This glazed tofu roast is the baked tofu centerpiece of your dreams. Prepared in a smoky-sweet marinade, slow-roasted and then covered in a spicy orange glaze, this is a succulent vegan roast that makes a beautiful holiday entree.
Recipe by Yup, it's Vegan on November 14, 2018
Prep time: PT10M
Cook time: PT75M
Total time: PT85M
Rating
4.73 stars (11 reviews)
Keywords
tofu roast, vegan ham
Ingredients
14 oz extra-firm tofu
1 orange (sliced)
16-24 whole cloves
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 and 1/2 tbsp liquid smoke
1 tsp prepared mustard
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp garlic powder ((or use 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced or grated))
2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1.5 tbsp whiskey
1/4 tsp orange zest
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
1 and 1/2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
2 tbsp apricot jam
1/4 tsp ground ginger ((optional))
1/4 tsp smoked salt ((or regular salt))
1 tsp paprika ((regular or smoked))
1/3 tsp ground black pepper
Categories
Main Course
Cuisine
gluten-free
nut-free
vegan
vegetarian
Steps
The day before you want to eat the tofu roast, open the tofu, drain excess liquid, and then press it. I strongly recommend using a tofu press (mine is linked in the notes). If you make tofu with any regularity, it's totally worth owning. Otherwise, wrap it in a clean towel and stack some heavy objects onto it, like textbooks or a cast iron pan. For this recipe, it's really important to press the tofu very well, so if you're using the towel method, after 15 minutes, replace the towel with another dry one, and repeat. With a tofu press, 15-20min should do the trick.
Whisk together all of the ingredients for the marinade. Place the block of tofu in the smallest dish that it fits in with room around the sides. A loaf pan or smaller is best. This allows the marinade to go up around the sides of the tofu and saturate its interior the most. Pour all of the marinade over your tofu block and cover it. Marinate for 24-36 hours. Flip over the block of tofu about halfway through this time, or more frequently if you can manage it. Each time, also spoon some of the marinade from the sides over the top. The goal is to get as much of the marinade into the tofu as possible.
When the tofu has marinated and is ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a small baking dish (9x13 or smaller) with parchment paper. I recommend using excess parchment paper to go around the sides a little bit, for the easiest cleanup later. Line the orange slices on the bottom and place the marinated tofu block on top of them. Take a small, sharp knife and score the top of the tofu in a diamond pattern. Place the individual whole cloves, round side up, in the intersections between the lines.
Bake for 60 minutes. Start checking the tofu at 45 minutes and take it out sooner if the edges are getting too dark. It's normal for the oranges to burn; they won't be getting eaten.
While the tofu is baking, add all of the glaze ingredients to a saucepan and stir to combine them and dissolve the sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, or until reduced by about half, thick and glossy, with some of the raw alcohol flavor cooked out.
Once the tofu comes out of the oven the first time, pour the glaze all over the top of it. Return it to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes longer, until the glaze is thickened onto the tofu roast and just starting to darken at the edges. Basically, just keep checking it until it looks like it's about to start burning. That's when it's done :)
Let your tofu roast rest for about 15 minutes, then remove the cloves and burnt oranges, and feel free to dig in. I like to serve it on a new bed of fresh orange slices, but this is optional for serving, of course :).
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 slice (one eighth recipe)
Calories: 131 kcal
Carbohydrates: 12 g
Protein: 5 g
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Sugar: 8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
Reviews
Melissa on 2022-10-09 (5 stars): To marinate it fully and give it a 'meatier' texture, try freezing the tofu first. It will be easier to press afterwards and will absorb seasonings much better. (I am a chef :) )
John on 2021-12-24 (5 stars): My vegan teen has asked for this each of the last three christmases - Thanks! Only thing they don't care for is the flavor intensity of the cloves. Any suggestions on what to use instead to add a similar complexity?
Lara on 2021-10-16 (5 stars): Would this work with silken tofu instead?
Alison on 2020-12-21 (5 stars): I made this for Thanksgiving and didn't know what to expect. Everyone loved it. I will be making it again for Christmas! Thank you so much!
Amber on 2020-01-02 (3 stars): Hm i do like tofu but not just plain and the majority of this loaf tasted like a warm version of the block that comes from the package...the marinade was delicous....the glaze was soso but it couldve been a knockout had this loaf been prepared in a way that crisped up more surface area and infused more of the marinade flavor that just the top and sides...hmm..will definitely keep the marinade recipe and use that for different preparations but it was mushy to eat and lacked flavor throughout...
Hanne on 2019-12-20 (5 stars): Hi Shannon, Whisky in your glaze? Genius! That tofu ham roast looks so beautiful! I am contacting you because we are in a funny little club together. The guardian wrote an article about 3 different Vegan Ham Roasts. They demo-ed yours, mine and Field Roast. They hated all three. It gave me a good chuckle. I'll attach the link for you to see but feel free to delete it. All the best Hanne
Bailey on 2019-12-06 (5 stars): This was my second year in a row making your tofu roast for Thanksgiving. People request me to make it at other holidays now too! It's just so fun and pretty compared to a typical tofu dish. I had some hickory syrup on hand from a visit to the south and I used it instead of the maple syrup this year. The smoky flavor complemented everything else well. I'm certain I will make this for years to come.
