• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Rabbit and Wolves

  • Cookbooks
  • Recipes

    • Breakfast
    • Entrees
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
    • Gluten-Free
  • Videos
  • Beginner’s Guide
    • Vegan Pantry Staples
    • Must-Have Cooking Tools for a Vegan Kitchen
    • Easy Vegan Cooking Replacements
    • How to Cook Tofu
    • Vegan Protein Replacements
  • Shop
  • Freebies
  • About
    • Frequently Asked Questions 
    • Subscribe
    • Meet the Team
    • Travel
      • Greece June 2022
      • Bali April 2022
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • instagram
    • facebook
    • pinterest
    • youtube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Cookbooks
  • Meal Planner
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Freebies
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Cookbooks
    • Meal Planner
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Freebies
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Vegan Blackened Tofu with Cheesy Grits

    September 11, 2018 by Lauren Hartmann 58 Comments

    *This post may contain affiliate links in the recipe card*

    Comfort food just leveled up!

    Vegan blackened tofu with cheesy grits is one of the most comforting meals I have ever had. Yet also remains pretty healthy. Pretty quick. Pretty dang amazing. I love adding a simple sauteed green of some kind to this already hearty bowl of love. This tofu is firm, like the perfect texture, seriously. Flavorful and baked. Making your life incredibly easy. These cheesy vegan grits are the perfect friend to go with this tofu! So rich and cheesy, but with no cheese at all!

    I love a lot of spice, so this blackened tofu is definitely for me. If you want to go a little less spicy, you can do a little less cayenne or skip it. This spicy tofu is so amazing on a cold night though. I just want to curl up with a big bowl of tofu and grits!

    This is a great quick weeknight meal, it only takes about 30 minutes! Or great for weekends when we all want to have some great comfort food! 

    This blackened tofu is baked while you cook the grits on the stove. So you are getting the protein and the carb done at the same time! I love a bake and stove top meal so I only have to worry about one pan, and stirring one thing at a time. I can really only do one thing at a time, and I am just a woman doing her best! Ya feel me?

    This will for sure go on your regular rotation, because there is literally no way you will want to eat this vegan blackened tofu with cheesy grits just once. So, go forth and get some tofu and grits from the store, then make this immediately!

    Vegan Blackened Tofu with Cheesy Grits

    Print Recipe
    Healthy baked blackened tofu served with super cheesy easy grits. The ultimate comfort food!
    Course Main Course
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Servings 4
    Author Lauren Hartmann

    Ingredients

    Blackened Tofu

    • 1 Block(15oz.) Extra firm tofu
    • 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
    • 2 Teaspoons Dijon mustard
    • 2 Teaspoons Paprika
    • 1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper
    • 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
    • 1/2 Teaspoon Black pepper
    • 1/2 Teaspoon Thyme, dried
    • 1 Teaspoon Salt

    Cheesy Grits

    • 2 Cups Water
    • 1 1/4 Cups Non dairy milk, I used almond milk
    • 1/4 Cup Nutritional yeast
    • 1 Teaspoon Salt
    • 1 Cup Grits, quick cooking
    • 1/4 Cup Vegan butter, I used Earth Balance

    Instructions

    • Press the tofu first, you can do that right before, or the morning before you plan to make this. Use either a tofu press, or place the tofu on some paper towels and put something heavy on top. Press for at least 20 minutes, but the longer the better. 
    • When ready, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
    • Now, cut the tofu into cubes, and place them in a medium sized mixing bowl. Then pour the olive oil and mustard into the bowl, and toss the tofu to coat it in oil and mustard. 
    • Next, sprinkle all the spices onto the tofu, and toss again to coat evenly in all the spices. 
    • Then, place the tofu on a baking sheet sprayed with non stick spray and bake for about 20-25 minutes. Flip halfway through, and bake until nice and brown and firm. 
    • While the tofu is baking, make the grits. In a medium sized sauce pan, whisk together the water, non dairy milk, nutritional yeast and salt. Heat on medium high.
    • Bring to a boil, then slowly whisk the grits in while you pour them. Make sure to whisk as you pour so they don’t clump. 
    • Reduce heat to low and simmer until they are nice and thick. 10-20 minutes. (You can check your package for instructions regarding timing)
    • When the grits have absorbed all the liquid and are cooked through, stir in the vegan butter. Then taste and adjust seasonings. I usually add a bit more salt. 
    • Once the tofu and grits are done. serve immediately. I like to serve with some greens and hot sauce!
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Notes

    If you don’t love super spicy food, reduce the cayenne or skip it all together. 

