Cook Smarts’

HOW TO MARINATE LIKE A PRO Marinades are an easy way to give

proteins and vegetables a boost in flavor.

(AND 5 VERSATILE MARINADE RECIPES)

Get marinating tips, times, and 5 of our
most versatile marinade recipes below!

Common Marinade Ingredients

A marinade typically has three components: an acid, an oil,

and flavors. A sweetener is also often added to balance acidity.

Acid
Vinegar (balsamic, rice, red wine, sherry),
citric acid (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit),
or lactic acid (yogurt, buttermilk)

Oil
Mild-flavored oils like olive oil, grapeseed oil,
sesame oil, or avocado oil

Flavors
Salt, mustard, soy sauce, miso paste,
garlic, shallots, ginger, herbs, spices,
Worcestershire sauce, tamari, aminos

Sweetener
Brown sugar, sugar, honey, jam or
preserves, agave nectar, ketchup,
stevia, maple syrup, cola, ginger ale

© 2018 Cook Smarts | Discover more flavor | Page 1

Marinating Tips and Times

Almost any protein, including plant-based proteins like tofu, and a variety of vegetables
can be marinated to infuse flavor and help create delicious caramelization. Learn how
to marinate a variety of foods below!

INGREDIENT MARINATING TIPS MARINATING TIMES

Chicken It doesn’t take long for delicious flavors to

soak into the surface of chicken — just make
Marinate thin pieces of chicken
from 20 minutes to 3 hours,
sure you remove the skin first! A variety of and whole chickens for up
marinades, from rich balsamic to creamy to 24 hours.
herb, work well with the naturally mild flavor
of chicken.

Pork Using a marinade on leaner pork cuts like

tenderloin can help prevent the meat from
Marinate from 20 minutes
up to 24 hours.
drying out when cooked over high heat. If
using a heavily acidic marinade or small
pieces of pork, stick to the shorter end of
the soaking spectrum to avoid making the
meat mealy or tough.

Beef Using a marinade is an easy way to impart

rich flavor into inexpensive or tougher cuts
Marinate from 30 minutes
to 24 hours.
of beef like flank, shank, and brisket. Salty
marinades that use ingredients like soy
sauce and miso paste can help meat stay
moist, while ingredients like oil and sugar
can help form delicious caramel crusts.

Fish The shorter muscle fibers of fish make it

more sensitive to the effects of acid. If placed
Marinate from 20 minutes
(if very acidic) to 2 hours
in a highly acidic marinade made of citrus or (if using a non-acidic marinade).
vinegar, fish can quickly “cook” and become
mushy. When using an acidic marinade, soak
fillets for about 20 minutes to avoid overly
denaturing the proteins.

© 2018 Cook Smarts | Discover more flavor | Page 2

INGREDIENT MARINATING TIPS MARINATING TIMES

Shrimp Using a marinade with oil helps keep

shrimp from sticking to the pan or grill
Marinate from 20 minutes
(if very acidic) to 2 hours
when cooking. Like other delicate proteins, (if using a non-acidic marinade).
shrimp can become mushy if soaked in an
acidic solution for too long.

Tofu Press liquid from tofu (or let it drain off for
15 minutes) before adding it to a marinade
Marinate from 30 minutes
to 24 hours.
so it can better absorb flavor and form a
crust while cooking. Use firm to extra firm
tofu to avoid crumbling and cut it into thin
strips or small cubes to increase the surface
area the marinade can flavor.

Vegetables Marinating vegetables like asparagus,

portobellos, zucchini, eggplant, cherry
Marinate for 30 minutes.

tomatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, and

onions adds loads of flavor and can help
create delicious caramelization when
cooked over high heat.

EXTRA SMARTS

Tip #1 Tip #4
Tenderize meat with a fork before Use a plastic bag for marinating, so that
marinating to increase the surface area it takes up less space in your refrigerator
on which the marinade can impart flavors. and makes cleaning simple.

Tip #2 Tip #5
If using a dish to marinate, stick to shallow
Place marinating meat in the refrigerator
containers made of non-reactive materials
to keep it in the safe temperature zone.
like stainless steel, glass, or ceramic.

Tip #3
Marinate food in a Ziploc bag with
air removed to help the marinade
soak the entire surface.

© 2018 Cook Smarts | Discover more flavor | Page 3

Versatile Marinade Recipes

These versatile marinades add tons of flavor to a variety of proteins and vegetables,
and easily double as vinaigrettes for salads. Use 1/4 to 1/2 cup of marinade per pound
of protein or vegetable. Set any unused marinade (that hasn't touched raw meat) aside
or make extra to drizzle over your food once it's cooked!

Vinegar-Based Marinade
Ingredients Flavor profile
Tangy
1 clove shallot, diced
Use On
2 Tbsp vinegar (balsamic, sherry, red wine)
Chicken, Pork, Beef, Fish,
1 Tbsp soy sauce Shrimp, Tofu, Vegetables

2 tsp Dijon mustard Tip

Add some herbs for
2 tsp maple syrup (or other sweetener)
an extra layer of flavor.
3 Tbsp mild-flavored oil Can also be used
as a salad dressing.

Spicy and Smoky Yogurt-Based Marinade

Ingredients Flavor profile
Spicy, Smoky
1 clove garlic, peeled

1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika Use On

Chicken, Pork
1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne Tip

To use it on the other proteins
1 Tbsp lemon juice or to make this Paleo, sub out
yogurt for a mild-flavored oil.
4 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt
Change up the flavor profile
1/2 tsp salt by using different spices.
Use it as a dip for grilled veggies.

© 2018 Cook Smarts | Discover more flavor | Page 4

Miso Soy Marinade
Ingredients Flavor profile
Salty, Umami
1 Tbsp soy sauce
Use On
1-1/2 Tbsp miso paste
Chicken, Pork, Beef, Fish,
3 Tbsp rice or white wine vinegar Shrimp, Tofu, Vegetables

1/2 Tbsp brown sugar or honey Tip

The oil and miso paste in
4 Tbsp mild-flavored oil
this marinade make it viscous
enough to use as an excellent
sauce for proteins, vegetables,
and noodles.
Or use as a vinaigrette for
a delicious Asian-inspired
green salad.

Barbecue Marinade
Ingredients Flavor profile
Sweet, Spice
1/4 cup apple cider or white wine vinegar
Use On
1/2 cup onion, chopped
Chicken, Pork, Beef,
1/2 cup water Tofu, Vegetables

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce Tip

Unused marinade can double
1/2 cup ketchup
as barbecue sauce.
1 tsp sugar For a thicker sauce, simmer
on the stove until you reach
1/2 tsp dried mustard
the desired consistency.
3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

© 2018 Cook Smarts | Discover more flavor | Page 5

Cilantro Garlic Marinade
Ingredients Flavor profile
Salty, Umami, Sour, Sweet
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Use On
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Chicken, Pork, Beef, Fish,
1/4 cup mild-flavored oil Shrimp, Tofu, Vegetables

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar Tip

Try different herbs for different
1 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
flavors. Swap cilantro for parsley,
1 Tbsp soy sauce oregano, or dill.

1/2 tsp salt

© 2018 Cook Smarts | Discover more flavor | Page 6