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Learn how to make perfect crispy tofu in a few simple steps! It’s easy to prepare, requires just a few ingredients, and can be oven-baked or made in the air fryer.
Tofu 101
We are self-proclaimed tofu lovers, and this easy tofu recipe is up there as one of our favorites. It’s delicious, versatile, and most importantly, EASY for beginners. We have 100+ sweet and savory tofu recipes on the blog, but this recipe is the perfect place to start. It’s the perfect simple, go-to recipe that you can use to make High-Protein Salads, stir fry recipes, breakfast bowls, and more.
Get ready to learn how easy it is to make the best ever crispy tofu recipe!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Extra-firm tofu: Using the right type of tofu is imperative to making the best crispy tofu. In our extensive recipe testing, extra firm tofu or super firm tofu are best.
- Tamari: Adds a savory umami flavor. If you’re not gluten-free, soy sauce can be used as an alternative.
- Sriracha: Brings a touch of heat and depth to the tofu. Adjust the amount based on your spice preference.
- Olive oil: Helps to coat the tofu and promote crispiness during baking or air frying. Any neutral oil can be used as a substitute.
- Garlic powder: Adds a subtle garlic flavor without overpowering the tofu.
- Cornstarch: The key to achieving a crispy exterior. Arrowroot starch can work as a similar substitute, but it is not as crispy as cornstarch.
Equipment Needed
- Heavy object for pressing tofu or tofu press
- Stasher bag or airtight container
- Baking sheet or air fryer
- Silicone baking mat (optional, but recommended)
How to Make Crispy Tofu
- Press your tofu! If you’ve ever felt like your tofu was mushy or bland, chances are it wasn’t pressed properly. In order for the tofu to absorb your marinade and become chewy, it’s important to press it first. For the best results, we recommend pressing your tofu for 45 minutes to 1 hour before marinating. If you have never pressed tofu before, watch our 1 minute tutorial on How to Press Tofu without a Tofu Press.
- Make the marinade. In a medium-sized sealable bag (like a stasher bag) or airtight container, add the tamari, sriracha, olive oil, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix until uniform.
- Coat the tofu. Cut the pressed block of tofu into cubes or thick slices, then add it to the bag or container with the marinade. Give it a good shake to fully coat the tofu.
- Add cornstarch. Open the bag or container and evenly sprinkle over the cornstarch. Seal once more and shake to fully coat the tofu with cornstarch.
- Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat. Evenly distribute the tofu cubes or tofu slices onto the baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake the tofu. Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake the tofu cubes for 35-45 minutes, or until the tofu is golden brown, crispy perfection. The longer it bakes, the crispier the tofu will get. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving (the longer it cools, the crispier it will become!).
- Serve. Enjoy as desired.
Air Fryer Tofu Option
Want crispier tofu in less time?! Try this easy air fryer method. Arrange the tofu in a single layer in the basket of your air fryer and air fry at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing halfway through.
Try this method to make our Crispy Air Fryer Herbed Tofu, too!
Serving Suggestions
This tofu recipe is one of our favorites because you can pair crispy tofu pieces with virtually any dish, breakfast included!
We love it in noodle dishes, like this Vegetable Yakisoba, Vegetable Stir Fries, Chili Crisp Garlic Noodles, and Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup. You can even use it in our Vegan Lo Mein in place of the “beef.”
It’s also great as a filling for vegan tacos, rice dishes like Vegan Fried Rice, and Japanese Sushi Rolls.
Finally, it’s an amazing addition to buddha bowls, sandwiches, wraps, breakfast burritos, huevos rancheros, salads, and virtually any dish that need a protein boost.
You can even eat it alone dunked in a homemade dip or sauce. Crispy baked tofu is really as versatile as it gets!
Recipe FAQs
Nope! The benefit of buying super firm tofu (vacuum sealed!) is that it is pre-pressed and ready to go straight from the package. If you are short on time, this is a great hack to save time.
Freezing tofu is a popular technique that helps to make the tofu more porous and spongy. This helps to make it more chewy and chicken-like in texture, as well as more capable of absorbing marinades and other flavors.
If you want to make your tofu as chewy as possible, this is a great idea. Simply freeze the block of tofu, fully thaw, then carry on with the recipe.
Unfortunately a block of medium tofu will not work in this recipe. We have tested it and it is too soft. The excess moisture not only prevents the tofu from getting crispy but will cause it to stick to the baking sheet and/or air fryer basket.
If you only have medium-firm tofu on hand, try one of these medium tofu recipes: Vegan KFC Fried Chicken or Vegan Tofu Karaage Recipe.