    Other popular recipes:

    • Vegan White Lasagna Soup
      by Lauren Hartmann
      329
    • Vegan Spicy Thai Peanut Ramen
      by Lauren Hartmann
      191
    • Vegan Lentil Salisbury Steak
      by Lauren Hartmann
      181
    • Vegan Apple Pie Bread
      by Lauren Hartmann
      172

    Filed Under: Entrees, Gluten-Free Tagged With: blackened, blackened tofu, cheesy grits, spicy tofu, tofu, vegan, vegan entree, vegan grits

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lauren at Planted Purpose

      September 12, 2018 at 6:08 pm

      This whole combo looks to-die-for!

      Reply
      • Jen

        May 3, 2022 at 5:42 pm

        5 stars
        I have always hated grits…or so I thought until I took my first bite tonight. OMG these are quite possibly my new favorite thing ever!! The entire meal was delicious!!

        Reply
    2. Kena

      October 2, 2018 at 1:43 pm

      Do you think this recipe will work with mushrooms instead of tofu?

      Reply
      • Lauren Hartmann

        October 2, 2018 at 3:25 pm

        Totally! That sounds delicious! You probably won’t need to cook the mushrooms as long as you would the tofu, so I would just keep your eye on them.

        Reply
    3. Tracy

      October 26, 2018 at 6:48 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this last night and it was delicious! I used smoked paprika instead of regular, but the taste of the tofu plus the creamy polenta was magical. Loved roasting the veggies while the tofu was cooking. Such a simple, but delicious, meal. Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Sunaina

      November 2, 2018 at 2:40 am

      I’m guessing this doesn’t work for meal prepping, right?

      Reply
      • Linh Ly

        October 7, 2019 at 3:27 pm

        5 stars
        I totally made it for meal-prepping. The only problem is that grits doesn’t stay creamy when you put it in the fridge. It solidifies into a chunk in the form of the container, so you’ll probably smash it around like mashed potatoes. lol Still good though.

        I didn’t like the taste of the tofu though. I think I might just not like thyme, so I’ll omit it next time. The grits were the bomb. I’ve never had grits before, so I was doubtful at first.

        Reply
    5. Ashley

      November 9, 2018 at 10:42 pm

      5 stars
      Oh gosh! This meal is AMAZING! The cheesy grits are killer. It’s like a vegan shrimp and grits.

      Reply
    6. Jenne

      December 22, 2018 at 9:38 pm

      This was awesome! I subbed miso paste for the salt which I find gives “cheesy” recipes a little more aged cheese flavor.

      Reply
    7. KMD

      January 21, 2019 at 2:49 am

      5 stars
      This is delicious! Made it twice already. The grits are amazing! Even my non-vegan partner can’t believe there is no real cheese in them! I had to cut out the cayenne feom the tofu the second time- even tastier!

      Reply
    8. Suzy

      January 28, 2019 at 1:12 am

      5 stars
      Definitely a shrimp and grits type flavor! I’ll up the spice on the tofu a bit next time. But overall, this is a great dish! Husband enjoyed it too! Always a bonus! I like the idea of using mushrooms though!! Or both?!

      Reply
    9. Mathias

      February 24, 2019 at 1:08 am

      I have to be honest, I only made the grits portion of this recipe and added a tablespoon of red miso paste. I ate it underneath chunky 5 bean chili. I will ABSOLUTELY be making this for company sometime. And how simple?!?! Thank you so so much for all the recipes you take the time to make. I’ve made at least one a week this past month, and I’ve never been disappointed. Keep it up <3

      Reply
    10. Augusta

      March 5, 2019 at 12:04 am

      5 stars
      Sooooooo Good 😋😋😋. Fast, easy and delicious. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal or a special breakfast 🙂

      Reply
    11. Amber

      March 14, 2019 at 9:04 pm

      5 stars
      Such a great meal! Grits are great comfort food and I can’t believe I’ve never put nooch in mine before now. Wow, so good! And the blackened tofu seasoning was great. All around a delicious, satisfying dinner we will make again and again.

