Baked Pepper Jelly Tofu with a Light Lime Glaze

This baked tofu recipe keeps the sweet glaze out of the oven until the cubes have browned. Pressed extra-firm tofu, a light starch coating and room between pieces produce a firmer surface. A small warm pepper jelly sauce goes on immediately before serving, so the cubes keep more texture than tofu baked in a pool of glaze.

Jump to ingredients · Method

For the mild jelly used here, choose Grandma Jones' Traditional Pepper Jelly. Check its current label for ingredients and storage instructions. Other flavors change the character and heat of the recipe.

Yield: 3 main-dish servings. Prep: about 15 minutes. Cook: about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 14-ounce package refrigerated extra-firm tofu, drained
• 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 tablespoons Traditional Pepper Jelly
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon water, plus more by teaspoons only if needed
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced
• Cooked rice and vegetables, for serving

Method

1. Press and prepare. Press the drained tofu gently between clean towels under a moderate weight for about 10 minutes while heating the oven to 425°F. Follow any package-specific preparation directions. Cut into 3/4-inch cubes and blot the cut surfaces dry.
2. Coat lightly. Toss the tofu gently with oil and salt, then sprinkle on cornstarch and toss until no dry clumps remain. Spread on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet with space between cubes.
3. Bake before glazing. Bake about 25–30 minutes, turning carefully halfway through, until the edges are lightly golden and the surface is firm. Oven behavior and moisture vary. Do not pour the sweet sauce over the tray at the beginning.
4. Warm the sauce. In a small saucepan over low heat, stir the jelly, lime juice, soy sauce and water until smooth and just warm. Stop before it boils down into a sticky syrup. Add extra water a teaspoon at a time only if necessary.
5. Toss and serve. Transfer the baked cubes to a clean bowl. Add just enough warm sauce to coat lightly and toss gently. Scatter scallion on top and serve immediately with rice and vegetables. Offer any clean remaining sauce separately.

Get the texture right

The tofu is soft

Use extra-firm tofu rather than silken tofu, dry it well and leave space on the pan. A glaze will soften the surface somewhat; for the firmest result, serve the sauce alongside.

The coating looks powdery

Toss more thoroughly before baking and avoid a heavy starch layer. More starch is not automatically a crisper result.

Plan leftovers

Store tofu separately from fresh garnishes when possible. Refrigerated glazed tofu will soften. Reheat leftovers to 165°F and add a small splash of water if the sauce has tightened.

Serve it with

Pair the tofu with rice and quickly cooked vegetables, keeping extra sauce modest. Our stir-fry sauce guide is another approach when you want the sauce to coat an entire pan of vegetables. Follow the separate pepper jelly stir-fry sauce for that preparation.

Storage and ingredient checks

Keep perishable prepared food at 40°F or below when not serving. Refrigerate promptly in shallow containers within two hours, or one hour above 90°F. Use refrigerated leftovers within three to four days, or sooner if an ingredient's remaining storage window is shorter. Mixing older ingredients does not restart their storage clock.

Tofu and soy sauce contain soy, and many soy sauces contain wheat. This recipe does not claim gluten-free or vegan certification for packaged ingredients; check their current labels.

Storage references: FoodSafety.gov cold-storage chart and safe chilling guidance. Cooking and cooling times are estimates; follow package directions where applicable.

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