Maple Roasted Tofu with Asparagus

350 grams extra firm tofu, cut into 3/4-1” cubes and patted dry

1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 2-3” lengths

For Marinade:

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (try rice or cider vinegar or fresh lime or lemon juice)

1 tablespoon soy sauce (or Bragg Liquid Aminos)

1 tablespoon neutral oil (try toasted sesame or roasted peanut oil)

zest of 1 orange (or a little lemon or lime zest)

1 clove of garlic, finely minced

minced jalapeno, to taste (try chipotle in adobo sauce, cayenne or sriracha)

salt and pepper, to taste

For Garnish:

sliced scallions

chopped roasted peanuts

Mix the marinade together in a dish. Add tofu cubes and allow to marinate for half an hour or more.

Preheat oven to 450F.

Coat a large baking pan with non-stick spray and spread marinated tofu and asparagus in a single layer. Pour any of the remaining marinade over top.

Roast for about 25 minutes, or until browned as desired, flipping the tofu and asparagus over halfway through cooking.

Serve roasted tofu and asparagus garnished with peanuts and scallions, if desired. Good served over couscous, noodles, quinoa or rice. 

Yields 3-4 servings.

Cooking Notes:

• If your asparagus is pencil thin, it won't take long to cook and can be added to the pan halfway through roasting the tofu.
• The tofu and asparagus can be roasted separately then mixed together. I do this if I'm wanting to caramelize the marinade more by roasting longer. (Shown on the right in a variation I made with maple and chipotle.)
• Roasting the tofu for a shorter cooking time keeps it soft while cooking longer will give it a denser, chewier texture.

The recipe for Maple Roasted Tofu with Asparagus is an adaptation of my Maple-Chipotle Glazed Tofu.