Miso Tofu

If you’re looking for a quick and tasty way to pump up your plant-based protein intake, this miso tofu recipe is a winner! With just a handful of ingredients and minimal fuss, you’ll transform that block of tofu into a flavor-packed powerhouse.

A bowl of miso tofu with steamed broccoli. There's is a bowl of steamed broccoli in the background.

Why I Love This Recipe: Tofu is such a blank canvas, ready to absorb any flavor you throw at it. This savory miso marinade makes it a satisfying, delicious part of any meal – stir-fries, pastas, salads, you name it!

What Tofu Do I Need?

The trick to this recipe is to make sure you buy the right kind of tofu. Check out my Tofu Buying Guide for help with that.

For this Miso-Glazed Tofu, We’ll use extra-firm tofu. The good news is you can find it just about anywhere, in grocery stores and health food stores.

Reader Reviews

★★★★★
This recipe is amazing! Tofu never tasted so good! I make this so often. My husband requests it all the time and my two small children love it also. It is so quick and easy to make as long as you had the foresight to marinate it. I serve it with pumpkin rice noodles and a green veggie.

Kim

Ingredients & Substitutions

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.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:

  • Extra-Firm Tofu: Look for this in the produce aisle, and always drain and press for the best texture.
  • White Miso Paste: It’s got a mellow, slightly sweet flavor. Find it in the Asian or refrigerated section of the store. Miso falls into the category of fermented foods and is a flavorful seasoning to add to a lot of recipes! I love this post from Epicurious on the ways to use miso.
  • Tamari: This gluten-free soy sauce adds depth. If you don’t have it, regular soy sauce is a fine substitute.
  • Rice Vinegar: Offers a subtle tang. Apple cider or white vinegar also work well.
A small iron dish sits on a stack of sliced tofu.
Press tofu manually by placing something heavy on top.
A hand uses a spoon to stir ingredients next to a green container.
Press tofu with a tofu press for the best texture.

Why is This the Best Recipe?

  • Quick & Easy: No complicated instructions here! This miso tofu comes together in a flash, perfect for busy weeknights.
  • Flavor Bomb: Miso’s umami richness elevates tofu, creating a depth of flavor you won’t believe.
  • Incredibly Versatile: Miso tofu shines in so many dishes – enjoy it as a main course, side dish, or even a tasty salad topper.

Marly’s Tips

  • Pressing Matters: Don’t skip pressing the tofu! It creates the ideal texture for soaking up the marinade.
  • Spice It Up: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a bit of heat, or your favorite spices for a custom flavor.
  • Make-Ahead Tip: This is a great dish to get started the day before and let the tofu marinade overnight.

Cooking Miso-Glazed Tofu

Once your tofu is adequately marinated you have a couple of options for how to cook it:

  1. Pan Fried: Once the tofu is marinated, add some oil to a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Remove the tofu pieces from the marinade and cook it until browned on all sides.
  2. Air Fried: Add tofu to your air fryer basket and cook for several minutes until crispy and brown. Follow my Air Fryer Tofu recipe if you’d like to skip the skillet.
  3. Baked: Preheat your oven to 375°F/190°C and spread the marinated tofu on a pan lined with parchment paper. Cook for up to 15 minutes, until the edges are crispy. My Lemon Pepper Tofu recipe provides more tips on baking tofu.

Storage Tips

Store leftover miso tofu in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pan, air fryer, or microwave until warmed through. While tofu can be frozen, it changes texture, so it’s best enjoyed fresh.

Serving Suggestions

There are so many ways to serve miso marinated tofu. Here are some of my favorites:

  • Rice or Cauliflower Rice: Miso tofu is a classic match for fluffy rice or a low-carb cauliflower rice base. Serve your tofu over brown rice (follow my instructions on How to Make Brown Rice) and it’s very tasty. Or, follow my recipe for How to Make Cauliflower Rice to serve this delicious glazed tofu in a low-carb way.
  • Stir-Fry Star: Add it to your favorite stir-fry with veggies and a flavorful sauce.
  • Salad Protein Boost: Crumble or chop the tofu and toss it into your salads for a tasty and satisfying protein addition.

More Tofu Recipes

If you love this miso tofu recipe, here are more tofu recipes you’ll want to try:

A rice bowl of miso tofu with steamed broccoli.

That’s it for this miso tofu recipe. Enjoy!

A bowl of cooked tofu with steamed broccoli.

