Your kids will call this 20 minute Crispy Fried Tofu Recipe “chicken”. It’s that good! Once you learn how to fry tofu until crispy with no pressing required and coated in simple marinade, you will be making it over and over again.
We also love this air fryer tofu!
This crispy fried tofu is one of our family favorite healthy dinners. Did I mention kids call it “chicken”? It’s that good!
I fry tofu in pan on the stove often to reduce our meat consumption. If last night was shrimp tacos and tomorrow it’s lamb roast, I try to “squeeze in” this tofu recipe in between for a meatless option. Balance and moderation just like with salad and dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy: We share all tips and tricks to get those perfect crispy results.
- Flavorful: Raw tofu has zero flavor and a spongy texture but when combined with some seasonings, it suddenly can turn savory, “meaty” and wow worthy!
- Quick and easy: You do not have to press tofu to remove extra moisture with my recipe. “Ain’t nobody got time for that”. It’s ready in 20 minutes!
- Healthy: According to Healthline, tofu is a great source of plant-based protein and contains all 9 essential amino acids.
Ingredients for Fried Tofu
- Firm or extra firm tofu: You cannot use soft tofu or medium tofu for this recipe, as it will release more water and fall apart.
- Soy sauce: I use liquid aminos or soy sauce, you could also use gluten-free tamari.
- Cornstarch: A must ingredient for crispy fried tofu. It soaks up the moisture and creates that browned coating we all love.
- Garlic powder: For flavor, otherwise tofu is very plain.
- Olive oil: For frying.
- Green onion and sesame seeds: For garnish, when serving. Adds another layer of flavor, so good!
How to Fry Tofu for Crispy Results
- Cut tofu into cubes: Remove tofu from its plastic package. Cut tofu block in half lengthwise into two thinner slabs. Then cut into 1 inch cubes.
- Quickly marinate: In a large bowl, add cubed tofu and drizzle with soy sauce. Stir gently with silicone or wooden spoon or spatula. Tofu is delicate and metal spoon will do more damage to its texture. Set aside.
- Coat it in cornstarch: In another large bowl, add cornstarch, garlic powder and ground black pepper. Stir well with a fork, add tofu pieces and gently stir to coat.
- Pan fry tofu: Swirl half the oil onto preheated skillet, add half the tofu to a pan in a single layer and fry until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip each cube with a spatula and fry for a few more minutes or until crispy. You can add half of remaining soy marinade now too. Transfer onto a plate and repeat with remaining ingredients.
Tips for Best Results
Here are the top tips how to cook tofu in a pan on the stove until crispy and fall in love with it!
- Don’t discard the marinade: The one at the bottom of the bowl after marinating. We will use it when frying tofu.
- Flip tofu once: Don’t disturb it to get that crispy coating on.
- Hot skillet: Heat pan first, then add oil. It should be hot enough to make tofu sizzle right away. Also a hot skillet gives the fried tofu a better chance to not stick when trying to flip it.
- Use a non-stick pan: It’s worth repeating that a cast iron pan or stainless steel pan will cause your tofu to stick.
- Don’t overcrowd your pan: Cook in two batches, so each piece gets a chance to be fried in the oil.
Variations
- Rice wine vinegar: Add a splash of rice wine vinegar with soy sauce for a sweet, tangy flavor profile.
- Ginger: Minced fresh ginger or ground ginger could be mixed in with the sauce during the quick marinade.
- Sesame oil: Adds a depth of flavor. Replace all or part of your olive oil with it.
- Liquid smoke: Replace a small amount of soy sauce with liquid smoke for a savory smoky flavor.
- Seasonings: Ground cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, Chinese 5 spice powder, onion powder will be great instead of garlic powder in this fried tofu recipe!
- Arrowroot powder: If you are sensitive to cornstarch, this is an acceptable substitute.
- Tofu triangles: Want to switch up the cubes? Cut it into fun triangles.
How to Serve Fried Tofu
Garnish tofu with sesame seeds and green onion. Adds another layer of flavor. This dish is best served immediately as it loses its crispiness after half an hour, I would say. Or if you cover it. Still delicious though.
- With rice: Serve simply with Instant Pot brown rice or Instant Pot white rice.
- As a meat substitute: On top of cauliflower fried rice, substitute for crispy cod in this fish tacos recipe, or shredded chicken in chicken tostadas.
