5 Ways to Make Tofu Anything But Boring: The Ultimate Vegan Meal Prep
Let's be honest: meal prep gets a bad reputation (as does tofu).
And I get it. The phrase meal prep can conjure up images of seven identical plastic containers, each containing the same dry rice, sad broccoli and something you've already eaten three times this week and by Wednesday you are sick of the sight, smell and taste of it.
Here's the thing; Meal prep doesn't have to be boring.
It doesn't have to mean eating the exact same meal five days in a row. It doesn't have to take your entire Sunday afternoon. And it definitely doesn't mean you have to give up on flavour.
My favourite way to meal prep is to make several different marinades for tofu, portion them up, pop them into ziplock bags and stash them in the fridge or freezer. Then, when I'm ready to eat, I simply throw the tofu into the air fryer and build a completely different meal around it (even easier if you use microwave rice!)
For each meal, I use around 200g of extra-firm tofu per person. Chop it into bite-sized pieces, then divide it between your ziplock bags. Add your marinade, give everything a good squish to coat the tofu, and that's your meal prep done.
You can prep several bags at once and keep them ready to go. When you're hungry, there's no chopping, no complicated cooking and no standing in the kitchen wondering what on earth you're going to eat.
Just air fryer → bowl → dinner.
And because each marinade has a completely different flavour profile, it doesn't feel like you're eating the same meal over and over again.
1. Tikka Tofu
For when you want something rich, creamy and packed with warming spices.
For the marinade:
200g extra-firm tofu
1–2 tbsp vegan Greek-style yoghurt
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp tikka curry powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp garlic granules
½ tsp onion granules
A squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
Add everything to your ziplock bag, seal it and give it a good massage to coat the tofu.
When you're ready to cook, tip it into the air fryer and cook until the edges are beautifully golden and slightly charred.
I love serving this with basmati/pilau rice, roasted vegetables and a dollop of vegan yoghurt, but you could also throw it into a wrap, serve it with flatbreads or make a quick curry bowl.
Meal prep mood: Fakeaway curry night.
2. Peri Peri Tofu
Spicy, smoky and perfect for those days when you want something with a bit of a kick.
For the marinade:
200g extra-firm tofu
1–2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic granules
½ tsp onion granules
½ tsp cayenne pepper
a pinch of sugar
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried parsley
A squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
Mix it all together in your ziplock bag and leave the tofu to soak up all that spicy goodness. When you're ready to eat, air fry until crispy around the edges.
I serve mine with Aldi protein peri peri grains, some fresh salad or roasted vegetables and nandos creamy peri peri sauce (It's vegan!!)
It's quick, it's spicy and it feels like an actual meal rather than something you've reluctantly reheated because you promised yourself you'd meal prep.
Meal prep mood: Cheeky Nandos
3. Mexican Tofu Bowl
This one is one of my favourites because you can build the whole thing into a colourful bowl and change it up depending on what you've got in the fridge.
For the marinade:
200g extra-firm tofu
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chilli powder
½ tsp garlic granules
½ tsp onion granules
A squeeze of lime juice
Salt and black pepper
Pop everything into your ziplock bag and give it a good shake. Air fry until golden and crispy, then serve with corn on the cob, rice, and peppers. You could also add black beans, salsa, guacamole, vegan sour cream or a handful of fresh coriander.
Meal prep mood: Build-your-own burrito bowl.
4. Teriyaki Tofu
Sweet, salty, sticky and ridiculously easy.
For the marinade:
200g extra-firm tofu
2 tbsp teriyaki sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp garlic granules
½ tsp ground ginger
A splash of sesame oil
Add everything to your ziplock bag and make sure every piece of tofu is coated.
Air fry until the tofu is golden and sticky, then serve with steamed broccoli and jasmine rice. For extra flavour, top with sesame seeds and sliced spring onions.
This one is particularly good when you want something that feels like a takeaway without actually ordering one.
Meal prep mood: Japanese midweek treat
5. Korean BBQ Tofu
Sweet, spicy, savoury and gloriously sticky — this is the tofu for when you want something with serious flavour.
For the marinade:
200g extra-firm tofu
1 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp rice vinegar
½ tsp garlic granules
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp sesame oil
A splash of water to loosen, if needed
Add everything to your ziplock bag, seal it up and give it a good shake until every piece of tofu is coated in that spicy, sticky marinade. When you're ready to eat, throw it into the air fryer and cook until the tofu is crispy around the edges and caramelised.
Serve with jasmine rice, steamed greens and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Add some sliced spring onions and vegan kimchi if you're feeling fancy.
You could even turn it into a Korean-inspired bibimbap bowl with cucumber, edamame and shredded carrot.
Meal prep mood: Sticky, spicy, umami bowl that is good for the "seoul" (hehehe if you didn't laugh at that pun then I am disappointed).
Tikka Peri-Peri Korean BBQ
The "No Excuses" Meal Prep Method
The whole point of this kind of meal prep is to make your future self's life easier.
I prep my tofu in separate ziplock bags, with each bag containing enough tofu for one meal. I can then grab whichever flavour I'm in the mood for.
Tikka?
Peri peri?
Mexican?
Teriyaki?
Korean BBQ?
Future me has options.
And that is the key to avoiding meal prep boredom. You don't need to prepare seven identical meals. You just need to prepare a few building blocks that you can mix and match throughout the week.
I think we sometimes make meal prep far more complicated than it needs to be.
You don't need a fridge full of perfectly portioned containers. You don't need to eat the same thing every day.
Sometimes, meal prep is simply putting some tofu and marinade into a bag so that Tuesday-night-you doesn't end up scrolling through takeaway menus at 7pm.
No excuses for boring, because boring isn't going to help to stick to your goals.
Same basic ingredient. Five completely different meals. And suddenly, takeaway doesn't look quite so tempting.
Now that's what I call meal prep without the misery.
Eat the plants. Lift the things. And never underestimate the power of a good marinade. 🌱🖤
Blessed be,
