meal-prep and freezer-friendly and pairs beautifully with pasta, on a sandwich, or straight off the baking sheet.
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[This is the 3rd recipe in our tofu cutlet series. Click here to see all of them!]
Way back in May, I bought a bottle of balsamic vinegar with dreams of creating all types of summery balsamic delights for the blog (and, you know, my mouth).
And then, what always happens happened. Summer arrived in all its beach-bronzed (haha, jk, I don’t do sun) and cocktail-by-the-pool (ok, guilty on that one) glory and suddenly, it’s Labor Day Weekend, and I’m like…WHERE DID THE TIME GO?!
If this situation doesn’t sound familiar to you, who are you and will you please teach me your ways?
Anyway, getting back to the point, I realized in this moment that my forgotten bottle of balsamic vinegar would be a heavenly addition to a tofu marinade for our cutlet series.
And here we are…
Just look at all that gorgeous crispy-on-the-outside / meaty-on-the-inside + PACKED with so much flavor decadence. Pin this one to the “meal prep staples” board, my friends. I have a feeling it’s going to become a regular in your house!
Click here to Pin this post for later.
Ingredients for Balsamic Tomato Tofu
Obviously, the main ingredient in this recipe is extra-firm tofu (Note: not silken tofu).
These Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets are made with the exact same freeze / press / marinate / bake method as our other tofu cutlet recipes, just with different ingredients for the garlicky balsamic marinade.
Here, we’ll walk you through the ingredients you need along with some notes to ensure you achieve the best results. The full recipe with ingredient amounts can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
The simple ingredients you’ll need for the marinade are:
- Balsamic vinegar – In a pinch, you can use balsamic vinaigrette if needed.
- Tomato paste
- Fresh garlic – Feel free to load it up with garlic if you’re a big fan (we are!). You could potentially replace this with garlic powder if needed, but you’d have to play around with the amounts.
- Extra virgin olive oil – Use the good quality stuff here! This adds a deep savory flavor to your cutlets.
- Vegan chicken bouillon powder – You can use store-bought bouillon, but we HIGHLY recommend trying our homemade bouillon powder because it will actually change your life and is stupid-easy.
- Spice Cabinet – Salt, pepper, and dried (or fresh) basil to round it all out!
With this combo of flavors, how can you go wrong?
Oil-Free Note: You can sub water for the olive oil in the marinade, but be aware this will change the texture of the tofu. You also may need to cook the tofu a little longer, as the water adds excess liquid.
How to Make Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets
If this is the first tofu cutlet recipe you’ve made from our site or your first time using the “freeze + press” method for preparing tofu, you may want to check out some of the awesome info in our first two posts of the series: lemon pepper tofu cutlets // sweet chili tofu cutlets.
Step 1: Prep your tofu.
You’ll prep the tofu to start. This part is super important to the texture of the final product! We have a full explanation of this method (and why it works so well!) in our How to Make Tofu Taste Like Chicken post, but we’ll summarize the process for you here!
Place the whole tofu container (do not open it) in the freezer overnight. In the morning, remove it from the freezer and set it in a shallow dish on your counter to thaw. This will take several hours.
When the tofu is thawed, squeeze it gently over the sink and press tofu with a tofu press or on paper towels with a heavy object on top to remove any excess water.
Step 2: Marinate the tofu.
Place your block of tofu on a cutting board and slice it into 8 equal “cutlets”. I do this by slicing it in half, then slicing those halves in half, then cutting each of those slices in half.
Alternatively, you can turn this recipe into crispy cubes of tofu, but making tofu cubes will affect the cooking time.
Mix up all the ingredients for the simple marinade in a small bowl with a whisk or large fork. Pour the marinade over your tofu cutlets, making sure they are all nice and coated. Place them in your fridge for at least an hour or overnight.
Step 3: Bake the tofu.
When you’re ready to bake your marinated tofu, preheat your oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cutlets on this baking sheet, about an inch or so apart. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
Depending on the thickness / brand of extra firm tofu you’re using, you may want to flip and cook them another 10 – 20 minutes until they are browned and meaty. We end up cooking ours an extra 10 most times.
Finally, let your cutlets cool slightly before slicing them up for all your salads or pasta or bowls throughout the week. They will firm a bit as they cool.
How to Serve These Tofu Cutlets
My favorite way to eat these irresistible Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets is straight off the pan, but they also make a great addition to:
- A giant bowl of pasta with marinara, creamy garlic sauce, or aglio e olio
- On a sandwich with crispy bread and vegan mozzarella
- With a big Caesar salad and hefty slice of garlic bread
- In a Vegan Chicken Bacon Ranch wrap or salad!
How to Store Leftover Crispy Tofu
Store leftover balsamic tomato tofu in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freezer for up to 12 weeks.
Since these cutlets are such a staple in our kitchen, I will usually marinate a large batch of them at a time, separate them into several containers and freeze them in the marinade BEFORE baking.
This makes it easy for me to defrost and pop a batch in the oven for an easy meal when I need one. AND I’ve found it gives them an even better texture. Highly recommend this method!
More Tofu Recipes:
I have a feeling these cutlets are going to be the key to sooo many of the cozy fall dinners we plan to make in the coming months. We can’t wait to see what you do with them too!
When you make these balsamic tomato tofu cutlets, be sure to let us know! You can rate the recipe and leave a comment below or tag us in your tofu-licious creations on Instagram. If you’re not already following along there, we’re @theplantpowercouple with the “the”.
We hope you enjoy this one, friends. Until next time!
Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets
Ingredients
- 1 16- oz block extra firm tofu
- 1/4 cup olive oil see notes for oil-free
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste + 1 Tbsp warm water
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 Tbsp vegan chicken bouillon powder
- 2 - 3 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- PREP THE TOFU: First, freeze your tofu: Place the whole container (do not open it) in the freezer overnight. In the morning, remove it from the freezer and set it in a shallow dish on your counter to thaw. This will take several hours. When the tofu is thawed, squeeze it gently over the sink and press it with a tofu press or on paper towels to remove any excess liquid.
- MARINATE THE TOFU: Place your tofu on a cutting board and slice it into 8 equal “cutlets”. I do this by slicing it in half, then slicing those halves in half, then cutting each of those slices in half. Place the cutlets in a shallow dish or container and mix the rest of the ingredients in a large measuring cup with a fork. This is your marinade; pour it over the cutlets, making sure they are all nice and coated. Cover + place them in your fridge for at least an hour or overnight.*
- BAKE THE TOFU: When you’re ready to bake your cutlets, preheat your oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cutlets on this baking sheet. Bake at 350F for 40 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Depending on the thickness / brand of tofu you’re using, you may want to flip and cook them another 10 - 20 minutes until they are browned and meaty. We end up cooking ours an extra 10 most times.
- SERVE: Finally, let your cutlets cool slightly before slicing them up for all your salads or pasta or bowls throughout the week. They will firm a bit as they cool. You can store them in an air-tight container in the fridge or freeze them for up to 8 weeks!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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