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Tofu with lemon pepper seasoning in a bowl with brown rice and broccoli to the side.
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Saucy Lemon Pepper Tofu (No Breading!)

Tangy, slightly sweet and peppery, this Saucy Lemon Pepper Tofu uses fresh lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning AND lemon zest, plus extra firm tofu that we coat in the seasoning mix, bake to make super crispy, then quickly finish it off in a pan to coat in the lemon pepper sauce! The result is an irresistible, mouthwatering lemon pepper tofu that's a delicious, high-protein addition to any meal!
Course dinner, Main Course, sauce
Cuisine American
Diet Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword Baked Tofu, Lemon pepper tofu, Lemon tofu recipe, Quick tofu recipe, Recipe with firm tofu
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 420kcal
Author Lauren McNeill, RD

Equipment

  • 1 large sheet pan
  • 1 Medium pan
  • 1 large bowl
  • 1 Small bowl

Ingredients

For the Tofu

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 block extra firm tofu torn into chunks
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp salt

For the Sauce

  • 1½ lemons juiced
  • 1 lemon zested
  • 1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • 1½ tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce

Instructions

Bake the Tofu

  • Preheat the oven to 450℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, combine the torn tofu pieces, olive oil, corn starch, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, lemon pepper seasoning, and salt and toss well to combine.
    Tofu in a bowl with seasoning on it.
  • Place the tofu evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges have turned lightly golden brown, flipping half way through.
    Cooked seasoned tofu on a pan.

Make your Sauce

  • Meanwhile, make the sauce by whisking together the lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon pepper seasoning, minced garlic, cornstarch, maple syrup and soy sauce. Try to get the lumps out of the cornstarch, but don't worry too mych about them, as they'll smooth out when we heat the sauce!
    Lemon pepper sauce in a bowl.
  • When there's about 5 minutes left of cooking time on the tofu, pour the sauce into a pan on your stove over medium heat, and bring to a low simmer to allow the sauce to reduce slightly and become thicker, moving the sauce around with a spatula every minute or so and making sure there aren't lumps in the cornstarch.
    Slightly thickened lemon pepper sauce in a pan.
  • Once the tofu is done cooking in the oven, add it ot the pan and toss well to combine. Serve and enjoy!
    Pan with tofu in it with a sauce on it and a spoon in it.

Notes

For a slightly less lemony flavor, you can reduce the lemon juice used in the sauce by half and add an extra tablespoon of maple syrup!
Storing leftovers: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5of recipe | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1400mg | Fiber: 5g
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