Marry Me Tofu

I’ve made Vegan Marry Me Chicken before, and while it tastes amazing, you still need to prepare the vegan chicken beforehand, which can take a bit of time. This tofu version, on the other hand, is a faster and simpler alternative, as it starts with firm tofu.

But wait, aren’t there already tons of Marry Me Tofu recipes out there? True! So, what makes mine special? Well, the secret lies in the tofu prep. I marinate it overnight in a sun-dried tomato marinade, infusing each bite with a rich, savory, and garlicky flavor. It’s a total game-changer compared to simply tossing tofu in cornstarch and baking it. No more bland tofu! This one is fully seasoned before it even hits the creamy sauce!

⭐️ Why It’s So Irresistible

Fully seasoned tofu.

This recipe starts with tofu marinated in a flavorful blend of herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. Each cube of tofu is lightly scored, allowing the marinade to seep inside, resulting in every bite being perfectly seasoned.

And although this technique takes a bit more effort than just pan-frying plain tofu, I can assure you that it’s taking the whole dish to a level up! Don’t worry, I’ve included a ton of step-by-step photos to guide you through the whole process.

Rich, savory, velvety-smooth sauce.

Now that the tofu has had its moment, it’s time for the sauce to make its grand entrance. And it doesn’t hold back! Herby, garlicky, and deeply savory with just a hint of heat, the sauce is velvety-smooth and buttery, leaving you wanting more. Even with just 3/4 cup of homemade cashew cream, it tastes so rich and indulgent!

📘 What Is Marry Me Tofu

Marry Me Tofu is a vegan take on the popular Marry Me Chicken. It replaces the chicken used in the original version with tofu and features a sauce with a similar flavor, minus the dairy.

🍅 Let’s Talk Ingredients

Tofu

For this recipe, you can use either firm tofu or extra-firm tofu, depending on your preference. Mine goes to firm tofu as I prefer a softer, slightly silkier texture, but that’s totally up to you!

The secret to infusing the tofu with maximum flavor comes down to two simple tricks:

1) Cut it into small cubes. This is key! When tofu is left in large, thick blocks, the inside often remains bland, regardless of how good your marinade is. By cutting it into smaller cubes, the inside is closer to the surface, meaning the marinade can penetrate more easily and season every bite.
2) Shallow-score each piece. Lightly scoring the tofu with a knife gives the marinade extra paths to seep in, bringing even more flavor to the tofu.

Sun-dried tomatoes

You will use sun-dried tomatoes in both the tofu marinade and the sauce. For the marinade, you will need a couple of tablespoons of oil from the jar as well as one small sun-dried tomato. They’ll be blended with other seasonings to create an umami-rich marinade with an Italian vibe.

The remaining sun-dried tomatoes will be chopped and stirred into the sauce, adding texture and a boost of savory flavor.

Italian Seasoning

I use Italian seasoning in the tofu marinade to infuse it with a strong herby flavor.

For information: The Italian seasoning I used contained dried garlic, red bell pepper, dehydrated onion, paprika, pepper, dried tomato, oregano, marjoram, and basil. Other blends will work too – just be aware that the flavor may vary slightly.

Garlic

The sauce begins with three whole cloves of garlic, which are sautéed with oregano and thyme to infuse the oil with garlicky and herby notes. If you are a true garlic lover, feel free to use up to 5 cloves!

Vegetable broth

Vegetable broth makes the base of the sauce, bringing saltiness and depth of flavor. You can use store-bought broth, either in liquid form or as cubes (check the package instructions to determine how many cups of water the cube should be diluted with), or homemade stock if you prefer.

For a more authentic flavor, you can consider using Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base if you have access to it. Otherwise, regular vegetable broth works great!

Note: Keep in mind that, depending on the brand of broth you use, you may need to adjust the amount of salt slightly.

Cashew cream

I replace the heavy cream used in the original dish with homemade cashew cream. It’s super simple to make and relies on just soaked raw cashews, water, and nutritional yeast. Blend everything together until smooth, and you are ready to go!

Substitute: Any plant-based cream will work! The only cream I would advise against using is coconut cream, as it would result in an overpowering coconut flavor, not something you want for this dish. If you’re using store-bought cream, use about 3/4 cup.

Fresh basil

For garnishing. Not only does it add freshness, but it also adds a pop of color!

🥣 Cooking Instructions

1. Make the tofu marinade. To a blender, add the water, two tablespoons of oil from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, one sun-dried tomato, Italian seasoning, salt, ground black pepper, and garlic. Blend until smooth.

2. Slice the tofu. Rinse the tofu under cold water and pat it dry using kitchen paper towels. Next, cut it into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes. To help the marinade soak in, make shallow cuts on each cube: use a sharp knife to score 3-4 lines, no deeper than halfway through the tofu. Next, transfer the tofu cubes to a small baking dish.

3. Toss it with the marinade. Pour the marinade over the tofu and gently toss each piece to coat it evenly.
4. Let it marinate. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let the tofu marinate overnight or for at least 6 hours. Flip the tofu halfway through marinating to ensure it absorbs the marinade evenly.

5. Make the cashew cream. The next day, drain the soaked cashews and add them to a blender. Add the water and nutritional yeast and blend for 20-30 seconds or until smooth. Set it aside.

6. Bake the tofu. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the marinated tofu cubes on it, leaving at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space between each piece. (Discard the leftover marinade.) Bake for 20 minutes, flipping the tofu halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and set it aside while you prepare the sauce.

7. Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick skillet. Once hot, add the minced garlic, dried thyme, red pepper flakes, and dried oregano. Sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring regularly.

8. Pour in the remaining ingredients. Next, pour in the vegetable broth and cashew cream. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, onion powder, and salt.

9. Cook. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 30 seconds.

10. Add the tofu. Add the baked tofu and toss to coat. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, or until the sauce has slightly thickened. Taste and adjust the saltiness of the sauce to your liking.
11. Garnish. Finally, garnish with chopped fresh basil and enjoy!

🥬 Tweak it!

For extra fiber and freshness, feel free to incorporate your favorite green vegetables!

How-to: For quick-cooking greens, such as baby spinach, kale, bok choy, or Napa cabbage, add them directly to the sauce and simmer for 4-5 minutes. For other greens, such as green beans or broccolini, it’s best to blanch them for 1-2 minutes in boiling water before adding them to the sauce.

A quick tip: If you’re planning to add a lot of extras, I would suggest doubling the sauce.

🍚 What to Serve It With

Our favorite way to serve this Marry Me Tofu is over white rice, but any grain will work. Here are a few suggestions: quinoa, brown rice, farro, or couscous. It also pairs well with short pasta, such as macaroni, farfalle, or fusilli.

For a heartier meal, you can even serve it with a crusty bread such as banh mi bread or air-fryer garlic bread, plus some veggies like these air-fryer green beans, garlic winged beans, or caramelized zucchini!

💬 FAQ

I hope you will love my version of this Marry Me Tofu! It’s an approachable dish made with simple ingredients that tastes fantastic!

🍜 More Easy Vegan Dinners

General Tso’s Tofu

Easy Leek Pasta

Vegan Savory Zucchini Tart

Crispy Tofu Veggie Sheet Pan with Thai Hummus

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!