Name: Sheet Pan Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Garlic and Herb Tofu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: Here's exactly what goes into this dish:; For the Veggies; 4 cups cherry tomatoes; 1 large red onion (peeled and sliced into 8-10 wedges through the root end); 2 Tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp tamari (or soy sauce, ensuring gluten-free as needed); For the Tofu; 1 14-oz package extra-firm tofu; 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (not glaze you want the real thing); 1½ Tbsp tamari (or soy sauce, ensuring gluten-free as needed); 1½ Tbsp olive oil; 1½ Tbsp tomato paste; 1 Tbsp Italian herb seasoning (basil, oregano, and thyme); 4-5 small garlic cloves (crushed or minced)

One pan, minimal cleanup, and a dinner that actually tastes like you put in effort that’s the whole appeal of this Sheet Pan Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Garlic and Herb Tofu. I started making sheet pan dinners out of pure laundry-day laziness, and this one became a permanent fixture in my summer rotation. Bursting cherry tomatoes and crispy, herb-marinated tofu roasted together on one tray? Yes, please.

Sheet Pan Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Garlic and Herb Tofu

This dish is 100% plant-based, comes together with one mixing bowl and one baking sheet, and delivers a genuinely satisfying dinner without babysitting multiple pots. Ready to let your oven do all the heavy lifting? Let’s get into it.

Quick Recipe Snapshot

Here’s the breakdown before you start:

Prep time- 15 minutes
Cook time- 45 minutes
Total time- 1 hour
Servings- 4
Calories- roughly 342 kcal per serving
Does it keep? 2-3 days in the fridge
Freezer friendly? No

Most of that hour is completely hands-off oven time, so don’t let the total scare you off. IMO, an hour of mostly waiting is a pretty great trade for a genuinely hearty dinner.

Equipment You’ll Need For

Keep it simple here, just a few essentials:

Large baking sheet – for roasting everything together
Large mixing bowl – used first for the veggies, then for the tofu marinade
Absorbent towel and something heavy (like a cast iron skillet) – for pressing the tofu, or a tofu press if you own one
Whisk – for blending the tofu marinade

That’s it. No blender, no food processor, no specialty gear. Ever notice how the most satisfying dinners often ask the least of your kitchen? This one fits that pattern perfectly.

Why Roasting Cherry Tomatoes and Tofu Together Just Works

Here’s the thing about cherry tomatoes: roasting them concentrates their sweetness and lets them burst into little pockets of jammy flavor. Pair that with tofu marinated in balsamic, tamari, and tomato paste, and you get a dish where the tofu practically absorbs the same rich, savory-sweet notes as the tomatoes around it.

I used to think tofu needed a lot of babying to actually taste good. Turns out that’s just not true once you press it properly and give it a bold marinade. Pressing the tofu for at least 15 minutes is what allows it to soak up the marinade instead of diluting it with its own excess moisture. Skip this step and you’ll end up with soggy tofu that never quite crisps up.

And because everything roasts together on one tray, this dish checks every box for fresh plant-based summer comfort food hearty, flavorful, and low-effort enough for a weeknight.

The Ingredients Breakdown

Here’s exactly what goes into this dish:

For the Veggies

4 cups cherry tomatoes
1 large red onion, peeled and sliced into 8-10 wedges through the root end
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp tamari (or soy sauce, ensuring gluten-free as needed)

For the Tofu

1 (14-oz) package extra-firm tofu
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (not glaze you want the real thing)
1½ Tbsp tamari (or soy sauce, ensuring gluten-free as needed)
1½ Tbsp olive oil
1½ Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp Italian herb seasoning (basil, oregano, and thyme)
4-5 small garlic cloves, crushed or minced

For Serving (optional)

Garlicky hummus sauce or a simple tahini sauce
Chopped fresh parsley

Extra-firm tofu is non-negotiable here. Softer varieties won’t hold their shape once crumbled and roasted, and you’ll end up with something closer to scrambled tofu than crispy, herb-crusted bites.

A Quick Word on Pressing Tofu

Pressing tofu might feel like an annoying extra step, but it genuinely changes the final texture. Ever bitten into tofu that tasted watery and bland no matter how much sauce you added? That’s almost always a pressing problem, not a seasoning one.

