• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Being Nutritious
  • All Posts
  • About
  • Services
  • Media
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Nutrition Needs
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Services
  • Media
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Nutrition Needs
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Services
    • Media
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    • Stack of 5 cookies, tied with a decorative string.
      Spiced Molasses Cookies
    • Overhead image of baked oatmeal, still in the baking pan.
      Pecan Pie Baked Oatmeal (sweetened with dates)
    • Two quesadillas on a plate, with a bowl of salsa, garnished with avocado slices.
      White Bean Quesadillas with Caramelized Onions, Kale, and Butternut Squash
    • Slices of roasted acorn squash on a plate over sage pesto with pepitas.
      Sage Pesto with Pepitas on Roasted Acorn Squash
    • Overhead image of tetrazzini in a casserole dish.
      Vegetable Tetrazzini
    • Balls of melon in a watermelon bowl
      Melon Salad with Ginger Lime Dressing
    • Overhead shot of cherry galette with melted ice cream on top, and a serving utensil removing a slice.
      Cherry Galette with Olive Oil Crust
    • Crispy tempeh appetizers on a plate with ranch dressing in a small bowl.
      Buffalo Tempeh Bites
    • Buffalo sauce in a small jar, with celery sticks in the background.
      Low Sodium Buffalo Sauce
    • Overhead image of three thumbprint cookies on a platter with strawberry jam in them
      Healthy Thumbprint Cookies
    • A fork with creamy vegetable pasta being lifted out of a bowl of the pasta.
      Creamy Chickpea Pasta with Veggies
    • A bowl of celery soup, garnished with microgreens, black sesame seeds and yogurt. A side salad is in the background.
      Celery and Leek Soup
    Home » All posts » Heart Healthy Entrees

    Lemon Pepper Tofu

    Published: Nov 6, 2018 by Laura Yautz

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Lemon Pepper Tofu recipe features only 4 ingredients, and takes just about 15 minutes from start to finish! Tofu doesn’t have a strong flavor on its own, so it’s pretty much a blank canvas for whatever flavors you like! This recipe is a simple way to dress it up that pairs great with virtually any side dishes you want. You'll come back to this one time and time again!

    2 slices of cooked tofu over a bed of greens, with a side of shredded beet salad.

    In my house, everyone loves tofu, so it makes its way to the dinner table a lot. This particular recipe borrows flavors from tilapia and other mild white fish that often get the lemon pepper treatment.

    I love serving lemon pepper tofu with a simple side salad, red cabbage vinegar slaw, or delicious simple vegetable barley soup. This is also a great meal prep option because it's delicious hot or cold! Toss it on top of a tossed salad, and add some low sodium Italian dressing, and you've got a ready-to-go lunch.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • Top tip
    • FAQ
    • Related
    • Pairing
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients

    Who doesn't love a simple 4 ingredient meal? I bet you even have all these ingredients already kicking around your pantry!

    Ingredients for lemon pepper tofu recipe.
    • Super Firm Tofu
    • Olive Oil
    • Lemon Pepper Seasoning
    • Garlic Powder

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    Along with simple ingredients come simple instructions. Lemon pepper tofu is a perfect recipe for a tofu novice!

    Block of tofu, sliced on a cutting board.

    Open the package of tofu and drain any liquid. Slice into 8 equal slices.

    Slices of tofu on a cutting board, sprinkled with seasoning.

    Lay the slices flat on the cutting board, and sprinkle with half the seasoning.

    Slices of tofu on a cutting board, with seasonings sprinkled on them.

    Flip the slices, and sprinkle with the other half of the seasoning.

    Oil heating in a skillet.

    Heat the oil in a large skillet.

    Buffalo tempeh cooking in a skillet, browned on the top.

    Continue flipping and cooking until the tempeh is crispy on each side - about 2-5 minutes per side.

    Finished tempeh draining on a paper towel.

    Remove the tempeh from the skillet, and drain on a paper towel.

    Hint: picking a tofu labeled as "super firm," "extra firm," or "high protein" allows us to skip the pressing step and get right to cooking. If you can't find that, pick the firmest tofu you can find and press it for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

    Variations

    One thing I love about this lemon tofu recipe is how adaptable it is. Try some of these delicious variations.

    • Spicy - use garlic powder and red pepper flakes for a kick!
    • Italian - instead of lemon pepper seasoning, use Italian seasoning
    • Everything bagel - use everything bagel seasoning instead of lemon pepper. But beware that everything bagel seasoning typically is high in sodium!

    Try this plant based tacos recipe for a unique way to use tofu!

    Storage

    If you have leftovers, or you want to cook ahead to just reheat later, store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Reheat in the microwave until just warm to avoid popping.

    Top tip

    Don't cook the tofu much longer than the recommended 5 minutes on each side, or the seasonings will start to burn and become bitter.

    Overhead image of a plate with 2 slices of cooked tofu over a bed of greens, and a side of shredded beet salad.

    FAQ

    Can I use firm tofu instead of extra firm?

    If you can't find extra firm, of course use what you can find. Extra firm has a texture that's holds up really well to cutting and cooking. Less firm tofu can easily fall apart, so be gentle.

