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

FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Simply delicious oil-free vegan recipes

  • Recipe Index
    • Recipes by Category
    • Recipes by Tag
    • Recipe Box
  • About Me
    • Press
  • NewsBites
  • Shop!
  • Website

Chipotle Barbecued Tofu

September 14, 2009 By Susan Voisin 63 Comments
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Privacy Policy.

Jump to Recipe Share on Facebook

Chipotle Barbecued Tofu

I love barbecued tofu, but I have to admit that I don’t always take the time to make my own sauce for it. The bottled stuff is so quick and easy, though I have yet to find a brand that I really like. I may stop using bottled barbecue sauce completely, however, after concocting this zesty new recipe. It has every flavor I look for in a bbq sauce: sweet, tangy, smoky, and spicy. And because the sauce is ketchup-based, it doesn’t take hours to make.

I used Annie’s Natural ketchup, which contains less sugar that regular brands, and added enough chipotle peppers to normally set my family’s mouths ablaze. But somehow during the simmering, the heat mellows out. It was right on the limit of my daughter’s spice-tolerance, but she still managed to eat two servings.

If you are sensitive to spiciness, try starting with less of the chipotles–perhaps 2 teaspoons rather than tablespoons–and add more to your taste. Of course, if heat is your thing, feel free to add more. Also note that you can make the sauce in advance, making it easy enough to bake the tofu in less than an hour.

Chipotle Cubes I’ve found that the easiest way to handle canned chipotles in adobo sauce is to pour the whole can into the blender and puree it. Then, I measure out what I need for the recipe and freeze the rest. Sometimes I use an ice cube try for freezing, but other times I just measure it out by the tablespoon into small snack-sized plastic bags. I put all the plastic bags into one large freezer bag which I label with the date.

Chipotles will last for months in the freezer, and having the portions pre-measured makes it easy to add smoky chipotle flavor to chilies, stews or other dishes.

I served the barbecued tofu over some whole-wheat couscous that I flavored sort of randomly with saffron, fresh herbs, and minced pimento pepper.

Chipotle Barbecued Tofu

5 from 4 votes
Print SaveSaved! Add to Recipe BoxGo to Recipe Box

Chipotle Barbecued Tofu

You can decrease the calories and sugar by using sugar-free ketchup and omitting the sugar or using a natural sugar substitute such as stevia, monkfruit, or erythritol.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 6
Author Susan Voisin

Ingredients

  • 28 ounces extra-firm tofu (2 packages)
  • 1 medium onion , chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic clove , minced
  • 1/2 cup organic ketchup see note
  • 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (or other sugar or sugar substitute)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chipotle chiles in adobo
  • 1 teaspoon tamari soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery seed (optional)
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Slice each block of tofu into 9 slices. Place them on a double layer of paper towels or a clean tea towel (non-fuzzy) and place another double layer over them. Press firmly with your hands to remove as much moisture as possible. Let them sit on the absorbent material while you make the sauce.
  • Heat a saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until onion begins to brown, at least 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add all remaining ingredients (except the tofu) and cook, stirring, over medium to low heat, for about 15-20 minutes, until thick and fragrant.
  • Preheat oven to 425 F. Place a silicone baking mat on a cookie sheet or oil a long, rectangular baking dish. Brush one side of each slice of tofu with a thin layer of sauce and place it on the pan sauce-side down. Spread remaining sauce on the tops and sides of the tofu. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, until tofu is firm and just beginning to brown at the corners. Serve hot.

Notes

Makes 18 slices. A serving is 3 slices.
Nutrition is calculated using ketchup with sugar and turbinado sugar. You can make this sugar-free by using a no-sugar ketchup and a pinch of stevia or other sweetener to taste.
Removing the sugar makes this zero points on Weight Watchers Freestyle program. With regular ketchup and sugar, it is 2 points.
Nutrition Facts
Chipotle Barbecued Tofu
Amount Per Serving (3 slices)
Calories 175 Calories from Fat 66
% Daily Value*
Fat 7.3g11%
Sodium 124mg5%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 2.3g10%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 14.5g29%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional info is approximate.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Vegan
Keyword barbecued tofu
Have you made this recipe?Mention @SusanFFVK and tag #fatfreevegankitchen in your photos on Instagram.
Share on Facebook Share by Email

Please pin and share!

Tofu is baked in a homemade bbq sauce that can be sugar-free if you like. Sweet, tangy, smoky, and spicy as well as vegan and zero weight watchers points. #vegan #wfpb #zeropoints

 

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Recipes, Vegan Weight Watchers Recipes with Zero Points Tagged With: Gluten-free, Higher-fat, Southwestern Recipes, Soy, Under 200, Weight Watchers Points

Get NewsBites!

Sign up for our newsletter to receive new recipes & tips by email!

Privacy Policy
Previous Post: « Creamy Zucchini and Basil Soup
Next Post: Roasted Beet-Tofu Burgers »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Laina

    March 6, 2010 at 5:24 pm

    Susan, that BBQ looks so tasty. Can you use frozen tofu? I usually freeze mine because I don't want it to spoil before I get to use it.

    Reply
  2. SusanV

    March 6, 2010 at 5:26 pm

    Sure, Laina. If you like the texture of frozen tofu, you'll love it like this.

