Oven Baked Crispy Tofu
Yield 4 servings
There's a trick to making crispy tofu without frying it — and it's not what you'd expect! When you freeze tofu it becomes porous, and when thawed, allows more water to be pressed out without the tofu breaking. This marinated, oven-baked, crispy tofu can be served on cooked rice or a salad, or become the filling for a plant-based sandwich.
Ingredients
- 2 blocks extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
- ¼ cup tamari
- 2 Tablespoons vinegar (either rice or balsamic)
- 2 Tablespoons oil (dark sesame or extra virgin olive)
- 2 Tablespoons agave syrup
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- Canola oil or spray
- Red pepper flakes, if desired
- Siete Botano jalapeno sauce, if desired
Instructions
Slice tofu in ½-inch slabs. Place in a single layer on a sheet pan or in a storage tub, cover, then freeze solid.* Thaw the tofu overnight in the refrigerator, then line a sheet pan with a kitchen towel and place the tofu on it. Use another towel and press firmly to press out excess water. The tofu will be spongy.
In the same storage tub, mix the tamari, vinegar, oil, agave, and garlic. Place the tofu in the marinade and turn to coat. Seal the lid and turn it over a couple of times. Let marinate for at least an hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425°. In a medium bowl, mix the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, and smoked paprika, then sprinkle over the tofu slabs, turning to coat.
Place the sheet pan in the oven for 10 minutes to heat. When the pan is hot, take out and quickly brush with 1 Tablespoon of canola oil or spray well with cooking spray. Place the tofu slabs on the hot pan and return to the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes, then use a metal spatula to turn the slabs and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
When done, serve immediately with rice, on a sandwich, or on a salad, sprinkled with red pepper flakes or drizzled with Siete Botana jalapeno sauce, if desired.
If eating later, cool completely before refrigerating, tightly covered, for up to four days. (Note: Refrigerated tofu becomes more dense and less crispy).
Notes
*Freezing makes the texture more porous, and when thawed, you can press most of the water out without the tofu breaking. The resulting tofu slab drinks up the marinade, flavoring the tofu all the way through. If you prefer to skip the freezing step, use half as much marinade and add 10 minutes to the baking time.
Recipe by Lakewinds Food Co-op at https://www.lakewinds.coop/recipes/all/oven-baked-crispy-tofu/