This tofu sandwich recipe is mouthwatering kind of delicious! It's so easy to put together, perfect to prep ahead and perfect for the entire family!
I love quick and easy meals that are also healthy and taste amazing. Make the parts and save them for lunches and dinners all week long!
This post was sponsored by Rubbermaid but the content and opinions expressed are fully my own.
I love a good sandwich, my BBQ tempeh sandwich and smashed chickpea sandwich are big hits around here. So I figured it's time to add another one to my go-to pile!
Ingredients
Here's what you need to make this marinated tofu sandwich recipe:
- Firm tofu
- Tamari or soy sauce
- Maple syrup
- Lime juice
- Garlic powder
- Liquid smoke
- Ground black pepper
- Hot sauce - optional but highly recommended!
To serve:
- Your favorite bread
- Thousand island dressing
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Avocado
- Cucumber
- Sprouts
How to Make a Tofu Sandwich
Creating the best sandwich is easy to do! Here are the steps:
- Slice the tofu.
- Soak the tofu slices in the marinade.
- Arrange the marinated tofu on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake.
- Start by coating the bread with spread.
- Add the lettuce and tomato.
- Layer on the baked crispy tofu slices.
- Top with avocado and cucumber.
- Finish with sprouts.
- Close the sandwich and enjoy!
Meal Prep and Storage Tips
Whether it's busy school days, fun summer outings and picnics, or any time you're on the go, sandwiches are great to take along. Unless you're like me and cringe at the sight of soggy bread, which is inevitable if you love sauce and all the toppings.
So what do you do? Simply gag and try to get them down? Absolutely not! You grab some containers with separate compartments, like the Rubbermaid EasyFindLids™ Meal Prep Containers to keep everything apart until you're ready to eat!
This vegan tofu sandwich travels best if you take a few extra steps for storage:
- Prep ahead by mixing the tofu sandwich marinade, chopping the veggies, and slicing the tofu. Wait to slice the avocado until the day you are serving.
- Store the components of the sandwich separately. This way the bread won't get mushy, the lettuce won't get soggy, and the fillings won't fall out.
- Use convenient storage containers like Rubbermaid EasyFindLids™ Meal Prep Containers or small individual ones to keep the components separate.
- Once you're ready to enjoy, assemble as instructed and enjoy!
Reasons why the Rubbermaid EasyFindLids™ system is my fave:
- Dishwasher safe! Because while meal prepping is fantastic it creates plenty of dishes, and who has time to hand wash every day?
- The modular containers nest and stack easily which means organized cupboards.
- Bonus, these containers are durable and keep food secure on the-go so no spills.
- Microwave safe, for when you want food hot without making more dishes!
More Tofu Sandwich Ideas
Customize your sandwich with any of these plant based fillings:
- Greens like spinach, kale, or arugula
- Basil
- Sliced onions, red or sweet are best
- Bell peppers or Roasted Peppers
- Sun dried tomatoes
- Olives
- Pepperoncinis
- Pickles
- Mushrooms or Mushroom Bacon
- Hummus, I love this Greek Hummus or Roasted Carrot Hummus
- Vegan Mayo
- Healthy Garlic Aioli
- Authentic Vegan Tzatziki
- Vegan Feta
- Vegan Cream Cheese
- Other dressings like Vegan Ranch or Greek Salad Dressing
Preparation Tips
- Firm tofu is best for the right texture.
- Slice the tofu lengthwise to create bread-sized slices instead of little chunks.
- The longer you marinate the tofu the more flavor it will have. Fill one of the Rubbermaid EasyFindLids™ containers with the marinade and tofu, seal, and refrigerate overnight.
- As the baked tofu is stored it will loose the crisp edges it had out of the oven. It's still amazing, but if you want a crispy tofu sandwich eat it right away.
Common Questions
Tofu is magical in that it takes on the flavors of whatever it is seasoned or marinated with, so it is definitely recommended to marinate tofu! It can be as quick as a coating, a few minute soak, or as long as 24 hours.
Yes, it is safe to eat tofu raw. Although the texture is so amazing once it's cooked!
They can be, as long as the fillings are wholesome plant based foods! This vegan sandwich recipe is filled with veggies and nutritious foods making it a healthy choice!
