Your kids will call this easy 20 minute Crispy Pan Fried Tofu “chicken”. It’s that good! Tofu is cooked in a skillet on the stovetop with a simple marinade and no pressing required. You will fall for this delicious fried tofu recipe full of plant based protein.
Our other vegetarian family favorites include vegetarian quesadilla, green lentil curry and this crazy easy spaghetti recipe!
Table of contents
- Why This Fried Tofu Recipe Works?
- Pan Fried Tofu Ingredients
- How to Fry Tofu for Crispy Results
- Optional Add-In’s and Variations
- Tips for Best Results
- How Do I Know When Tofu Is Cooked?
- How Long Will Fried Tofu Last?
- Can I Freeze It?
- Can I Make Fried Tofu in Advance?
- Pan Fried Tofu Serving Recommendations
- More Popular Vegetarian Recipes
I’m not vegan but this crispy pan fried tofu is one of our family favorite healthy dinner ideas! Did I mention the kids call it “chicken”? It’s that good and a great source of plant based protein!
And I’m convinced to convert you as well with this best fried tofu recipe in the world. You will never say “I hate tofu” again.
My tofu recipe is simple, utterly delicious and requires no extra steps. Like to press the tofu or pat with paper towels – “Ain’t nobody got time for that”. It’s ready in 20 minutes and perfect for those weeknights when life is busy and you forgot to plan ahead for dinner.
I even like to make it for a quick lunch, along with these other quick healthy lunch ideas.
I make it often to reduce our meat consumption. If last night was shrimp tacos and tomorrow it’s lamb roast, I try to “squeeze in” this fried tofu in between for a meatless option. Balance and moderation just like with salad and dessert.
Why This Fried Tofu Recipe Works?
- Tofu provides the perfect ‘blank slate’ for soaking up flavors: What is tofu exactly? Tofu is made of condensed soy milk that is pressed into blocks. Raw tofu has zero flavor and a spongy texture but when combined with some seasonings it suddenly can turn savory, ‘meaty’ and wow worthy!
- Plant based protein: Tofu is a great plant-based source of protein and contains all nine essential amino acids (just like chia seeds, try chia pudding).
- No extra steps: You do not have to press tofu to remove extra liquid with my crispy pan fried tofu recipe. Just like with my air fryer tofu.
Pan Fried Tofu Ingredients
- Firm or extra firm tofu: You cannot use soft or medium tofu as it will release more water and fall apart.
- Soy sauce: I used liquid aminos, you could also use gluten free tamari.
- Cornstarch: A must ingredient for crispy tofu. Cornstarch is almost all completely starch which is essential to getting that crispy and browned tofu we desire for this fried tofu recipe.
- Garlic powder: For flavour otherwise tofu is very plain, remember tofu is a like a sponge and soaks up flavor!
- Olive oil: For frying.
- Green onion and sesame seeds: For garnish when serving. Adds another layer of flavour, so good!
How to Fry Tofu for Crispy Results
1. Cut Tofu into Cubes
- Unwrap: Remove tofu from plastic package.
- Drain: Dump the liquid it’s packaged in. Remember no need to pat dry or press.
- Two thinner slabs: Cut in half lengthwise.
- Cube: Then cut into 1 inch cubes.
2. Quickly Marinate Tofu Cubes
- Cubed tofu: In a medium bowl, add cubed tofu.
- Soy sauce: Drizzle evenly with 2 tbsp soy sauce on top. Helps to stir less.
- Stir and let sit: Stir gently with silicone or wooden spoon. Set aside.
Tofu is delicate! Metal spoon will do more damage to the tofu texture. Use a wooden spoon.
3. Make Tofu Breading
- Cornstarch coating: In another medium bowl, add 3 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp garlic powder and ground black pepper to taste. Stir well with a fork.
- Combine wet tofu with cornstarch: Add tofu pieces to a bowl with cornstarch breading. Gently stir to coat.
Marinade leftovers: Tofu will be coated in sticky wet cornstarch mixture. Perfect! Don’t discard this “marinade” at the bottom of the bowl, we use it in frying tofu.
4. Pan Fry Until Crispy
- Preheat oil: Swirl half the olive oil or toasted sesame oil onto preheated skillet. It should be hot enough to make tofu sizzle right away.
- Cook in 2 batches: Add half the tofu to a pan in a single layer. Stir fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Don’t disturb to get that crispy coating on.
- Flip once and add marinade: Flip each cube with a spatula and fry for a few more minutes or until crispy. You can add half of the soy sauce mixture now too. Transfer crispy pan fried tofu to a plate.
