Jerk-Marinated Grilled Tofu Recipe

We have Jamaica to thank for the flavorful jerk sauce that is popular on chicken, pork, and other meats and is a favorite of those who love spicy food. Because of tofu's neutral taste and ability to take on the flavors that it's cooked in, it makes an excellent option to pair with the spicy, sweet, tangy sauce. Cooking it on the grill gives it the added smokiness to make this dish a favorite whether you favor a vegetarian diet or not. 

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "The flavor of this tofu dish is outstanding and if you happen to like flavor but not a fan of too much spice, you can easily tame it down by the choice of chili pepper you use." 

The grilled tofu can be served on a bed of rice, quinoa, or greens. You can even slice it up and make a sandwich out of it. So, fire up the grill, we've got some fabulous flavor coming your way!

To make this recipe, look for super firm tofu. "This is my tofu of choice here because it is already pressed and will stand up to cooking on the grill. If you can only find extra firm tofu, this will work but you'll just have to be a little more careful when handling on the grill," Hahn shares. 

You'll also need to pick up an onion, garlic, and habanero or Scotch bonnet peppers while you're still in the produce department. If you want a tamer chili, go for a jalapeno, or simply skip it altogether. 

Finally, you'll need lime juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, allspice, ginger powder, nutmeg, salt, and thyme. We told you this was flavorful!

Start by giving the onion, garlic, and habanero pepper a rough chop. You'll want to remove the seeds and ribs of the habanero pepper and discard them. 

"I love sauces that go into the blender because it means you can quickly give things a rough chop since we're going to be blending anyway," Hahn remarks. 

Then put the onion, garlic, peppers, lime juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and thyme into a blender and blend until smooth.

If you were able to find super firm tofu, simply remove it from the package and dry it off with a paper towel. If you are using extra firm tofu, you'll need to press the water out of it. You can do this with a tofu press or by making a DIY press with a few items you'll already have lying around your kitchen. For a makeshift tofu press, place your tofu in a shallow bowl and place a flat plate on top. Then add somthing heavy on top of the plate and let it sit for 15 minutes. The excess water will collect in the shallow bowl. 

Now cut the tofu block into four equal rectangle pieces. To marinate the tofu, pour half of the marinade into a rectangle-shaped container and add in the pieces of tofu. Then pour the remaining marinade on top of the tofu. Put the lid on the containe, put it in the fridge, and marinate your tofu for a minimum of 2 hours.

Once your tofu has been marinating for a couple of hours, you're ready to grill it. "You can actually leave the tofu marinating for up to two days if you like to meal prep," Hahn explains. 

Heat up the grill to medium-low. When it's hot, place the tofu on the grill grates or in a grill pan. Shut the grill lid and cook for 12 minutes, flipping at the halfway point. 

"You'll know it's done when it's a nice golden-brown color," Hahn remarks. Then remove it from the grill and serve it up! This plant-based twist on jerk marinated meats will become your next go-to flavorful meal for your meatless Mondays!