These Crispy Fried Tofu Steaks are easy to make and a great main dish for your vegan holiday table! They’re full of protein and are delicious with gravy.
While I will always love a good vegan meatloaf recipe, I’ve enjoyed making special tofu dishes as my holiday main course over the past few years. Thanksgiving dishes are usually pretty carb-heavy, so having a vegan main dish that’s not full of beans is nice. At least in my opinion!
Last year, I shared my Maple Chili Glazed Tofu recipe, and this year, I decided to create these Crispy Fried Tofu Steaks. They’re crispy and flavorful and make the perfect addition to your holiday plate!
Why Your Body Will Love This Crispy Tofu
Tofu is a terrific meat-free protein source; half a cup of firm tofu contains nearly 22 grams. It’s also rich in calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, contributing to healthy bones. The isoflavones found in tofu may even prevent bone disease in women and reduce the not-so-great form of cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
Crispy Tofu Steak Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tofu – You’ll want to use extra- or super-firm tofu for this recipe. I’ve loved Trader Joe’s super-firm, extra-protein tofu lately. You don’t need to press it, and like the name states, it’s super-firm and has the perfect texture for these tofu steaks! If you can’t find that, get an extra-firm tofu and press as much water out of it as possible. I use this tofu press, and I love it!
- Panko – I like to use panko rather than just regular bread crumbs because they are extra crispy. It’s nice and flaky and gives these tofu steaks a really nice crunch. If you can’t find panko, regular bread crumbs will work.
- Batter – I used the easy batter recipe in all my crispy cauliflower recipes. You just use equal parts flour and plant-based milk. Then, I add some soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and a few other spices for extra flavor.
- Spices – I use a few spices to flavor my batter and my panko mixture: salt, granulated garlic, onion powder, paprika, and smoked paprika. These help add some flavor to the tofu, so add in whatever flavors you like or omit what you don’t have.
- Oil – I used about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to pan-fry my crispy tofu steaks, but you can use any kind of oil you like. You can bake them instead if you want to cut down on the oil.
How To Make Crispy Tofu Steaks
- Press your tofu if needed, and then slice it into equal-sized pieces. I usually get 6-8 slices, depending on how thick I make them.
- Add your panko to a shallow dish and evenly mix in the seasonings.
- Add flour, milk, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings to a bowl and whisk until combined.
- Coat the tofu with the batter: you don’t want a ton of batter on the tofu, just enough for the panko to stick. I use my fingers to take the batter in my hands and rub a thin layer on the tofu.
- Then, place your tofu in the panko mixture and ensure all sides are equally coated. I use my hand to press it on there well.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add your oil, and then place the tofu steaks in. Let them cook until browned and crispy, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Remove them from the pan and place them on a platter to serve.
Tofu Steak Frequently Asked Questions
- What kind of tofu should I use? Extra or super firm. If you can’t find those, the firm will work, too; just make sure to press it well.
- Can I use breadcrumbs instead of panko? Yes, but panko makes them extra crispy, so I recommend it if you can find it.
- Do I need to use all the seasonings listed in the recipe? They really help flavor the tofu but you can omit an if desired.
- Can I make these ahead of time? Yes, I don’t recommend making them more than a day in advance. You can make them in the morning. To reheat, I suggest reheating in a hot pan with some oil or in the oven.
- Can I freeze these tofu steaks? Yes, I recommend freezing them in a freezer bag and ensuring you get as much air out as possible. Freeze for up to three months. They’re best when reheated from frozen in the oven.
- Should I eat these with a sauce or plain? You can enjoy them any way you want! I like to eat mine with either gravy or BBQ sauce. Ketchup or cranberry sauce are also great options.
Have a question that I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Vegan Holiday Recipes?
Best Vegan Stuffing With Green Apple and Sage
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Crispy Fried Tofu Steaks
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Crispy Tofu Steaks are flavorful, crispy and the perfect vegan main dish for your holiday meal!
Ingredients
- 1 package extra firm or super firm tofu, press as much water out of it as you can
- Olive oil
Panko Breading
- 1 cup panko breading
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (optional)
Batter:
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup plant based milk
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or tamari
- 3 teaspoons vegan worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Press your tofu if needed and then slice it into equal sized pieces. I usually get 6-8 slices, just depending on how thick you make them.
- Add your panko to a shallow dish and evenly mix in the seasonings.
- Add your flour, milk, soy sauce, vegan worcestershire sauce and seasonings to a bowl and whisk until combined.
- Coat the tofu with the batter: you don’t want a ton of batter on the tofu, just enough for the panko to stick, so I like to use my fingers to take the batter in my hands and just kind of rub a thin layer on the tofu.
- Then, place your tofu in the panko mixture and make sure that all sides are equally coated. I like to use my hand to press it on there well.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and coat the bottom with oil and then place the tofu steaks in. Let them cook until browned and crispy, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Remove them from the pan and place them on a platter to serve.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Vegan, Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
My mom always made these with actual steak growing up (a favorite in our house) and I am so thankful to have this alternative now that I’ve gone vegan! This recipe is such a blessing and I think they’re actually just as good when they’re cold leftovers from the fridge.
My question, can you specify which milk, Worchester sauce and soy sauce you used? The ones I chose upped the sodium intake excessively compared to the original nutrition label and I’m trying to keep these on the healthier side.
Hi Luka, Thank you so much for the kind words!! I usually use an unsweetened, plain almond milk or soy milk, low sodium soy sauce and vegan worcestershire sauce. You can always cut down the amount of soy sauce you use to help lower the sodium even more. I hope that helps!
While seasoned vegans probably know that regular Worcestershire sauce isn’t vegan (anchovies are traditionally added), it’s not something everyone knows or thinks about. There are vegan versions, but you have to look for them. It might be worth adding a note about that.
So true! Not sure what I was thinking, haha!
I have gone through the recipe for Crispy Tofu Steaks and love to try it in my kitchen. However, I wish to use ghee instead of olive oil as boiling points of oils are consistently lower than ghee, and ghee is a safer oil for cooking deep fry recipes. What do you say, friends?
https://milkio.co.nz/boiling-points-of-oil/
Yes, I think Ghee would work great in place of the oil