Perfectly Crispy Baked Tofu Recipe

Published on February 22, 2019

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Perfectly Crispy Baked Tofu Recipe - Eyes Closed Cooking (1)

As weird as people might find this statement: I personally love tofu! I know what you’re going to say, tofu has no taste, how can you love it? Although this is true and I usually shy away from tasteless, watery foods (tomatoes, anyone? Yuck.) tofu is my exception. It took me a few attempts over the years to find the perfect way to cook tofu so that it retains as much flavor as possible without all the added liquid. Crispy baked tofu is definitely my favorite way to eat it!

Perfectly Crispy Baked Tofu Recipe - Eyes Closed Cooking (2)

DRAINING THE TOFU

The trick to ensuring crispy baked tofu is to remove as much liquid as possible before cooking it. I’ve compiled a simple list outlining the method I use for draining the tofu:

Slice your slab of tofu into two thinner slabs about 1 inch thick.

On a flat surface, stack together 5 paper towels. Place your slabs of tofu on top of the paper towels, then cover the tofu with another layer of 5 paper towels.

Place something flat and heavy on top of the covered tofu. Some suggestions would be a large cast iron skillet filled with water for weight, a heavy glass baking dish also filled with water for weight, or water gallons.

Let the tofu sit this way for 15-30 minutes to drain. The paper towels will absorb as much water from the tofu as they can hold.

Once the tofu is done draining, discard the paper towels. Your tofu is now ready for chopping and cooking.

USE THIS DRAINING METHOD TO MAKE THIS SPICY TOFU STIR FRY NEXT!

COATING THE TOFU

When it comes to coating the tofu, I HIGHLY suggest investing in some large mixing bowls with fitted lids. I’ve found these to be immensely helpful when I need to coat delicate foods with oil and spices. You can add the oil, spices and cornstarch all to the bowl with the tofu, cover it with the lid, and shake it all up without worrying about the tofu falling apart. If you don’t have these types of bowls at home, then you can also use a large ziploc bag to coat the tofu. Here’s a link to the bowls I use that I absolutelyswear by (and they’re super cheap):

Perfectly Crispy Baked Tofu Recipe - Eyes Closed Cooking (4)

Perfectly Crispy Baked Tofu Recipe - Eyes Closed Cooking (5)

Sterilite 8 Piece Covered Set Bowl

Perfectly Crispy Baked Tofu Recipe - Eyes Closed Cooking (6)

PERFECTLY CRISPY BAKED TOFU

So after a ton of research (and spices) I truly believe this is the best way to cook tofu. You seriously won’t be able to stop munching on these little cubes as soon as they came out of the oven. I had to practice major self-control in order to save some for my husband and daughter. It’ll definitely make you a lover of tofu.Read my recipe below to learn my tricks on how to bake the perfect pan of crispy tofu bites! And consider checking out myTofu and Broccoli Stir Fry recipe as well for another yummy tofu filled meal!

NEED SOME INSPIRATION FOR A SIDE DISH? CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES!

Toasted Sesame Noodles
Ramen Noodle Salad

Course: Main Course, Sides & SaladsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Bake time

minutes

Calories

243

kcal

Perfectly baked and crispy. This tofu retains all the flavorful spices in every bite without any of the added moisture. It’ll make you a lover of tofu.

Ingredients

2 packages of extra firm tofu (about 16 oz per package)
2 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbs cornstarch

Directions

Start by draining as much water from the tofu slab as possible. First, you’ll have to slice the tofu into thinner slabs (about 1 inch thick). Place the slabs side by side on a flat surface on top of about 5 paper towels. Cover the slabs with 5 more paper towels and then place something heavy and flat on top (I used a heavy glass baking dish). Let the tofu sit this way for AT LEAST 30 minutes
While the tofu is draining, preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
Once the tofu is done draining, cut it up into small bite sized cubes (about 1 inch all around). Place the cubes in a large bowlwith fitted lid (or large ziploc bag)
Add the olive oil and all the spices to the bowl and shake to coat evenly (I used a bowl that had a lid so it was easy to shake without spilling. If you don’t have a lid, you can stir with a spoon but the tofu MAY break apart. Or just stick with a Ziploc bag)
Once everything is evenly distributed, add the cornstarch and continue to shake bowl again until all the tofu is coated well
Place all the tofu cubes on the prepared baking sheet making sure they are spaced apart well enough and not touching
Bake for 15 minutes on one side, then flip all the cubes and bake for another 15 minutes
Remove from oven and enjoy!

Notes

Calories & Nutritional Info may vary based on different brands and ingredients used. Nutritional Info below was calculated usingVery Fit Well’s Nutrition Calculator.

Nutrition Facts

4 servings per container

Calories243

Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
Total Fat 16.5g 26%
- Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Sodium 29mg 2%

Amount Per Serving% Daily Value *
Potassium 370mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 9.5g 4%
- Dietary Fiber 2.5g 10%
- Sugars 1.9g
Protein 19g 38%

Calcium 36%
Iron 22%

* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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5 Comments

Pingback:
Deb Dorn
March 8, 2021 at 4:09 pm ·Reply

Has anyone tried this in an air fryer? If so, what temp and how long?
Marissa
June 8, 2022 at 12:49 pm ·Reply

Delicious! I’ve made this recipe about half a dozen times now. I usually serve with noodles and veggies but good enough to eat on its own. Thanks for the recipe!
Christina
October 11, 2023 at 3:50 pm ·Reply

I love this recipe! I just made a pan fried version and this one was so much better!!
- Renee
  October 13, 2023 at 7:23 pm ·Reply
  
  Thank you, Christina! I’m so happy you’re loving this recipe. It’s one of my favorites! 🙂

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Renee McGinley

I’m one of those people who learns as they go, and I hope some of you out there can relate. Don't let the name of this website fool you! Am I really such an awesome cook that I can make anything with my eyes closed? Not exactly. ;) Check out my About Me page for more on my recipe motto and cooking style.

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Perfectly Crispy Baked Tofu Recipe - Eyes Closed Cooking (2024)

DRAINING THE TOFU

COATING THE TOFU

PERFECTLY CRISPY BAKED TOFU

Perfectly Crispy Baked Tofu Recipe

Ingredients

Directions

Notes

Nutrition Facts

SHARE THIS RECIPE!

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5 Comments

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