This vegan lemon pepper tofu is made with fresh lemon and black pepper and baked to crispy perfection. Served with roasted asparagus and your favorite grains, it’s a nice light dinner for springtime.
This post is sponsored by EZ Tofu Press.
When spring is in the air, lemon pepper is the perfect flavor profile for any dish! The bright, zesty lemon pairs well with the kick from the pepper, and makes a great marinade for a vegan protein and vegetables.
This Lemon Pepper Tofu will liven up your tofu recipe collection! The tofu is seasoned with both lemon juice and zest, ground black pepper, and garlic. Then it’s roasted with another springtime treat—in-season asparagus! Serve atop your favorite grain (I used quinoa) with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Rather than using store bought lemon pepper seasoning, which is full of additives and more salt than flavor, this lemon pepper tofu is made with the real deal—fresh lemon and pepper. These flavors are in the tofu marinade, seasoning, and finishing touches when plating the dish!
Need a side salad? Roasted Beet Salad with Vegan Honey Mustard Dressing fits the bill! This tofu is also delicious served atop Lemon Pepper Pasta with the asparagus on the side for a heartier meal with lots of lemon pepper flavor.
🌱 Ingredients
- Tofu
- Vegan “chicken” broth or vegetable broth
- Fresh lemons (juice and zest)
- Soy sauce
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Black pepper
- Sea salt
- Asparagus
See recipe card for quantities.
Lemons
This recipe calls for fresh lemon for the tofu marinade, asparagus seasoning, and as a garnish. You’ll use both the juice and zest, so make sure to zest them before juicing.
Fresh is best! Don’t use bottled lemon juice or lemon pepper seasoning.
Olive Oil
Use extra virgin olive oil for this recipe, which is great for dipping and drizzling on finished dishes. The tofu and asparagus seasonings call for olive oil, and you’ll also drizzle some olive oil on the finished dish before serving.
Black Pepper
Use freshly ground black pepper if you can! Since lemon and pepper are the star flavors of the dish, using the freshest ingredients will pay off in flavor.
🍽 Equipment
- Baking sheet(s)
- Citrus juicer
- EZ Tofu Press
Baking Sheet
This dish can be a one pan meal (not counting the grains) if you bake the tofu and asparagus on one baking sheet! The asparagus will cook a lot faster than the tofu, so you will need to add the asparagus to the pan near the end of the tofu baking time. See the recipe card for instructions.
Citrus Juicer
This recipe calls for ⅓ cup lemon juice in the tofu marinade, then extra lemon juice for the asparagus and to finish off your plating. Using a citrus juicer is the best way to get all of the juice out of your lemons. Don’t forget to zest them first with a grater!
EZ Tofu Press
With a flavor as delicate as lemon pepper, you’ll want to make sure you’re maximizing the flavor of your tofu by thoroughly pressing it so it can fully absorb the marinade and get nice crispy edges.
Pressing tofu can be a messy, wasteful process if you’re using kitchen towels or paper towels, and it often results in unevenly pressed tofu.
Fortunately there’s a solution so you can make all of your favorite tofu recipes fuss free—a tofu press! But not just any tofu press—the EZ Tofu Press!
The EZ Tofu Press is made of two sturdy BPA-free, USDA-approved plastic plates that evenly apply pressure to your firm or extra firm tofu to drain out the water. It only takes 15 minutes to press your tofu so it can be ready to season for the best flavor and texture!
My EZ Tofu Press has been going strong for years because of its durable, intuitive design. Get your own EZ Tofu Press and start making tofu prep easier!
🔪 Instructions
For the tofu:
Drain and press the tofu for 15-20 minutes using the EZ Tofu Press, until the tofu has reduced in size.
Slice the tofu into 4 slabs.
Combine all the broth, lemon juice, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon lemon zest in a large shallow dish.
Place the tofu slabs in the marinade. Let marinate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Drain the marinade and place the tofu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest, black pepper, and sea salt on the tofu, as well as some of the garlic pieces from the marinade.
Bake for 40-50 minutes, flipping halfway through.
For the asparagus:
Slice or snap off the cut ends of the asparagus, wash the asparagus, then place in a medium sized mixing bowl.