- Repeat with remaining tofu.
5. Garnish and Enjoy!
- Suggested garnishes: Garnish crispy garlic tofu with sesame seeds and green onion. Adds another layer of flavour.
- Serving suggestion: Crispy tofu is best served immediately as it loses its crispiness after half an hour I would say. Or if you cover it. Still delish!!!
Optional Add-In’s and Variations
- Rice wine vinegar: Add a splash of rice wine vinegar with soy sauce for a sweet, tangy flavor profile.
- Ginger: Minced fresh or ground ginger could be mixed in with sauce during the quick marinade.
- Sesame oil: Adds a depth of flavor, replace all or part of your olive oil.
- Liquid smoke: Replace a small amount of your soy sauce with liquid smoke for a savory smoky flavor.
- Spices/seasonings: Ground cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, Chinese 5 spice powder, onion powder – really any savory spice works!
- Arrowroot powder: If you are sensitive to corn starch, this is an acceptable substitute – although it may cause your tofu to stick.
- Tofu triangles: Want to switch up the cubed tofu? Cut into fun triangles!
Tips for Best Results
- Hot skillet: Heat half your oil first in skillet until you hear a sizzle, this means your tofu is ready to be pan fried! Also a hot skillet gives the tofu a better chance to ‘not stick’ when trying to flip it to cook evenly.
- Use a non stick skillet: It’s worth repeating that a cast iron or non stick skillet will cause your tofu to stick when trying to flip the tofu.
- Don’t overcrowd your skillet: Cook tofu into two batches so each pieces gets a chance to be fried in the oil.
- Cool on wire rack: When cooking the tofu in batches, remove the first batch to a wire rack to cool down. Placing it on a plate will steam the side that is faced down and you will lose some of the crispiness!
How Do I Know When Tofu Is Cooked?
Tofu does not pose a risk of eating undercooked like meat does. You can tell that crispy fried tofu bites are ready when they are nicely golden and look crispy.
How Long Will Fried Tofu Last?
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Leftovers will not be as crispy, but will still taste delicious.
Can I Freeze It?
Although, not recommended because tofu will be softer vs. the desired crispy taste, it is possible. Place cooked tofu cubes on a lined cookie sheet and ensure they are not touching. Freeze until solid.
Transfer to a storage bag, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Can I Make Fried Tofu in Advance?
Crispy tofu is best fresh as it starts to lose its crispiness after 30 minutes. You could cube and marinate tofu with soy sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it until ready to cook.
You could also combine cornstarch, garlic powder and pepper ahead of time and store covered in a cool dry place. Proceed with recipe as follows when ready.
Pan Fried Tofu Serving Recommendations
- Side dish: Instant Pot brown rice made in a pressure cooker. Prepare to be amazed!
- Meat substitute: On top of cauliflower fried rice, substitute for crispy cod in these healthy fish tacos, or shredded chicken in tostadas.
- Sauces: Drizzle it with Asian salad dressing, peanut sauce or even healthy ranch.
- Salads: With cucumber and tomato salad, soy sauce based dressing spinach salad for super oriental dish, or try with sweet strawberry spinach salad.
- Veggies: Pick one of these healthy zucchini recipes as a side dish, or make roasted cauliflower or roasted asparagus.
- Got Instant Pot? Serve tofu with Instant Pot mac and cheese or Instant Pot steamed vegetables.
More Popular Vegetarian Recipes
- Instant Pot rice and beans
- Chipotle sofritas
- Healthy pasta with broccoli
- Instant Pot lentil soup
- Healthy banana bread
- Overnight chia pudding
Crispy Pan Fried Tofu
Ingredients
- 2 x 12 oz packages firm or extra firm tofu cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- Green onion finely chopped
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add cubed tofu and soy sauce on top. Stir gently with silicone or wooden spoon (metal will do more damage to tofu’s delicate texture). Set aside.
- In another medium bowl, add cornstarch, garlic powder and pepper. Stir well with a fork and set aside.
- In the meanwhile, preheat large ceramic non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add half of the olive oil. It should be hot enough to make tofu sizzle right away.
- Add tofu cubes to a bowl with cornstarch mixture and gently stir to coat. Tofu will be coated in sticky wet cornstarch mixture. Perfect!