Wrapping the block in an absorbent towel and setting something heavy on top for 15 minutes pulls out excess moisture, which means the tofu actually crisps up in the oven instead of steaming. If you make tofu often, a dedicated tofu press is a genuinely worthwhile investment but a cast iron skillet works just fine in a pinch.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Time to actually build this dish.

Step 1- Preheat the oven. Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C) and set out a large baking sheet.

Step 2- Season the veggies. In a large mixing bowl, add the cherry tomatoes, red onion, olive oil, and tamari. Toss well to coat everything evenly.

Step 3- Start roasting. Spread the vegetables onto the baking sheet, setting the bowl aside to reuse for the tofu. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to soften and burst slightly.

Step 4- Press the tofu. While the vegetables roast, wrap the extra-firm tofu in an absorbent towel and set something heavy on top, like a cast iron skillet, to press out excess moisture for 15 minutes.

Step 5- Make the tofu marinade. In the now-empty mixing bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, tamari, olive oil, tomato paste, Italian herb seasoning, and minced garlic until well combined.

Step 6- Crumble and coat the tofu. Crumble the pressed tofu into pieces smaller than ½ inch and add them to the marinade, stirring well so every piece gets coated.

Step 7- Combine and finish roasting. Once the vegetables have softened, stir them and top with the marinated tofu. Roast for 25-30 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the tofu turns crispy and the vegetables caramelize at the edges.

Step 8- Serve it up. Serve with garlicky hummus sauce or tahini sauce and a scattering of fresh parsley, if using.

Tips for Getting This Right Every Time

A few things I’ve picked up from making this dish more times than I can count:

Don’t skip the pressing step. It’s the single biggest factor in whether your tofu crisps up or stays soggy.
Crumble the tofu small. Pieces larger than ½ inch won’t crisp evenly or absorb as much marinade.
Stir occasionally during the second roast. This helps the tofu crisp on multiple sides instead of just the bottom.
Use real balsamic vinegar, not glaze. Balsamic glaze is thicker and sweeter, and it’ll throw off the marinade’s balance.

Storage & Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. This dish isn’t freezer friendly, since roasted tomatoes and tofu both lose their texture significantly once frozen and thawed.

Reheat in the oven at 375°F for about 10 minutes to help the tofu regain some crispness. The microwave works in a pinch, though you’ll lose that crispy edge on the tofu.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different tomato variety instead of cherry tomatoes? Yes grape tomatoes work as a near-identical substitute, and larger tomatoes cut into chunks work too, though they may need a slightly longer roasting time.

Is this recipe gluten-free? It can be just make sure your tamari or soy sauce is labeled gluten-free, since some brands aren’t.

Can I skip pressing the tofu if I’m short on time? You can, but expect a softer, less crispy result. Even 10 minutes of pressing makes a noticeable difference over skipping it entirely.

What can I substitute for tomato paste in the marinade? Sun-dried tomato paste works as a flavorful substitute if you want an even more concentrated tomato punch.

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Nutrition Information

Here’s the breakdown per serving:

Calories- 342 kcal
Carbohydrates- 31.9g
Protein- 17.7g
Fat- 19.1g
Saturated fat- 2.9g
Sodium- 535mg
Potassium- 941mg
Fiber- 7.8g
Sugar- 11.8g
Vitamin C- 69mg
Calcium- 489mg
Iron- 5.9mg

Keep in mind these numbers can shift slightly depending on your exact tofu brand and how generous you get with the serving sauce.

My Final Thoughts

This Sheet Pan Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Garlic and Herb Tofu proves that a single baking sheet can deliver a genuinely satisfying, restaurant-quality dinner. Properly pressed tofu, a bold balsamic-herb marinade, and jammy roasted tomatoes do all the heavy lifting here .

So next time you want dinner without a sink full of dishes, skip the multi-pot meal plan. Toss everything onto one tray, let your oven work its magic, and top it off with a good hummus sauce. If you make this, leave a comment below and let me know your favorite dipping sauce it genuinely helps this little corner of the internet keep running.