Make Crispy Baked Tofu that is soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Perfect for adding to grain bowls or salads or just eating straight off the pan!
We love this crispy tofu basically on everything. But making a Crispy Tofu Buddha Bowl is a must!
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Why You'll Love This Baked Tofu Recipe
- Best Tofu Texture Ever: you may never again cook tofu a different way.
- Flavorful: the soy sauce-based marinade adds great flavor to the cubes.
- Excellent Source of Protein: adding some crispy baked tofu cubes to your meal is a perfect way to add protein to a vegetarian meal, and make it more filling too!
We created our version of this recipe after trying several other crispy tofu recipes, including this Crispy Tofu with Balsamic Tomatoes recipe from the New York Times. Many recipes are very similar, with the use of cornstarch and baking at a high temperature.
Baked Tofu Ingredients
- Extra-Firm Tofu: We highly recommend extra-firm tofu for this recipe. Even firm tofu will fall apart as you toss it in the marinade, unless the tofu has been very well pressed.
- Vegetable Oil: Any mild-flavored oil will work for this recipe.
- Soy Sauce: For a vegan and/or gluten-free dish, choose Tamari instead of soy sauce (or check your soy sauce label carefully).
- Cornstarch: Most brands of cornstarch are gluten-free, but be sure to check the label if you follow a gluten-free diet. You can replace the cornstarch with regular flour or potato starch, but we find cornstarch gives you the best crunch.
- Garlic Powder: We add garlic powder to the marinade for extra flavor. You could replace with onion powder, or leave it out entirely if you prefer.
How to Bake Tofu
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pat a block of extra-firm tofu dry with paper towels, then place tofu brick on a paper towel-lined plate. Cover with an additional folded paper towel, then another plate. Weigh down the top plate with something heavy, like a can of tomatoes.
2. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, then pat tofu dry again.
3. Slice the tofu into ¾-inch or 1-inch cubes.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick aluminum foil. Stir together 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder in a medium bowl until cornstarch dissolves.
5. Add tofu, and toss together gently using your fingers.
6. Place tofu cubes onto sheet pan, leaving any extra liquid behind in the bowl.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn tofu cubes over. Bake for another 5-10 minutes, until tofu is crispy and golden-brown.
Tips For Making Crispy Baked Tofu
Make sure to dry your tofu as well as you can before adding to the marinade. That will help the tofu crisp up quickly in the oven.
We recommend cutting your tofu into fairly large cubes. If you choose to cut the tofu into small cubes, they will cook faster. However, with small cubes, you won’t get the delightful contrast between the crunchy outside and the creamy inside.
How to Serve this Baked Tofu Recipe
Now that you have your baked tofu cubes, you can serve them as your main protein. Add your favorite vegetable sides, and a scoop of rice, farro, or quinoa. Or, turn them into a grain bowl—try my Crispy Tofu Bowl, this Quinoa Grain Bowl, or add them to my Ramen Egg Rice Bowl. And what about putting them on a green salad? Crunchy tofu cubes would be fantastic on this Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad or on this Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad. You can add to a stir-fry as well.
Storing Crispy Baked Tofu
Your tofu cubes will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Note that they will lose their crispness in the refrigerator. The best way to reheat them is in an air fryer, in a skillet on the stove top, or on a baking sheet in a hot oven (400° or 425° F).
Baked Tofu Recipe FAQs
If you want the crispiest tofu, baking is the way to go. You can definitely use a skillet to make crispy tofu, but you get the best crunch by having the tofu crisp up on a hot baking sheet. Baking at a high temperature, and letting the tofu cubes sit for 15 minutes without turning them builds up a good layer of crunch at the bottom that is harder to get on a skillet. That said, pan-frying tofu is quicker, so definitely an option if you are in a hurry.
Your tofu cubes will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
If you have leftover crispy tofu, the best and fastest way to reheat it is to pop it in the air fryer for a few minutes. If you don’t have an air fryer, reheating in a hot oven on a baking sheet or reheating in a hot skillet is the best way to get the tofu cubes crispy again!
Other Delicious Tofu Recipes
We love incorporating tofu into our meals. Want to see more? Here are a few favorites:
If you try this Crispy Baked Tofu recipe, we would love to hear from you! Please rate this recipe and leave a comment below—your feedback is invaluable to us.
And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to our newsletter. We’d love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!
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Baked Crispy Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce block extra-firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Pat tofu dry with paper towels, then place tofu brick on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Cover with an additional folded paper towel, then another plate. Weigh down the top plate with something heavy, like a can of tomatoes.
- Let sit for 10-15 minutes, then pat tofu dry again.
- Slice the tofu into ¾-inch or 1-inch cubes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick aluminum foil.
- Stir together oil, soy sauce, cornstarch, salt, and garlic powder in a medium bowl until cornstarch dissolves.
- Add tofu, and toss together gently using your fingers.
- Place tofu cubes onto sheet pan, leaving any extra liquid behind in the bowl.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then turn tofu cubes over.
- Bake for another 5-10 minutes, until tofu is crispy and golden-brown.
Notes
Your tofu cubes will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. How to Reheat:
If you have leftover crispy tofu, the best and fastest way to reheat it is to pop it in the air fryer for a few minutes. If you don’t have an air fryer, reheating in a hot oven on a baking sheet or reheating in a hot skillet is the best way to get the tofu cubes crispy again! Expert Tip:
We recommend cutting your tofu into fairly large cubes. If you choose to cut the tofu into small cubes, they will cook faster. However, with small cubes, you won’t get the delightful contrast between the crunchy outside and the creamy inside.
Nutrition
Instagram Users: Now that you've made this marinated Baked Tofu recipe, tag us @vanillabeancuisine or #vanillabeancuisine because we’d love to see your results!
More About Molly
Cooking healthy(ish) meals with seasonal ingredients is my passion. Trained as a French pastry chef, I spent over 10 years as a personal chef. Here you'll find well-tested recipes that you and your family will love!
Vanessa says
Can I cook the tofu in an air fryer? Or does the oven work best?
Molly Pisula says
Yes, you can absolutely use the air fryer--I've done it that way too, and it works well. And it's fast!