Baked Tofu Cubes for Camp
Soy-and-sesame tofu cubes browned on a camp grill grate. Day-one protein you cook before anything else.
- calories
- 280
- weight
- 8 oz
- cal / oz
- 35
- protein
- 20 g
- serves
- 2, scales
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 20 min
- total time
- 30 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Grill grate
- Campfire coals
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- Foil packet
- Pre-mix at home
- Needs a cooler
- Basic
Ingredients
| Firm tofu | 1 block (14 oz) | medium or firm; silken falls apart |
|---|---|---|
| Tamari or soy sauce | 2 tbsp | tamari if you need it gluten-free |
| Toasted sesame oil | 1 tsp | |
| Sunflower or other neutral oil | 1 tbsp |
Method
- Drain the tofu and press it between two clean towels for a few minutes. Wet tofu steams instead of browning.
- Cut into cubes about three quarters of an inch.
- Toss the cubes with the tamari and both oils in a bag or bowl. Let them sit ten minutes while the fire burns down.
- Spread the cubes in a single layer on a doubled sheet of oiled foil with the edges turned up. Set it on the grate over medium coals.
- Cook about ten minutes, flip once with a spatula, then another ten until the edges are firm and browned.
- Eat them over rice or noodles, or pack them away for tomorrow's lunch.
Tofu tastes like whatever you put on it, which is the point. Two tablespoons of tamari, a little sesame oil, and a neutral oil that can take the heat are enough to give the cubes a savory edge without deciding what the rest of dinner has to be. Then they go into rice, noodles, wraps, or a bowl of soup.
The oil is not optional. It is what lets the outside firm up and brown instead of drying out over the fire. Foil on the grate replaces the sheet pan and keeps the cubes from dropping through the bars. This one needs a cooler, so cook it the first night out; the leftovers keep another day if the ice holds.
Packing
Tofu rides in the cooler in its unopened package. Premix the tamari and oils in a small leakproof bottle at home so camp prep is one pour.
Variations
- Add a shake of garlic powder or chili flake to the marinade.
- Cook the cubes in a lightly oiled skillet over a two-burner stove if you would rather not fight the coals.
- Cube and toss the whole batch into a pot of instant noodles the next morning.
https://daraeats.com/essential-baked-tofu