Herb Crusted Baked Tofu Recipes | Simply Quinoa (2024)

FAQs

Why is my baked tofu not crispy? ›

2) Squeeze out as much moisture as possible.

Water-logged tofu never gets super crispy. The key here is to slice the tofu into pieces before pressing it. Have you ever tried pressing a whole block, or even two halves? They just sit in soggy puddles.

Press it. Tofu contains a lot of water, and you'll want to squeeze most of it out, especially if you're baking, grilling, or frying it. I recommend using a tofu press to do this, because it gives the tofu a delicious chewy texture and makes cleanup a breeze. But having one isn't necessary.

Tofu has a porous surface and releases water before the coating gets crispy, so toss the tofu in a bit of cornstarch or arrowroot powder. Shake the excess off and then fry in oil for a crispy outside and tender inside. For even tastier results, try frying in an oil that's full of flavors, such as sesame or coconut oil.

Substitutions: If you prefer not to cook with cornstarch, you can substitute in an equal volume of all-purpose flour or potato starch. Tofu: This recipe can also be made with medium-firm tofu, but you'll need to be a bit more gentle while pressing and coating it.

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

Spread the tofu into an even layer so the cubes are not touching. Bake the tofu for 20 to 30 minutes, until it's darkened at the edges and the edges are a little crisp. Rotate the pan 180 degrees halfway through to promote even cooking.

Here's the thing: even though tofu might be labeled firm or extra-firm, it contains a lot of water. This excess water can cause the tofu to crumble when you cook it, and it will also have a hard time crisping up. But when you press tofu, you remove the excess moisture.

Tofu seasoning rub: Rub the pressed tofu with lots of spices like garlic or onion powder, salt and pepper, nutritional yeast or a spicy taco seasoning, KFC seasoning, Buffalo spice, etc. Tofu marinade: Soak the tofu cubes in your favorite chicken/meat marinade to infuse extra flavor.

Healthier - For starters, broiling tofu is a healthier method of cooking than frying, and it requires less oil to create crispier cubes. Easy - It's also really easy to make.

Press tofu and cube it. Coat it in garlic, black pepper, salt (plus more of your favourite seasonings), liquid aminos and some olive oil. Then mix it into some cornstarch and toss it all together, then bake for about 20 minutes. Cornstarch also helps to draw out excess moisture so it really gets the tofu crispy.

Do you coat tofu in flour or cornstarch? ›

Coating your tofu with a mixture of cornstarch and salt will give it a crunchy coating with great flavor. You can also use potato starch, regular flour, or even gluten-free flour instead of cornstarch, but the cornstarch crisps up the best. You can bake, pan-fry, or deep fry your tofu.

How to safely eat raw tofu. While tofu comes in a variety of textures — silken, firm, and extra firm — technically any of them can be eaten raw. Before enjoying raw tofu, drain off any excess liquid from the packaging. It's also important to store tofu properly to prevent germs from growing on any unused portions.

A lot of people try to flip it too early before the bottom can get nice and golden-brown. I leave my tofu on each side for about 5–7 minutes and as the oil gets hotter I lessen it based off of watching it. Now for baking, if your tofu is sticking to your pan there's really only one explanation. Use parchment paper.

Probably it has too much water in it. One good solution is to put the tofu, in its original whole block, on a plate or sheet pan. Tip it at a slight angle by propping up one side. Put a weight — a plate will be just fine — on the tofu.

If the cubes are too crowded in the basket, they won't crisp up as they cook. Feel free to work in batches if necessary! Air fry at 400°F for 11-15 minutes, tossing halfway so that the tofu cooks evenly on all sides. The tofu is ready when it's crisp and browned around the edges.

In many recipes—crispy tofu nuggets, for example—you can skip this lengthy step. You'll see this instruction over and over and over in tofu recipes: Press the block for at least 30 minutes, ideally an hour, before cooking.