Greek Lemon Tofu with Roasted Potatoes and Mint Peas
This Greek lemon tofu recipe is marinated in fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, and dried oregano. It is then seared until it’s golden brown. I serve it with roasted potatoes, red onion, capers, and mint peas. It’s a complete Mediterranean-inspired dinner. You can cook all three together or make any of the components separately.
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Complete Plant-Based Dinner Designed For You
I have always admired that Greek food has a rich flavor from simple ingredients. Spanakorizo (Greek spinach rice) is a perfect example of this. For this recipe, I wanted to create a Mediterranean tofu dinner using Greek flavors: lemon, oregano, garlic, olive oil, and a touch of brine. I also wanted a full meal to make dinner choices easier for my readers. This is the same approach I took when creating my rosemary chickpea dinner. This time I paired the tofu with roasted potatoes and mint peas, so everything you need for dinner is in one place!
Eat sinfully, live kindly ❤️
Ruth
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Key Ingredient Notes
Extra Firm Tofu
Extra-firm tofu with the water pressed out is a must. Anything softer will not hold its shape when cut into a slab and seared. Pressing the water out allows the tofu to absorb the marinade and brown instead of steaming when seared.
Potatoes
I use small rainbow new potatoes because I like the mix of colors. You can use red new potatoes, and Yukon Gold potatoes also work well with this recipe. Cut the potatoes into a similar size for even roasting.
Capers
Capers add a briny flavor that balances the lemon and oregano. Roasting them will give them a slightly crisp texture and mellow their sharpness.
Dried Oregano
I tested this recipe with both fresh and dried oregano. Hands down, dried oregano was the winner. It had a stronger flavor, whereas the fresh oregano was so mild in many tests I could not even taste it!
See the recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make This Greek Lemon Tofu Dinner
1
Marinate the Tofu
Press and drain the tofu, then cut it into six thick slabs. Next, marinate the tofu in olive oil, lemon, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper for at least 20 minutes, or 30 if you have time. If you like spice, add a teaspoon of crushed red pepper.
2
Roast the Potatoes
Toss the potatoes and red onion with olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Arrange the potatoes cut-side down on a large baking sheet and roast until they begin to brown. Flip the potatoes halfway through and add the capers. Then finish with fresh lemon and oregano.
3
Sear the Tofu
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu in a single layer and leave it undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it’s golden brown. Next, flip the tofu slabs and sear for another 3 to 5 minutes. In the final minute, add the reserved marinade.
4
Sauté the Mint Peas
When you’re done making the peas, wipe out the skillet and add the frozen peas. Sauté until they are bright green. Add the vegan butter, fresh mint, salt, pepper, and just a touch of lemon to brighten the flavor.
5
Serve
Once all the components are made, it’s time to plate dinner. You can serve this in individual servings or on a large platter, family-style.
More Potato Recipes
Greek Lemon Tofu with Roasted Potatoes and Mint Peas
Ingredients
Lemon-Oregano Tofu
- 14 ounces extra-firm tofu pressed
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for searing
- For finishing
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic finely minced or grated
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of salt
Roasted Lemon Potatoes with Capers
- 1 ½ pounds new or baby potatoes halved
- ½ small red onion cut into thick wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Mint Peas
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or plant-based butter
- 1 to 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the TofuDrain and press the tofu. You want to press out as much water as possible so the tofu can absorb the marinade and avoid becoming rubbery. Cut the tofu in half crosswise at the widest part. Then cut each half into three slabs. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, water, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. You can add the crushed red pepper if you want spice. Arrange the tofu in a shallow dish. Pour ¾ of the marinade over the tofu and marinate for at least 20 minutes while you prepare the potatoes.
- Prepare the PotatoesStart by preheating the oven to 425°F. Halve the new potatoes. Cut the red onion into thick wedges, leaving them intact at the root. In a bowl or on the baking sheet, toss the potatoes and onion with olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Spread the potatoes and onions out and place them cut side down. If they are placed too closely together, they will steam instead of roast. Cook for 25 minutes.Flip the potatoes, gently toss the onions, add the capers, and scatter them over the pan. Return the baking sheet to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are golden. If you can slide a fork into the potato, it is done cooking. Remove from the oven and finish with fresh lemon juice, and oregano.
- Sear the TofuHeat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, lay the tofu slabs in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes until golden. Then flip and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. In the final minute, pour the remaining marinade over the tofu. The tofu should have golden edges and be tender inside.
- Make the Mint PeasWipe out the skillet you used to make the tofu. Over medium heat, add the peas and sauté the peas for 3-5 minutes, until they are tender and bright green. Add the vegan butter, mint, salt, and pepper. In this step, you will also add the fresh lemon juice. You want to keep the lemon light so that peas and mint are the predominant flavors. Then stir well. Taste and adjust with additional lemon or salt as needed.
- ServeDivide the tofu, roasted potatoes, and mint peas among the dinner plates. You can garnish with fresh mint, fresh oregano, and a lemon wedge if you want. For a family Greek-style tofu dinner, arrange the potatoes and peas on a large platter and place the tofu slabs on top.
Notes
- Keeping the red onion wedges large helps keep the onion from burning while roasting with the potatoes. Smaller sizes will cook faster and can burn.
- Store each of the components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Nutrition
Substitutions (How To Personalize This Recipe)
Potatoes
You can substitute your favorite potato variety, such as Yukon Golds. The only thing to remember is that you need to cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Oregano
You can use fresh oregano instead of dried if you prefer. Note: fresh oregano does not have a concentrated flavor. To match the flavor of the recipe, you will need to add 2 to 4 times more than the recipe calls for. Taste as you go and add as needed.
Capers
You can omit the capers or substitute them with kalamata olives. If using kalamata olives, add them in the last five minutes instead of the final 15 to 20 minutes.
My Best Tips
- Press the tofu well to extract excess moisture. This allows the tofu to absorb the marinade and sear.
- Give the potatoes room by using a large sheet pan. If the potatoes are crowded, they will steam instead of roast.
- Leave the tofu alone for 3 to 5 minutes. This will create a crust and give you a better sear.
- Keep it light on the lemon with the peas. There is already a lot of lemon, tofu, and potatoes. The lemon in the peas gives the flavor a slight perk, but you should be tasting sweet peas and fresh mint.
How Did It Go?
I hope you loved this Greek tofu recipe as much as I do! Before you go, please leave me a rating and a comment letting me know how it went.