Miso-Glazed Tofu

This simple yet deeply flavorful miso tofu bursts with savory goodness. A protein-rich and adaptable dish for any occasion!
5 from 8 votes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 153kcal

Ingredients

  • 15 oz extra firm tofu
  • ½ cup onion , peeled and chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic , peeled and minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons white miso paste
  • 2 tablespoons tamari
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (sub apple cider or white vinegar)

Instructions

  • Remove the tofu from the package and press to remove excess fluid. See note on pressing tofu.
    A block of extra firm tofu sits on a white plate.
  • While the tofu is pressing, place the chopped onion, garlic and one tablespoon olive oil together in a medium-size container.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the miso, tamari, and vinegar. Add this to the chopped onion mixture and stir until well-combined.
    A hand is stirring marinade next to a container of miso paste and another container with chopped onions.
  • Chop the tofu into 1/2" cubes and place in the pan with the miso marinade. Stir everything together gently so that the marinade permeates the tofu. Let the tofu marinade for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour. 
    A hand uses a spoon to stir tofu with marinade. The rest of the cubed tofu sits in a green container.
  • Pour remaining oil in skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Let the oil heat up for about a minute. Use tongs to carefully place tofu pieces in the skillet and slightly brown each side of the tofu cubes. Continue cooking and tossing the tofu until the tofu is slightly browned. Then turn heat to low and add the remaining marinade. Cook for a minute or two until the onions are tender.
  • Store cooked tofu in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Tofu changes its consistency when frozen so it's not recommended to freeze this recipe. 
  • To serve, place tofu pieces over rice, cauliflower rice, in vegetable wraps, salads, etc. To reheat, cook in a skillet, air fryer until, or microwave until heated through. 

Recommended Equipment

(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)

Notes

You can also cook this tofu in an air fryer. See the post above for the link to my air fryer tofu recipe.
To press tofu, remove from the package and wrap in a kitchen towel or paper towels and sit on a plate with something heavy over the top, like a small casserole dish. Alternatively, using a tofu press results in an evenly pressed tofu.
If you are not worried about carbs, adding a tablespoon of agave nectar to the marinade can greatly enhance the flavors and the browning effect of the tofu.
Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 887mg | Potassium: 229mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1.7mg

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.

This post was originally published in 2019 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.

17 Responses to Miso Tofu

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyVal Reply

    Delish. I did add some coconut milk, cut up carrot straws and peas to the sauce in this recipe and served on a bed of rice. Very yummy

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Val. Love the idea of adding some coconut milk to make it creamy. And yes to carrots and peas and serving it all over rice. So glad you liked it!

  2. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyPhilip Reply

    5 stars
    Really tasty! This one will definitely go into the regular tofu recipe rotation.

  3. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyEmily Reply

    This is VERY good! I tried it with tofu and it’s fine but I’m probably going to switch to chicken bc I’m not vegan (I just like switching it up now and then!) it’s a tad bit salty for my tastes so I might cut the tamari in half but this really is SOOO GOOD.

  4. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyKim Reply

    5 stars
    This recipe is amazing! Tofu never tasted so good! I make this so often. My husband requests it all the time and my two small children love it also. It is so quick and easy to make as long as you had the foresight to marinate it. I serve it with pumpkin rice noodles and a green veggie.

  5. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyJessie Reply

    Rice vinegar is an ingredient but the instructions don’t say where and when to add it.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Jessie. Great catch! I’ve made this recipe so many times, I missed that. It is corrected now. Thanks again!

  6. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyJudy Shaw Reply

    I’m sure you know this, but you CAN buy tofu at Costco now!

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Actually, I didn’t know this! I get so used to the aisles and rows I o through there and sometimes forget to “explore”. Thanks for this note, Judy! I’m going to look for tofu next time I’m at Costco!

  7. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyBecca from BettyBecca Reply

    This looks like a great recipe for tofu! I can’t wait to try it out.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Looks delish!

  8. Avatar thumbnail image for Marlytammy Reply

    5 stars
    Looks yummy! I’m wondering, would this work to bake, instead of frying it?

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Absolutely! I love baking tofu.

  9. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyBev Weidner Reply

    I’m all. over. this. as. soon. as. I. know. what. bragg. is.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Ahh, Bragg. You can use soy sauce, but if you’d like to keep it gluten-free, here’s a wonderful alternative: Bragg Liquid Aminos.

  10. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlySommer@ASpicyPerspective Reply

    Marly, you’ve almost converted me to a tofu eater. Another recipe like this and I won’t be able to help myself. 😉

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      OK. I’m on it!

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