Crispy baked tofu recipe – no oil? Absolutely and delicious! I’m sharing my best practices because we all deserve an easy and reliable crispy tofu recipe that is dip-worthy, curry-worthy, and ready for anything.
If you tofu that's crispy on the outside and firm but tender on the inside, this recipe is for you. This is where delicious dishes like Jamaican jerk tofu, sweet and sour tofu, orange tofu, and many other tofu recipes got their inspiration.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This easy tofu recipe is perfect for beginners. There are infinite ways to enhance the flavor of the tofu using the basic principles of this easy technique.
A foundational recipe for people following a plant-based diet with no added oil when cooking.
I have a separate air fryer crispy tofu recipe. This is for anyone who wants to bake it in the oven.
Ingredients, Notes, and Substitutions
Tofu. Tofu is categorized by its texture or consistency. In a nutshell, the water content. The firmer the tofu, the less water. That's why firm or extra-firm tofu is best for this recipe.
Soy sauce. Soy sauce is used to add a little salty flavor. It's easier to see that it's distributed than using granular salt. Substitute with gluten-free Tamari, coconut, or other liquid amino acids.
Cornstarch. My favorite crisping agent is cheap, accessible cornstarch. Tapioca starch or potato starch make good substitutes. I have experimented with arrowroot, which also crisps tofu. It can get a little slippery when added to sauces or curry.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
How to Press Tofu
You can get excess moisture from super and extra firm tofu in minutes. Wrap the block in paper towels and press it with your hands. You can also place it between two flat surfaces and press it on the top.
Pressing tofu is just what it sounds like. It involves exerting pressure on it so that it will release its excess water. This takes 15- 20 minutes.
Pressing is a best practice because pressed tofu gets crisper on the outside and firmer on the inside. It also holds added flavors better.
Do I need to have a tofu press?
Although they are nice, you don’t need an official tofu press. Just wrap the tofu in a paper towel and place it between 2 flat surfaces like a cutting board. Weigh the top down with a heavy object to help speed up the process.
Denise's Pro Tip: For big blocks of tofu, try cutting the block into halves or quarters before pressing it. This is a good way to get the moisture out quicker and more evenly.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Toss tofu cubes in soy sauce, lemon juice, and maple syrup.
Step 2: Preheat the oven, then mix tofu and cornstarch.
Step 3: Arrange the cubes in a single layer on a lined baking sheet.
Step 4: Bake for 15 minutes until the tofu browns and crisps. Flip and bake another 5-10 minutes.
Pro Tips
- Please preheat! A hot oven activates the crisping process. Baking time depends on the thickness of the tofu pieces. Try to keep them as uniform as possible to ensure even baking.
- For marinated tofu, add cornstarch right before baking.
- I always end up rubbing the cornstarch into the tofu. When you cook without oil, you want to have all the cornstarch absorbed. If you discover that you've added too much, add a drop or two of lemon juice or water.
- Line your baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat. This makes it easier to flip.
- Never force-flip. Let the tofu bake a little longer if it won't flip without losing the bottom layer.
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Hey, There's Cornstarch on my Tofu
Once you've baked the tofu, you may encounter a few pieces that still have cornstarch on them. They’ll look a bit dusty. There are a few ways to resolve this:
- Flip the pieces and keep them browning. The tiniest steam rises between the baking sheet and the underside of the tofu pieces. That may emit enough moisture to help the cornstarch absorb.
- Spray the tofu with a tiny bit of water or flick a few drops over the tofu pieces. This might seem like a bit of a cheater’s way out, but it works from time to time.
- Cover the tofu pieces with foil and continue baking for 5 minutes. Again, this helps to create a small amount of steam to absorb excess starch.
- Be happy, embrace cornstarch, and pop the tofu into your curry pot. Trust me, it won’t matter from there.
Serving Suggestions
Crispy tofu is great for Thai vegetable curry, with Indian tomato veggie curry, or in quick cauliflower stir fry. Serve it with an appetizer with flavorful sauce like a sriracha dipping sauce, oil-free wasabi vinaigrette, easy sriracha BBQ sauce, orange ginger sauce, chipotle raspberry sauce, or Indian curry sauce. Seriously, anything goes!
