Crispy Baked Tofu (Vegan & Oil Free!)

Hello, my chickpeas! Today we’ve got a recipe that will delight any vegan who ever thought tofu was boring. The secret to good tofu is just knowing how to prepare it correctly, and that’s exactly what we do with this delicious Crispy Baked Tofu recipe!

This Crispy Baked Tofu is the perfect topping for just about anything. Use it in salads, buddha bowls, stir fry, sandwiches, or even just dip them in your favorite sauce as a fun snack! This tofu is baked in the oven, which means you can prepare whatever else you are pairing it with while it bakes. Using the oven also makes it super easy to keep this one oil-free and still get it super crispy! Let’s get into it.

Inspiration for Crispy Baked Tofu

Any time someone says that tofu is boring, I always respond by saying that chicken is boring too if you don’t season it and cook it well! It really is just a matter of finding a fun and delicious recipe. I really wanted to create a tofu recipe that showed tofu doesn’t have to be boring, but was also versatile and could be enjoyed many different ways. For that reason, our flavor is pretty neutral (so that it can be paired with anything), but still delicious!

A lot of people also don’t love the texture of soft tofu, so it was super important to me to get this tofu recipe SUPER crispy. I was able to do that, and even still keep it oil free! I am very happy with how this one came out, and I think it may become a staple in your plant based kitchen!

Ingredients

For this Crispy Baked Tofu we are breaking out some great flavors that pair well with just about anything. LET’S GO.

• Tofu: obviously the star of our show. We are using firm tofu today, which is my personal favorite! It’s the easiest of the tofus to get crispy, and it cubes up nicely so that it is easy to work with.
• Tamari: this brings some insane umami flavor! This is the main base of where our flavor is coming from.
• Lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, and nutritional yeast: the rest of our flavor boosters! These bring some savory vibes to our tofu, as well as a bit of acidity from the lemon juice and a touch of cheesiness from the nutritional yeast. It’s a great overall combination!
• Cornstarch: this is mainly used to crisp up our tofu.

How to Make Crispy Baked Tofu

As always, the full recipe is down below. But let’s go over the basics.

1. Press your tofu.
2. Mix tamari, lemon juice, garlic powder, and onion powder together.
3. Cube your tofu, and then pour the tamari mixture on top and combine.
4. Mix cornstarch and nutritional yeast together.
5. Slowly incorporate the cornstarch mixture with your tofu.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, give it a flip, and bake for 10 more minutes.
7. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

Most of my ideas today are fun ways to use your tofu, because it is so versatile!

• If you want to add a bit of protein and a fun texture to your salad or buddha bowl, this Crispy Baked Tofu is the addition you’ve been looking for! Add a handful of these to your bowl and enjoy.
• This tofu also lends itself very well to saucy dishes such as stir fries, so don’t be afraid to throw it in a stir fry sauce and mix it up with your veggies! I would recommend throwing it in towards the end of cooking so that it doesn’t soak up too much sauce and lose its crispiness.
• My husband and I love simply dipping these into a delicious sauce as a snack. This is a great way to use up leftover sauces in your fridge if you have just a bit leftover from another meal!
• If you would like to add some extra herby flavors to your tofu, add whatever dried herbs you would like! Some of my favorite additions are smoked paprika, dried basil, and dried oregano. Just toss in your extra dried herbs with your garlic powder and onion powder!
• As with most crispy recipes, these are best enjoyed right after they are made! You can definitely reheat them later, but they’ll always be crispiest when they are fresh. Additionally, you can always half the recipe if you have a smaller group and don’t want leftovers.
• Looking for other ways to use up tofu? If so, check out my Sesame Herb Tofu or my Marinated Tofu Feta next!

Enjoy!

Crispy Baked Tofu

Recipe by Delaney Romero – Joyful Balance

Servings (as a topping on a salad or bowl)

4

servings

From Start to Finish

1

hour 

5

minutes

This Crispy Baked Tofu is a versatile addition to any plant based kitchen! Throw this on top of salads, buddha bowls, wraps, sandwiches, stir fries, or whatever else you desire! Or enjoy it on its own (or with a dip) as a fun crispy snack.

*Note that “From Start to Finish” is an estimate that includes 20 minutes to press your tofu, and 45 minutes to complete the recipe directions. This time may vary a bit depending on certain factors, such as how long your oven takes to preheat.

Ingredients

• 1 block firm tofu, pressed for 20 minutes*

• 1 Tbsp tamari

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast

• 1 Tbsp cornstarch

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 425F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with a silicone baking mat.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, lemon juice, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Cut your block of tofu into cubes (mine are usually a little smaller than 1 inch, and I get 32 cubes out of a block).
• Toss your tofu cubes into a large bowl and pour your tamari mixture over it. Gently mix to coat the tofu evenly with the mixture.
• In another small bowl, whisk together the nutritional yeast and cornstarch.
• Sprinkle about 1/3 of the cornstarch mixture onto the tofu cubes and gently mix to evenly coat the tofu. Repeat with another 1/3 of the mixture and mix again. Do this once more to finish off the last 1/3 of the mixture. (I have found that splitting it into thirds this way coats the tofu much more evenly!)
• Transfer the tofu to your prepared baking sheet, spreading out the tofu so that the cubes don’t touch each other.
• Bake your tofu in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, carefully flip each tofu cube, and return to the oven to bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• Add your Crispy Baked Tofu to whatever you’d like and enjoy!

Notes

• *Firm tofu, pressed for 20 minutes: we press the tofu here to remove most of the excess moisture. You can use a tofu press for this, or you can wrap your tofu in paper towels and place a somewhat heavy plate on top of it.

Happy cooking! If you made this recipe don’t forget to tag me (@joyfulbalanceofficial) on facebook or instagram so I can cheer you on for your tofu-making ways.

Stay joyfully balanced!