- In stir fry: Replace meat in any of these stir fry recipes.
- Coated in sauce: Drizzle it with Asian salad dressing, peanut sauce, healthy BBQ sauce or even healthy ranch.
- Added to salads: On top of Asian salad or spinach salad.
How to Store and Reheat
Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They will not be as crispy but will still taste delicious.
Freeze? Although not recommended because tofu will be softer vs. the desired crispy taste, it is possible to freeze it. Place cooked cubes on a lined cookie sheet and ensure they are not touching. Freeze until solid.
Transfer to a storage bag or airtight container and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
FAQs
You can tell that fried tofu bites are ready when they are nicely golden and look crispy. Also it does not pose a risk of eating undercooked like meat does.
Fried tofu tastes best fresh as it starts to lose its crispiness after 30 minutes.
You can cube and marinate tofu with soy sauce ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to pan fry. You can also combine cornstarch, garlic powder and black pepper ahead of time and store covered in a cool dry place. Proceed with the recipe when ready.
Yes. Place in a single layer in air fryer and air fry at 400F for 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket after 10 minutes occasionally.
More Popular Vegetarian Recipes to Try
- Vegetarian quesadillas
- Easy spaghetti recipe
- Instant Pot rice and beans
- Instant Pot lentil soup
- Chipotle sofritas
Crispy Fried Tofu Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 x 12 oz packages firm or extra firm tofu cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 green onion sprigs finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon 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 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!!!
Video
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- 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.
Can you put this in an air fryer instead of using oil, or is the oil needed for flavor?
Sure, put it in.
I’ve been wanting to make something just like this for so long now. Want to make it at home instead of only having out at a restaurant and paying SO much for it. Thank you for this easy recipe. I’m very excited to try this tomorrow night!
Hi Kim! Would love to hear what you think of the recipe once you make it 🙂
Coating theses cubes with cornstarch and garlic powder was a difficult task, I was thinking next time to do a shake and bake i.e bag it up and shake it, so as to have the tofu fully coated, possible or not?
Sure. Or use large deep bowl and kind of through cubes in there in the air a bit. Like in pubs they coat chicken wings.
Really tasty, I love it! However, I used extra firm tofu and had to press it. Without pressing it, the fried tofu turned out soggy. Drying another batch thoroughly helped it come out firmer and crispier. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing Steph!
This is so good! It is our family’s new go-to recipe. Husband and son loved it and even learned how to make it!
That is so good to hear Nicole!
Quick, easy and delicious! My son loved it!
amazing! 100% would make again!
Awesome!!! Happy to hear, Heather.
Made a batch and half was gone before dinner was even served with my teenager saying it tastes just like chicken! Thankfully they’re so easy to make that I quickly made another batch as my other daughter wrote the recipe out and added to our binder of favorites recipes.
Love hearing that this recipe was a hit with your family Allison!
Thank you for making a recipe for tofu, it’s such a healthy food and great for the environment. Unfortunately, we had issues with ours, though it could have been our fault. It turned out to be nothing like the photo, just dark brown chunks covering tofu, and very plain tasting. The cornstarch didn’t cost the tofu evenly, just turning clumpy. It cooked that way as well, clumpy dark brown spots that fell of tofu rather than golden brown. Not sure where we went wrong. Perhaps because we use the same pan that we fried some eggs in and didn’t really clean the pan between dishes that well. Or maybe because we didn’t add the other half of soy sauce back in. I am want to give it another try but wanted to check for ideas first. I have a photo of that will help. Thanks!
I would definitely clean the eggs off the pan and use clean, well oiled non-stick pan and preheat it well. Should work.
I’m rarely compelled to comment or add review, but this recipe truly delivers! I made it for the first time, and it was a big success. Not only was it truly as simple as you describe, but It turned out just like the images. There were two non-tofu-eaters at my table reaching out for additional servings multiple times. A definite repeat, and new addition to my recipe repertoire. Thank you!!!
I am so happy to hear this Patricia!
This is such a great, easy recipe! I was looking for a quick pan fried tofu recipe and stumbled across this blog, I’ll definitely be looking into more of your recipes! I’m a rising college sophomore about to move into my first real apartment, so I feel like now this recipe will be made a couple times a week.
I am so happy that you like this recipe. Hope you make more of my recipes in your new apartment 🙂