Marinated Tofu 'Feta'
It’s been really fun having this marinated tofu ‘feta’ in the fridge lately. I add it to all kinds of dishes: salads, bowls, on pizza, or fancy toasts. Tofu is made of soybeans, so this ‘feta’ will never have the rich and creamy, melt-in-your mouth texture of actual feta. But tofu is also beautifully spongy, which makes it perfect for marinating. In this recipe, we frizzle shallots, garlic, and lemon zest in lots of olive oil until golden, then pour everything over the crumbled tofu, followed by a few spices, lemon juice, and lots of salt. The tofu drinks up all those flavors and transforms.
Marinated Tofu ‘Feta’
15 oz firm tofu, pressed
1/2 cup olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, sliced
zest and juice from 1 lemon (zest cut off the lemon in strips, rather than grated)
sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme
1/2 teaspoon chile flakes, or to taste
2 bay leaves
freshly ground black pepper
Crumble the tofu into bite-sized pieces or cube into bite-sized chunks. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and let it heat up. Add the shallot, garlic, lemon zest, and a generous pinch of salt. Let the shallots and garlic frizzle for 3-5 minutes, until golden but not burned. Pour the oil, shallots and garlic over the tofu. Add the lemon juice, oregano/thyme, chile flakes, bay leaves, plenty of black pepper, and another generous pinch of salt. Mix to combine. Taste for salt, the tofu should be pretty salty, since we’re going for a feta effect. Add more salt if needed, in small pinches, keep mixing it in and tasting, until you reach the desired saltiness.
Transfer the ‘feta’ to a jar and let marinate at room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate. Ideally, let the feta marinate in the fridge overnight before using. The feta should keep for up to 5 days.
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
The feta marinade can be endlessly modified according to what you like. Try adding whole spices like cumin, mustard seeds, or fennel seeds to the skillet with the frizzling shallots and garlic. All kinds of fresh herbs can also be added for a greener twist (add them when mixing all the ingredients together with the ‘feta.’)