Recipe: BBQ Marinated Grilled Tofu and Grilled Eggplant
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something. I only include links for products and services I love and believe in. Please check out my disclosure policy for more details!When I was a kid, my mom used to make grilled tofu marinated in barbecue sauce and grilled eggplant for dinners all throughout the summer. If you are fortunate enough to have Labor Day free, you shouldn’t spend that leisure time making a complicated dinner. Make this fast, easy dinner instead. Use the time the tofu is marinating to prep the eggplant and catch up with family and friends.
Ingredients
- 1 container extra firm tofu
- Your favorite barbecue sauce
- 1 eggplant
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Chopped fresh basil, about 6 leaves (optional)
- Salt and pepper
Directions for the Tofu
Press the tofu. You can do this by either using a press designed to get the water out, or placing something heavy on top of the tofu, which should be on a plate. I usually use a bowl filled with water. Cut the tofu into thin strips. I do this by cutting it so that I get larger pieces, so my tofu was cut into fourths. My mom likes several smaller pieces, so she usually gets 10 out of the block.
Marinate the tofu in your favorite barbecue sauce. The more you add, the more intense the flavor will be. Pour some barbecue sauce in a plastic bag. Add the tofu and gently mix around. Add some more sauce on top until the tofu is well coated. Leave in the fridge and let marinate. The longer you keep the tofu like this, the more it will taste like barbecue sauce. I usually marinate for about an hour.
At medium heat, grill the tofu. It should take about 5 minutes per side. I usually brush some of the barbecue sauce that was in the bag on the tofu while I’m grilling for extra flavor.
Directions for the Eggplant
Rinse the eggplant and cut into thin slices the long way. I had a small eggplant so I got about 10 slices out of mine. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, vinegar, basil, and salt and pepper. Brush onto each side of the eggplant and set aside. You can also grill the eggplant at the same heat as the tofu. Some of my pieces were so thin that 5 minutes each side was a bit much. I found 3-4 minutes to be the sweet spot. The time you spend grilling will depend on how thin your slices are.
That’s it! You can prep the eggplant while your tofu is marinating. Your dinner will be ready in no time!
