{"id":3783,"date":"2025-07-07T07:00:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T14:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/07\/baked-curried-tofu-cubes-the-full-helping\/"},"modified":"2025-07-07T07:00:35","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T14:00:35","slug":"baked-curried-tofu-cubes-the-full-helping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wrwofficial.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/07\/baked-curried-tofu-cubes-the-full-helping\/","title":{"rendered":"Baked Curried Tofu Cubes | The Full Helping"},"content":{"rendered":"

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These baked curried tofu cubes are seasoned with a marinade of garlic powder, curry powder, and a generous amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice. They\u2019re nicely spiced and surprisingly tangy! I like to use super firm tofu for its density and substance.<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s truly no more useful recipe to meal prep than a good, versatile protein. These savory, tangy baked curried tofu cubes have become one of my favorites. <\/p>\n

In my meal prep cookbook The Vegan Week<\/a><\/em>, there\u2019s an entire chapter devoted to proteins. I wrote in the intro to that chapter that \u201cI\u2019ve learned to make plant proteins the backbone of my meals.\u201d<\/p>\n

This wasn\u2019t always the case. I\u2019ve always been able to include the other two macronutrients\u2014carbohydrates and fats\u2014into my meals effortlessly. <\/p>\n

Selecting and preparing a plant protein source<\/a>, however, was less intuitive. This is probably because I\u2019d grown up eating carbohydrates and fats (grains, olive oil, nuts, etc.), whereas I hadn\u2019t grown up eating tofu, tempeh<\/a>, seitan<\/a>, or even many beans<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The RD in me understood that all three macronutrients are key players in balanced meals. Over time, I trained myself to make sure that each homemade breakfast, lunch, and dinner plate would include a quality protein. This is still a guiding principle when I menu plan. <\/p>\n

Within the world of plant proteins, tofu<\/a> is a favorite; I love its ability to soak up flavor, its range of shape and texture.<\/p>\n

Balsamic tofu cubes<\/a> and teriyaki tofu cubes<\/a> are already staples in my home. Recently, I wondered if I might mix things up a little, with a new marinade or spice blend.<\/p>\n

These baked curried tofu cubes were what I came up with. There are a few dishes that I imagined adding them to from the start: tandoori cauliflower bowls<\/a>, creamy curried quinoa<\/a>, or spiced potatoes, lentils and peas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But I\u2019ve found that the cubes are useful in many other ways; I love putting them into pita pockets along with saut\u00e9ed spinach or roasted broccoli. And they can give a lively boost to an otherwise simple bowl of rice and beans<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The cubes even make a good savory snack<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A gently spiced\u2014and very tangy\u2014marinade<\/h2>\n

The flavor profile of these curried tofu cubes is a good example of a happy culinary accident. <\/p>\n

While I intended for the recipe to be seasoned with curry powder, I didn\u2019t intend for it to be as citrus-forward as it is. <\/p>\n

Thinking back to the paneer-inspired baked tofu that I included in my book Power Plates<\/a><\/em>, I added lemon for acidity. When my first batch emerged from the oven, they were a lot more tangy than I thought they\u2019d be, and I worried that I\u2019d overdone it.<\/p>\n

I decided that I really liked the lemony flavor, even though it hadn\u2019t planned on it. It keeps the tofu cubes lifted and brought, with a nice contrast to the earthiness of their spices. <\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t love tangy flavors, you can reduce the four tablespoons of lemon juice to three.<\/p>\n

As for the spices, most spice blends labeled \u201ccurry powder\u201d in the US are similar to the curry powder that were concocted by British colonizers in the 18th and 19th centuries. Typically, this type of curry powder contains some mix of turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, cumin, fenugreek, black pepper, and cardamom.<\/p>\n

Curry powder can have heat, but it\u2019s usually less hot than madras curry or vindaloo curry powders. (For more explanation and history, this article<\/a> is helpful.)<\/p>\n

In my kitchen, I like to use the Burlap and Barrel \u201ccurry,<\/a>\u201d and I also like Simply Organic\u2019s\u00a0curry powder<\/a>. You can choose a blend with more heat, if you like.<\/p>\n

If you have garam masala at home, rather than a curry powder, that blend will work well in the recipe.<\/p>\n

Baking tofu<\/h2>\n

There are of course so many ways to prepare tofu: saut\u00e9ing<\/a>, scrambling<\/a>, frying, and more. But my favorite preparation method has always been baking. <\/p>\n

Unless I\u2019m making a pudding<\/a>, sauce, or soup<\/a>, I like for my tofu to be nice and firm. I\u2019m not a huge fan of the crispy-style tofu that involves dredging in cornstarch; I find that texture to be unpleasantly rough and sponge-like. <\/p>\n

