Miso Baked Tofu with Lemon and Garlic

With a delicious marinade that includes miso paste, lemon, garlic, and tarragon, these baked tofu steaks are a joy to eat.

You've got umami from the miso. You've got zing from the lemon. The garlic and tarragon add levels of flavour that will make this a go-to recipe in your vegan and gluten-free repertoire.

If you're in the market for more tofu goodness, check out this grilled teriyaki tofu, braised tofu in red wine, and vegan pancetta.

Why you'll love it

• You'll need just seven ingredients
• Once baked, the pieces have a satisfying texture
• It's a great example of how you can make tofu taste amazing
• You can marinate the pieces ahead of time for up to several hours

Recipe testing notes

Oven cooking time: This may vary slightly depending on your oven and the water content of your tofu.

Dried tarragon: It may seem like a strange addition, but dried tarragon is one of my favourite herbs and I think it works really well with the lemon and garlic here (see also these recipes for creamy tempeh pasta and mushroom couscous).

Salt: Miso paste is quite a salty ingredient, so there's no need to add any more to the marinade.

Sheet-pan meal: To take this recipe and turn it into more of a meal, increase the marinade amounts and throw in a load of veg that will cook in a similar amount of time. For example, you could add sliced pepper, sliced courgette, halved mushrooms, and par-boiled potatoes.

Which tofu is best for baking?

For baked tofu recipes such as this one, I'd recommend using firm or extra-firm tofu. Depending on the variety, you may want to press some of the water out before combining with the marinade ingredients (see recipe notes).

If you love tofu and are always on the lookout for new ways to use it in your cooking, check out some of these personal favourites of mine: 👇

What is miso?

Miso is a fermented soy bean paste with a deep umami flavour. When combined with the lemon, garlic, and tarragon in this recipe, you'll have a powerful marinade that results in some truly delicious baked tofu.

If you're new to the world of miso paste and fancy giving it a go in other dishes, here are a few suggestions from me:

What you'll need

You'll be glad to know that the list of ingredients is pretty compact – here's what you'll need:

• Tofu as the star of the show (firm or extra-firm)
• Miso paste for its deep umami notes
• Lemon juice for citrus zing
• Garlic granules for added flavour
• Dried tarragon for a subtle herbiness
• Olive oil to help the marinade coat the pieces

How to make baked tofu in lemon-miso marinade

Drain the tofu and cut into even slices approx. 1.5 cm (½-¾ inch) thick. This gave me 6 slices, but you may end up with more or less depending on the shape of your tofu block.

Pat the pieces dry with kitchen towel to remove any excess water.

If you're not using extra-firm tofu, you may want to press it before slicing to remove more of the water content.

To a wide bowl or plate with a rim, combine the miso paste, lemon juice, garlic granules, dried tarragon, and 1 tablespoon of the oil.

Mix well, using a fork if necessary to help break down the miso paste, until you have a thick marinade.

Once combined, add the tofu slices and coat well on all sides.

The marinade is quite thick, so it helps to get stuck in with your fingers here.

Once coated, add a touch of freshly ground black pepper to each slice.

Marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, but ideally several hours if you have time.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).

Drizzle a little oil over a baking sheet and add the tofu slices.

Bake for around 25 minutes or until golden and slightly crispy, turning the pieces over halfway through and brushing with any leftover marinade.

If your tofu needs slightly longer, continue to check on it every few minutes until you're happy with it.

Once golden and slightly crispy, remove from the oven and serve.

Serving suggestions

In the funny ol' world of food blogging, it's common to batch up various recipes and shoot the photos at the same time. And, since nothing ever gets wasted around here, it can result in some *ahem* interesting meals during photo shoots.

Most of the time, the combinations aren't something you'd want to actually present to a reader. But in this case, I would 100% recommend trying the baked tofu along with mashed potatoes and lemon herb tahini sauce.

Might sound a bit random, but 'twas very enjoyable.

You could also have this in wraps or sandwiches, or along with other side dishes such as boiled rice, potato salad, vegan Waldorf salad, vegan dauphinoise potatoes, roast potatoes, and couscous salad.

Instead of the dressing mentioned above, check out these recipes for vegan lime crema and vegan raita with cucumber and mint.

Recipe FAQ

Variations and tips for miso baked tofu

• Garlic granules: The flavour of these isn't as strong as garlic powder, so if using powder you'll want to go with slightly less.
• Other herbs: If you don't have tarragon, you could try another herb such as basil or parsley.
• Heat: To give the marinade a bit of a kick, add chopped fresh chilli or a dash of your favourite hot sauce.
• Leftover marinade: If you have any left over, you can save it for other meals such as stir-fries or stews.

More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:

You can also check out my full list of vegan mains.

Social follow

🌱 Follow along @thepeskyvegan on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.

Further reading

📩 Fancy keeping in touch? Subscribe to my weekly newsletter.

📖 Find out more about my story.

🍽️ Want to get straight to the food? Hop aboard the recipe train.

🌿 Got a question about veganism? You might find the answer in these vegan FAQs.