Oil certainly helps make this tofu as crispy as possible, but if you are oil-free, feel free to omit the added oil. It will still have a somewhat crispy texture thanks to the cornstarch!
Certainly! If you want to pan-fry your tofu instead, check out our Orange Tofu, General Tso Tofu, and Tofu Musubi recipes. All three of these tofu recipes include instructions for pan frying tofu.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
This tofu will be crispiest when enjoyed fresh, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes at 350°F for 5-10 minutes, or until warmed through.
More Easy Vegan Tofu Recipes You May Enjoy:
Easy Crispy Tofu Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Learn how to make perfect crispy tofu in a few simple steps! It’s easy to prepare, requires just a few ingredients, and can be oven-baked or made in the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 1 block (15 ounces) extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed
- 2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sriracha (or more as desired)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or oil of choice)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Drain and press your tofu for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Learn how to press tofu here. Once the tofu has been pressed, cut it into about 1-inch cubes and set it aside.
- In a medium-sized sealable bag or container, add in the tamari, sriracha, olive oil, garlic powder, and black pepper. Give it a quick mix until uniform and then add in the tofu.
- Seal the bag (or container) and give it a good shake to fully coat the tofu.
- Open up the bag (or container) and evenly sprinkle over the cornstarch. Seal the bag (or container) once more and give it a good shake, so that the tofu is fully coated by the cornstarch.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat. We have had the best results with a silicone mat for this recipe. Parchment paper can be used but it may stick. Evenly distribute the tofu onto the baking sheet in a single later and place it into the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until golden and crispy. The longer it bakes, the crispier it will get, but it will also have a more “charred” taste when you get closer to 45 minutes. We bake ours for 40. Remove the tofu from the oven and cool before serving to allow it to fully crisp up.
- Air Fryer: Arrange the tofu in a single layer in the basket of your air fryer (you may need to do 2 batches depending on the size of your basket). Air fry at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing halfway through. Remove the tofu from the oven and cool before serving to allow it to fully crisp up.
Notes
- This tofu is best when served the day of making it. If you are going to eat it on a later date, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To rewarm, we suggest toasting or air frying it until crisped up.
- Add any additional seasonings of your choice, have fun with it!
- Prep Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Method: Oven
Nutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!
Delicious!!!
Made it for my kids and substituted honey for the sriracha in theirs, kept the sriracha for me and my husband… everyone was happy!
One my all time favorite tofu recipe!!!
I like this one because I don’t have to deal with oil splattering from pan frying or sticking to the pan. The sesame tofu is yummy but takes more steps; this one is quick and to the point. ….dont be afraid to add more humor to your videos!!
THE best oven-baked tofu – so much room to marinate it in different ways too! Thanks for this recipe!
Awesome on peanut rice noodles with broccoli, green onion, shredded carrot and cucumbers. Thanks for another great tofu recipe.
This is amazing! This is the third night I’m making it. I pair it with rice and some type of veggie (peas, carrots, cucumbers, etc.) Also, we didn’t have any cornstarch so I used tapioca flour instead, and it was wonderful!
These come out perfectly crispy in the air fryer! This is hands down my go to tofu recipe! Thanks Jasmine and Chris!
Great concept, but we’re not huge tofu fans – wondering if this would work substituting frozen avocado chunks from Costco instead.
It’s definitely worth a try!
I’m surprised this recipe doesn’t have thousands of 5 star reviews. This recipe is simple, delicious, crispy and addicting. I’ve tried many tofu recipes and this is the best EVER. Thank you so much !!
So yummy! I used sesame seed oil. Next time, I’ll definitely use less Sriracha sauce because I’m really sensitive to even the slightest of flavors. So crispy! Thank you again!
Just tried this recipe and it’s delicious! I tried a batch in the oven and in the air fryer, and I prefer the air fryer, but both easy and delicious! I couldn’t stop eating it!
This came together very quickly and turned out really crispy! I ate it plain (as spicy ‘lil tofu nuggets), but I think it’d be great in a buddha bowl or ramen. I will def be making this again!
Dear goodness this turned out perfect! I’ve baked tofu many times but never with cornstarch and never had it turn out this good! You really get that nice crunch on the outside that normally only comes with fried tofu! This is definitely is going to be my go-to tofu recipe!
This recipe turned out so crispy, perfect, and delicious! As a longtime vegan, this is my new go-to crispy tofu recipe, and it’s simple enough (and explained well enough) for anyone who wants to dip their toe into the tofu pool, too. Highly recommend!