Over the years I\u2019ve found that oven-baking can preserve tofu\u2019s firmness and density, give its edges a hint of crispness, and help to lock in flavor. This is the kind of tofu that I love to eat.<\/p>\n

Baked tofu can be prepared in slabs, slices, or cubes. As far as types of tofu go, firm, extra firm, and super firm tofu are all appropriate for oven baking. <\/p>\n

Super firm is just what it sounds like: an especially solid and dense type of tofu. This variety of tofu has become popular relatively recently. Its compressed texture amounts to high protein content. <\/p>\n

Super firm is now one of the tofu varieties that I cook with most often. It\u2019s always what I reach for when I make smoky tofu<\/a> or my lemon marinated baked tofu<\/a>, and I think that it works especially well for these baked curried tofu cubes.<\/p>\n

If you can\u2019t find super firm tofu, that\u2019s no problem. Extra firm tofu, which is pretty easy to source, will also work well for the recipe. <\/p>\n

How to make baked curried tofu cubes<\/h2>\n

In addition to being lemony, salty, and spiced, these curried tofu cubes are easy to make. <\/p>\n

Like most of my baked tofu recipes, this one benefits from planning. The cubes will develop more flavor with a longer marinade. If you can remember to marinate them overnight, that\u2019s ideal, though a minimum of four hours will do the trick.<\/p>\n

Step one: whisk together the marinade<\/h3>\n

The marinade is a pretty straightforward mixture of freshly squeezed lemon (or lemon + lime)\u00a0juice, avocado oil, garlic powder,\u00a0curry\u00a0powder, and salt.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re wondering why I use the garlic powder, rather than minced garlic, it\u2019s a few reasons. For one thing, powdered garlic whisks really easily into marinades. It\u2019s something I always have in my pantry, whether I have a fresh bulb of garlic or not. <\/p>\n

And finally, the powder stands up well to a hot oven, whereas minced garlic can easily burn when it\u2019s used in a marinade like this one.<\/p>\n

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Whisk the marinade ingredients together well before pouring them over your cubed tofu pieces.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Step two: marinate the tofu<\/h3>\n

The super firm tofu for this recipe should be cut into 3\/4-inch \/ 2.5-cm\u00a0cubes.<\/p>\n

After this, I recommend arranging them in a single layer (or as close to a single layer as you can) in a larger, flat storage container with a lid.<\/p>\n

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For this recipe, I like tofu cubes that are about 1 3\/4 inches, or 2 1\/2 centimeters.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Arranging your tofu cubes and marinade in an airtight storage container will allow you disperse the marinade and store them with ease.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n

Pour the marinade over the cubes, cover the container with its airtight lid, and give it a gentle shake to disperse the marinade.<\/p>\n

You can marinate the tofu for as few as four hours or up to overnight. The longer the better. <\/p>\n

I recommend shaking the container gently at least once during the marinating time, to ensure that the curried tofu cubes are soaking up seasoning evenly.<\/p>\n

Step 3: bake<\/h3>\n

Finally, it\u2019s baking time. <\/p>\n

I recommend lining your baking pan with parchment or foil. Transfer the\u00a0tofu\u00a0pieces to the\u00a0baking\u00a0sheet, but don\u2019t toss the marinade: you\u2019ll need it for basting the cubes halfway through roasting. <\/p>\n

Transfer the baking pan to a 400\u00b0F \/ 200\u00b0C oven. Bake the curried tofu cubes for twelve minutes, then remove the pan from the oven. <\/p>\n

Use a basting brush to brush the cubes gently, flip them, then brush the other side. <\/p>\n

\"Golden\"Golden
Basting the curried tofu cubes during baking helps to distribute and deepen their flavor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Return the sheet to the\u00a0oven.\u00a0Bake\u00a0the\u00a0cubes\u00a0for another 7-10 minutes, or until they\u2019re lightly browning and crisping at their edges.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s it! Plant protein, ready to enjoy however you like for days to come. <\/p>\n

Meal prep and storage<\/h3>\n

If you don\u2019t use your curried tofu cubes in a recipe right away, then you can store them for up to five days in an airtight container in the fridge. The\u00a0tofu\u00a0can also be frozen for up to six weeks, then defrosted overnight in the fridge before reheating.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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The tofu cubes can be enjoyed soon after baking, but they\u2019re also good for storing and freezing. They\u2019re an ideal basic protein to prepare and use in various ways all week.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Prep Time: <\/span>4 hours<\/span><\/span> hours<\/span> 15 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Cook Time: <\/span>20 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Total Time: <\/span>4 hours<\/span><\/span> hours<\/span> 35 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Yields: <\/span>4<\/span> servings<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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