Lemon Pepper Tofu
Perfect for Meatless Monday! Get your protein fix with this easy and flavorful lemon pepper tofu recipe. Whip up this delicious low-carb dish with just a few simple ingredients that come together in no time. You’ll love the flavor in every bite!
Learn how to make baked lemon pepper tofu with this easy-to-follow recipe. Get started on creating your own delicious dish with just a few ingredients! Try it tonight and experience a flavorful twist to the classic tofu dish.
Key Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Tofu — You’ll need one block of extra firm tofu. New to cooking with tofu? This guide shows you where to buy tofu, how to press it, and more.
- Vegetable oil — I used olive oil, but you can substitute a neutral oil such as avocado oil. I do not recommend coconut oil.
- Seasoning — We’ll use some lemon pepper seasoning for the marinade.
- Lemon — You can get away with one fresh lemon for this recipe, but I love using two so I can add more to the tofu as it roasts.
- Garlic — Use two to four cloves of garlic, depending on their size and your taste preference for garlic.
- Asparagus — You’ll need one bunch of fresh asparagus to roast with the tofu as it bakes. You can substitute other veggies, such as cauliflower florets.
- Onion — One medium red onion adds color and flavor to the bake.
- Flour — We’ll repurpose the marinade into a glaze by adding some flour. I prefer using almond flour to keep this low carb, but you can substitute all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, or gluten-free flour.
How to Make Lemon Pepper Tofu
- Press tofu to remove packaging liquids.
- Zest and juice one of the lemons.
- Stir together seasoning, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic in a shallow container.
- Cut the tofu into 5 -7 slices to create cutlets. Add the cutlets to the marinade.
- Cut the zested and juiced lemon into pieces and add those pieces to the marinade.
- Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes (up to overnight for even more flavor).
- Place marinated cutlets on a prepared pan along with the vegetables and lemon slices.
- Stir flour into the remaining marinade and drizzle it over the top of the tofu and asparagus.
- Bake the tofu until golden brown, turning it about halfway through.
What Makes This Recipe Shine?
- DELICIOUS — Every bite of this slow-roasted tofu is infused with delicious flavor!
- EASY — Made with only 8 ingredients, this savory tofu dish is easy to include in your regular meal prep routine!
- PROTEIN-RICH — Looking to add more protein to your plant-based diet? This tofu delivers 3 grams of protein in every serving!
Frequently-Asked Questions
Is lemon pepper vegan?
Lemon pepper seasoning is typically made with lemon zest, garlic, ground pepper, and salt. This makes it an excellent seasoning for plant-based and vegan diets.
Can you substitute lemon peel for lemon pepper?
If you don’t have lemon pepper seasoning, you can substitute lemon peel or zest with freshly ground pepper. You can also add some garlic powder and salt to create a pretty decent substitute.
Lemon Pepper Tofu Bites
If you prefer bites rather than cutlets, cut pressed tofu into cubes before marinating. This makes it perfect to serve on salads, sandwiches, and more!
Air Fryer Lemon Tofu
Want to bypass the oven? You can make lemon tofu in an air fryer! Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook this in batches. Here’s how to do it:
- Add marinated tofu to an air fryer basket in a single layer
- Dip asparagus and onions in the marinade and arrange them alongside tofu in the air fryer basket.
- Cook at 350°F/175°C for 5 to 7 minutes. Shake the basket and then cook for another couple of minutes until the vegetables and tofu are done.
- Add flour to the marinade and serve it on the side.
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze this dish, but it will change the texture of the tofu (it can become spongy once thawed). It can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Tofu Recipes
If you love this recipe for lemon pepper tofu, here are more tofu favorites to try:
It’s good to know you can whip up a delicious dinner with this easy lemon pepper baked tofu. You can add a kick of flavor to any meal with this plant-based dish. Try it today and enjoy a savory meal with a hint of citrus!
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Lemon Pepper Tofu
Ingredients
- 16 oz block extra firm tofu
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 2 medium lemons
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 cups asparagus
- 1 medium red onion peel removed and cut into small segments
- 2 tablespoons almond flour substitute all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, or gluten-free flour.
Instructions
- Place tofu in a tofu press to remove excess liquid is was packed in. Or you can wrap it in a kitchen towel and place something heavy, like a pan, on top.
- Zest and juice one of the lemons.
- Stir together lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic in a shallow lidded container.
- Cut the tofu into 5 -7 slices to create cutlets. Add the cutlets to the marinade. Use a spoon to drizzle marinade over the tofu to make sure they're evenly coated. Cut the zested and juiced lemon into pieces and add those pieces to the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes (up to overnight for even more flavor).
- When the tofu is ready to bake, preheat oven to 325°F/163°C. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Cut the remaining lemon into slices. Wash the asparagus. Place the cutlets on the pan along with the asparagus, red onion pieces, and lemon slices.
- Stir flour into the remaining marinade and drizzle it over the top of the tofu and asparagus. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, using tongs to flip the tofu about half-way through.
- For extra golden tofu, turn up the heat to 350°F/175°C and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Serve tofu with roasted asparagus with sides of rice or noodles.
Recommended Equipment
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The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.