Orange tahini grilled tofu brings the bright flavor of oranges and ginger to your barbecue. This is a quick meal for summertime or anytime of the year because you can cook it on an indoor electric grill. The step is to marinate the tofu so it will absorb the Middle Eastern flavors.
If you’re working on including more plant-based foods into your dietary pattern, you might get stumped when it’s time for a barbecue. If everyone else is having grilled steak, burgers, chicken, or seafood, what’s an easy substitution? Well, now you will have a great recipe for grilled tofu. There are also grilled veggies (portobello mushrooms are especially good), homemade bean burgers, potatoes, corn, cauliflower, mango, and pineapple for some more ideas.
While tofu is a popular choice among vegans, others may question if it is a) healthy, and b) appealing. For the health effects of tofu, I recommend reading this summary from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. As you can see, it seems to be neutral or beneficial for various health conditions. Then, having plant-based protein sources like soy also is good to decrease less healthy foods in the diet.
Ingredient Notes
Tofu – use firm or extra-firm tofu for this recipe. For the brand I purchased, a 3 ounce serving provides 80 calories, 8 grams of protein, 4.5 grams of total fat with only 0.5 grams of saturated fat, and 10% of the Daily Value for calcium, which is 100 milligrams. Compare food labels if you are looking for one higher in calcium: they do vary. There is no cholesterol, 2 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of carbohydrates.
Tahini – this is a Middle Eastern sesame seed paste. It gives a lot of flavor to the tofu.
Za-atar – this was tricky for me to find. I was on the hunt for it for months last year! It is terrific with warm whole wheat pita bread and olive oil. You can substitute with a mix of sesame seeds, oregano, and thyme… and sumac if you can find it.
White wine vinegar – feel free to use rice, apple cider, or red wine vinegar.
Ginger – remove the peel with a paring knife and grate it with a grating plate ideally. If you don’t have fresh ginger, substitute with 1/4 teaspoon of powdered ginger sprinkled over the tofu.
How to Make Orange Tahini Grilled Tofu
In an effort to make a quick meal, I did not press the tofu this time. If you do, it will give you a chewier texture. I have an example of how to press tofu in this recipe for Baby Bok Choy with Tofu.
I marinated the tofu after combining all of the other ingredients. Some I grilled after marinating for 15 minutes. The other batch marinated overnight (both times in the fridge). I can’t say that I could tell the difference.
I grilled these tofu pieces on an indoor electric grill. A grill pan would also be a convenient method for any time of the year.
If using an indoor grill, the size of the pieces doesn’t matter too much. But for an outdoor grill, I would definitely keep it in larger rectangular pieces and run two skewers through each…or use a grill pan. I have lost some food through the grill bars so be careful! You can also place cubes of tofu on skewers for kabobs.
Also, be sure your grill is oiled so the tofu doesn’t stick. I use a charcoal grill and recommend cooking these over indirect heat. A grill pan sprayed with nonstick spray works well too. Check to see if the tofu is browning and should be turned in just 2 – 3 minutes: it is easy to burn foods on a charcoal grill!
What to Do with Grilled Tofu
You can eat it as is, or serve it with grilled vegetables over noodles like buckwheat soba or rice. Or use it for a sandwich. Here are 15 Best Vegan Side Dishes for Grilled or Baked Tofu too.
It goes well with grilled potatoes or corn on the cob. You could have it over a salad, or in a sandwich or wrap. It also would make a nice appetizer.
More Recipes You May Enjoy
- 15 Best Vegan Side Dishes for Grilled and Baked Tofu
- Tahini Salad Dressing
- Thai Peanut Tempeh with Rice
- Stuffed Peppers with Butternut Squash and Quinoa
- Thai Tofu Yellow Curry
Orange Tahini Grilled Tofu
Equipment
- Grill or grill pan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- zest of ½ of an orange
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 12 ounces extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon za'atar
- ½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine the tahini, orange zest, and orange juice marinade in a small bowl and stir.
- Slice the tofu into 6 rectangles. Place in a shallow bowl or on a plate and cover with the marinade. Flip over so the other side of the tofu absorbs the marinade. Place in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, or up to overnight.
- Preheat an electric grill to 400°F. Grill for 10 minutes on each side until lightly browned. If using a charcoal grill, grill over indirect heat and check in 2 minutes before turning.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried Orange Tahini Grilled Tofu? Please leave a rating and let me know in the comments how you liked it.
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Excellent grilled tofu recipe with orange and tahini. It was a nice change from
The usual soy sauce marinade
this grilled tofu is perfect to enjoy on potlucks this summer.
big tofu fan here and this dish really hit the spot! so good!
This is great! My newly vegetarian son made it!
Thank you, Lara. I hope he enjoyed it.
This was perfect for our meatless Monday dinner!
Always down for a new tofu recipe. This looks so good!
I love using za’tar with vegetables, such a great flavour with grilled veggies to enhance their tastes. Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Michelle
This looks like a great recipe. I love both tahini and tofu but have never thought about combining them! I like the idea of the orange marinade too.
I must try this, I really like the sound of the orange marinade, I’m always looking for new ways to prepare tofu!
I absolutely love tahini and ginger – I’ll have to give this one a try! Your photos make it look so yummy! I’ve never grilled tofu (even as a vegetarian years before) but it looks delicious esp. with the soba noodles!
Wow this looks soo yummy! I’m big into healthy recipes and hAve never tried tofu, but its on my list! Will definitely be making this soon.