      Reply
    12. Wendy

      April 10, 2019 at 3:18 am

      5 stars
      I will for sure make this tofu again: it was delicious! Made it with some sautéed kale with a little red wine vinegar. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    13. Victoria L. Dickman-Burnett

      April 24, 2019 at 11:07 pm

      5 stars
      This is a go-to recipe in our house now.

      After we’d made it several times, we started serving it all in one bowl with spicy black beans, watermelon radish, and green onion.

      Reply
    14. Judy

      May 15, 2019 at 9:38 pm

      I’m not s fan of grits. What can I sub for the grits part of the recipe? It sounds interesting with all the other add ins.

      I’m making the tofu tonight, with the Trader Joe’s stir fry riced cauliflower.

      Reply
      • Lauren Hartmann

        May 19, 2019 at 10:10 am

        I think mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash would be really good with the blackened tofu!

        Reply
    15. Luisa

      July 16, 2019 at 9:44 pm

      I. Can. NOT.

      I feel like every recipe you have on here is FIREEEEE!!!! And I have made a bunch! For this time, I only made the tofu.

      Okay, now onto the recipe. I used a dijon that was rather chunky and when I first made the tofu I popped one into my mouth and was not impressed. I thought to myself ,”I can’t believe I found a rabbits and wolves recipe I don’t like!” Oh boy, was I wrong. As the tofu sat on the hot baking tray as I prepped the rest of my dinner (just 5-10 min or so) something magical happened. The nuggets crisped up a bit as they cooled and the flavor became addictive. I ate almost the entire batch myself 😛

      I won’ doubt you again Lauren!

      Reply
      • Lauren Hartmann

        July 18, 2019 at 12:36 pm

        This makes me so happy! I can eat almost an entire batch of this tofu myself too!

        Reply
    16. Ann

      August 13, 2019 at 12:25 am

      5 stars
      Can I use Tempeh in place of the tofu?

      Reply
      • Lauren Hartmann

        August 13, 2019 at 8:02 pm

        Sure! I think that would be delicious!

        Reply
    17. Amanda

      October 8, 2019 at 1:29 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for creating something original! I’d been in such a good rut lately and this was a nice change and so good!

      Reply
    18. Donna

      November 25, 2019 at 4:53 pm

      5 stars
      Quite possibly, one of the best vegan meals I’ve ever made! Everything about this is perfect. We’ll be making this many more times in the future. Instant family favorite!

      Reply
    19. Shauna

      December 29, 2019 at 2:19 am

      This was AMAZING. I used polenta because I didn’t have grits and it was great. I made some Brussels sprouts to go with it as well. Our only complaint was that we both thought it was way too salty, so next time I’ll reduce the salt – this one will be on a regular rotation for sure!

      Reply
    20. Carla

      January 10, 2020 at 10:58 pm

      5 stars
      LOVE this recipe! It’s delicious, healthy, and comes together quickly. Nice contrast with the creamy grits, spicy crispy tofu, & bitter greens, like garlicky broccoli rabe. It has become one of our go-to recipes, especially on busy evenings or nights when we don’t feel like cooking. Thank you for such an awesome & easy recipe!

      Reply
    21. Lauren Morrell

      February 2, 2020 at 11:58 pm

      5 stars
      This was so amazing that I think it’s earned a spot in the weekly rotation at my house! I am not super confident with cooking tofu, and it still turned out great. I don’t like cumin, so the only change I made was to sub in some Old Bay seasoning, which turned out to be an excellent choice. I served it as pictured, with Brussels sprouts, and it was perfect! My only complaint was that I didn’t make enough tofu for leftovers!

      Reply
    22. Annette

      April 14, 2020 at 8:31 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve made this recipe many times. Delicious!!

