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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    June 9, 2021 15 Comments

    Roasted Hasselback Tofu with Creamy Avocado Sauce

    1.9K shares
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    Thank you to Sunrise Soya Foods for sponsoring this recipe for Roasted Hasselback Tofu. Sunrise Extra Firm Tofu is my absolute favourite tofu, I usually have 4 - 5 blocks in my fridge at any given time I love it so much!

    For this recipe, I really wanted to think outside of the "tofu cube" and try a new tofu technique. I present to you: Roasted Hasselback Tofu with Creamy Avocado Sauce! Wow, are you going to love this recipe. Preparing tofu in this way gives it such a fantastic meaty texture and allows for the marinade to soak deep into the tofu. Yum!

    Roasted Hasselback Tofu with Creamy Avocado Sauce

    Hasselback Tofu has bacon-y dry-rubbed kinda vibes. With a chewy skin and tender inside, it's so meaty and savoury and (trust me) like no other tofu you've ever had. The savoury, saltiness of the roasted tofu marries so perfectly with the fresh creamy avocado sauce.  This recipe (technically) serves 4, but it's so amazingly delicious, no one will judge if you just devour it on your own!

    Sunrise Soya Foods is the #1 leading manufacturer of tofu in Canada and is my personal go-to! Sunrise Extra Firm Tofu has the ideal texture for new and regular tofu users alike. It's perfect for some of my favourite tofu dishes such as my Easy Sticky Teriyaki Tofu, my Baked Tofu Bites, or my Vegan Tofu Taco Crumbles. But if you are looking for a fancier dish, you must try this Hasselback tofu! After I finished this recipe, I asked myself: "Is there anything tofu can't do?" I mean, it's literally the PERFECT flavour vehicle!

    Roasted Hasselback Tofu with Creamy Avocado Sauce

    Just look at that deliciousness!! Sunrise Extra Firm Tofu is first pressed and then marinated in a simple sauce. You can let it marinate for just 30 minutes, but I prefer to marinate it overnight, or even for a few days in the fridge to make sure those flavours really get in there. Then when ready to cook, roast the Hasselback tofu in the oven for an hour. Slow roasting it like this makes for the best chewy on the outside, tender on the inside texture. This would be great served as the main for a festive occasion, but it's easy enough to prepare that you could enjoy it any night of the week!

    How to make Roasted Hasselback Tofu with Creamy Avocado Sauce:

    Sunrise Extra Firm Tofu

    For the Hasselback tofu:
    Prepare the tofu by draining it, and then pressing it for 30 minutes to 1 hour. For pressing instructions, check out this post. Pressing the tofu squeezes excess water out so that the tofu can suck up more of the marinade and become chewier.

    Place a wooden spoon handle on either side of the tofu and slice the tofu partway

    Once pressed, remove the tofu and pat dry. Place a wooden spoon handle on either side of the tofu to stop from cutting all the way through so the slices remain intact. Slice the tofu partway through repeatedly about ¼" apart for the Hasselback technique.

    Marinade the tofu with soy sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, liquid smoke, and black pepper

    In a sealable container or bag, mix the soy sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, liquid smoke, and black pepper. Place the tofu in the dish or bag with the marinade. Let marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes or as long as overnight.
    Bake for about 60 minutes until the tofu is a dark golden brown

    When ready to roast the tofu, preheat your oven to 375F (190C). Line a small baking dish with parchment paper. Remove the tofu from the marinade and place it in the prepared baking dish. Brush on any leftover marinade. Bake for about 60 minutes until the tofu is a dark golden brown.

    Serve hot, as is, or with the creamy avocado sauce

    Enjoy hot, as is, or with the creamy avocado sauce, or with any sauce you desire.

    Add the avocado, cilantro, water, agave, and lemon juice to a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy.

    To make the creamy avocado sauce:

    Add the avocado, cilantro, water, agave, and lemon juice to a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy. If you do not have a blender or food processor, simply chop the cilantro or parsley first, then add everything to a bowl and smash together with a fork. Serve with the Hasselback tofu.

    Roasted Hasselback Tofu with Creamy Avocado Sauce

    The creamy avocado sauce is delectable but feel free to switch it out for aother favourite sauce. Hasselback tofu would also go well with my chimichurri or tzatziki sauce. Serve with a side of veg such as my Garlic Sautéd Green Beans and some Garlic Mashed Potatoes, or crispy French fries. What an epic meal!

    Bon appetegan!

    Sam Turnbull.

