Tangy Marinated Tofu Feta with Nutritional Yeast

The easiest vegan feta you’ll ever make! Tangy, salty and crumbly, this marinated tofu feta is high in plant-based protein and so good you’ll want to snack on it! Budget-friendly and takes less than 10 minutes to throw together.

crumbled tofu feta in glass jar with black spoon — Cubed or crumbled, this tangy marinated tofu feta is so easy to make and packed with protein!

I was always one of those folks who said that they could be vegan, “except for the cheese”. So believe me when I say I take my cheese seriously. And I’m not gonna lie, very few plant-based recipes are exactly like dairy cheese…but when you know what you’re looking for, it is surprisingly easy to create plant-based substitutes that are just as satisfying.

Like the salty, garlicky crumble of my go-to almond parmesan that takes me back to that green shaker of my childhood. And the briny, tangy, chewy/crumbly mouth feel of this marinated tofu feta that is exactly what I’ve been missing in my Greek salads.

A lot of storebought cheeses – which I also love! – are made primarily from starch and coconut oil, so they don’t deliver much in the nutrition department. I know my dietitian is showing here, but when you make your own cheese alternatives, you can use nutrient-dense whole foods like nuts and tofu so you get flavour AND a nutrition boost!

Love feta cheese? I, ahem, also have an incredible whipped tofu feta dip, AKA tirokafteri, in my first plant-based cookbook Eat More Plants!

And bonus: making feta from tofu is way more affordable than cashews or almonds. It’s also ridiculously easy to make…no need to press the tofu! All you need to do is either dice extra-firm tofu into small cubes or crumble it (my fave) into a large jar with a blend of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice for fresh and tang, some olive oil for a richer mouthfeel and a host of pantry staples like nutritional yeast, salt, oregano and garlic to lend a Greek-inspired flavour to this protein packed staple. It’s like 5 minutes of hands on work and then the fridge helps it soak up all that flavour.

If you’re trying to eat more plant-based protein, one of my go-to dietitian tips is to always have a protein or two prepped in the fridge for easy meal additions, like my herby marinated lentil salad and this vegan feta. Whether you’re vegan or allergic to dairy, this tofu feta is a total win.

How to make this killer vegan tofu feta at home

First things first: do you actually need to press your tofu? Most of the other tofu feta recipes recommend you press your tofu but I NEVER do. Extra-firm tofu is already quite dense…and real feta cheese is not hard. It has a crumbly, tender, yielding texture that in my opinion, extra firm tofu has too.

So up to you…but premeditated cooking is not my thing and I like being able to whip this vegan feta up in less than 10 minutes so I don’t bother with a press. Sound good? Now grab those ingredients.

tofu, lemon juice, nutritional yeast in bowls — You’ll need: extra firm tofu, apple cider vinegar, lemons, olive oil, lemon peel, nutritional yeast, dried chile flakes, salt, oregano and fresh garlic.

Step One: cube or crumble your feta into chunks. If cubing, I prefer small cubes for both texture and because they have more surface area to soak up flavour. I aim for ⅓ – ½ inch max. If crumbling, don’t go too small as it will be, well, more crumbly. Around ½ inch-ish is good.

hand crumbling tofu — The quickest way to prep the feta is to dice it into small cubes. Crumbling is a bit slower but it looks awesome!

Step Two: In a 1 quart mason jar (looks cuter) or resealable container (better for contact between marinade and tofu), mix or shake the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and peel, olive oil, nutritional yeast, chile flakes, salt, oregano and garlic.

Step Three: Add the tofu feta, seal, shake to distribute marinade and place in the fridge. A couple of times a day, give the container a shake to make sure all the tofu is covered in marinade. I highly recommend at least 24 hours of marinating time but you can enjoy in as early as 12 hours and it will just taste more delicious as time goes on.

hand pouring oil into mason jar — Extra virgin olive oil is great for flavour but FYI it will solidify as the tofu chills.

tofu feta in mason jar — Extra virgin olive oil is great for flavour but FYI it will solidify as the tofu chills.

A few things you need to know about this vegan feta recipe:

We’re using olive oil here, for flavour, which solidifies in the fridge. Over time, as the dried oregano hydrates and the olive oil solidifies, you end up with what looks like gray clumps in the jar after a few days. It’s okay! It’s just oil and oregano. If you bring it to room temperature, it disappears but I typically just fling it off the tofu.
I don’t recommend skipping the oil as it’s critical to the flavour and mouthfeel of the recipe. If you want, you can use a non-clumping oil like canola or high-oleic sunflower oil but the flavour isn’t the same.
Speaking of flavour…make this your own! I chose the ACV – lemon juice blend because it felt like the best blend of tangy // fresh. The nutritional yeast adds umami, add more if you like! Like your feta a bit more funky? Add a bit of miso or up the ACV. Like it less tangy? Cut the ACV in half.
This recipe is naturally dairy free, vegan, nut free and gluten free…and no I didn’t forget about my friends needing a low FODMAP recipe. Just omit the sliced garlic and swap the oil for a low FODMAP garlic-infused oil if you’ve got it!

This is so good that I’ll actually add it to a snack plate…and there are plenty of other ways to use it: Greek salad, of course, but also as a protein-rich addition to salads, pasta or a Mediterranean-inspired grazing board.

More of my super easy vegan staples:

5 Minute Vegan Almond Parmesan
Thick Vegan Almond Ricotta
Craveable Peanut Sauce with Fresh Ginger
5 Min Creamy Balsamic Dressing
Vegan Caesar Dressing with Hemp Hearts