How To Choose The Absolute Best Tofu For Grilling

Grilling is a great way to cook tofu because it infuses delicious flavor and texture into the soybean curd. Prepping is as important as the actual grilling, and there are a few common mistakes to watch out for when marinating tofu. Getting a perfectly cooked slab that's tender and juicy on the inside and has a flavorful smoky char on the outside starts with picking the right kind of tofu. While pan frying or even roasting tofu is more forgiving since you're cooking on a flat surface that can also hold additional flavoring ingredients like sauces, grilling requires careful planning. The piece of tofu being grilled should be sturdy enough to withstand being cooked on a grill yet porous enough to absorb the marinade and remain juicy. To help figure out the best tofu for grilling, we turned to Nisha Vora, author of the New York Times Best Selling Cookbook Big Vegan Flavor.

The good news is that there is a right kind of tofu for every cooking style, and when it comes to grilling, Vora recommends reaching for extra-firm tofu. Most supermarkets have at least half a dozen types of tofu — from silken to firm, extra firm, and even super firm (yes, extra firm and super firm are actually different types of tofu). Therefore, it's good to have a clear idea of where you plan on using the tofu before buying it.

There are several reasons why Nisha Vora chooses a particular type of tofu. "Extra-firm tofu is the best choice for grilling because of its dense texture, which can hold up to the high heat and the flipping process without falling apart," she explains. Tofu's density is a double-edged sword — denser varieties like super-firm tofu can be cooked at higher temperatures, but there are also drawbacks. "While super-firm tofu holds up very well on a grill, it's not as porous, so it won't absorb as much flavor from the marinade during the grilling process," adds Vora. On the other end of the spectrum is silken tofu. Though its soft texture is delicious, the high water content causes it to fall apart on a grill. It's also not the ideal type of tofu to marinate, and Vora suggests that such delicate varieties are better suited to cooking methods like blending into creamy sauces or soups.

An alternative to extra-firm tofu is firm tofu, which has a slightly softer texture but is still sturdy enough to withstand the grill. While it requires slightly gentler handling on the grill, firm tofu is more versatile than the extra-firm kind. Therefore, if you plan on using tofu in various dishes and might even want to scramble it for some vegan scrambled eggs, reach for firm tofu at the supermarket. If, however, you only plan on grilling it, then the extra firm variety is the best option. Regardless of which one you get, all firm tofu must be pressed to ensure it absorbs maximum flavor.