If you thought you weren’t a tofu fan, prepare for ultra-crispy pan-fried tofu to blow you away! This recipe requires no special kitchen tools, produces far crispier results than baking, and is ready in a fraction of the time. Better yet, with a simple but versatile seasoning, a boring block of tofu is transformed into the perfect golden brown, crispy, crunchy, gluten-free, plant-based protein for any meal.
How to make fried tofu
Prepare the tofu: First, you need to press the tofu. Wrap it in a lint-free kitchen towel or 2-3 layers of paper towels. Place a heavy object, like a cast iron pan or chopping board weighed down with cans/books over the top. Leave it to drain for 20-30 minutes. Then, slice the tofu into even 1-inch cubes. If you want to extract any remaining moisture from the tofu cubes, place them over a towel and press them for another 5 minutes or so. Coat the tofu: While the tofu is being pressed, combine all the seasonings and the cornstarch in a bowl and mix thoroughly. When ready, toss the tofu into the starch mixture, ensuring it’s coated on every side. Then, tap away any excess. Fry until crispy: Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with about 1/4 inch of oil until it shimmers. Once hot, carefully add the coated tofu in a single layer and pan-fry it for 2-3 minutes per side until well browned and crispy. Leave the tofu practically untouched while it cooks, so it sears properly. If it’s browning too quickly, adjust the heat. When ready, use a slotted spoon to carefully remove it from the oil and transfer it to paper towels to absorb any excess oil, then serve and enjoy!
How to serve fried tofu
Once cooked, enjoy crispy tofu as an appetizer, snack, or main protein:
With dipping sauce like ketchup, mayo, BBQ sauce, sriracha mayo, buffalo sauce, garlic aioli, or whatever floats your boat. Make a tofu stir fry like with lo mein or alongside stir-fried vegetables. In salads, including leafy green ones and heartier quinoa salad. With a side of grains like noodles, rice, fried rice, or quinoa. With vegetables like roasted/sauteed broccoli, green beans, asparagus, carrots, etc. Sandwiches/wraps, including tortilla wraps/burritos, lettuce wraps, tacos, fajitas, etc. With stews and curries like vegetarian butter chicken, Thai green curry, and Thai red curry.
If you try this easy pan fried tofu recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
