Jerk Tofu

This Jamaican jerk tofu recipe is the perfect blend of sweet and savory. Crispy on the outside and delicate on the inside, this vegan jerk tofu recipe is wonderful in a Caribbean bowl, sandwich, wrap, or salad topper.

Whenever I like Jamaica, I think of eating jerk tofu in my favorite little hideaway on the beach in Negril. The first time I went to Jamaica I was newly plant-based and concerned I'd starve on this beautiful little island. However, I discovered a love for jerk sauce with hints of sweet, salty, lots of spicy and a kick of flavor that can only be described as “island-y.” For that reason, I made I a vegan jerk tofu recipe at home!

Jump to:

• What is Jerk Sauce?
• Vegan Jerk Tofu Marinade Ingredients
• Vegan Jerk Tofu Marinade Ingredient Substitutions
• How to Press Tofu
• How to Marinate and Cooking Tofu
• Vegan Jerk Tofu Bowl Ingredients
• Jerk Tofu Bowl Ingredient Substitutions
• Recipe Variations
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• Vegan Summer Recipe Ideas
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Over the years, our family traveled to Jamaica often. I purposely ought out at vegan-friendly resorts.

Even though Jamaica is famous for its jerk chicken, it isn't the chicken, but the jerk sauce! In Negril, on the beach, I ate the best jerk tofu and learned the secret to delicious Jamaican cooking.

What is Jerk Sauce?

Jamaica has many versions of jerk sauce, but the one common ingredient is scotch bonnet peppers. However, the difference between a sauce and a marinade is a game-changer.

For instance, one of my first mistakes was attempting to buy a bottle of sauce and use it to marinate my jerk tofu. 

Because jerk sauce is so spicy, eating tofu marinated in a jerk sauce is like eating fire! Before knowing the difference between my Jamaican friend's jerk marinade recipe and the Pickappa Jamaican Sauce bottle I bought at a Jamaican store to take home, it caused a disaster.

Not only did I ruin an entire bottle of sauce and a package of tofu, but my first attempt at jerk tofu was an epic fail. My friend then pointed out the difference between the potent sauce, which is used sparingly, and a marinade to cook with. 

On the other hand, Jerk seasoning is made of a combination of spices that is used as a rub on meats. What I learned through trial and error, however, is to use jerk sauce to add a little more spice to food.  Jerk marinade is for vegetables, tofu, and veggie burgers. And, keep the jerk seasoning for meat. 

Vegan Jerk Tofu Marinade Ingredients

Despite the number of ingredients, Jamaican jerk tofu is marinated in jerk sauce overnight. To achieve the authentic taste of Jamaica, I make a homemade oil-free sauce. Although my kitchen is far from a jerk hut on a beach, the sauce is right on!

• White Onion: These onions are slightly sweeter, and a bit milder in taste than yellow onions. 
• Green Onions: Regarding flavor, scallions have the sharp, somewhat-spicy, peppery flavor that white and yellow onions produce. This makes them an excellent substitute for small amounts of chopped onions in a pinch. 
• Scotch Bonnet Peppers: Scotch bonnets are hot peppers—very hot—, but they can have an almost sweet, vaguely fruity taste underlying the spice.
• Garlic: Garlic has a unique, savory flavor that borders on spicy when raw and nutty when cooked. Sulfur compounds, including diallyl disulfide, contribute to its mustard flavor profile.
• All-Spice Powder: Allspice is the dried, unripened berry of the myrtle pepper tree, or pimento, native to Jamaica and much of Central America. The berries are briefly fermented, then sun-dried until brown. Often mistaken for a blend of spices, allspice is a single-ingredient seasoning with loads of unique flavor.
• Dry Thyme: Generally, thyme will have a sharp, almost minty flavor. It is earthy with floral hints and is a little bit sweet and a little bit peppery. It has a subtle enough flavor, so it blends very well with other herbs, making it a staple in any spice rack.
• Nutmeg: When swapping dried herbs for fresh herbs, you should use ⅓ of the amount of fresh herbs called for in the recipe. For example, if a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, you would add 1 teaspoon of dried thyme. The same rule replies in reverse when swapping fresh herbs for dried herbs
• Salt: A little salt added to the jerk tofu marinade enhances the flavors in the recipe.
• Soy Sauce: Soy sauce provides an umami flavor.
• Maple Syrup: Maple syrup give s the marinade its sweetness without using refined sugar.
• Lime Juice: I prefer using fresh lime juice whenever possible.
• Fresh Ginger: The flavor of fresh ginger is slightly peppery and sweet, with a pungent and spicy aroma. Like garlic, fresh ginger mellows with cooking and turns bitter if burned. The ground form is not as strongly flavored but has a warm bite and a little sweetness.

Vegan Jerk Tofu Marinade Ingredient Substitutions

• If you prefer to skip making jerk sauce from scratch, I highly suggest Walkerwoods Jerk Marinade, authentic to Jamaica. But be careful! Walkerwoods also makes a bottled seasoning (wet, not a dry rub) and a sauce. Again, make sure you buy the marinade! 
• Yellow onion is an excellent substitute for white onions.
• Try spring onions instead of green onions.
• Habanero peppers are often used to replace Scotch Bonnet peppers in recipes.
• You can substitute 1 teaspoon of allspice, use ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground cloves, and a pinch of ground nutmeg. See our Spice Guide for more information and tips on cooking with spices.
• If you've bought pure garlic powder, then it's pretty easy to substitute it for fresh cloves. One clove of garlic equals about ⅛th of a teaspoon of garlic powder – not much, so it's worth starting small and tasting as you go!
• Mace is the best option if you're looking for a replacement for nutmeg.
• Tamari or liquid aminos are gluten-free soy sauce options or low-sodium soy sauce for a lower-sodium option.
• Agave or date syrup are also natural sweeteners to substitute for maple syrup.
• Use bottled lime juice in a pinch.
• If you don't have fresh or ground ginger, use a 1:1 ratio of ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground mace, or ground nutmeg to the amount of ground ginger called for.

