Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets

These Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets are crazy meaty, full of balsamic-tomato-garlic flavor thanks to a dynamite tofu marinade, and very easy to make! They are meal-prep and freezer-friendly and pair beautifully with pasta, on a sandwich, or straight off the pan. 


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[This is the 3rd recipe in our tofu cutlet series. Click here to see all of them!]

One spring, 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).

Next thing I know, it’s winter and I’m like…WHERE DID THE TIME GO?!

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 using The Tofu Freezer Trick.

And now, here we are…

Just look at all that gorgeous crispy-on-the-outside / meaty-on-the-inside + PACKED with flavor decadence.

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These Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets are crazy meaty, full of balsamic-tomato-garlic-y flavor thanks to a dynamite tofu marinade, and very easy to make! They are meal-prep and freezer-friendly and pair beautifully with pasta, on a sandwich, or straight off the pan. #vegan #tofu #balsamic #plantbased #veganrecipes #tofurecipes // plantpowercouple.com

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 // tequila lime tofu cutlets.

Two photos showing the first two steps of making crispy balsamic tofu cutlets: First, mix the marinade. Then, pour the marinade over the sliced tofu.
Two photos showing balsamic tomato tofu cutlets on a parchment-lined baking sheet before and after baking

These Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets are made with the exact same method:

First, freeze your tofu.

Next, defrost, press, and marinate the tofu until flavorful. (We call this The Tofu Freezer Trick.)

Finally, slow-bake the tofu to meaty perfection.

Overhead shot of all the ingredients you need to make crispy balsamic baked tofu: frozen and defrosted extra firm tofu, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, bouillon powder, salt, pepper, dried basil, tomato paste, and water.

The only change here is the marinade ingredients. The ingredients we’re going to use here are:

  • Balsamic vinegar (duh)
  • Tomato paste
  • Fresh garlic – If you’re a big garlic fan like we are, feel free to load it up!
  • Olive oil – Use the good stuff here!
  • Chicken(less) bouillon powder – You can use store-bought bouillon, but we HIGHLY recommend trying our homemade version because it will actually change your life and is stupid-easy.
  • 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.

These Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets are crazy meaty, full of balsamic-tomato-garlic-y flavor thanks to a dynamite tofu marinade, and very easy to make! They are meal-prep and freezer-friendly and pair beautifully with pasta, on a sandwich, or straight off the pan. #vegan #tofu #balsamic #plantbased #veganrecipes #tofurecipes // plantpowercouple.com

How to Serve These Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets

While my favorite way to eat these irresistible Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets is straight off the pan (with a glass of sangiovese in hand), here are a few other serving ideas:

I have a feeling these cutlets are going to be the key to sooo many of the cozy dinners we plan to make in the months ahead. 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!

Yield: 8 cutlets

Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets

These Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets are crazy meaty, full of balsamic-tomato-garlic-y flavor thanks to a dynamite tofu marinade, and very easy to make! They are meal-prep and freezer-friendly and pair beautifully with pasta, on a sandwich, or straight off the pan. #vegan #tofu #balsamic #plantbased #veganrecipes #tofurecipes // plantpowercouple.com

These Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets are crazy meaty, full of balsamic-tomato-garlic-y flavor thanks to a dynamite tofu marinade, and very easy to make! They are meal-prep and freezer-friendly and pair beautifully with pasta, on a sandwich, or straight off the pan.

Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 day 50 minutes

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. 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.*
  3. 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.
  4. 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!

Notes

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.

*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 salads each week, AND I’ve found it gives them an even better texture. Highly recommend this method!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4 servings

Serving Size:

2 cutlets

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 230Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 336mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 12g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and may not always be accurate.

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These Balsamic Tomato Tofu Cutlets are crazy meaty, full of balsamic-tomato-garlic-y flavor thanks to a dynamite tofu marinade, and very easy to make! They are meal-prep and freezer-friendly and pair beautifully with pasta, on a sandwich, or straight off the pan. #vegan #tofu #balsamic #plantbased #veganrecipes #tofurecipes // plantpowercouple.com

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19 Comments

  1. What a timely recipe! Our tomatoes are plentiful. Always looking for new ways to use them. These Balsamic tomato tofu cutlets are perfect for a main course or cut up smaller for snacks.
    1. Hi, Beth! We're going for 8 equal rectangles. You want to lie the tofu flat on its largest side (surface-area-wise) and cut it into eight slices from left to right. The slices are usually about 3/4 to 1 inch in thickness. I hope that helps! Let me know if I can clarify more. :)
  2. I made this recipe probably once every 2 or 3 weeks now, it has absolutely become a staple for me! The tofu comes out perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Extremely easy but very flavourful. Keeps great for meal-prep. Highly recommend :)
  3. Hi.. this recipe makes tofu taste amazing! Was wondering if you have tried this with tempeh as well? Would it pair good?
  4. These were delicious! I left out the oil and just added 2 tsps of broth and these turned out great. I was so surprised at the chewy texture of these! I ate them on a salad with balsamic dijon dressing.
    1. Hi, Issa. Freezing the tofu helps to change the texture of the tofu to help it mimic the texture of chicken more easily. We have a link about midway through this post to "the tofu freezer trick" that takes you to an article I wrote explaining how the process works and why. If you want to get the same meaty results you see here, you'll definitely want to freeze the tofu. Hope this helps!
  5. When you make these in batches to freeze before cooking, what’s your process? Freeze, thaw, press, slice, coat in marinade and then Re freeze? I’d love to have more ready made proteins or semi ready made in my freezer so I would appreciate details on this process! Thanks!
    1. You've got it right, Melody! The only thing I would suggest is letting the sliced tofu sit in the marinade at least an hour before putting it back in the freezer so the flavors really settle in.
  6. This looks promising. I am in the middle of making it right now. Pro tip: Definitely double off the marinade. The recipe as it’s written is just not enough for a cutlets. I’m looking looking for This looks promising. I am in the middle of making it right now. Pro tip: Definitely double the marinade. The recipe as written is just not enough for eight cutlets. I’m looking forward to tasting it tomorrow night.

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