More Vegan Sandwiches
Pack your picnic basket full of a variety of sandwiches! These plant based recipes are filled with amazing whole food ingredients:
- The Best Vegan Panini
- Vegan Grilled Cheese
- Smoked Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- The Ultimate Vegan BLT
- Falafel Sandwich Recipe
Amazing and Easy Tofu Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
Tofu:
- 1 block firm tofu , 16 ounces
- 3 tablespoons Tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon liquid smoke
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce , optional for spice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 205 C
- Carefully slice the tofu into ¼ inch thick slices making 8 squares. You are slicing it length wise to make squares not height wise to make little rectangles. See the photos in the post. Place them on a plate or wide container.
- Mixthe Tamari, maple, lime juice, garlic powder, liquid smoke, pepper and hot sauce in a bowl and whisk well.
- Coat the tofu slices with the mixture on both sides. You can let them marinate for a few minutes as you clean up and/or prep the ingredients you will serve with, but it isn’t necessary. You can even marinate overnight for a really deep flavor.
- Lay them out on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Flip and bake another 5-7 minutes, depending on how crispy you want them. Be careful not to burn the tofu slices.
- Allow to cool as you assemble your toppings. Build the sandwiches by spreading the sauce on the slices of bread. Then add lettuce, tomato, tofu slices (I to 2 per sandwich), avocado, cucumber and sprouts. You can do any order you prefer, but I like the tofu nestled in the middle of everything.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- This was my creation and mixture for serving, but you can serve this with whatever sandwich extras you love! See the post for other ideas.
- This isn't meant to be a crispy fried like tofu, it's meant to be somewhat soft but with crisp edges. If you want it actually crispy then you can cut the slices thicker and add some cornstarch to the marinade like I do in my Crispy Tofu Teriyaki recipe.
- Nutrition facts are for the tofu part only, brands and what you serve with will affect the total numbers.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
Madhavi
Yummy filling sandwich
Sophia DeSantis
SO glad you liked it!
Mandy O Connor
Easy to prepare and tasty
Sophia DeSantis
Thank you Mandy!!
Lexi
Superb! Marinade was perfect and made exactly as the recipe. Added mayo, mustard, guacamole, garlic hummus, tomato, baby spinach, red onion & cucumber to the sandwich with the tofu patties in the middle 😋
Sophia DeSantis
So happy you liked it! Now you made me hungry!!
kelly
I'm a carnivore who loves sandwiches and hates deli meat—so for me, this recipe is a lunchtime GODEND. The tofu slices are pleasantly savory and smoky with a nice texture. I like to change up the toppings sometimes: lately I've been all about butter lettuce, pickled carrots, and thinly shallots on a toasted hero roll smeared with some toum smeared on both halves. Occasionally I'll put some Zapp's potato chips on the sandwich for extra crunch. You really can't go wrong.
Highly recommend making these slices with Trade Joe's Super Firm Protein Tofu.
Sophia DeSantis
Wow! Thank you so much for the great review! So thrilled you liked it!
Diana
Sophia this was delicious! Super easy, very flavorful and made a great sandwich!
Sophia DeSantis
So happy you liked it!
Nicolette
Trying this ASAP!! 😍
Sophia DeSantis
Let me know what you think!
Darcy Horn
The marinade is so good! I used gochujang paste, about a teaspoon, 'cuz I like the heat 🙂
Sophia DeSantis
I'm so happy you like it!
Carol
Loved the sandwich! Marinade is so flavorful and the sauce adds another flavorful touch. The sauce is also great to use for dipping, drizzle over a veggie bowl, tacos or salad dressing. The sauce and the sandwich recipe are both super easy and great for meal prep!
Sophia DeSantis
I'm so happy you liked it!! Thank you so much!
Sarah
Why have I never thought of keeping sandwich ingredients separate?! This was perfect, put it all together and it was amazing!
Cameron Hernandez
This looks great. Do you press the tofu before cutting and marinading?
Sophia DeSantis
Hi Cameron! I used the shrink wrap tofu not the kind in water so I didn't press. But if you press it will definitely suck in more of the marinade!