Packed with protein and so easy to make – no marinating! – these savoury tofu skewers are torn by hand and tossed with cornstarch so you get all of these little crisp edges with a satisfyingly chewy inside. Inspired by satay tofu, they can be baked in the oven or grilled on the BBQ and are served with a creamy, addictive peanut sauce.
I’ve got to be honest: premeditated cooking is not my strong suit. When it’s dinner time, I show up, I get cooking and don’t want to wait! So if you don’t eat a ton of tofu because you think you need to marinade, this is the recipe for you (and I’ve got a ton more in my cookbook Plant Magic)
These tofu skewers are deeply savoury, quickly tossed with garlic powder, salt, pepper and a bit of apple cider vinegar. Yep…don’t skip it! Acid really helps those flavours pop.
The other magic moment in this recipe? You are going to tear your tofu instead of cut it. Why? Because when you tear it into chunks, you get all these nooks and crannies that hold onto the flavour and edges that crisp up thanks to a coating of cornstarch. Plus, when you dunk them into my creamy, addictively delicious peanut sauce, it grabs hold and won’t let that silky goodness go!
You can grill these up on the BBQ or you can bake them in the oven. Both are delicious! My kids love this recipe too as the flavour is super yummy without having an overt “flavour” beyond general savouriness so your sauce-averse kids won’t protest.
Dietitian Corner: I love tofu SO much because it’s as versatile as chicken…and so protein-rich! A quarter package of extra firm tofu is around 15 grams of protein as well as containing valuable calcium and vegan iron. Learn more about the health benefits of tofu.
How to make these easy tofu skewers, step by step
No marinating, no waiting…just tear the tofu, toss it with some flavour boosters and grill (or bake)! This is an awesome plant-based main for a BBQ or double the recipe and meal prep some for the week so you can add them to salads and grain bowls at lunch time. They keep super well for 3-4 days.
First things first: Preheat the grill until it is screaming hot – about 450F // 230C – and if you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water so they don’t catch on fire.
Grab your ingredients: You need just 5 super basic ingredients – extra firm tofu, garlic powder, cornstarch, apple cider vinegar, black pepper – plus oil and salt!
Step One: Tear your tofu. Pat the tofu dry with a paper towel and then using your hands, carefully tear the tofu into approximately 1 – 1 ½ inch chunks.
Step Two: Place the tofu in a medium bowl and sprinkle over the cornstarch, salt and pepper and garlic powder. Drizzle over the vinegar and oil and toss until well coated.
Step Three: Thread the tofu pieces onto the skewers, not crowding them too much, so they get crispier.
Step Four: Grill the tofu on a well-oiled hot grill (see tips below!) about 3-5 minutes, flip and then 3-5 minutes more until they’re browned and crisp.
Serve these versatile tofu skewers with your favourite dipping sauce…I HIGHLY recommend my ridiculously easy and totally craveable peanut sauce but you do you. You could mix vegan mayo with some pesto, try a ginger lime vinaigrette or try my amazing spiced paprika + nutritional yeast mayo.
How to grill tofu without it sticking
I am a girl that loves to grill…although my igniter is on the fritz so I do prefer that my hubs light it these days ha. The biggest scourge of grillers everywhere? Stuff sticking to the grill. So lemme give you a few hot tips to help you grill this tofu like a champ.
- Hot Tip 1: make sure that grill is CLEAN. I see you…it’s annoying, but it’s essential. Once the BBQ is up to temp, give it a good ol’ scrape with your grill brush in case it didn’t get done last time.
- Hot Tip 2: always use extra firm, super firm or pressed tofu so the protein is strong enough not to break apart. No, you don’t need to press your tofu. Just use the firmest you can find!
- Hot Tip 3: Oil your grates, using a heatproof brush or a cloth and BBQ tongs. You need a decent coating of oil to help things not stick, just like in a skillet.
- Hot Tip 4: Let the tofu get nice and crisp before you turn! It will stick less. If you grab the tofu and it feels like it’s sticking a bit, give it an extra minute before you turn.
More easy, flavourful tofu recipes
- Oven-baked Black Bean Tofu
- Brown Sugar Glazed Tofu Steaks
- Easy 20 Minute Tofu Burgers
- 30 Minute Crumbled Tofu Tacos
20 Minute Tofu Skewers with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
Tofu Skewers
- 12 ounce package extra firm tofu pressed or super firm also work
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder see notes for low FODMAP swap
- ½ teaspoon salt
- freshly cracked black pepper use LOTS
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or other high heat oil like peanut
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Sauces…you’ve got options!
- peanut sauce
- spicy vegan mayo
- vegan pesto mix 50:50 with mayo
Instructions
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Preheat the grill to 450℉ (230℃) or oven to 425℉ (205℃). Make sure your grill grates are clean and oiled and if using wooden skewers, soak them in water. (see tips in blog post!)
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Wrap the tofu in some paper towel and really pat it dry well. Then, carefully tear the tofu into 1 – 1½ inch chunks (2.5 – 4 cm)
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Place the torn tofu in a medium bowl and evenly sprinkle over the cornstarch, salt and pepper and garlic powder. Drizzle over the vinegar and oil and toss until well coated.
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Thread the tofu pieces onto the skewers, not crowding them too much, so they get crispier. If using the oven, you can skewer after baking if you prefer.
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Grill the tofu about 4-5 minutes a side, until they’re browned and crisp on both sides. I usually flip twice, for a total of 15 minutes cooking.
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If using the oven, it takes a wee bit longer: bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 15 minutes, flip and bake for 15 minutes more.
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Serve with your favourite sauce and ENJOY!
Notes
Want to skip the specialty products? Add maybe 1/4 teaspoon extra of salt and a teaspoon of nutritional yeast for more umami. Then serve with a tasty sauce! The peanut sauce has a low FODMAP option and it’s so good.
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