This crispy tofu recipe will get you started cooking tofu if you’ve never cooked it before. Never eat bland, mushy tofu again! Learn how to make delicious tofu every time by pan frying or baking with this easy recipe.
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So, the thought of cooking with tofu overwhelms you. You’re not sure where to start. Maybe you’ve tried cooking tofu before and it just turned into a bland, mushy mess.
Instead of overwhelming you with 100 ways to cook tofu, I’m going to give you one simple recipe to get you started cooking the best crispy tofu.
Let’s learn how to make crispy baked tofu and pan fried tofu that will turn you into a tofu lover.
If you need more help cooking tofu, check out my article called how to cook tofu for beginners, next.
❤️Why you'll love this recipe
- It's a great beginner recipe if you've never made tofu before.
- It's a great recipe to learn to level up your tofu if it has always turned out rubbery and tasteless.
- It's versatile, delicious and easy to make.
- Tofu is full of vitamins and minerals, is high in protein and is a great meat replacement.
🧂 Ingredient notes
- Extra firm tofu (whole block) - If you want crispy tofu, it's important to use extra-firm tofu. It has the best texture and is the least mushy of the tofu varieties.
- Oil - I like using olive oil, coconut oil or avocado oil.
- Seasonings - Tofu is a blank slate, so use your favorite seasonings. I like to keep it simple with just garlic powder, onion powder and nutritional yeast.
- Salt or soy sauce - If I'm not using any sauce after cooking the tofu, I'll use soy sauce. It adds an amazing umami richness to the tofu.
- Corn starch - This is the secret weapon to getting tofu crispy. It adds a nice outer layer. You can also use arrowroot powder, potato starch or tapioca starch.
Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for full list of ingredients.
🔪Helpful tools
- Tofu press - This will save you from the waste of having to use layers of paper towels and a heavy large skillet and books to press the water out.
- Baking sheet - If baking the tofu pieces in the oven. Parchment paper is also helpful if you want to keep you baking sheet clean.
- Cast iron skillet - or your favorite pan if you're choosing to pan fry the tofu.
- Cutting board - To cut the block of tofu into smaller cubes.
- Shallow dish - To mix the tofu with the seasonings and oil before cooking
👨🍳 Expert tips
To prevent tofu cubes from sticking to the pan if you are pan frying, it's important to heat up the skillet with the oil for at least 5 minutes on medium heat before adding the tofu in.
Once you add the tofu into the hot oil, don't move or touch the tofu for at least five minutes. You want to give the tofu enough time to create a crispy exterior. Once this exterior has formed, the tofu will release from the pan a lot easier. Do this on each side of the tofu.
If you want super crispy tofu, then freeze the package of tofu. Yes, throw it all in the freezer. Then, let it completely thaw out before cooking it. Once the tofu has thawed out, then press or gently squeeze the excess water out.
Freezing the tofu is a great way to get extra water out and it changes the consistency of the tofu to be even more crispy and chewy.
🍚 Pressing tofu
Pressing the tofu takes out the excess water, so it crisps up better. This makes the tofu fry and bake, instead of steam and ensures that the tofu comes out nice and crispy and golden brown.
It also takes less time to cook because you don’t have to cook the water out.
The easiest way to press tofu is to buy a tofu press. They’re really affordable and easy to find online. Use the code DamnTasty for 10% off.
If you don’t have a tofu press: wrap the tofu up in a clean kitchen towel, put it on a plate and put some heavy books or pans on top.
Let it press for 30 minutes.
🥕 Prep and season
Step five: Add tofu to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle on the oil, then sprinkle on the soy sauce and gently mix.
Step six: Sprinkle on the corn starch, garlic powder and onion powder. Gently mix with a wide flat utensil, being careful not to break the tofu, until the corn starch looks mixed in.
💥 Baking tofu
Step one: Line or grease a baking sheet. Arrange tofu in a single layer with space in between.
Step two: Bake for around 30 minutes or until golden and crispy. If needed, bake an extra 5 minutes. The tofu will further firm up as it cools.
Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for full step-by-step instructions.
🔥 Pan frying tofu
Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat for 2-5 minutes. Add tofu, then set a timer for 5 minutes without touching it. This ensures a crispy coating and prevents sticking. Cook each side for 5 minutes.
🥢 How to add sauce
Some great sauce options:
You can make it easy by using store bought buffalo wing sauce, asian sauces, teriyaki sauce or BBQ sauce, like in this Easy BBQ Tofu.
Or you can make your own sauces, like this Sesame Ginger Tofu, Sticky Maple Miso Tofu and this Tofu Peanut Sauce.
Adding sauce: if you want to add a sauce, bake or pan fry the tofu first. After it's crispy, add the sauce to a pan on medium heat on the stove. Stir until it heats up, then add the crispy tofu. Stir and coat well. Keep heating it up until the sauce starts to caramelize. This should take about 5-8 minutes. Then serve
♨️ Serving suggestions
The beauty of crispy baked tofu is that it's so versatile. You can use it any way that you would use chicken. This tofu is great to add to a tofu wrap.
You can also add it to a Tofu buddha bowl with some rice, broccoli, veggies and a nice sauce or in a Tofu Quinoa Bowl.
❓ Recipe FAQ's
It's usually a combination of three things: excessive moisture in the tofu, a pan that's not hot enough and moving the tofu too much when pan frying.
Make sure to press the extra-firm tofu for 15-20 minutes to get rid of excess moisture. Let your pan and oil heat up on medium to medium high heat for at least 5 minutes. Add your tofu and don't move it for 4-5 minutes, to give the tofu enough time to create a crispy outer layer.
If you don't have corn starch on hand, you can substitute for equal amounts of all-purpose flour, or potato starch.
Yes! An air fryer is probably the best way to make crispy tofu. Air fry at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, shaking halfway through. Make sure you don't crowd the tofu and give each piece enough room to crisp up. Check out my air fryer tofu recipe for more info.
This tofu will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. When the tofu cools, it loses some of the crispiness. Reheat it in your air fryer, oven or toaster oven to get some of the crispiness back.
🍱 More tofu recipes to try
If you loved this recipe, leave a 5 ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and comment below!
📖 Recipe
How To Make Easy Crispy Tofu
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoons oil
Instructions
Baking instructions
- Press the tofu for at least 20-30 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 420 degrees.1 package extra firm tofu
- Cut the tofu in half and then in half again the other way. Turn the tofu and cut it into large cubes
- Add tofu to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle on the oil, then sprinkle on the soy sauce, corn starch and garlic powder. Gently mix with a wide flat utensil, being careful not to break the tofu, until the corn starch looks mixed in1 tablespoon corn starch, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoons oil
- Line or oil a baking sheet. Place the tofu on the baking sheet, giving each piece space. Bake for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, check the tofu. If it's golden and looking crispy, take it out. If not, bake for another 5 minutes. The tofu firms up as it cools as well.
- If you want to add a sauce, add the sauce to a pan on medium heat on the stove. Stir until it heats up, then add the crispy tofu. Stir and coat well. Keep heating it up until the sauce starts to caramelize. This should take about 5-8 minutes. Then serve
Pan fried instructions
- Press the tofu for at least 15 minutes.
- Cut the tofu in half and then in half again the other way. Turn the tofu and cut it into large cubes1 package extra firm tofu
- Add tofu to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle on the oil, then sprinkle on the soy sauce, corn starch and garlic powder. Gently mix with a wide flat utensil, being careful not to break the tofu, until the corn starch looks mixed in1 tablespoon corn starch, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoons oil
- Put a saute pan on medium low heat and add 2-3 tablespoons of oil
- It’s really important to let the pan and oil heat up first, so let it heat up for about 2-5 minutes.
- Add the tofu into the pan
- Set a timer for 5 minutes and DON’T TOUCH or move the tofu for 5 minutes. It’s really important to leave the tofu alone for at least 5 minutes. This will ensure that the tofu creates a really crispy coating and not stick to the pan.
- If you’ve ever cooked tofu and it stuck to the pan and fell apart, it’s because you didn’t let it cook long enough to create that crispy coating. Once that coating has formed, it will naturally release itself from the pan and make it easier to flip.
- Cook each side for at least 5 minutes.
- If you want to add a sauce, add the sauce to a pan on medium heat on the stove. Stir until it heats up, then add the crispy tofu. Stir and coat well. Keep heating it up until the sauce starts to caramelize. This should take about 5-8 minutes. Then serve
- Once each side is cooked, this tofu is ready to go into a Thai curry, a wrap, onto a salad or in a buddha bowl.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Kathleen
Very good recipe! I love the simplicity of it and once I had done it, I started adding all kinds of different ingredients to adapt it to my taste like fresh ginger and sesame seeds. Thank-you for sharing😊
Maria
So glad you loved it! Yes, I love getting creative with this recipe too. It's a great jumping off point.
Tamia
Thank you, I so needed this! I have had tofu in the restaurantS that have been delicious! But I haven’t been Successful at all, And crispy is the only way I like tofu! Thank you so much for this post! 🙂
Damn Tasty Vegan
So glad this helped you out! Crispy tofu is definitely my favorite way to eat tofu as well.
Lori
One of my favorite recipes to make tofu. An easy and delicious addition to salads.