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    Home » Barbecue

    Grilled tofu with lemon & rosemary

    Updated: Apr 29, 2025 · Published: Jun 10, 2024 by Cadry's Kitchen · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 17 Comments

    Jump to recipe Watch video
    Text overlay: cadryskitchen.com, Grilled lemon rosemary tofu. Slabs of tofu on orange plate with fresh rosemary garnish.

    This delicious grilled tofu is filled with the flavors of lemon juice, garlic, and rosemary. Perfect for grilling season! Remember it for your next potluck or picnic. Vegan & gluten-free.

    Slabs of grilled lemon tofu on rust colored plate.

    Grilled tofu with lemon & rosemary is the perfect summertime main dish.

    While I love grilling veggie burgers as much as the next person, sometimes you want something a little prettier for your outdoor soirée.

    This flavorful tofu is packed with lemon, garlic, and rosemary. It is ideal for cookouts and potlucks alongside your favorite BBQ side dishes, like green salad, potato salad, or pasta salad.

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • Why readers love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Step by step instructions
    • Serving ideas
    • Storage instructions
    • FAQ
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why readers love this recipe

    5 stars

    “Made this last night. We loved it. Delicious!” – Shellie

    Ingredients

    Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

    Labeled ingredients for grilled lemon rosemary tofu.

    Lemon juice: Since lemon is a dominant flavor here, freshly squeezed really is best. Using a handheld citrus juicer makes quick work of it!

    Tamari: This Japanese-style soy sauce adds salt and umami. Tamari can be replaced with your preferred soy sauce or liquid aminos.

    Oil: Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil works well here.

    Rosemary: You can use fresh or dried rosemary for this recipe. Because dried rosemary has more intense flavor, you’ll only need a third of the amount as fresh.

    Garlic: I recommend using a Microplane grater or garlic press, so that the garlic is fine and really seeps into the tofu. This Kuhn Rikon garlic press is my absolute favorite, because you don’t have to peel the cloves before pressing them!

    Pepper: I like to use freshly ground black pepper, but pre-ground works fine too.

    Tofu: Super firm vacuum-packed tofu is a great timesaver, because you don’t have to press it before using it. I buy it at Trader Joe’s, but you can find it at most grocery stores in the refrigerated section.

    Step by step instructions

    This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

    Rosemary, lemon, and garlic marinade in glass baking dish.

    Combine the following in a shallow baking dish:

    • Lemon juice
    • Tamari
    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • Rosemary (fresh or dried)
    • Garlic
    • Pepper

    Gadget tips: While you can just mince the garlic, I recommend using a garlic press or grater, so that it becomes almost like a garlic paste. That helps the tofu to really absorb that flavor.

    Kitchen scissors are useful for chopping fresh rosemary. Remove the needle-like leaves from the stems, by grazing your fingers down the stem against the grain. Then use the scissors to cut them into small pieces.

    Slabs of tofu in lemon and rosemary marinade.

    Cut vacuum-packed, super firm tofu into about 10 evenly-sliced slabs (roughly ¼ to ½ inch thick).

    Put the tofu slices into the marinade, and pop the dish in the refrigerator. Let the tofu slices soak for anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight. Flip the slices occasionally for even marinating.

    For best results: The longer you let the tofu marinate, the stronger the flavor will be. I recommend marinating for at least an hour if possible.

    Slabs of lemon rosemary tofu on grill.

    Once you’re ready to grill, bring an outdoor or indoor grill to a medium heat.

    Grill the slices for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until they have nice, dark grill marks.

    Remember: Tofu is already a fully cooked product. It can be eaten straight out of the package as-is. So the only thing you’re doing on the grill is warming it, adding grill marks, and some smoky flavor. Don’t feel like you have to cook it forever.

    Serving ideas

    Grilled tofu on plate with salad and grilled garlic bread.

    Grilled tofu makes a terrific main course with any of the following side dishes:

    • Grilled vegetable skewers
    • Vegan pasta salad
    • Israeli couscous salad
    • Vegan potato salad
    • Bowtie pasta salad
    • Spinach salad with strawberries
    • Avocado caprese salad
    • Tomato cucumber salad

    Remember: Grilled tofu is terrific hot off the grill, but it’s also wonderful cold right out of the fridge. Enjoy it on its own, or slip it into salads, wraps, or bowls.

    Storage instructions

    Rosemary garnish on top of grilled lemon tofu.

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for 3 to 4 days.

    Eat it cold or quickly warm it in a skillet or microwave.

