• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Crowded Kitchen
MENUMENU
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Sign Up
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Us
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
×

Home » Recipes » Tofu

Grilled Barbecue Tofu

Published: May 29, 2020 · Modified: Aug 11, 2020 by Lexi

514 shares
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

An easy barbecue marinade makes these grilled tofu skewers a delicious, quick weeknight dinner. Fire up the grill and serve alongside your favorite summer vegetables!

bbq grilled tofu kebabs on a plate

We're always thinking up new ways to eat more tofu. It's a great source of plant-based protein, and it's the perfect blank canvas for just about any flavor. (We even use it in this amazing vegan chocolate pie!)

There's no reason to miss out on grilling season even if you're vegan. When prepared correctly, grilled tofu is tasty enough even for the meat-eaters in your house.

Take it from us. Everyone else in our family eats meat!

How to prepare tofu for grilling

grilled tofu kebabs on the grill

Extra firm tofu is the best option for this recipe. Firm will work okay, but it might be more difficult when it comes to moving the skewers on and off the grill.

It's essential to remove as much moisture as possible from your tofu before grilling.

To do so, remove tofu from packaging and drain well. Pat dry. Slice the block of tofu in half width-wise. Wrap both halves in a clean towel or a few sheets of paper towel and set something heavy on top, like a cookbook or two.

Press for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour. If the towel gets too wet, switch it out with a dry one half way through.

To prep your tofu for the skewers, slice each block lengthwise into thirds. Then, slice each length into thirds so you have 9 equal-sized blocks (18 total).

Ingredients

overhead view of tofu cubes in barbecue marinade

Aside from the tofu, here's what you'll need to make the vegan barbecue marinade:

  • Ketchup
  • Tomato paste
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Soy sauce or tamari
  • Olive oil
  • Sriracha (or another hot sauce of choice)
  • Seasonings: coconut sugar, chili powder, dried mustard, smoked paprika, salt, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and turmeric.

Instructions

Once the tofu is pressed and prepared for grilling, all you have to do is whisk together all of the marinade ingredients.

overhead view of barbecue marinade for grilling

Gently toss the tofu cubes in about ¼ of the marinade mixture, then arrange on skewers. Heat grill to medium and place skewers on grill. Brush the skewers with more marinade on all sides once or twice while cooking.

Grill for a few minutes on each side, until slightly charred and cooked to desired doneness. Serve with more barbecue sauce.

Serving suggestions

We love to serve these this grilled barbecue tofu with vegetable kebabs on the side. It's also fantastic with a simple side of fresh grilled corn (there's nothing better!).

close up of vegan barbecue tofu kebabs

Or, serve it up with a summery salad. Try this grilled corn & black bean salad or this strawberry quinoa avocado salad. For something super light and refreshing, this grilled peach caprese is the way to go.

For a complete meal, add in some kind of grain. Rice is always a great option, or go all out with some mac & cheese!

For a unique take on this recipe, try this tangy pomegranate bbq sauce instead!

More favorite tofu recipes

  • Vegan Dan Dan Tofu Noodles
  • The BEST Tofu Bacon
  • Potato Chip Crusted Tofu Nuggets
  • Rice Noodles with Crispy Tofu and Mushrooms
  • Grilled Tofu Kebabs with Peanut Sauce
overhead view of grilled tofu kebabs on a white plate

If you make this grilled barbecue tofu, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Grilled Barbecue Tofu


  • Author: Lexi
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

An easy barbecue marinade makes these grilled tofu skewers a delicious, quick weeknight dinner. Fire up the grill and serve alongside your favorite summer vegetables! 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 14 oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari (we used low sodium)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2-3 teaspoon sriracha
  • 2 tbsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • ½ tbsp dried mustard
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • Optional: ½ teaspoon turmeric 

Instructions

  1. Remove tofu from packaging and drain well. Pat dry. Slice the block of tofu in half width-wise. Wrap both halves in a clean towel or a few sheets of paper towel and set something heavy on top, like a cookbook or two. Press for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour. If the towel gets too wet, switch it out with a dry one half way through.
  2. To prep your tofu for the skewers, slice each block lengthwise into thirds. Then, slice each length into thirds so you have 9 equal-sized blocks (18 total). 
  3. Meanwhile, whisk together all ingredients for the marinade. 
  4. Gently toss the tofu cubes in about ¼ of the marinade mixture, then arrange on skewers. Heat grill to medium and place skewers on grill. Brush the skewers with more marinade on all sides once or twice while cooking. 
  5. Grill for a few minutes on each side, until slightly charred and cooked to desired doneness. Serve with more barbecue sauce.

Notes

For a less spicy (kid-friendly) version, feel free to leave out the sriracha and/or chili powder. 

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Grill
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 1531
  • Sugar: 18.8 g
  • Sodium: 1224.5 mg
  • Fat: 83.1 g
  • Saturated Fat: 11.3 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 54.4 g
  • Fiber: 19.7 g
  • Protein: 142 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: grilled tofu

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @crowded_kitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #crowdedkitchen

More Tofu Recipes

  • Tofu Chocolate Mousse
  • Tofu Teriyaki
  • Vegan Miso Soup
  • Scrambled Tofu Breakfast Tacos

Reader Interactions

Let us know what you think! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

Lexi and Beth toasting with wine.

Hi, we're Lexi and Beth, a mother-daughter team from Michigan. The recipes you'll find here are a reflection of how we bring our family together around the dinner table despite various dietary differences.

More about us →

Featured in:

Featured in Buzzfeed, yahoo, Men's Journal, Huffpost, MSN, Food & Wine, Country Living, yummly, and Parade.

Winter Recipes

  • Vegan Mushroom Stew over Mashed Potatoes
  • Vegan Coq au Vin
  • Vegetable Stew
  • Vegan Meatloaf
  • Vegan Pumpkin Chili
  • Vegan Broccoli Casserole

Most popular recipes

  • Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Creamy Beet Pasta
  • Super Green Vegetable Soup
  • Vegan Miso Soup
  • Vegan Jalapeño Poppers
  • Limoncello Spritz

See more-->

Footer

Back to top ↑

About

  • Learn About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • See our Portfolio

Newsletter

  • Sign up for weekly emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact Us
  • Work With Us
  • As Seen In

Copyright © 2022 Crowded Kitchen