      Reply
    23. Kathrine

      April 17, 2020 at 2:58 am

      5 stars
      AMAZING! These grits were to DIE FOR! I enjoy a good amount of spice so the tofu was spot on. I roasted brussel sprouts in the oven, just put them in about 10 minutes before the tofu and it was perfection.

      Reply
    24. Jules

      April 21, 2020 at 3:10 am

      5 stars
      I loved this so much I made it two nights in a row. And I honestly don’t think my family would object if I made it a third time tomorrow. Easy, quick, and so comforting. I didn’t have grits, so I used polenta and it was amazing! This will be a regular in our rotation going forward.

      Reply
    25. Kim

      June 25, 2020 at 12:08 am

      5 stars
      This is an excellent recipe. Grilled the tofu in a grill pan to avoid falling through the grill, instead of baking it , along with grilled corn on the cob. Spice was perfect and look forwards to making this again.

      Reply
    26. Joanna

      August 20, 2020 at 10:19 am

      Great idea!

      Reply
    27. Rachel

      September 11, 2020 at 1:48 am

      5 stars
      WOW! Writing this as I devour my last bite. My dad is from New Orleans, so I grew up on grits. I haven’t had grits in years since going vegan because it’s so near and dear to my heart, and I didn’t want to mess it up. I knew I could trust you! This tasted like home! I didn’t change the recipe much, just added a smidge of miso to the grits and only cooked them for about 6 min., then let them set up, covered until the tofu was done. My package directions said 30 min., but that would have been way too long. The tofu was great too! Didn’t use cayenne, as it hurts my stomach, and I only had smoked paprika on hand. Thank you for taking me home! I could eat this every night!

      Reply
    28. Rusty

      September 21, 2020 at 4:40 pm

      5 stars
      Could you use the same Cajun sauce for the tofu on the side of brussel sprouts??

      Reply
    29. Lynn Sims

      October 21, 2020 at 2:33 pm

      This was delicious! I omitted the Brussel sprouts and in its place I added chickpeas with spinach, onions and peppers. Will definitely add this to the rotation!

      Reply
    30. Lozza

      November 26, 2020 at 3:19 am

      5 stars
      I usually use soyrizo with my cheesy grits but I had leftover tofu to use and this was awesome!

      Thanks!

      Reply
    31. Amy

      December 26, 2020 at 2:29 pm

      Can you leave out vegan butter? I’m not a fan of vegetable oils for health reasons.

      Reply
    32. Jess

      March 6, 2021 at 5:58 pm

      5 stars
      You are a goddess! Every time I make one of your recipes I taste sheer perfection! So grateful you share your gift with with the world! This was another outstanding dinner! thank you!

      Reply
    33. Deanna

      March 26, 2021 at 9:27 pm

      I have the Quaker quick cooking grits in 1oz packages and I opened 4 and so far they yield just over 1 cup of dry grits but don’t they shrink when cooked? Is it 1 cup dry grits for this recipe or is that what it yields?

      Reply
    34. Gwen

      April 29, 2021 at 4:43 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve been meaning to come back and leave a rating and comment for this recipe for a while, just getting around to it now. I’ve made this about 3 times already and we all LOVE it. It has become a regular on my dinner rotation. Grits are not a common thing where I live, so I had to order it online, this recipe was a great introduction on how to use it. Thank you!

      Reply
    35. Amy

      August 10, 2021 at 9:51 pm

      5 stars
      I made this tonight and it was a smash hit with everyone. So glad to have tofu that hasn’t soaked in soy sauce. Do you have the nutrition information for your recipes?

      Reply
    36. Lisa Michaels

      October 17, 2021 at 9:40 am

      5 stars
      We’ve made this dish twice now and. LOVE it! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    37. Dawn Jo

      December 7, 2021 at 5:50 pm

      5 stars
      Had such great success with the Nashville Hot Tofu that when I saw this drool worthy photo pop up on Instagram I knew I had found my next one to try. Knocked it out of the par. ,Hubby runs a seafood restaurant and commented he thought he was eating blackened grouper. High praise from my Wolf. Thanks for making such amazing recipes!