- Add half of the tofu to a pan in a single layer. Cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Flip each cube with a spatula and pan fry for a few more minutes or until crispy (you can add half of the marinade now, from step 1 & 2 – it will collect at the bottom of the bowl, and the other half with next batch). Transfer to a plate and repeat this step with remaining tofu.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion. Crispy tofu is best served immediately as it loses its crispiness after half an hour I would say. Or if you cover it. Still delish!!!
Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
- Has to be firm or extra firm tofu: You cannot use soft or medium tofu as it will release more water and fall apart.
- Skillet has to be hot and non-stick: No cast iron or old skillet that lost its non-stick qualities.
- Type of oil: You can use toasted sesame oil in place of olive oil.
- Utensils: It’s best to use wooden or silicone spatula or spoon to handle tofu. Metal would damage its delicate texture and the skillet.
- Don’t throw away marinade: The marinade of soy sauce, cornstarch etc. doesn’t have to be thrown away. You can pour on top of cooking tofu for more flavor.
Nutrition
Recipes and images are a copyright of ifoodreal.com. It is against the law to republish recipes without permission. Nutritional info is approximate.
Looks yummy. How long can the pieces last in the fridge after you’ve cooked them? Thank you
2-3 days.
Holy crap this is delicious! Used the sesame oil instead of the olive oil so I didn’t loose out on the sesame oil flavor because I didn’t have the garnishes. I’m glad because I probably would have lost my mind, it was so phenomenal without them.
Here’s what I did diff than the outlines recipe:
-Added 1/8 tsp Accent to powder mix (gotta love that msg)
-Drizzled soy sauce on the tofu rather than stir (I’m cooking for 1 so I cut the recipe in 1/2. Besides I don’t have a large ceramic pan, only small so what I’m cooking in the pan is only 1/2 of 1 package).
-Doubled the garlic, which really means that I kept the same amount recommended but since I’m cooking a 1/2 batch, well… you get it
-Didn’t stir to coat the powdered ingredients on the tofu, my small batch size made it super easy to roll them they the powder and evenly coat each side w my fingers.
-Used chopsticks rather than a spatula to flip while cooking.
-Made a dipping sauce:
1 part rice vinegar
2 parts soy sauce
Heavy dash sesame oil
2 heavy dashes white sugar (I used the c&h quick dissolve)
Oops forgot to mention…
I know every stove is different. I’m working with a Samsung electric flat top.
Turned heat down to medium-medium-low.
Just finished eating the first batch (1/2 of 1 package). I’m cooking the other 1/2 right now and I’m going to eat that too. Right now. I’m going to hate myself when I’m done. But as mentioned, life is short so **** it.
Thank you for the recipe. This will be made ALL THE TIME in my house moving forward.
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I have been searching ways to try tofu but so many have long ingredient and cooking list I just glance over them. I’m trying to replace some meat so need a healthy substitute. Came across your will be tying soon.
So delicious. My family loved it and they are typically anti-tofu. I found that I need a lot more of the cornstarch mixture. Thanks for sharing.
Creespy
Loved it, thanks. I was afraid to eat Tofu, people say so many things about it that I never dared. I did your recipe and I can’t stop eating it, thanks for sharing such an easy and yummy recipe.
Welcome. Don’t be. It’s not worse than steak or chicken. One of my kids loves tofu thanks to this recipe. I mean both do love it but one orders tofu instead of meat in a restaurant lol.
It’s the best crispy tofu I’ve made. Thanks for the recipe.
You are welcome!!!
Made these last night, and find myself craving them this morning! Best fried tofu recipe I’ve EVER tried!
Yay! I was shocked when my kids loved it too. I know.
Just wrote a long comment and clicked submit too soon, omitted email, and it told me to go fix it but it erased my whole comment. I can’t type it again. But the tofu was good.
Awesome! I make it regularly. If I write smth substantial online these days I copy it before hitting Submit button lol. Just never know.
My daughter and I love crispy tofu!! I made it years ago at home when the kids were little and it was the same, they loved it and it was such a great surprise. It’s all about the crispy cubes 🙂
You are inspiring me to make it again, my daughter has been asking since she tried mine at a thai place recently.
Question – what skillets do you use? I have been using same for years but keep going through them (the nonstick ones) and they are not cheap.
I go through new one every 6 months. No way around it friend. I buy ceramic ones. Still they lose their stickiness. Everyone does buy new ones all the time lol. Enjoy sweetie!
I’ll try a ceramic one. I like the ones I have but you’re right, it’s about every 6 months. Glad it’s not just me, ha ha.
I’m 75 and have been using my grandmother’s cast iron skillets forever for tofu and all manner of stovetop and oven cooking. Works great if has been seasoned properly.