    Related

    Looking for other tofu recipes? Try these:

    • Baking pan of lasagna rolls.
      Zucchini Lasagna Rolls (dairy free)
    • Bowl of Thai salad with tofu.
      Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing
    • Bowl of chili; overhead shot.
      Low Sodium Chili (Mushroom Chili)
    • Five tacos lined up on a plate, surrounded by fixings.
      Crumbled Tofu Tacos

    Pairing

    These are my favorite dishes to serve with lemon pepper tofu:

    • Overhead shot of wooden bowl with vinegar red cabbage coleslaw in it.
      Red Cabbage Vinegar Slaw
    • Simple Vegetable Barley Soup
      Simple Vegetable Barley Soup
    • Overhead picture of large plate with salad on it.
      Arugula Avocado Salad with Pineapple Vinaigrette
    • Roasted broccoli and mushrooms in a bowl.
      Garlicky Roasted Broccoli & Mushrooms

    Or try it with this Raw Beet Salad from Skinny Taste.

    📖 Recipe

    Overhead image of a plate with 2 slices of cooked tofu over a bed of greens, with a side of shredded beet salad.
    Print Pin
    No ratings yet

    Lemon Pepper Tofu

    Easy, quick, and tasty way to prepare tofu for tofu beginners or experts alike!
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Diet Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Low Salt, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 187kcal
    Author Laura Yautz

    Ingredients

    • 1 Block Extra Firm Tofu
    • 1 tablespoon Lemon Pepper Seasoning
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil

    Instructions

    • Slice block of tofu into 8 slices.
    • Sprinkle half the lemon pepper and half the garlic on each side of the tofu slices.
    • Heat oil in a large pan.
    • Reduce heat to medium, and add the tofu. Lightly fry for about 5 minutes on each side, until crispy.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2slices | Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.4g | Protein: 8.8g | Fat: 14.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Potassium: 17.5mg | Fiber: 1.8g | Calcium: 77.3mg | Iron: 1.7mg
    Plate with 2 slices of cooked tofu over a bed of greens, with a side of shredded beet salad. Text overlay: Lemon Pepper Tofu Fillets; only 4 ingredients!

    More Heart Healthy Entrees

    • Square image of falafel hummus wrap with baked falafel piled on the side.
      Falafel Hummus Pita Wraps
    • Vegetable hash with chickpeas in a bowl with a salad to the side.
      Vegetable Hash with Chickpeas Skillet Dinner
    • Small crock of creamy soup, garnished with basil leaves.
      Roasted Pepper and Lentil Soup
    • Bowl with rice, meatballs, and onions and bell peppers.
      Vegetarian Chickpea Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Sauce

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Laura Yautz

    Hi, I'm Laura! I’m a Registered Dietitian and I love food and cooking, It’s my passion to help you discover how delicious and easy heart healthy eating can be! I’m glad you’re here! Take a look around. You’re going to LOVE Being Nutritious!

    More about me →

    Enroll in the FREE EMAIL COURSE to make your kitchen heart healthy!
    Want to say thank you?

    Fall Favorites

    • Plate of three small waffles, topped with yogurt, oranges, raisins, and walnuts.
      Carrot Waffles
    • Oval plate with glazed carrots on it, garnished with pepitas.
      Roasted Maple Curry Carrots
    • Plate of roasted broccoli with almond topping.
      Broccoli Almondine (Broccoli Amandine)
    • Stuffed honeynut squash halves on a baking pan.
      Roasted Honeynut Squash Stuffed with Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf
    • Small jar with granola in it.
      Apple Cinnamon Granola
    • Stack of 4 zucchini fritters with a dollop of dip on top, garnished with chopped chives.
      Crispy Zucchini Fritters (Gluten Free)
    • Small bowl of soup with croutons and fresh thyme.
      Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup
    • Plate of salad with sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, fried garlic, and dressing.
      Deconstructed Pesto Herb Salad with Cracked Peppercorn Parmesan Dressing
    • Lentil soup in a bowl.
      Low Sodium Lentil Soup with Spinach
    • Overhead picture of a bowl of braised greens in a light pink broth.
      Creamy Braised Beet Greens
    • A pan of 6 baked stuffed bell peppers.
      Lentil Stuffed Peppers
    • Small ceramic pot of roasted pumpkin seeds
      How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
    • Pumpkin puree in a blue bowl
      How to Make Pumpkin Puree
    • 5 muffins on a table with fresh carrots.
      Whole Wheat Carrot Turmeric Muffins
    • Green soup in a bowl with homemade croutons. Whole green grape tomatoes and grilled cheese sandwich on plate in background. Text overlay: Garlic Roasted Green Tomato Soup.
      Green Tomato Soup with Roasted Garlic
    • Kale salad in a wooden bowl.
      Roasted Kale Salad with Apple Maple Vinaigrette

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Your purchase helps me keep the lights on, at no additional cost to you! I never recommend products that I don't personally use and love. Thanks for your support!

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services

    Copyright © 2023 Being Nutritious. All rights reserved

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to use this site, we'll assume you're ok with this. Cookie settingsAccept
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT