This is The BEST Crispy Tofu Recipe! It’s flavorful, uses minimal oil, and is baked to perfection in the oven. It’s perfect for adding to stir-fries or snacking on.
I’m so excited to share this Crispy Tofu Recipe with you today! I’ve been testing it for a while and can now say it’s perfect! I know tofu can be somewhat controversial, but we eat a lot of it and this is my favorite way to prepare it. It really is The Best Crispy Tofu.
My 2-year-old loves just snacking on this Crispy Baked Tofu, and it’s so cute how he says “tofu” 🙂 We probably eat tofu once a week in our house
Baked Tofu Recipe Ingredients
- Tofu – I used one 14-ounce container of extra-firm tofu, patted dry and pressed for at least 15 minutes.
- Oil – I used toasted sesame oil for the flavor, but you can use olive or avocado oil (or the oil of your choice) instead.
- Tamari – Soy sauce will also work.
- Spices – Garlic powder and salt.
- Maple syrup – I always use pure maple syrup in recipes calling for maple. Be sure you’re not using artificial pancake syrup.
- Vinegar – I used rice wine vinegar in this recipe.
- Arrowroot powder – I used arrowroot powder here, but cornstarch can be substituted.
What Kind Of Tofu Should I Use for Crispy Baked Tofu?
- You always want to use extra-firm tofu when making this Crispy Tofu Recipe. The only time I ever use soft tofu is when I’m using it in vegan desserts; it does not sauté up well. There are a few brands of tofu out there, and any of them will work as long as you get the extra-firm variety. I’ve recently discovered high-protein, super-firm tofu, and it’s my favorite! So far, I’ve seen it at Trader Joe’s and Sprouts. Just like its name, it’s super firm, and it’s not packed in a ton of water, so it doesn’t require any pressing.
- That brings me to my next point: If you aren’t using pre-pressed tofu, it’s important to pat your tofu dry and press it. I’m not usually one to take the time to press my tofu, but it’s important to make sure your tofu gets extra crispy! You don’t need to press it for hours; just about 15-30 minutes will do to ensure it’s not waterlogged.
What Makes This The Best Crispy Tofu Recipe?
- It’s so crispy! It’s seriously hard to believe that it’s not deep-fried. The recipe only uses one Tablespoon of oil, which isn’t a lot compared to deep-fried tofu.
- It’s really easy to make! There are no complicated tricks to this Crispy Tofu Recipe. All you do is mix up the seasonings, coat the tofu, and then mix in some arrowroot or cornstarch. Then, spread it out on a sheet pan and bake until crispy and perfect!
- It’s made with healthy ingredients! This recipe does not use vegetable oil. I used toasted sesame oil because it has a nice flavor, but you could also use olive or avocado oil. I chose to use arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch, which can also be used.
How To Make The Best Crispy Tofu
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, tamari, garlic powder, maple syrup, and vinegar.
- Cut the pressed tofu into bite-sized pieces and place in the oil mixture. Use a spoon or spatula to stir the tofu and make sure it’s completely coated. Next, sprinkle over 1 teaspoon of the arrowroot powder and mix well until all the tofu is coated. Then, sprinkle on the remaining teaspoon of arrowroot powder and give a gentle mix just until you can’t see the dry white powder anymore.
- Line a large baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment paper. Pour the tofu and arrange it so that none of the pieces are touching each other. Bake tofu for about 25-30 minutes, until golden and crispy, stirring 2-3 times during the baking. Let the tofu sit for a few minutes to crisp up even more before enjoying it.
How To Use This Crispy Baked Tofu
- This Crispy Tofu is perfect for so many recipes. You can pretty much use his technique for any recipe that calls for tofu, and it will make it so much tastier!
- I honestly eat quite a bit of it plain, just off the baking tray after it comes out of the oven. My 2-year-old really enjoys it that way, too! It’s warm, crispy, and has good flavor thanks to the sesame oil, tamari, and garlic powder.
- Another way I love to eat this crispy tofu is to add it to stir-fry sauce and enjoy it over cauliflower rice. I usually use my favorite Stir-Fry Recipe, or I also love this Orange Sauce Recipe. You can either pour the sauce over your meal or mix the tofu right into the pan with the sauce.
- This crispy tofu would be great in any stir-fry recipe, over rice, or mixed with veggies or noodles.
Recipe Tips For The BEST Crispy Tofu
- You want to make sure all of your tofu is coated evenly with the oil mixture and the arrowroot powder. The arrowroot powder makes it crispy, so it’s super important to make sure it gets on every piece of tofu.