    Slabs of grilled lemon rosemary tofu on plate with salad and grilled bread.

    FAQ

    Can I make lemon rosemary tofu without a grill?

    Yes! I’ve made a simplified version that requires no marinating with this easy baked tofu recipe. Put it into tofu bowls and vegan wraps.

    Can I use water-packed tofu instead of vacuum-packed?

    Yes! If you don’t have access to vacuum-packed tofu, you can use water-packed tofu instead. However, you’ll need to press it first.

    Because you will press the water out of it, use 1.5 or 2 (14-ounce) packages of water-packed tofu, and cut each block into 6 slices.

    Can I reuse the marinade?

    Yes! The nice thing about cooking with all plant foods is that you don’t have to worry about boiling a marinade to remove bacteria in it before reusing, like you would with a marinade used on raw meat.

    If you have marinade leftover, you can use it on another batch of lemon rosemary tofu. Just use the marinade within a few days, and keep it stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

    Or pour the leftover marinade into a baking dish with quartered yellow or baby potatoes. (If there’s not quite enough marinade, add more lemon juice, oil, and tamari.)

    Bake the potatoes at 425 degrees for about 35 minutes or until the marinade has cooked off & the potatoes are tender & browned.

    Fresh rosemary garnish on top of grilled tofu slabs.

    If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!

    📖 Recipe

    Grilled slabs of lemon rosemary tofu on platter.

    Grilled tofu with lemon & rosemary

    Author: Cadry Nelson
    5 from 3 votes
    Grilled tofu with lemon & rosemary is perfect for a sunny summer meal. Fragrant garlic and rosemary permeate the tofu and fill it with flavor. Serve with a salad, grilled vegetables, or roasted potatoes.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Marinating time: 1 hour hour
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Keyword: barbecue, grill, summer

    Ingredients

    • 6 Tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
    • 1 ½ Tablespoons tamari
    • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or your preferred cooking oil
    • 1 heaping Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 heaping teaspoon dried rosemary crushed between fingers
    • 4 to 5 cloves garlic finely grated, pressed, or minced
    • Few generous shakes of black pepper
    • 16 ounces super firm tofu vacuum-packed, sliced into 10 even slices, roughly ¼ to ½ inch thick

    Instructions

    • In a baking dish or freezer bag, combine lemon juice, tamari, extra virgin olive oil, rosemary, garlic, and pepper for the marinade.
    • Put the tofu slices into the marinade, making sure everything is evenly coated. Put the dish into the refrigerator, and let the tofu slices marinate for at least 30 minutes.
      The longer the tofu marinates, the more flavorful it will be. Ideally, aim for 1 to 8 hours. Flip the slices occasionally for even marinating.
    • Set the grill to a medium heat. Put the tofu slices on the grill grate, and grill for about three to five minutes on each side. You'll know they're ready to flip when you see nice, brown grill marks on them.
    • Once they have dark grill marks on both sides, remove from heat & serve.

    Watch how to make it

    Notes

    If you don’t have access to vacuum-packed tofu, you can use water-packed tofu instead. However, you’ll need to press it first. Because you will press the water out of it, use 1.5 or 2 (14-ounce) packages of water packed tofu, and cut each block into 6 slices.
    Storage instructions
    Store leftover tofu in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3 or 4 days. I like to eat it cold right out of the fridge, but you can also warm it in a skillet or microwave.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 107kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 449mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg

    Recipe, photos, video, and content updated June 10, 2024. Originally posted June 16, 2011. 

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      5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    1. Shellie

      June 20, 2019 at 11:33 am

      5 stars
      Made this last night. We loved it. I used a pound of tofu, doubled the ingredients, and left out the oil. Delicious!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 20, 2019 at 11:58 am

        Fabulous! I’m so happy to hear it, Shellie. Thank you for letting me know!

        Reply
    2. Laloofah

      June 19, 2011 at 6:07 am

      5 stars
      Happy Anniversary to Cadry’s Kitchen! 🙂

      Ben is adorable, and knowing how much you love the experience of visiting wildlife, I’m glad he’s a regular at your house. 🙂

      I must tell you that although we have yet to fire up the grill, we have made your delicious Lemon Rosemary Tofu MANY times! It’s BW’s absolute favorite marinated tofu now and the only one he requests, and I love not only the taste of it (perfect anytime but especially for summer weather), but how quick and easy it is to prepare! (I just leave out the olive oil since we’re McDougallers). It’s absolutely delicious and never lasts more than two days around here. 🙂

      Reply
      • cadryskitchen

        June 19, 2011 at 7:42 pm

        That’s sweet that you remember how I love visiting wildlife. We’ve been blessed with a lot of it this spring – deer, a groundhog, squirrels, chipmunks… And we even got to watch a set of bird parents with their newly hatched babies for a few weeks.

