Vegan Chipotle Mango BBQ Tofu

Name: Vegan Chipotle Mango BBQ Tofu
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1 14-16oz block extra firm tofu, (frozen, then thawed and pressed); 1 ripe mango ((about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups)); 1 chipotle in adobe; 1/2 cup cilantro; 5 cloves garlic, (minced); 2 tbsp lemon juice ((can sub lime juice)); 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar; 1 tbsp vegan steak sauce; 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp packed brown sugar; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/2 cup Vegan BBQ Sauce; 3 tbsp vegan butter; 5 cloves garlic, (minced); 1 15oz can sweet corn, (rinsed and drained); 1/2 tsp onion powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tbsp vegan butter; 2 tbsp fresh ginger, (peeled and grated); 1 cup basmati rice, (rinsed ); 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock ((or sub water)); 1/2 tsp salt

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This Vegan Chipotle Mango BBQ Tofu Recipe is loaded with flavors! Grill or pan fry options included.

Most of us know by now that bbq tofu is amazing! But today, we’re going to kick those flavors up a notch with this vegan chipotle mango bbq tofu recipe.

It’s the perfect combination of sweet and spicy, with the BBQ flavors of the summer. Plus we’ll share how you can either throw this recipe on the grill or you can make it in a pan on the stove.

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CHIPOTLE MANGO BBQ TOFU INGREDIENTS:

Below are notes about the main ingredients before we get into the full recipe located lower in this post on how to make this vegan tofu dish:

Tofu – The star of the show! You want to use an extra firm block of tofu for this recipe
Chipotle Pepper – canned chipotles in adobe add a ton of flavor and spice with just one little pepper. It kicks up the heat and is going to help you fall in love with this dish
Mango – We use a Tommy Atkins, also sometimes called a red mango, for this recipe since it’s the most widely found variety where we are.
Brown sugar – Beyond adding just a little bit of sweetness to the marinade, sugar helps to neutralize spice as the sugar crystals absorb some of the capsaicin oils and balance the flavors well
Garlic – the aromatics for this dish. Garlic mellows things out when it comes to the flavors
BBQ Sauce – We use our homemade vegan BBQ sauce for a summer flavor to this dish

Substitutions and Variations:

Tofu – obviously this whole dish is based around tofu, but you could also use seitan, jackfruit, oyster mushrooms, chickpeas, cauliflower and more with this recipe
Chipotle Pepper- If you don’t do spice you could omit entirely or just reduce how much is used.
Mango – you can use other varieties of mango, or try swapping the mango for something like peaches
Brown sugar – swap with coconut sugar if needed
BBQ Sauce – you can use your favorite store bought brand as well

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is this recipe spicy?

It has a kick, but we don’t think that it’s too hot. If you would like a more mild flavor, you can reduce the amount of chipotles in Adobe that you add down to 1/2 a pepper or even a little less.

If you already made this and just finding out it’s spicy, you can add avocado or vegan sour cream to your dish to help level out the spice.

Grill or Pan Fry – Which is better for this bbq tofu?

We’ve tried both and the flavor is great either way. Grilled tofu gives some of those smokey grill flavors into the tofu which is delicious. Pan frying is also delicious and easier than heating up the grill.
Alternatively, you could oven baked this tofu as well. We’d recommend 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Can I freeze the sauce for later?

Yes! Make sure the sauce is at room temperature, then place into a freezer safe container or bag. We recommend using within 6 months of freezing.

Can I make this Top 9 Allergen Free?

This dish is tofu based so soy is in the main ingredient but you could swap the tofu for something else like mushrooms, jackfruit, or cauliflower.

For the steak sauce, it is usually allergen friendly, but if not, look for an allergy friendly version of vegan worcestershire sauce or swap with coconut aminos, tamari sauce or a no soy soy sauce depending on your allergens.

What side dish do you serve with bbq tofu?

We are pairing in the photos with garlic butter corn and ginger rice. Both recipes are down below.

Tips for making the perfect tofu:

WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF TOFU TO USE?

We prefer extra firm tofu for this recipe and would highly recommend using that.

This recipe will also work with firm tofu if needed.

We do not advise using silken or soft tofu for this recipe.

WHY SHOULD I FREEZE TOFU FIRST?

Freezing tofu gives it a more meat-like texture. While this isn’t a requirement, we highly recommend doing it this way.

Freeze the tofu in the store packaging. Then remove and let thaw completely before adding it to a tofu press to drain (see below).

HOW DO I PRESS OUT TOFU?

The easiest way to press out tofu is to use a tofu press. We use this tofu press because it’s easy to use and works great.

However, if you don’t have a tofu press then you could wrap the block of tofu in a kitchen towel, place it on a plate, and then put something heavy on top like a cast iron skillet.

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4.8 from 5 votes