Family friendly, gluten free, plant based recipes

Dinner Lunch Sides

Crispy tofu

a sheet pan with crispy tofu
Jump to Recipe

This crispy tofu is packed full of flavor and so versatile!  It can be eaten on it’s own, in a salad instead of croutons or in fried rice.  Really the possibilities are endless. 

I always use extra firm tofu for this recipe and I don’t press it but I do give it plenty of time to marinate.  It’s best to marinate the tofu for at least an hour.  One secret to making tofu crispy is to tear it.  The pieces don’t have to all be the same size, it’s actually better to have a variety, but I try to tear the tofu into 1 cm pieces.  Then toss them in the marinade and cover.  

a bowl of tofu with seasonings, marinating

When you’re ready to cook the tofu just add the nutritional yeast and cornstarch right into the bowl and toss to coat all of the pieces.  Spread the tofu out on a parchment lined pan and bake for 30 minutes, flipping it half way through. 

bits of marinated tofu spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet

A note on some of the ingredients

Extra firm tofu: Extra firm tofu does not have as much water content as other types of tofu. This will help it to crisp up nicely. The tofu does not have to be pressed. For best results tear the tofu into 1 cm pieces instead of slicing it. The ragged edges will give the tofu more texture.

Light tamari sauce: I almost always buy light tamari sauce because the taste is a little mellower than regular tamari. It is also lower in sodium than regular tamari. If substituting regular tamari or gluten-free soy sauce and reduce the salt in the recipe.

Smoked paprika: I prefer to use smoked paprika in this recipe as it adds a hint of smokiness to the tofu. Substitute sweet paprika in a pinch.

Cornstarch: The cornstarch is the key ingredient for helping the tofu crisp up. Substitutions can be potato or tapioca starch however I have not tested the recipe using these ingredients.

Crispy Tofu

Crispy Tofu

Recipe by Jessica
0.0 from 0 votes

The best flavorful, crispy tofu that can be eaten on it’s own or used in a large variety of recipes

Course: Dinner, LunchDifficulty: Beginner
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Calories

195

kcal
Total time

1

hour 
Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

  • 1 package extra firm tofu (350g)

  • 2 tbsp light tamari sauce

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

  • 1 tsp onion powder

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

  • 3 tbsp cornstarch

  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast

Directions

  • In a medium bowl mix together the oil, tamari, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, salt, paprika and pepper. Tear the tofu into 1 cm pieces and add to the marinade. Toss to ensure that the tofu is all coated. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.a bowl of tofu with seasonings, marinating
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • To the tofu add the nutritional yeast and cornstarch and mix well until no dry patches are left.
  • Add the tofu to the pan and bake for 30 minutes, tossing it half way through.

Notes

  • Nutritional values are a rough estimate.
  • I prefer to use light tamari sauce for the flavor and because it is lower in sodium. If you use regular tamari sauce I recommend cutting back on the amount of salt.

Nutrition Facts

  • Total number of serves: 4
  • Calories: 195kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 9.8g
  • Protein: 15.6g
  • Fat: 11.7g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.5g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg
  • Sodium: 653.4mg
  • Potassium: 212.3mg
  • Fiber: 0.4g
  • Sugar: 1.1g

You may also like...