    Reply
  3. san diego screen printing

    March 30, 2010 at 6:33 pm

    Yum! I loved Tofu. Thanks for the recipe.

    Best Regards,
    san diego screen printing

    Reply
  4. derek o'neill

    July 13, 2010 at 7:49 am

    made this last weekend for a bbq and it was delicious, I had to tweak it as it’s impossible to find chipotles in adobe sauce here in Ireland but I had some dried chipotle’s and soaked them and added a tin of tomatoes.

    everyone loved this including the death munchers who put it on their ribs.

    Reply
  5. Pamela

    September 25, 2010 at 8:38 pm

    This is a great way to cook tofu. My family and I are always trying out new ways. Going to have to give this one a shot!

    Reply
  6. Anke

    October 18, 2010 at 8:59 pm

    absolutely delicious

    Reply
  7. caterina

    November 26, 2010 at 7:44 am

    Can I use chipotle chili powder instead of chipotle chiles in adobo ( which I cannot find anywhere in Italy)? If so, how much of it should I use?

    Reply
    • SusanV

      November 26, 2010 at 10:03 am

      Just start with a small amount and taste the sauce. Keep adding until it is the right spiciness for you. It will be a little less spicy after cooking, so don’t panic if you add a little too much.

      Reply
  8. Keely

    March 20, 2011 at 9:40 pm

    Mmmm this was so good! I was disappointed that we only had firm tofu to use, but the BBQ sauce was really great. I live in Texas and I’ve had plenty of them; I should know! 🙂 The amount of chipotle was perfect for me, my husband could have used a bit more, and my daughter a bit less. I’d love to experiment with the sauce on some tempeh.

    Reply
  9. Get Skinny, Go Vegan.

    March 21, 2011 at 9:31 am

    The colors in this are amazing!

    Reply
  10. Michelle

    May 15, 2011 at 4:53 pm

    I am one week into a vegan diet and decided to make this recipe for dinner tonight. I can not tell you about the finished product but I LOVE the sauce! I need to stop eating it so I can put it on the tofu 🙂 I only did 1 tbsp chipotle sauce, but for my daughter it will be perfect and it is still spicy enough for my dh and I.
    Thanks for all the great recipes! I look forward to trying more!

    Reply
  11. Marian Hamilton

    September 28, 2011 at 1:48 pm

    Hi, Susan! 🙂

    LOVE the idea about pureeing the chipotles in adobo sauce – super idea!! Can’t wait to try this one too….. 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Reply
  12. Marianne

    February 2, 2012 at 8:15 am

    We tried your chipotle tofu recipe and it was delicious, I just added peppers, mushrooms and some spices to the couscous. Love your site we are newly vegan only 5 months and I have used several of your recipes, thanks so much.

    Reply
  13. caren

    June 24, 2014 at 12:15 am

    As a vegan with a carnivore family, I am thrilled with your emails. I don’t cook with any oils and they may question my methods, for the most part they are embracing my vegan ways. (when in Rome) I look forward to your posts. The problem is The meals are delish but with food issues i cook but don’t eat. thanks for no oil. I hate oil..keep concocting great ideas.

    Reply
  14. Michelle

    September 27, 2016 at 1:30 pm

    Thanks for the recipe I will start to purchase low sugar ketchup

    Reply
  15. Rebecca

    October 20, 2017 at 7:14 pm

    Really good. Hubbs loved it and so did I. Thanks very much for all you do.

    Reply
  16. Tara

    December 21, 2019 at 12:19 pm

    This is a great sauce! After cooking the sauce I put it in the blender to smooth it out. It came out great! Wonderful in tofu as described or on baked apples and a bit of rice as a side! It’s real versatile! Ya… my tastes run a little to one side of usual!!

    Reply
  17. Sarah

    April 22, 2021 at 9:33 am

    Hi! I was wondering what that rice is that you serve with it? It looks like it could be a curry or turmeric rice from the coloring? Thanks!
    Sarah

    Reply
    • Susan Voisin

      April 22, 2021 at 10:26 am

      That’s whole-wheat couscous flavored with saffron, fresh herbs, and minced pimento pepper.

      Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to My Kitchen!

Susan VoisinI'm Susan Voisin, and I love creating delicious whole foods plant-based dishes with no added oil. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram.
  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Find It Fast

  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Ridiculously Easy Recipes
  • Weight Watchers Recipes
  • Recipes by Tag (ingredient, gluten-free, etc.)
  • Complete Recipe Index

Find a Recipe

Allergens

All of my recipes are vegan, dairy-free, and fish free. To find recipes free of other allergens, click on an icon below.

Gluten FreeNut FreeSugar FreeSoy Free

Footer

Fall Favorites

Pasta Fagioli with Cranberry Beans and Kale

Pasta Fagioli with Cranberry Beans and Kale

Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Spaghetti Squash Pesto Lasagna

Spaghetti Squash Pesto Lasagna

Lentil Soup with Coriander and Cumin from FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Lentil Soup with Coriander and Cumin

See More Fall Favorites

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Photos, original recipes, and text © Susan Voisin. All rights reserved. Do not republish content without permission.

Nutritional information is approximate and is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate. This site has no affiliation with Weight Watchers™️ and cannot guarantee accuracy of Points™️.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Copyright © 2023 · Susan Voisin · Privacy Policy· Log in