My Mediterranean tofu fish recipe reimagines tofu in a unique and delicious way. Health-conscious ingredients inspired by the mediterranean islands give this recipe a seaside freshness usually only found in beachside tavernas. Infused with aromatic herbs and zesty citrus, it’s perfect for a nourishing and satisfying meal that’s fully plant based. Bring some summertime to your winter blues with this tofu fish recipe!

Best served with chargrilled or roasted summer vegetables like courgette, cherry tomatoes, olives and bell pepper and some amazing crusty bread for mopping up the juices.

Ingredients

The main ingredient in this recipe is tofu – you can use your favourite type of tofu. I personally prefer a slightly softer but still firm tofu although this will be slightly more fragile. If you’re new to tofu, I recommend using an extra-firm variety (like the brand “Tofoo” if you’re in the UK). It will hold its shape a bit better and since it’s firmer it has a meatier texture.

The tofu fish is marinated in a delicious herby and zesty sauce. The marinade consists of olive oil, basil, oregano, onion granules, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper and a splash of water. The ingredient that really transforms this marinade, however, is the sushi nori. Sushi nori (or sushi wrappers) really helps this recipe taste “of the sea”.

Substitutions

The herbs used in this recipe are interchangable, for a mediterranean flavour, basil and oregano work really well but you could switch them out for dill and parsley for a slightly different vibe! Feel free to use fresh or dried. If you’re using fresh, triple the amount of herbs used! (e.g. 1 tsp dried basil = 3 tsp fresh chopped basil)

The sushi nori is a really important element to make this recipe taste like fish, and is fairly easy to find in supermarkets, however if you’re in a pinch it can be omitted – the tofu will still be deliciously herby and lemony but it won’t really taste anything like fish (but still tasty!). Alternatively, if you happen to have some vegan fish sauce, you could use that instead.

Making the Mediterranean Tofu Fish

To make the tofu fish, start by preparing the sushi nori. Soak the sushi nori in 1/4 cup of boiling water. Let it sit for a couple of minutes while you prepare the rest of the marinade ingredients.

To a blender, add the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper and onion granules. Finally add in that sushi nori plus the soaking water. Blend until nice and smooth. Set aside while you prepare the tofu.

To prepare your tofu, cut your block into 2 halves. The direction you cut in doesn’t matter too much and is down to personal preference. I like to cut into 2 even rectangles that are a somewhat similar size to a fillet of fish.

Next, using a sharp knife and a steady hand, cut into the tofu on a diagonal stopping about 1-2 cm away from the bottom. Repeat this cutting along the length of the tofu until you have something that resembles the flaky texture of fish. Repeat for both fillets of tofu fish.
Tip – when cutting into the fish make sure your knife remains perpendicular to the cutting surface. If it helps, you can place a couple of wooden spoons either side of your tofu to stop the knife from cutting all the way through.

Place your fish in a container with a lid, and pour over half of the marinade. Use a spoon for the other half, gently prizing apart the layers you made earlier and spooning the marinade into the crevices. Place the lid on top and marinate in the fridge for at least a couple of hours. I usually make this recipe a few days in advance so let it marinate for 2 days in the fridge – just don’t leave it longer than 3 days.

When you’re ready to cook, simply heat up a heavy-bottomed frying pan on a medium-high heat before adding in your marinated tofu. Start by frying the bottom until golden and crispy. Flip onto the each side to fry before finally finishing with frying the top. The top of the tofu fish is the most fragile so I recommend cooking it last, once the rest of the tofu has cooked and it has more structural strength.

Serve immediately! I love serving this with roasted veggies and herby cous-cous, or crusty bread.

More Info

If you want to prepare this recipe in advance, you can prepare the tofu and marinade and let sit in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

I do not recommend freezing this recipe as the texture of tofu will change significantly.

For more tofu recipes, click here!

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Mediterranean Tofu Fish

Herby and zesty marinated tofu inspired by the mediterranean.

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 13

Total Time 2 13

Servings 2

Calories 342kcal

Ingredients

1 block Tofu Firm, or extra firm. Enough to serve 2 people (a standard 396g pack is perfect)

Marinade

1 sheet Sushi Nori (Sushi Wrappers)
60 mL (1/4 cup) Boiling Water
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Juice of 1 lemon
5 cloves Garlic
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Dried Basil
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Onion Granules

Instructions

Prepare the Marinade

Soak the sushi wrapper in the hot water while you prepare the rest of the marinade.
To a blender, add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, oregano and onion granules.
Now the sushi wrapper has softened, add it to the blender along with the soaking liquid. Blend until smooth.

Prepare the Tofu

Cut the block of tofu in half to form 2 equally sized rectangles.
Cut into the top of the tofu at a diagonal, keeping the knife at a 90 degree angle to the cutting surface, Stop the knife 1-2 cm away from the bottom. (you can use a kitchen utensil as a guideto make sure you don't cut all the way through) Cut along the entire length of the tofu, as pictured.
Repeat for both fillets then add to a sealable container.
Pour over half the marinade. Add the other half of the marinade with a spoon, prizing apart the layers and pushing the marinade into the crevices of the tofu fish.
Add the lid to the container and marinate in the fridge for at least a few hours, or up to 3 days.

Cooking the Tofu Fish

Heat up a heavy-bottomed frying pan on a medium-high heat.
Add the tofu once the pan is nice and hot, frying the bottom side first. Flip onto each side and fry until golden brown. Finally, fry the top side of the tofu fish for a few minutes until golden brown.
Serve the tofu fish immediately