- I used arrowroot in my recipe because that is what I had on hand, but you could also use the same amount of cornstarch. I’ve read that arrowroot powder will give the tofu a slightly slimy texture if you add it to a sauce, whereas the cornstarch will not. I personally don’t mind it, but it’s up to you which you want to use.
- It’s important to ensure the tofu cubes do not touch each other when you place them on the sheet pan. If the tofu is touching, then the touching part will not get as crispy.
- Stir the tofu a few times while it’s baking so that each side gets crispy.
Have a question about this recipe? Ask me in the comments, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.
Looking For More Delicious Tofu Recipes?
The BEST Crispy Tofu {Baked}
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This is seriously the BEST Crispy Tofu Recipe! It’s baked in the oven and only uses 1 tablespoon of oil! It’s perfect for your next vegetarian stir fry!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (14 oz) container extra firm tofu, patted dry and pressed for at least 15 minutes
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, or your favorite oil
- 1 teaspoon tamari, or soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder, or corn starch
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, tamari, garlic powder, maple syrup and vinegar.
- Cut the pressed tofu into bite sized pieces and place in the oil mixture. Use a spoon or spatula to stir the tofu and make sure it’s completely coated. Next, sprinkle over 1 teaspoon of the arrowroot powder and mix well until all the tofu is coated. Then, sprinkle on the remaining teaspoon of arrowroot powder and give a gentle mix just until you can’t see the dry white powder anymore.
- Line a large baking sheet with a non-stick mat or parchment paper. Pour the tofu and and arrange it so that none of the pieces are touching each other. Bake tofu for about 25-30 minutes, until golden and crispy, stirring 2-3 times during the baking. Let tofu sit for a few minutes to crisp up even more before enjoying.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner, Vegan, Gluten Free
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Asian
I’m struggling with how to get all the tofu coated with such a small amount of liquid. I used the high protein super firm tofu from TJ’s, pressed it for about 20 minutes, and cubed it. When I added it to the bowl with the oil mixture, the cubes on the bottom got coated, but no matter how much I stirred and turned, it seemed like only about 1/3 of the tofu was coated on all sides. The tofu started breaking apart with all the stirring, so I transferred to a larger bowl (which at least shifted what had been on the bottom to the top, thus allowing gravity to do some of the work). When I added the cornstarch and stirred it did disappear, though I’m not confident I got it spread onto all pieces either. I baked 27 minutes – made sure the pieces weren’t touchiing, stirred several times, and let it sit a few minutes before serving. It tasted good, but the crispy layer was very thin – not at all like the bubbly crunchy coating in your photos. Any thoughts as to what I might have done wrong? TIA!
Hmm, the tofu doesn’t need to be coated a ton in order for the cornstarch to stick to it. How many ounces is the Trader Joe tofu? It might be a little bit more than a regular sized block so maybe there was just too much tofu?
I had the same problem. I think my tofu was 16 oz but there was no way I could coat all of it in the liquid specified in the recipe. I was thinking of doubling it?
in regards to super firm tofu from trader joe’s or wildwood, i find that it doesn’t do well with this kind of recipe. for this i would use extra firm tofu packed in water and press/squeeze. i save the super firm varieties for grilling or stir frying without much of a marinade. love this recipe
so glad you enjoyed the recipe! I’ve gotten into the habit of using super firm tofu for most things and really enjoy it but firm would be a great choice too 🙂
Made this recipe last night but it was for tacos so I used hot sauce, lime juice and a taco spice blend plus the EVOO and corn starch.
I used more oil to equal the other liquids in the recipe but it was great! I’ll definitely be using this recipe as is at some point and experimenting with an Italian seasoning version too to replace meatballs.
So nice to hear!!
So amazing! New vegan here- This was the first baked tofu recipe I tried. I cut the tofu into different sized cubes and the smaller the crispier 🙂 thank you!
Yah! So glad you liked it!!
How do you store this?
Honestly, it’s best when it’s eaten immediately but if I do store it I just use an air tight container in the refrigerator. It doesn’t stay super crisp but still has a nice texture.
I made this with medium firm (sunrise brand) tofu because the firm was sold out EVERYWHERE. It still worked very well. I pressed it for 15 mins and baked it for 1 hour. Needed a bit of salt in the end but I used the tofu for a sweet and sour stir-fry. It was delicious.
That’s great to hear it will work with medium firm tofu!
I didn’t have the same results as you – followed the recipe to a T with cornstarch and high protein super firm tofu from Trader Joe’s. I baked it longer in an event to get it crunchier but it just became tough. There was no crunchy kinda-breaded outside like your photo. Perhaps I should use more cornstarch than 2t….