    Print Recipe
    5 from 6 votes

    Roasted Hasselback Tofu with Creamy Avocado Sauce

    This roasted tofu recipe has a bacony, dry rub, roasted, chewy skin, but is so tender on the inside! It's so meaty and savoury and (trust me!) like no other tofu you've had. The savoury, saltiness of the roasted tofu marries so perfectly with the fresh zing of the creamy avocado sauce. 
    Prep Time1 hr
    Cook Time1 hr
    Total Time2 hrs
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    ingredient tag: avocado, tofu
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 239kcal
    Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

    Ingredients

    For the hasselback tofu:

    • 1 block (350g) Sunrise Extra Firm Tofu, drained and pressed (see step 1)
    • 3 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free if preferred)
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

    For the creamy avocado sauce:

    • 1 avocado
    • ¼ cup cilantro or parsley
    • ½ cup water
    • 1 tablespoon agave or maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
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    Instructions

    For the Hasselback tofu:

    • Prepare the tofu by draining it, and then pressing it for 30 minutes to 1 hour. For pressing instructions, check out this post. Pressing the tofu squeezes excess water out so that the tofu can suck up more of the marinade and become chewier.
    • Once pressed, remove the tofu and pat dry. Place a wooden spoon handle on either side of the tofu to stop from cutting all the way through so the slices remain intact. Slice the tofu partway through repeatedly about ¼" apart for the Hasselback technique.
    • In a sealable container or bag, mix the soy sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, liquid smoke, and black pepper. Place the tofu in the dish or bag with the marinade. Let marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes or as long as overnight.
    • When ready to roast the tofu, preheat your oven to 375F (190C). Line a small baking dish with parchment paper. Remove the tofu from the marinade and place it in the prepared baking dish. Brush on any leftover marinade. Bake for about 60 minutes until the tofu is a dark golden brown. Enjoy hot as is, or with the creamy avocado sauce, or with any sauce you desire.

    To make the creamy avocado sauce:

    • Add the avocado, cilantro, water, agave, and lemon juice to a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy. If you do not have a blender or food processor, simply chop the cilantro or parsley first, then add everything to a bowl and smash together with a fork. Serve with the Hasselback tofu.

    Notes

    Make ahead: the Hasselback tofu is great made ahead of time. Simply store the baked and cooled Hasselback tofu in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The avocado sauce should be made fresh as it will brown.
    Sauce: the creamy avocado sauce pairs beautifully with this Hasselback tofu, but feel free to sub the sauce for another favourite sauce.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving with 1 serving of avocado sauce (recipe makes 4 servings of each) | Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 775mg | Potassium: 448mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 290IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 3mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ann M says

      July 13, 2021 at 9:01 pm

      5 stars
      Once again, you’ve knocked it out of the park, Sam! This recipe was so easy and so delicious! The tofu was a little salty for my liking, so I will use low sodium soy sauce next time. Fortunately, that avocado sauce was the perfect pairing for this and knocked back any saltiness.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        July 20, 2021 at 3:36 pm

        Wonderful, so happy you enjoyed it Ann! And yes, feel free to use low sodium soy sauce, or just lessen the amount of soy sauce. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Joy says

      June 29, 2021 at 6:13 pm

      5 stars
      I will make this tofu recipe over and over for years to come! I love tofu, and thought I’ve had it every single which way you can have tofu. This is innovative, fun, easy and super tasty! And Sam it right, it pairs beautifully with the avocado sauce! Thanks for another recipe win Sam!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        July 20, 2021 at 2:05 pm

        Aww I love that! You're most welcome, Joy! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Sharon says

      June 19, 2021 at 8:34 pm

      5 stars
      This was so easy and delicious!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        June 28, 2021 at 3:50 pm

        Yay! Thrilled you enjoyed it, Sharon 🙂

        Reply
    4. Karen says

      June 13, 2021 at 1:59 pm

      5 stars
      My new standby tofu recipe! Didn’t make the sauce, but I love the prep method. So easy to do multiple blocks of tofu ahead of time. I have decades of tofu experience & am not easily impressed with new approaches, but this is a winner in my book!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        June 17, 2021 at 11:30 am

        Woohoo! So happy it's a new fave for you Karen 🙂

        Reply
    5. Sue says

      June 09, 2021 at 2:13 pm

      Hi Sam! This looks so pretty and sounds delicious! I’m going to make it for Father’s Day. Thanks for all your creative recipes.

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        June 17, 2021 at 11:27 am

        You're most welcome! I hope you enjoy it 🙂

        Reply
    6. Malin Pegenius says

      June 09, 2021 at 1:04 pm

      I wounder if i can do this in nu airfryer but in low heat?

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        June 17, 2021 at 11:27 am

        Yes I believe so! Try 350F for about 40 minutes, but keep an eye on it 🙂

        Reply
    7. Sam Turnbull says

      June 09, 2021 at 12:58 pm

      Hi Lisa, sponsored posts help support my work so that I can continue to provide free vegan recipes. Sunrise extra-firm tofu is my favourite tofu and I use it all over the blog so I'm thrilled to be partnering with them.

      Reply
    8. Ulrika says

      June 09, 2021 at 7:56 am

      It's my favourite brand of tofu as well, no pressing needed! Can't wait to make this recipe. I love your tofu ham so I am sure this will be awesome as well!

      Reply
      • Sam Turnbull says

        June 17, 2021 at 11:25 am

        Amazing! You'll definitely love this one too I think!

        Reply

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