Simple Roasted Barbeque Tofu

With the summer right around the corner, it’s safe to say that it’s officially BBQ season. Being the plant-based foodies that we are, we decided to whip up this super Simple Roasted Barbecue Tofu recipe that will rock your taste buds. 

Any tofu fans here? For those of you new to tofu, know that it’s a pretty bland food, which makes it great for taking on a range of flavors. It basically soaks in whatever you marinate it in. Depending on how you prepare it, tofu can have a meat like texture that makes it perfect for barbecuing. It is a great source of protein and provides a healthy dose of calcium and manganese. 

Add your favorite vegetables and you’ve got yourself a pretty amazing meal. 

For this recipe, we’ll be making our own BBQ sauce. BBQ sauce is one of those sneaky sources of added sugar. We decided to keep things super simple, and whipped up a 4-ingredient sauce. Ketchup is used as a base. We went with the organic Trader Joe’s one, which is not as processed as the typical ketchup, and has way less sugar. 

To get going, start by pressing the tofu. You can do this by lining a plate with paper towels, and putting your tofu on the paper towels. Then add another layer of paper towels on top of the tofu, and press with something heavy (ie: canned beans, tomato sauce jars, etc). Let it press for at least 1 hour. Now let’s make our simple BBQ sauce. Add the rest of the ingredients to a small sauce pan, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes and set aside.

Slice the tofu into 5-6 large rectangles once it is pressed. Add the tofu slices to a bowl, and pour the barbecue sauce in. Gently coat each tofu slice with a spoon, and let this marinate for at least an hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and add each tofu slice (do not discard the extra barbecue sauce!). Bake for for 20 minutes. flip over, and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the tofu edges are browned. Brush the remaining barbecue sauce onto the tofu and serve with on a salad bowl, with your favorite grains, or in a sandwich!

For our salad bowl, we added roasted carrots, broccoli & beets, cooked quinoa, raw tomatoes, scallions, sesame seeds. What other healthy BBQ staples will you be bringing to that summer hangout? Let us know what you think of our Simple Roasted Barbecue Tofu in the comments below!