Frequently Asked Questions
Extra-firm tofu is ideal for baking because it only needs a few minutes of pressing, is easy to dice into cubes, and holds its shape. Be advised that brands of tofu and their firmness designations can vary. So, your regular tofu may be very firm and perfect for baking.
Organic tofu is made by coagulating soymilk to create bean curd pressed into blocks. In some countries, tofu is made from genetically modified soy milk. Organic tofu is made from non-GMO condensed soy milk.
Store crispy baked tofu in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days. Reheat it, wrapped in foil in the oven. Unwrap the foil the last few minutes to crisp it.
Crispy tofu can be frozen for 3 months. Thaw it before reheating it. I've found that tossing it in a little cornstarch to absorb excess water helps it to crisp even more. Reheat it in the oven for about 15 minutes.
More Tofu Recipes
Do you have a question or recipe request or need a cooking tip? Leave a comment below or contact Denise. I’m here to help! If you want more healthy vegan recipes, please subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Facebook or Pinterest for the latest updates.
If you make this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It’s much appreciated!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Crispy Baked Tofu (Oil-Free)
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Ingredients
- 12 ounces tofu - 1 block, firm or extra firm
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Remove the block of tofu from the package and rinse. Press the tofu for 15-20 minutes using a tofu press. Alternatively, wrap the tofu in paper towels and place it between 2 flat surfaces. Weigh down the top surface with something heavy.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a baking mat.
- Once the tofu has been pressed, cut it into bite-sized pieces that are ¼ - ½ of an inch thick and add them to the bowl.
- Toss the tofu pieces with soy sauce, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Turn them several times to ensure they are covered. Let the sit for about 5 minutes.
- RIght before baking, toss the tofu with cornstarch. Turn the pieces several times so all sides are covered and the cornstarch is absorbed. Add the tofu to the baking tray, keeping the pieces separated.
- Place the tofu in a single layer, separated, on the baking sheet. Place the tray in the oven and bake the tofu for 15 minutes or until they start to brown. Flip each piece and bake another 5-10 minutes.
Notes
- If you add too much cornstarch, add a drop of lemon juice or soy sauce to absorb the excess.
- Sometimes, unabsorbed cornstarch will form on the outside of the baked pieces. They are harmless and do not impact the flavor. You can spray the tofu with a little water and allow it to bake for another minute. Flipping the pieces a few extra times will also help.
- If you want to add more flavor, marinate the tofu before tossing it with cornstarch.
- Add garlic or onion powder to the cornstarch or arrowroot for a quick flavor boost.
- You can use cornstarch or arrowroot as the coating. Arrowroot is a less processed product; however, it can sometimes leave a slippery surface when tofu is added to sauces or curries.
- Store crispy tofu in an airtight container for 5 days in the refrigerator. Wrap it in foil and reheat it in the oven. Open the foil for the last few minutes to crisp it.
- Freeze crispy tofu for 3 months. Thaw before reheating. Toss it with a little cornstarch to absorb excess moisture and make it even crispier.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
CJ
You have posted some great recipes on your website, but I can't see a link to print the Crispy Baked Tofu. Would you please add one? Without a link, it's 17 pages long. Thanks so much!
Denise
Hi, I've updated the recipe card. You are good to print now. 🙂 Thanks for noting that - it's much appreciated.
Jessica
You may want to adjust your oven temperatures - I know mine doesn't go up to 2000 degrees! 😀
Denise
I think we've got it now - thanks SO much for this note. This stuff drives me crazy sometimes and it's great having another set of eyes on it. 🙂
Pamela Alsop
I just started eating tofu.....& I love it. It is kinda bland so ty for the recipe's! I like it crunchy on the outside.....definitely needs a marinade....I chose soy sauce....but I'm open to suggestions!
Denise
Tofu really doesn't have a flavor, so it's the perfect palate for whatever you like. I just do a quick lemon juice and soy sauce (or salt) when I'm making crispy tofu that will have a sauce, but you can definitely marinate it. Try a little soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup and sriracha. Or rub it in BBQ sauce before adding cornstarch. That's super easy. I've got several recipes that include marinating. Let me know if you have any questions. 🙂
Carol
It worked very well. I served mine with sauteed spinach and homemade peanut sauce.
Denise Perrault
That sounds so yummy! Glad you enjoyed the crispy tofu - it has so many wonderful uses. 🙂