        I’m so glad you and BW like the lemon rosemary tofu! Thanks for letting me know it can be made oil-free. I’m going to try that! I’d always worried that the tofu would stick to the baking dish without it. Do you find that you have to adjust the other liquids or the cooking time?

        Reply
        • Laloofah

          August 14, 2011 at 5:58 pm

          Hi, Cadry!

          Sorry, for some reason I missed seeing your reply! I don’t know that I have to adjust the liquids, but I do – I add equal amounts of the tamari and lemon juice to make up for the missing amount of oil. I bake this in a baking dish, and though the marinade bakes onto the bottom, if I let the tofu cool for 5 minutes first it easily lifts right out, and after soaking the dish in some water for awhile it takes just a little light scrubbing in the corners to get sparkly clean.

          I just made this again last night and took it to our friends’ house for a little impromptu vegan snacky dinner on their deck, and they both loved it and wanted the recipe, so I sent them the original recipe post from your blog. And now I’m about to post about it on my own! 🙂

          Reply
    3. Jess

      June 18, 2011 at 7:00 pm

      Congratulations on making it two years!! Very exciting. I have tired your recipe before in the oven and it was really good. I will have to do as you suggested and give it a whirl on the grill! Thank you!!

      Reply
      • cadryskitchen

        June 19, 2011 at 7:43 pm

        Thanks for letting me know, Jess! That’s great to hear!

        Reply
    4. Cee

      June 18, 2011 at 6:05 am

      I found your blog through Michelle Schwegmann’s blog, and actually have been using your old-fashioned way of pressing tofu 🙂 for the past couple of times that I’ve made it. As ridiculous as it sounds, it never occurred to me to press *sliced* tofu–I’ve always been wrapping and pressing the entire block. So, thank you for your instructional videos! And congratulations!

      Reply
    5. Ashley

      June 17, 2011 at 8:08 pm

      love your blog!

      Reply
    6. Carol

      June 17, 2011 at 3:23 pm

      Hi Cadry, I watched a film last night- Knives over Forks- have you seen it? You should if you haven’t. Anyway, it’s inspired me to eat a mostly vegan diet this summer. And, of course, you and David have been hovering as inspirations ever since you rolled into town. Fortunately there is a Whole Foods here in Santa Fe and several vegan restaurants and the dining room at the St. John’s campus offers good options so I should be okay. I don’t want to do much cooking since I consider these few weeks here a kind of vacation from certain kitchen duties, but I’ll keep checking out your recipes for inspiration. And: I think it would be a lot easier to be vegan if I had one of those straws.

      Reply
      • cadryskitchen

        June 19, 2011 at 6:36 am

        Hi Carol,

        That’s great to hear that you were so inspired by Forks Over Knives! David and I saw it in Chicago last December. I hope it’s able to expand on its limited release; there’s a lot of valuable information in there. The film was based, in part, on the research from The China Study. That’s the book that I loaned you earlier this year. I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to read it yet, but when you get the opportunity, you should!

        Reply
        • Carol

          June 19, 2011 at 6:15 pm

          Thanks so much, Cadry. I will definitely check on these.

          Reply
    7. Rob

      June 17, 2011 at 6:19 am

      I’m not commenting for the straw – I just really liked the post! The lemon-rosemary tofu on the grill sounds EXCELLENT. So summery! I wish I had a grill to try it out, but I suspect a grill pan on the stove can approximate the flavor. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • cadryskitchen

        June 19, 2011 at 6:25 am

        I would think that a grill pan would work just fine, or you could use the baking method that I linked to in the post. Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    8. cadryskitchen

      June 16, 2011 at 1:04 pm

      Done! 🙂

      Reply
    9. Martine

      June 16, 2011 at 9:06 am

      Hey Cadry – I love your recipes! I’m trying to incorporate healthier eats into my life and so many of your recipes appeal to us non-vegans too. Good luck!

      Martine

      Reply
      • cadryskitchen

        June 16, 2011 at 9:45 am

        Hey Martine,

        That’s great to hear! Thanks!

        Reply

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    I'm a longtime vegan, but I grew up eating a standard American diet. I know that all of us crave foods that are familiar, comforting, and delicious.

    That’s why it’s my passion to share mouthwatering plant-based recipes that taste like home.

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