Miso Tofu

The Miso Tofu Marinade in this recipe will turn you into a tofu lover, if you're not already. This dish is perfect with a side of vegetables or a light salad, and it's also a fantastic hors d'oeuvre!

This is by far the most delicious tofu I've ever tasted -- and it's 100% about the miso tofu marinade with garlic and ginger. We're talking crazy good, can't-stop-eating-it good, super-sad-when-it's-gone good.

There are few things that make the marinade work so well. First, removing moisture from the tofu before adding it. Two, the marinating time. And three, the ingredients in the marinade. 

Miso Tofu with Garlic and Ginger is not only caramelized to perfection, it's also crispy along the edges, adding another texture to the dish.

This is an easy recipe to put together -- the active work time is only 25 minutes. The rest is marinating time.

The Key Ingredients

These are only the ingredients I want to add a bit of helpful information about -- there are a few other ingredients also, which you'll see in the recipe card below.

• extra firm tofu - Since the tofu is marinated for an extended period of time in this recipe, using a very firm tofu is important so it doesn't fall apart.
• Shiro miso paste - Miso is a traditional Japanese ingredient made by fermenting soybeans. There are three main types of miso paste: white, or Shiro miso, red or Aka miso, and yellow or Shinshu miso. All of them have a delicious salty-sweet, umami flavor and creamy texture. White is the most mild, sometimes called sweet or mellow, and it's ideal for this miso tofu recipe. If you would like to use yellow or red, you can, just keep in mind both are saltier than white miso, with a stronger, more pungent flavor. I would use a bit less of the yellow and about half of the red, which is the strongest. You can learn more about miso here.
• Ponzu sauce - Substitution: You can substitute the Ponzu with ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce + 2 tablespoons lime juice.
• Mirin - This is a sweet rice wine and you should be able to find it in any Asian market and is many larger grocery stores. Substitutes: Some good substitutes for Mirin include sake with a touch of sugar, cream sherry, and vermouth.
• unseasoned rice vinegar - Made from fermented rice, this adds a subtly sweet and tart flavor to the marinade. (Be sure not to use sweetened rice vinegar.) Substitutes: White wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar are good substitutes.
• fresh ginger - Fresh ginger root should be firm and feel heavy for their size.
• fresh garlic - Look for firm heads of garlic without any soft spots or green shoots, which are an indication it's old and likely bitter. Raw garlic cloves should be firm without any dark spots.

These are fairly common Asian ingredients that should be in most major grocery stores, but it they're not, just about every Asian market will carry them.

Is Miso paste gluten-free? Most brands of miso paste are not gluten-free as they may contain grains that are not. However, there are several brands that are. Here are a few: Cold Mountain, Hikari and Eden. (I use Cold Mountain and it’s excellent.)

How to Make Miso Tofu

- Remove the tofu from the package and set it on a double layer of paper towels (or a tea towel). Place another double layer on top and gently press all sides of the tofu block to remove as much moisture as possible.

Recipe Tip: Do not skip drying the tofu! Doing this enables the tofu to better soak up the marinade, and will ensure crispness when it's cooked.

- Now cut the tofu block into approximately 1½ inch cubes, placing them on a new double layer of paper towels as you go. Place yet another double layer on top of the cubes and gently press down.

Recipe Tip: I find the tofu is best about when it's cut into about 1½ inch cubes. Every part of them becomes so flavorful -- all the way to the center of the tofu pieces. If they're much bigger, the flavor might not be quite as strong.

- Grate the the garlic and ginger.

Recipe Tip: There is no better tool than a microplane zester to grate garlic and ginger for a marinade. It will create a pulp, which is part of what ultimately creates the flavorful crisp edges and "crust." If you don't have one, use the finest grater you do have, and then go over it again with a knife.

Pro tip: If your garlic is a bit older, it will likely have green roots through the center. This makes the garlic bitter, but you can still use it if you remove them. Just slice the cloves in half, lengthwise, and take out the root with the tip of the knife. The rest of the clove should still be good.

- In a small mixing bowl, use a whisk to blend the miso paste with ponzu, Mirin, vinegar, honey, sugar, ginger and garlic until smooth.

- Pour the marinade into a baking dish -- one large enough to hold all of the tofu, but small enough so that the marinade isn't too shallow.


- Once more, before adding the tofu to the marinade, set the cubes on a dry paper towel -- this time, roll them to get all of the sides dry, carefully so they keep their shape. Use a second towel if they still seem slightly damp. Now add the them to the marinade. Make sure all the side are well coated. 


Cover with plastic wrap and let the tofu marinate in the refrigerator at least for 48 hours and up to 72. If there is a portion of the tofu that isn't fully in the marinade -- turn them over about half way through the marinating process.


Recipe Tip: Whatever you do, do not shorten the marinating time. (If you want another delicious tofu recipe that's quick to get on the table, there's a scrumptious list of them below.)

- Coat the bottom of a large non-stick sauté pan with the oil -- this oil should only coat, not have depth to it. Turn the heat to medium-high and let the pan preheat.



- Once the pan is very hot, turn the heat down and add the tofu, one or two at a time, letting any excess marinade drip off first. (I use my hands to do this.) Stand back a bit as the oil will splatter.

 (I always use a splatter guard when I'm making it.)

- Sear every side of the cubes. Use a small flat-bottomed spatula to flip them, or small rubber cooking tongs. Once each side is very nicely browned, set them on the paper towel-lined plate to drain. (Don't worry if the edges are charred a tiny bit -- this adds well to the overall flavor.)

Recipe Tip: Do not throw away the marinade! Since chicken, fish or meat were not in it, It can be reused and it's excellent to add to any stir-fry.

Serving Suggestions

There are so many possibilities for how to serve these delicious tofu bites, including on their own, exactly how they come out of the pan. Here are a few other tasty ideas:

• Tofu with miso is excellent tossed into a salad or stir-fry. I especially like it with a subtly spicy Asian slaw or Crispy Garlic-Bok Choy.
• Serve it over rice with vegetables. It's perfect with Miso Rice, Coconut Rice with Cilantro or Roasted Garlic Brown Rice.
• It's fun to serve it as a "small plate" along with and handful of others, including Bok Choy Chips and Sherry Mushrodoms.
• I also love serving them with toothpicks as an hors d'oeuvre.

Can you make it ahead?

This is best served about five to ten minutes after it's out of the pan. That said, it's still good the next day, just not quite as crispy. It's so good, I even the leftovers cold, right out of the fridge (not that there usually are any).

More Popular Recipes with Tofu

• Vegetarian Tofu Chili
• Tofu “Sashimi” with Basil
• Baked Tofu Ginger Vegetables
• Mint Stir Fry With Tofu Noodles
• Sriracha Honey Glazed Tofu Broccoli

If you're interested in the origins of tofu and its nutritional value, check this out.

I hope you love the miso tofu marinade and that you too, will think it's one of the best tofu recipes ever!

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