How to Press Tofu

1. First, carefully remove the tofu from the package, discarding the fluid from the package.  
2. Then, place the tofu in the middle of the tofu press and turn both knobs equally about four turns. I usually place the tofu press in the sink on its side, but I placed it on a plate to drain for this visual post.
3. Turn the knobs every two minutes, equally, until you have the result (the last picture).
4. Most people stop here…NOT YET. Keep turning until the knobs are screwed as far as they can almost to touch the end like this:
5. Although I have never tried this, I decided this time; I would measure the amount of water I got from the bottom of the plate at the end.
6. The amount was ¾ cup fluid.
7. Now, remove the press from the plate, and I give it another press with a paper towel for excess fluid removal.

How to Marinate and Cooking Tofu

Marinating Instructions

1. Once the tofu is pressed and the water is removed, cut the tofu into 4 equal-sized slabs.
2. Next, ½ cup of marinade at the bottom of a container adds tofu and repeats the process until the tofu is covered with marinade.
3. For the best results, I suggest marinating overnight. 

Grilling Instructions

1. Preheat the grill to low-low
2. Place a grill mat on the grill (you can also use a grill pan, or if you are careful, you can place the tofu directly on the grill.
3. Cook for about 16 minutes total, flipping every 4 minutes. 
4. Remove from the grill and place back in the marinade until ready to use.  
5. Then, cut it into strips or cubes.

Baking

In the event you don't have a grill, you can still make this jerk tofu recipe. 

1. Follow the same pressing and marinating process. 
2. Then, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Place cut or uncut tofu on a silicone baking mat  or parchment paper
4. Cook for 15 minutes
5. Remove from oven and flip tofu over; cook for an additional 15 minutes. 

Air-Frying

You can also air-fry jerk tofu, but I suggest air-frying and adding the jerk marinade after. 

1. Follow the same pressing and marinating process. 
2. Set air fryer temperature at 375 degrees
3. Cook 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket a couple of times through the cooking process.

Vegan Jerk Tofu Bowl Ingredients

• Roma Tomatoes: Roma tomatoes are firm and less watery than other tomatoes. They offer a fresh tomato flavor without watering down the other ingredients in the bowl.
• Jalapeño Pepper: Although considered a hot pepper, Jalapeno pepper has tremendous flavor. The heat is in the seeds and veins, but once removed, jalapenos are much milder.
• Red Onion: Red onion is sweet and flavorful without overpowering the bowl.
• Cilantro: Cilantro gives the bowl a fresh, earthy flavor
• Fresh Pineapple: Fresh pineapple is sweet and acidic, complimenting the spicy jerk tofu.
• Lime Juice: I prefer using fresh squeezed lime juice.
• Black Beans: Black beans are meaty, and add more protein to this delicious jerk tofu recipe.
• Brown Rice: Cooked brown rice in added to the base of the bowl before adding the pineapple salad and cooked tofu.

Jerk Tofu Bowl Ingredient Substitutions

• Grape tomatoes are an excellent substitute for Roma tomatoes.
• Serrano peppers substitute jalapenos in recipes.
• If you don't like it spicy, leave out the jalapenos or serrano peppers, and add a small amount of your favorite mild hot sauce instead.
• White onion or green onion replaces red onions in recipes.
• Some people taste soap when eating cilantro. Try basil instead!
• Instead of pineapple, try mango, peaches, or your favorite fruit substitute.
• Bottle lime juice works in a pinch.
• Pinto beans replace black beans in recipes.

Not only is pineapple salad perfect on top of the Jamaican tofu bowl, but this pineapple salsa is also great for a variety of other recipes:

• Vegan Fajitas
• The Best Ultimate Vegan Lentil Black Bean Burrito Ever
• Sweet Potato Tacos
• Mushroom Chorizo Tacos
• Roasted Cauliflower Tacos
• Roasted Vegetable Tacos
• Vegan Lentil Tacos

Recipe Variations

If you don't like Jamaican jerk tofu in a bowl, how about a lavash wrap sandwich? Since we had leftovers, I made jerk tofu wraps with the same ingredients.

Add a little spinach, and the vegan jerk tofu bowl transforms into a vegan jerk tofu sandwich. 

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• Drain and press out excess water: Tofu packed in water retains a lot of moisture, even when drained and patted dry. Getting that extra liquid out will give you firmer tofu that will soak up the flavors of marinades and hold up better in the skillet or on the grill.
• I suggest marinating tofu overnight for the best results.
• Wear gloves to protect your skin and eyes when working with hot peppers. Always remove the seeds and veins before cutting.
• Making the pineapple salad in advance allows the flavor to enhance while refrigerated.
• If grilling tofu, I suggest cooking in slabs and then cutting it into cubes once cooked. However, cut into cubes if baking or air-frying before cooking.

Enjoy this grilled Jamaican jerk tofu recipe with fresh summer fruits and vegetables this summer!

Vegan Summer Recipe Ideas

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