To be honest, I used to think tofu was kind of gross. It always seemed to be mushy and flavorless, but that was until I learned how to properly make it!
This crispy baked tofu is so delicious, is easy to make, and can be used in a very wide variety of dishes.
This first step is absolutely essential! All tofu contains a ton of water. If you want your tofu to be crunchy and delicious, as much water as possible needs to be removed before proceeding.
- Remove tofu from container and discard excess water. Put 2 or 3 sheets of paper towels on a plate (clean kitchen towels work too) and place tofu on top. Cover tofu with more paper towels, then place a pot or skillet to rest on top. The point here is to use the weight of the pan to drain the water into the paper towels (but don’t make it so heavy that you crush the tofu). Leave it like this for at least 20 minutes.
- Cut tofu into (roughly) 1 inch cubes.
- Dry rub the tofu. This step will provide not only the crunch that you want, but also a great deal of flavor. Put a tablespoon of cornstarch (any kind of flour will work too), salt/pepper, and then add a tablespoon of your favorite dried herbs or spices to the bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Use your favorite spices, it will really work with anything. Add tofu pieces to bowl and gently toss until completely coated.
- Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20-30 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through cooking. Remove when tofu looks lightly browned and crispy.
And you’re done! These are fabulous as the protein in literally any dish. Give it a try and let me know what you think!