When I first went vegan 11 years ago, I was NOT the biggest fan of tofu. I remember my mom was really making an effort for me to try new foods (despite not being vegan OR vegetarian herself – go mom!), and she cut up some tofu for a salad for me. Plain tofu. On a salad. As my first introduction to the stuff. You can imagine how well that went.

Fast forward to today, and I’m tofu’s biggest supporter. I eat tofu at least 2-3 times a week (sometimes more), and I even enjoy eating tofu plain (13-year-old me would never believe it)! But it took me eating some really delicious tofu before I got to that point.

So, if you are like I was and can’t quite stomach tofu right now, this is the recipe for you! This recipe is great because it really changes the texture of the tofu to be very crispy and also because it allows for a really great range of flavors. For example:

Basic tofu: follow the recipe below, using a pinch or two of salt and a dash of pepper
Rosemary garlic tofu: follow the recipe below, using a pinch of salt, a dash of pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp ground rosemary
Fried Chick’n tofu: follow the recipe below, using a tsp of the Trader Joe’s Vegan Chicken-less Seasoning Salt
Spicy tofu: follow the recipe below, using a pinch of salt, a dash of pepper, and a 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper (or more, to taste!)

These are just a few ideas to get you started, but I really encourage you to figure out different flavor combinations.

Two other important notes about this recipe: 1) try to use extra-firm tofu if possible! You can use firm tofu, but it may not turn out as crispy. And 2) pressing your tofu is a really important step – don’t skip it! I offer two different ways to press your tofu in the recipe below.

I would love the hear what flavor combinations you use with this recipe and how you use this tofu recipe. Let me know in the comments or message me at @thejewishvegan on Instagram. And, as always, if you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out. Now, let’s get started!

Print Recipe

Ultimate Crispy Tofu

If you've struggled to find a tofu recipe that gets crispy in the oven, this is the recipe for you! This tofu is crispy, delicious, and can be easily customized for a wide range of recipes.

Prep Time1 5

Cook Time40

Total Time1 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crispy tofu, easy vegan recipe, gluten free, gluten free vegan, tofu, vegan

Servings: 1 serving

Calories: 613kcal

Equipment

tofu press*

Ingredients

1 package extra firm tofu** usually around 14oz
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
salt, pepper, and other spices to taste

Instructions

Press the tofu using the tofu press (or see note below) for approximately 1 hour. If using a tofu press, increase the pressure on the tofu every 15 minutes so the tofu releases as much water as possible.
Once the tofu is pressed, preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the tofu into ¼ inch cubes (or smaller). The smaller the cubes, the crispier the tofu.
Add the tofu and other ingredients to a bowl and mix well with a large spoon until the tofu is evenly coated.
Transfer the tofu to the baking sheet in a single layer and place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 40 minutes, flipping the tofu over after 20 minutes.
Add the crispy tofu to your favorite dishes or pop them in your mouth all on their own!

Notes

*If you don't have a tofu press, you can place your tofu on a dish towel covered plate and place another plate on top of it. Place something heavy on top of the plate covering the tofu, like a cookbook or large bowl. Swap out the towel occasionally during the hour the tofu is being pressed.

**If your grocery store is out of extra firm tofu, you can use regular firm tofu, but it may not come out as crispy.

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