Name: Quick Raw Marinated Tofu (5-Minute Prep!)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 block tofu (400-450 grams (14-16 oz), firm or extra firm, cubed into 2.5 cm (1 inch) on each side); 5 Tablespoons soy sauce; 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 1.5 Tablespoons ginger ((grated, about 2.5 cm or 1 inch when whole)); 3/4 teaspoon sambal oelek (optional, or sub with sriracha, cayenne pepper powder, or chili powder); 1 Tablespoon cornstarch (optional, only for stir-frying or baking); cooking oil (optional, only for stir-frying or baking)

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Raw marinated tofu, with just 5 minutes of cooking. Make this quick no-cook tofu marinade for a flavorful protein when you just don’t feel like cooking!

Close-up of raw marinated tofu held by a chopstick from the right side.

Wait, Can You Eat Tofu Raw?

Yes, tofu is safe to eat right out of the package! Tofu is already cooked in the process of making it as it was made by boiling crushed, dried soybeans. But if you prefer eating tofu cooked, try my Bulgogi Tofu recipe!

Ingredients

Firm or extra firm tofu: The plant-based protein goodness in this recipe.
Soy sauce: Giving this marinade that rich umami flavor.
Rice vinegar: A bit of acidity to give a rich tanginess and a flavor boost. Feel free to experiment using the vinegar that you have at home!
Sesame oil: It helps the marinade to be absorbed better by the tofu. And the smell of sesame oil will make anyone want to dig in immediately!
Ginger: Having a slightly peppery and sweet taste, ginger gives this marinade a kick.
Sambal oelek: Adds a punch of heat to this tofu marinade recipe. Feel free to sub with sriracha sauce or chili powder, or skip it if you’re not a fan of spicy food!

Cubed tofu, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and sambal oelek on small white bowls with labels.

Step-by-step Instructions

Mix – Marinade. Just two simple steps to make this tofu.

Mix: Mix all the marinade ingredients together.

Marinade: Add the tofu, stir well, and marinade in the fridge anywhere from 15 minutes up to overnight.

Do I Have to Press My Tofu?

Nope, unpressed tofu is just as good as pressed tofu in this recipe. The benefit of pressing your tofu is that it squeezes extra moisture out. This makes it easier for the tofu to absorb the marinade and it should make the tofu crispier if they are cooked.

I have tested this and the most noticeable difference for me was in the texture. The pressed tofu is a bit chewier and has more of a bite whereas the unpressed tofu is softer. The pressed tofu absorbs more of the marinade, but the unpressed tofu is just as flavorful as the pressed one, especially if you marinade it longer.

So my recommendation is to only press your tofu if you would like to have more bite to your tofu. If you do like your tofu to have a little bit of that “melt-in-your-mouth” feel, then skip the pressing.

Close-up of easy no-cook marinated tofu held by a chopstick at an angle.

I Like My Tofu Crispy! Can I Bake Them?

No worries! You can either stir-fry or bake your marinated tofu.

If you’re tight on time, I’d recommend baking but otherwise, stir-frying is the way to go since they will turn out more flavorful!

How to Stir-fry Tofu (Optional)

Preparation: Add 1/2 Tablespoon of your favorite cooking oil over medium-high heat to a frying pan. Once hot, add the tofu into the pan without the leftover marinade but do NOT throw the leftover marinade away.

Crisping the tofu: Fry the tofu for 2-3 minutes on each side, without turning or moving it. Not moving it will help the marinade caramelize and give the tofu that crispy texture and nice golden brown color. Cook until all sides are crispy and golden brown.

While waiting for the tofu to turn crispy, add 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch to your leftover marinade. Mix well.

Adding that glaze: Once all the sides of the tofu look golden brown, turn off the heat and immediately pour in the leftover marinade and stir. The residual heat will cook the sauce while the cornstarch will thicken it. Continue mixing for 1 more minute to coat the tofu.

How to Bake Tofu (Optional)

Adding cornstarch to make the tofu crispy: Scoop out the tofu from the marinade. Add 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and mix well. Put the tofu back in and mix well.

Bake: On a baking sheet, bake your tofu for 20 minutes at 205 °C (400 °F). You can flip the tofu midway but feel free to skip if you are short on time. The tofu will still be crispy as long as the baking tray is not overcrowded.

A bowl of raw marinated tofu sitting in a marinade with spring onions.

Storage, Meal Prep, and Freezing Instructions

Storage: This raw marinated tofu will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days, depending on the expiry date of the tofu when you bought it.

Meal Prep: Feel free to make this quick marinated tofu ahead for up to 5 days, stored in the fridge. The tofu will absorb more sauce the longer it sits in the fridge. So if you would like to still have a bit of sauce left, then make more of the marinade.

Freezing: Freeze the leftover tofu for up to 2 months. To thaw, place it in the fridge overnight for at least 10 hours. The texture of the tofu will be more spongey and chewier but it’s still yummy!

FAQ

Use firm or extra-firm tofu. The firmer the tofu, the better it will hold its shape. Since firmer tofu has a lower moisture content, it will also absorb the marinade better.

But if you like softer tofu, regular tofu (usually labeled as just “tofu”) would also work although it might break apart when mixing with a spoon.

You can definitely substitute it with rice wine vinegar since they are basically the same.

I have not tried other types of vinegar but I can imagine it will work just as well. Feel free to experiment by substituting with a 1:1 ratio. You can try lime/lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or whatever vinegar you have at home.

Yes, you can! A classic Japanese example is this hiyayakko recipe, or my raw marinated tofu recipe.

Nope. Tofu is already cooked so you don’t have to cook it again. Although I have to say that most tofu recipes are indeed cooked again, like in my bulgogi tofu, my vegetarian bulgogi noodle, or my gochujang udon.

Close-up shot of marinated raw tofu in an off-white bowl.

Tasty Ways to Eat Your Marinated Tofu

This no-cook marinated tofu is perfect to add to a rainbow poke bowl, served with spicy mayo.

It is also a great protein-packed source for your buddha bowls, or for more creative uses, use this as a topping, similar to the avocado in this Inari Avocado Roll. For easy lunches, I recommend serving it with this Peanut Butter Rice.