Fried Tofu
Servings: 4 people
- 16 ounces (500 grams) firm tofu
- 4 tablespoons (35 grams) cornstarch
- 1½ teaspoons (1½ teaspoons) paprika
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) garlic powder
- 1¼ teaspoons (1¼ teaspoon) salt
- ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) chili powder or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) olive oil or more as needed
- Break a 16 ounces firm tofu block apart with your hands into bite-sized chunks or cut it into bite-size cubes. Add to a large mixing bowl.Avoid pressing or drying the tofu.
- In a small bowl, mix 4 tablespoons cornstarch, 1½ teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1¼ teaspoons salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon chili powder.Add the spice mix to the tofu and toss gently, by hand or with a spoon, until the tofu is coated.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet.Add the tofu on a single layer and fry on medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes, turning it every 3 minutes, until golden brown. Add more oil if the pan gets dry.
- Serve your crispy pan-fried tofu with a dip of choice. We recommend peanut sauce or marinara sauce.
TIPS
Keep the tofu slightly wet to help the coating stick—don’t pat it dry. Avoid pressing it, as this recipe aims for soft, silky cubes with a light crisp, not dry or chewy tofu.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Olive oil: sub with avocado oil, coconut oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, or regular olive oil.
- Spices: you can use most spices such as curry, turmeric, dried herbs, cumin, coriander, onion powder, and more.
- Cornstarch: we haven't tried replacing the cornstarch but some readers had success with arrowroot powder.
- Curry fried tofu: sub 1 tsp of curry powder, 1 tsp turmeric powder, and 1/2 ground cumin for paprika and chili powder.
- Italian fried tofu: sub 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme, and 1 tsp dried rosemary for paprika and chili powder.
- Turmeric-black pepper fried tofu: sub 2 tsps of turmeric and 1/2 tsp black pepper for paprika, garlic, and chili powder.
- Fried tofu can be made up to 3 days in advance but will lose its crispiness.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat in the microwave (2 minutes), on a skillet with oil (4–5 minutes), or in an air fryer. Freezing is not recommended.
