Name: Chili Garlic Tofu Summer Sandwich
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1.5 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari sauce for gluten-free); 1 teaspoon miso (,white or chickpea miso ); 1 tablespoon lime juice; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes; 1 garlic clove minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 3 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 tablespoon hot water; 14 ounces of firm or extra firm tofu (pressed for at least 15-20 minutes and sliced as you like); 1 cucumber sliced; 1/2 Cup Sliced onion; Chopped lettuce (as needed ); Chopped cilantro (as needed ); 1/4 cup Julienned carrots (optional); Green onions and cilantro for garnish; Soft baguette or panini bread or rolls (makes at least 3 sandwiches)

Jump to Recipe Rate Recipe

This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.

Easy and super refreshing Miso Chili Garlic Tofu sandwich with cucumber, onion, carrots and herbs! Make just one sauce, marinade tofu in it, add sauce to the crunchy veggies, use leftover as dressing! Nutfree

side view of vegan garlic chili tofu sandwich on a chopping board

Summer is the peak season for sandwiches because they are portable and the perfect lunch to bring out to the garden for an outdoor meal. And the easier and quicker, the better. Because who wants to sweat over the stove during the hot season, right?

My new favorite vegan sandwich recipe is this Chili Garlic Tofu Sandwich! Imagine biting into this meaty and perfectly flavored sweet and spicy Tofu Sandwich topped with marinated onions, carrots and cucumbers? The inspiration for this sandwich came from the various banh mi style sandwiches I’ve tried over the years.
There’s just one sauce! Marinade the tofu in the sauce and bake, marinade the cucumbers and veggies in it, and use the rest to dress the sandwich! You can add some vegan mayo to the leftover if you like for dressing.

sliced vegan tofu sandwiches with chopped veggies on a wooden board

Don’t be intimidated by the ingredient list. Trust me, all of the items are easy to find at any grocery store, and once you prep your ingredients, the sandwiches come together very easily.

The marinade with garlic, pepper flakes, soy sauce, lime and miso is so delicious! The marinated tofu is baked or grilled. Prep the marinated veggies, assemble and use leftover marinade over the greens or chili! The marinade does the heavy work and with fresh crunchy cucumber and onion and the delicious tofu, this will become your favorite sandwich! Don’t want to eat bread? Make it into a wrap with tortillas of choice! Try my gluten-free tortilla to make it Glutenfree.

Why you will love these easy marinated tofu sandwiches
How to serve and store:
More vegan sandwich recipes:
Chili Garlic Tofu Summer Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients:
Tips:
How to make Chili Garlic Tofu Sandwich:

Why you will love these easy marinated tofu sandwiches

the whole sandwich uses just one marinade! For the tofu, for the veggies and as a dressing !
The combination of garlic, pepper flakes, soy sauce and miso is fantabulous
marinate the tofu overnight for best results
this recipe is Nutfree and easily made gluten-free
This is a refreshing summer sandwich

a vegan chili garlic tofu sandwich on a wooden chopping board being sliced in the middle

How to serve and store:

This tofu sandwich should be served shortly after assembling. If it sits out too long, the bread will start to get soggy so eat it fresh.

To make ahead, store veggies and tofu separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

More vegan sandwich recipes:

Ingredients:

firm or extra firm tofu is best to use here. It is pressed for at least 15-20 minutes and then sliced as you like
marinade: we combine soy sauce and miso with maple syrup, lime juice, and rice vinegar for that sweet and spicy marinade
we use pepper flakes, fresh garlic, and salt to season the tofu marinade
for toppings, we add sliced cucumber, onion, lettuce, cilantro, and julienned carrots, and green onions
for the bread, use what you like – soft baguette or panini bread or rolls

Tips:

This sandwich is best served fresh. Otherwise, the bread can get a bit soggy from the marinade. Keep the marinated tofu and toppings separated until you are ready to assemble the sandwiches and serve. You can always toast the bread and serve it as a warm sandwich.
To save time, look for extra-firm tofu that is not water-packed. These brands of tofu do not need to be pressed.
To make this recipe gluten-free use gluten-free bread or some lettuce leaves and add tofu to the lettuce leaves and top it with the cucumber, onion, carrots, cilantro, green onion, and black pepper, and serve.
to make this Soyfree, use seitan or chikin subs, marinate and grill and assemble. Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. Use chickpea miso

ingredients needed for making vegan tofu sandwiches

How to make Chili Garlic Tofu Sandwich:

Make the marinade; in a large bowl add all the marinade ingredients and mix well.
Press and mix the miso on the edges of the bowl so that it mixes in.

Once everything is mixed in, add the sliced and pressed tofu and let it sit for 10 minutes.

sliced tofu being added to a bowl with marinade

slices of pressed marinated tofu in a small bowl

Remove the tofu from the marinade and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

marinated tofu cubes on a sheetpan ready for baking

Brush some more marinade sauce on top of the tofu slices and bake it at 400ºF for 20-30 minutes or until the marinade has dried up and the tofu is crisp.

baked marinated chili garlic tofu on a sheetpan

Remove the tofu from the oven and set it aside.

cucumber and onion slices in a small bowl

Meanwhile, mix the cucumber, onion, and carrots in the remaining marinade and toss well to coat.

marinated cucumber and onion slices in a small bowl

Assemble the sandwich; you can use fresh or toasted bread.

two bread halves topped with chopped lettuce

Add a layer of lettuce to the sandwich then top it with tofu slices.

a sandwich being assembled with lettuce and baked chili garlic tofu

Add the marinated cucumber, onion, and carrots. Just place them on top of the tofu slices.

assembled chili garlic tofu sandwiches on a chopping board

Add some cilantro, green onion, and a dash of black pepper. Drizzle the remaining marinade all over, and top it with the other bread slice. Slice and serve.