I love a good sandwich, especially for lunch on a summer day. This tofu has been marinated and baked to resemble sliced turkey that you would buy at the deli. The tofu turkey is thinly sliced and can be marinated for up to two days. It is perfect on a sandwich with your favourite gluten free bread or eaten as a quick snack.

A note on some of the ingredients:

Chicken style bouillon: I found this chicken style bouillon by McCormick on Amazon. It adds a “chicken” flavor to any dish while remaining vegan and gluten-free. When using it as a marinade I concentrated the flavour by using only 1 to 1 1/4 cups of boiling water. If you are unable to find the exact brand, any vegetable bouillon would work in this recipe.

Extra firm tofu: Use extra firm tofu for this recipe because it holds up well when thinly sliced. You don’t need to press it, but if you have time, I recommend pressing it for 30 minutes. Pressing helps release more water, allowing the tofu to absorb more flavor from the marinade.

White wine vinegar: All marinades need some sort of acid. White wine vinegar has a mild flavour that pairs well with the other ingredients. If you don’t have it on had you can substitute apple cider vinegar or plain white vinegar in equal parts.

How the tofu turkey is made:

bouillon box, white wine vinegar, a block of extra firm tofu and a small ramekin with dried spices in it

Boil water in a kettle and in a large measuring cup pour out 1 cup. Add in the bouillon cube and stir until it has dissolved. Add in the white wine vinegar, onion powder, ground sage, dried thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir.

If possible, press the tofu either using a tofu press or wrapping it in clean towels and setting something heavy on top for up to 30 minutes. Start at the narrow end of the block and slice the tofu as thinly as you can. By cutting the tofu from the narrow end, the thin slices are easier to handle and less likely to break apart.

Pour the marinade over the tofu. If needed, add an additional 1/4 cup of water to ensure that all of the tofu is covered. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours.

tofu thinly sliced, covered in a turkey marinade in an 8 x 8 dish

When you are ready to bake the tofu, preheat the oven to 375°F and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. I like to spray a small amount of oil over the parchment paper as this helps some of the tofu to get crispy but this step is not necessary. Lay the tofu out in a single layer on both pans. If cooking all of the tofu it may have to be baked in batches depending on the size of the pans.

tofu turkey, thinly sliced tofu, marinated and placed in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

Bake the tofu for 6 to 8 minutes and then carefully flip it over and bake for another 6 to 8 minutes. If you prefer a few crispy or firmer pieces of tofu bake it for 8 minutes per side. If you prefer the tofu to not be crispy bake it for 6 minutes per side.

tofu turkey baked in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet

Let the tofu turkey cool slightly before adding it to sandwiches. Store left over cooked tofu turkey in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

tofu turkey on one side of a gluten free baguette sandwich

Enjoy!