Crispy Tofu

I never liked tofu until I finally had correctly prepared crispy tofu! And by correctly, I mean heavily pressed, marinated, tossed in cornstarch and spices, then fried. Crispy tofu is the flavorful, crunchy, plant-based protein you need to fulfill all your stir fry dreams! Although it requires some foresight and prep, it comes together pretty quickly!

Before You Begin

Ingredients

1 Block of extra firm tofu
¼ cup Cornstarch
2 tsp Garlic powder
2 tsp Onion powder
2 tsp Red pepper flakes
3 tbsp Oil (for frying)

Marinade

⅔ cup Soy sauce
2 tsp Lemon juice
1 tbsp Maple syrup
1 tsp Sriracha (more to taste)
1 tbsp Minced garlic
1 tsp Minced ginger (or powder)

Instructions

Cut block of tofu in half through the middle to create two thin slabs.
Wrap tofu in paper towel, place on top of cutting board and cover with another cutting board. Place cast iron pan (or any heavy object) on top of cutting board to press tofu. Leave an hour or longer.*
To make the marinade: mix soy sauce, lemon juice, maple syrup, sriracha, garlic and ginger.
Let tofu soak in marinade for as long as you can (2 hours is recommended but I never usually wait this long).**
In a large bowl, mix cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes.
Toss tofu in this mixture until evenly coated.
In a large, nonstick pan, heat oil over medium heat.
Pour tofu into pan, creating a thin even layer.
Turn tofu every 2 minutes to avoid burning.
Cook for about 25 minutes, or until the outside texture is crispy enough for you.
Mix with sauce and serve over rice, or enjoy plain!

Notes

*The longer you press the tofu, the more firm it will be. I don’t always wait the full hour and it comes out great, and not too soggy!
**The longer you marinate it, the more flavourful it will be. But you can always just add extra seasonings to the cornstarch if you’re short on time and can’t marinade it for very long!
When you’re frying the tofu make sure you turn them with tongs frequently, I find the outside coating burns easily!
You can make this recipe oil free by baking the tofu in the oven at 400 for 30 minutes, according to an awesome baked crispy tofu recipe by Delish Knowledge!
You can also air fry the tofu chunks, but make sure you set the air fryer to medium temperature. If cooked on high I find the tofu puffs up and explodes a little!
This crispy tofu is even better when mixed with a sauce! We love teriyaki sauce or Bosh TV sauces, especially their sweet and sour sauce on our tofu!
The final product pictures are feature our crispy Teriyaki tofu stir fry.

Teriyaki Stir Fry • Easy Tofu Ricotta Cheese • Spinach And Tofu Ricotta Lasagna

Gallery

Have you tried our recipe?

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Author

Alex

Hi I’m Alex, and I’m a potato addict. I’m one half of Chickpea Express, a vegan couple on the East Coast of Canada. We create vegan comfort food and junk food recipes with a healthy, plant-based twist. Oh, and did I mention we love bread and potatoes?