      Reply
    38. Erin

      January 8, 2022 at 7:08 am

      5 stars
      Sooooo tasty! Whole family loves it so we’ve made it a few times already. I usually throw a sheet pan of veggies in the oven to toss on top.

      Reply
    39. Elly

      February 6, 2022 at 7:43 pm

      5 stars
      I’m vegan and a college student, so I love looking for easy, cheap, good recipes, and this has all three qualities!! I also love spicy food. I have to stop myself from making this every week!

      Reply
    40. Julie Krause

      February 8, 2022 at 8:37 pm

      5 stars
      I can’t stop eating! Thank you so much. I love all your recipes, but this may just be one of my favorites.

      Reply
    41. Julie

      March 16, 2022 at 10:27 am

      5 stars
      So comforting and delicious! This is a go to meal for me when I need to make dinner but am tired and hungry and need food fast. So easy, quick, and delicious! And my family loves it. My son insists that the polenta be doubled b/c he’ll eat the whole pot by himself.

      Reply
    42. Carrie R Rosenblatt

      April 1, 2022 at 7:43 pm

      Thanks for the recipe. It was great, tasty and easy to make. I tried different combinations with the tofu, and grits

      Reply
    43. Faith

      April 19, 2023 at 1:42 pm

      This looks and sounds amazing!! For the tofu, would it be okay to omit the Dijon mustard or sub something else? We are not mustard people and can always taste it in recipes.

      Reply
      • Lauren Hartmann

        April 19, 2023 at 3:48 pm

        You can just omit it! The seasonings should stick sufficiently with just the oil. I hope you enjoy!

        Reply
        • Faith

          April 25, 2023 at 1:54 pm

          Thanks so much Lauren!! Can’t wait to try this!

          Reply
    44. Diane Tabor

      June 26, 2023 at 6:26 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe has made tofu move to the top of my list. It’s awesome.

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Blackened Tofu & Cheese Grits | Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner...and then some says:
      October 12, 2018 at 3:21 am

      […] made a vegetarian version of a vegan recipe for blackened tofu & grits.   I air-fried instead of baked the tofu, and used a light hand on the blackening seasoning.  […]

      Reply
    2. The Best Vegan Low Calorie Recipes - Rabbit and Wolves says:
      December 30, 2018 at 7:41 pm

      […] Vegan Blackened Tofu with Cheesy Grits: 415 Calories per serving […]

      Reply
    3. WEEKLY HEALTH AND HEALING MENU PLAN: SEPTEMBER 30th- OCTOBER 6th - says:
      September 26, 2019 at 7:39 pm

      […] Click here for Vegan Blackened Tofu and Cheesy Grits with Brussels Sprouts Recipe from Rabbit and Wo… […]

      Reply
    4. Blackened Tofu with Brussel Sprouts – ahungryfoodie's blog says:
      January 21, 2020 at 5:31 am

      […] friend shared this recipe for blackened tofu and I was intrigued. I’d never thought to BAKE tofu before nor have I ever pressed tofu. The […]

      Reply
    5. Crispy Air Fryer Tofu - Motherhood Wilderness says:
      August 20, 2021 at 8:16 am

      […] Here is one of our favorite recipes for tofu: Vegan Blackened Tofu with Cheesy Grits […]

      Reply
    6. 25+ Irresistible Breakfast Ideas Without Eggs 2022 says:
      November 24, 2022 at 8:24 am

      […] 21. Vegan Blackened Tofu With Cheesy Grits […]

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Lauren! Welcome to the magical land of delightful vegan comfort food. I'm the Creatrix of Rabbit & Wolves and I'm thrilled to have you here.

    More about me →

    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

    Popular Recipes

    • Vegan Banana Bread Cobbler
    • The Best Vegan Salisbury “Steak” Risotto
    • Vegan Roasted Garlic and Onion Miso Shells
    • Easy Vegan Pretzel Biscuits

    see more freebies →

    © Lauren Hartmann and Rabbit and Wolves, 2021. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Lauren Hartmann and Rabbit and Wolves with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

    Footer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    FAQ

    • FAQ

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Rabbit and Wolves on the Foodie Pro Theme