Drizzle the olive oil on the asparagus, and stir to coat. Sprinkle on the lemon zest, pepper, and salt, and add a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Transfer to a prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-16 minutes, until tender. You can add them to the tofu baking sheet instead of using another pan if you time it with the tofu baking time.
To serve:
Add a serving of the cooked grains to a large plate, then add a piece of tofu on top. Add a serving of asparagus on the side.
Drizzle with olive oil and add a squeeze of lemon, add some freshly ground black pepper, and serve with lemon slices.
🧊 Storage
Serve in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
When reheating leftovers, add a squeeze of lemon juice and drizzle of olive oil before heating so the tofu doesn’t dry out.
📋 Variation
Lemon Pepper Pasta with Lemon Pepper Tofu
There’s never too much lemon pepper! Instead of serving your Lemon Pepper Tofu with quinoa or another grain, try it atop Lemon Pepper Pasta!
The garlic, lemon, olive oil, and pepper combine for a savory, tangy dish that’s still on the lighter side. Serve the asparagus on the side, or chop and mix into the pasta.
Grilled Lemon Pepper Tofu
This lemon pepper tofu can be grilled too!
To grill, preheat your grill to 400ºF. Brush the grill with vegetable oil and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side, until browned.
You can also grill the asparagus! Grill for 5-7 minutes or until tender and crispy.
💭 Tips
- Make sure to completely drain the marinade before placing the tofu pieces on the baking sheet. If the tofu is wet, it won’t bake properly.
- To make the tofu and asparagus a one pan dish (aside from the grains!), you can wait until there are 15 minutes remaining in the bake time for the tofu and add the asparagus to the tofu baking sheet.
❓ FAQs
Store bought lemon pepper seasoning in a shaker is often gluten free, but may contain additives or starches that are not, so be sure to read the labels. This lemon pepper tofu recipe does not call for lemon pepper seasoning, just fresh lemon and freshly ground black pepper, so it’s naturally gluten free!
This depends whether you’re using a store bought lemon pepper seasoning or fresh lemon and pepper. Store bought seasonings often have a high salt content and contain additives. It’s a nice seasoning in a pinch, but it’s healthier (and tastes better!) to use fresh lemon, pepper, and salt.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Baked Lemon Pepper Tofu with Asparagus
This vegan lemon pepper tofu is made with fresh lemon and black pepper and baked to crispy perfection. Served with roasted asparagus and your favorite grains, it’s a nice light dinner for springtime.
Ingredients
Tofu
- 1 pound tofu (1 block)
- 1 ½ cups vegan “chicken” broth or vegetable broth
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ¼ teaspoons lemon zest, divided
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Sea salt
Asparagus
- 1 large bunch asparagus
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt
- Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
To serve
- 2 cups cooked quinoa or bulgur wheat
- Fresh lemon juice
- Olive oil
- Lemon slices
Instructions
For the tofu:
- Drain and press the tofu for 15-20 minutes using the EZ Tofu Press, until the tofu has reduced in size.
- Combine all the broth, lemon juice, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon lemon zest in a large shallow dish.
- Slice the tofu into 4 slabs and place in the marinade. Let marinate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Drain the marinade and place the tofu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest, black pepper, and sea salt on the tofu, as well as some of the garlic pieces from the marinade.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, flipping halfway through.
For the asparagus:
- Slice or snap off the cut ends of the asparagus, wash the asparagus, then place in a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Drizzle the olive oil on the asparagus, and stir to coat. Sprinkle on the lemon zest, pepper, and salt, and add a squeeze of fresh lemon.
- Transfer to a prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-16 minutes, until tender. You can add them to the tofu baking sheet instead of using another pan if you time it with the tofu baking time.
To serve:
- Add a serving of the cooked grains to a large plate, then add a piece of tofu on top. Add a serving of asparagus on the side.
- Drizzle with olive oil and add a squeeze of lemon, add some freshly ground black pepper, and serve with lemon slices.
Notes
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 409Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1290mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 7gSugar: 6gProtein: 19g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on seitanbeatsyourmeat.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.
Ready to start making tofu prep easy? Get your very own EZ Tofu Press on Amazon today!
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