Hmmm, you can try adding more corn starch. Did you let it sit for a few minutes after it came out of the oven?
I’ve had this going in the oven for 40 minutes and it looks nothing like your picture, it’s not crispy at all. 🙁
I’m assuming I didn’t get enough of the water out? Any other ideas what could have gone wrong?
hmmm, Even if you didn’t get all the water out the outside should still be crispy because of the corn starch. Did the cornstarch/arrowroot powder get mixed in enough? It also does crisp up more if you let it sit for a few minutes after you take it out of the oven.
Oh. My. Goodness. SO good! Thank you for this, it is definitely my new go to method. I used soy sauce and olive oil and subbed a maple vinegar I had. Also went with corn starch as it was what I had in the cupboard and it turned out so well!!! I will definitely be trying more of your recipes. Yum!!
Awesome! I’m so glad you liked it!!
I finally made this today, and it was great! I have a wildly inconsistent oven (it is usually at least 75 degrees too hot, but it is sometimes low), so I set it for a much lower temperature and baked it for less time as well, so mine wasn’t quite as crispy as yours would have been, but it was perfect for what I was using it for! I was making a teriyaki dish, so I subbed mirin for the maple syrup.
I’m so glad you liked it!!
Just made this recipe and it elevates tofu from a bland mushy plant product into a flavorful protein that actually feels like real food in your mouth! I baked for 20 min and stirred a couple of times, it crisped up even more while cooling on the stovetop. Also added some hot sauce to the mix as I like spice. Used it in a salad of fresh local greens with a vinaigrette. I can see including this in all sorts of recipes although I grab a couple of cubes everytime I walk past it and it won’t last long. Good for you and good for the planet. Keep up the good work!
That is so nice of you to say! I’m glad you enjoyed it!! It’s one of my favorite ways to eat tofu!
Thank you so much for sharing this simple, delicious recipe. I have tried numerous approaches for baking tofu, and your method (which I followed to the letter) produced flavorful, perfectly crispy results.
I’m so glad you liked it and that it was easy to make!
First time making tofu. Turned out perfect. Easy recipe and I thought it tasted like chicken.
Awesome!! So glad you liked it!
There’s a very good vegan mock chicken bouillon by Better Than Bouillon that is great used as a marinade for tofu when you’re imitating chicken. I think it’s called “no chicken bouillon”, and you can get it at Earth Fare and Amazon. I think it’s too salty to use as directed, but I usually just add extra hot water when making it.
This is the best tofu recipe I’ve ever made! So light and crispy and delicious! I tossed it in a teriyaki sauce and added it to some veggie fried rice and it held its crispness. Most tofu recipes involve so much breading and pan frying and tons of veganaise or olive oil. This one is easy and not messy and most importantly- quick! I didn’t have some of the ingredients like the vinegar so I just omitted them. I added a little additional soy sauce since I was making an Asian dish anyways.
Yah! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
Finally, a way to cook tofu that hubby enjoyed! Stir fried vegetables to have on the side plus brown rice made us a very good meal! I added sesame seeds (white) to the tofu mixture before putting it in the oven and it added nice flavor and a little more crunch. THANKS for the recipe!
Yah!! So glad you both enjoyed it!
I just tried this and it was awesome! My 2 year ol granddaughter loved it too!
Yah!!
Hey can I substitute the special vinegar somehow? Thanks! 🙂
You can just leave it out, it’s just for flavor and won’t affect the recipe 🙂
I skimped on the oil cause I’m trying to cook oil free? But i added more of the other ingredient and still delicious!!!
Awesome! So glad you like it!
This is delicious. I’ve never figured out how to get edges crispy. It needed a little salt, maybe because I used low sodium tamari.
I’m so glad you liked it! It’s my current favorite way to cook it 🙂
This looks delicious- I’ll be trying ASAP. I actually bought super firm tofu today at Walmart- the store I go to has never had it, but they didn’t have the one I normally get, so I don’t know if they just swapped it out or what.
Anyway, I can’t wait to make this- and I had no plans for the block I bought today, so lucky me. ?
Yah! I hope you like it! I’ve been making it so often lately and Eli really loves just snacking on it 🙂
I just used a very similar recipe yesterday (but with different spices more like fried chicken spices) to make a very delicious tofu (fake chicken parm.) sub with peppers, onions, marinara and vegan parmesan. It was delicious! Love this way of crisping up tofu with the arrowroot powder! Thanks for this recipe, I will be trying it soon….
That sounds delicious! I hope you enjoy my version! 🙂
I have not tried this yet but do you happen to have the nutritional information?