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If you’re a tofu fan, you may have noticed an unfortunate dichotomy: Those golden, crispy-on-the-outside, just-squidgy-enough-on-the-inside pieces you get in a bowl, stir-fry, or sandwich from a restaurant always hit the spot. But when you try to recreate those dishes at home, you’re left with soft, soggy squares—unless you plan on turning your kitchen into a deep fryer.
That was the dilemma faced by chef Jenny Rosenstrach, author of The Weekday Vegetarians and creator of the blog Dinner: A Love Story, when she started cooking tofu at home and was getting only so-so results. Sure, she’d get a great outcome when she covered tofu with cornstarch and fried it in oil, but that turned into a lengthy (and messy) process that wasn’t exactly conducive to easy weeknight dinners.
So when she decided to get serious about incorporating more meatless meals into her family’s diet, she knew it was time to find an easy, go-to prep method that tasted great and was easy enough to throw together after work.
And after some experimentation, she found the solution: Roasting.
By roasting the tofu—and incorporating a few important prebake steps—Rosenstrach found that it’s possible to get DIY crispy, delicious tofu at home without an entire vat of hot oil. Here, she shares what she’s learned so you can do the same.
Step 1: Get the right kind of tofu.
You’re looking for firm or extra firm tofu, nothing else. Both firm and extra firm tofu contain less moisture than soft or silken tofu, so it’ll hold its shape when you slice it and take on a satisfying crust when you bake it.
“I use firm because I like to have a little bit squish to get that contrast between crispy outside and tender inside,” Rosenstrach tells SELF. But if you want the tofu to be a little denser (almost closer to meat), go for extra firm. Try Wildwood Organic Firm or Extra Firm Tofu ($4, Instacart).
Step 2: Press the tofu.
Firm or extra firm tofu already have less liquid than their soft or silken counterparts. But you’ll up the crisp factor by pressing out even more of the moisture. This can be pretty quick. “Pressing for 30 minutes is best, but 10 minutes is good,” Rosenstrach says.
Slice the block of tofu into thirds horizontally, place the thirds on a paper towel-lined plate, and layer another paper towel on top. Top the paper towel with something heavy and flat, like a skillet or sauté pan filled with a few cans of beans. (It might flatten the tofu a little, but that’s okay.) The weight will press excess water out of the tofu, and the paper towels will sop it up.
Step 3: Toss the tofu with a few crispifying ingredients.
After the three slices of tofu have been pressed, cut the slices into cubes. Aim for roughly 1-inch pieces, but you don’t have to be super precise about it. Transfer the cubes to a bowl. Then add 3 tablespoons of olive or canola oil, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the bowl. Toss the tofu with the other ingredients gently (use a spatula or your hands) so all of the pieces are well coated.
The combo of the oil combined with the cornstarch is what helps the tofu get that crisp, crackly outer coating without having to deep-fry it, Rosenstrach explains. The soy sauce adds a little bit of flavor, but it’s mostly there to give the tofu a nice golden color.
You can definitely experiment with adding other spices—garlic powder, ground ginger, or turmeric—at this step for more flavor. “Sometimes I’ll do smoked paprika or cayenne,” says Rosenstrach. But steer clear of adding any other liquid ingredients (like honey or sriracha) at this point, because they’ll just make the tofu soggy.
Step 4: Bake the tofu until crispy.
Transfer the tofu to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet, spreading out the pieces evenly so they’re not on top of each other (which would make them steam instead of crisp up).
“You have to use parchment, or it’ll 100% guaranteed stick,” Rosenstrach says.
Then pop the tofu into a 425 degree oven and bake for 12 to 20 minutes, until the cubes are golden and crisp.
Step 5: Eat!
Now your beautiful golden tofu cubes are ready for anything. Throw them into salads, add them to veggie and grain bowls, or pile them over rice.
For a flavor boost, toss the hot cubes with a sauce—doing this after they’re baked and crisp won’t make them sog up. “Sometimes I’ll do a chili glaze that’s honey, sriracha, and butter that you simmer on the stovetop for a few minutes,” Rosenstrach says. Some other simple and quick ideas:
- Tofu fajitas: Toss the tofu cubes and sautéed bell peppers with jarred enchilada sauce and tuck into tortillas.
- Tofu parm: Toss the tofu cubes with marinara sauce, place in a baking dish, and top with shredded mozzarella or vegan cheese. Bake until bubbly and eat with spaghetti.
- Tofu tahini bowls: Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, warm water, and pinch of salt to taste to make a drizzle-able sauce. Drizzle over bowls with tofu, cooked quinoa or brown rice, and roasted veggies.
Now all that’s left to do is devour the deliciousness. Seriously, you might be shocked by your ability to make tofu that good for that little work.
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