Unexpected Ingredients That'll Take Your Tofu Marinade To The Next Level

Tofu gets so much flak from its haters for not having any flavor, but that's what haters do. They don't know that forgetting to marinate is one of the biggest mistakes you can make with tofu. In fact, marinated tofu can be among the most delicious meals you've ever had. But to change their minds, you have to go all out with the very best. Overwhelm them with the truth. That means any old marinade won't do. You need to surprise with something truly special. To find the best unexpected and special ingredients, we spoke with Nisha Vora, author of The New York Times best-selling cookbook Big Vegan Flavor, who gave us several exclusive suggestions.

She starts with a bit of miso paste, which "adds a deep umami flavor that gives the tofu a rich, savory depth." She also includes a sweetener such as maple syrup (yes, really) or agave nectar to "balance salty and tangy elements, while also promoting the Maillard reaction, which helps the tofu develop a caramelized, crispy exterior." Finally, after the tofu has marinated, she tosses it in some arrowroot powder "for a perfectly crispy finish without any chalky residue like cornstarch can sometimes leave behind."

You'd think that miso paste would be the easiest ingredient to add, but you'd be wrong considering the range of available miso paste colors and what that says about their flavors. White miso is the mildest for when you want to add subtle umami, for example, while red miso has deeper, more easily detectable flavors. You can technically use any miso paste in your recipes, though you usually need to adjust amounts.

While maple syrup and agave nectar are certainly unexpected sweeteners, they also bring unique flavors that may not pair well with the rest of your marinade. Maple syrup has notes of woodiness, vanilla, and caramel that don't work for a savory-focused dish but are killer in sweet ones. Meanwhile, agave nectar is like a more neutrally flavored honey, though, like miso paste, it comes in several varieties with slightly different flavor profiles. Cookbook author Nisha Vora also suggests using brown sugar if you can't get good maple syrup or agave nectar.

Vora recommends a simple marinade combination that's perfect for cooks new to tofu. You can even experiment with it once you get the hang of it. That combo is soy sauce or tamari (it's good to know how they're different), some toasted sesame oil, and a bit of maple syrup (or brown sugar). Don't forget to finish it with the arrowroot powder (or potato starch as Vora suggests as a substitute) for crispiness.