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The Best Crispy Baked Tofu {Vegetarian}

The Best Crispy Baked Tofu hero shot.

We are always looking for ways to expand the protein we use in our meals, and was very excited to discover that we can make tofu extremely crispy and incredibly tasty. This is an amazingly healthy and vegetarian recipe, and quickly became one of our family favorites. Crunchy on the outside while tender inside. This tasty tofu can be eaten many ways – from salads, noodles to stir fry or even tacos.  Some of our favorites are with a Thai peanut sauce or our own honey hickory smoked BBQ sauce.

What you need to make The Best Crispy Baked Tofu:

The Best Crispy Baked Tofu ingredient picture.

How to make this recipe:

Step 1: Drain It

  • Turn the block of tofu on its side and slice in half.
  • Place a dishtowel on a plate and add the tofu in a single layer. Wrap the tofu slabs in the dishtowel and place something heavy, like a cast iron skillet, on top. The weight will help press out any moisture and the towel will absorb the released moisture.
  • Let the tofu drain for 20-30 minutes.

Note: We prefer to use extra firm tofu since it has less water in it than firm tofu. Also, the more liquid you can press out of the tofu the easier the cooking process will be, while still maintaining the ability to absorb the seasonings that you add.

Picture showing how to drain the moisture from the tofu.

Alternative method of draining: You could pop the whole block into the microwave for a few minutes and this will get rid of some moisture. However, this method may changed the texture. We prefer the first option because it eliminates most of the moisture while keeping the texture intact.

Alternate method of draining moisture from tofu.

Step 2: Prep It

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Once the tofu has drained, cut into strips and then dice again into cubes. 

Note: We found that our kids love eating the tofu when it’s diced into these 1/2 inch nuggets.

Prep and Cut the Tofu.

Step 3: Season It

  • Transfer the cubed tofu to a medium size mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil and soy sauce. Toss gently to combine. 
  • Sprinkle the starch over the tofu. We like using a sifter or strainer for this because the starch gets evenly distributed and you won’t end up with clumps. 
  • Toss the tofu until the starch is evenly coated and there are no powdery spots remaining.

Note: The secret ingredient here is to use corn starch – as it absorbs the moisture while giving the tofu that crispy exterior.

Season the Tofu in a medium sized bowl.
  • Toss the tofu until the starch is evenly coated and there are no powdery spots remaining.
Toss the Tofu to make sure everything is coated evenly.

Step 4: Bake It

  • Tip the mixing bowl containing the tofu over onto your prepared baking sheet and organize in an even layer. 
  • Bake in the preheated 400 degree F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing halfway, until the tofu is deeply golden around the edges.
Photo of the tofu being baked.

These baked tofu nuggets are best enjoy fresh out of the oven.

amazing baked tofu, enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.

We love to eat this with either a Thai peanut sauce or our delicious Honey Hickory Smoke BBQ Sauce.

The Best Crispy Baked Tofu

The Best Crispy Baked Tofu

Yield: 3 Servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

This Baked Tofu recipe is another one of our kids favorites! Its fairly simple to make and goes very well when paired with a thai crunch salad.

Ingredients

  • 1 block extra firm tofu
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (optional)
  • 1 scallion, chopped (optional)

Instructions

Drain tofu:
Slice tofu into 3 lengthwise slabs. Place a dish towel on a plate and place tofu in single layer. Wrap in dish towel and place a heavy cast iron skillet on top. Let tofu rest for 30 mins.

Prepare for baking:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the tofu from sticking.
  2. Transfer tofu to cutting board and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
  3. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and soy sauce. Toss to combine. Sprinkle the starch over the tofu, and toss until the corn starch is evenly coated.
  4. Tip the bowl of tofu over onto the prepared baking sheet and arrange in an even layer. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing halfway, until the tofu is deeply golden around the edges.
  5. Garnish with cilantro and scallions.

This tasty tofu can be eaten many ways – from salads to stir fry or even tacos.  One of our favorites is to eat the crispy tofu with a Thai peanut sauce.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 165Total Fat: 10gCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 13g

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