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    Home » Recipes

    Crispy Fried Tofu

    Published: Dec 9, 2022 by Jomelyn · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    You won't believe how easy it is to make a Crispy Fried Tofu that is crunchy and delicious in every bite. This pan-fried tofu is great as a side dish or to add to almost any dish you can imagine.

    Crispy fried tofu on a white plate.

    If you are looking for a versatile recipe for tofu that can be used in many dishes, this perfect pan-fried tofu is the way to go. Using just a few simple ingredients and a skillet or air fryer, that white brick of tofu quickly transforms into perfectly crispy and crunchy tofu nuggets.

    You Will Love This

    • great source of protein for vegetarian, plant-based, and vegan folks.
    • affordable and accessible to all grocery stores.
    • simple, easy, and tasty tofu recipe.
    • If you love meatless recipes, be sure to check out my vegan tofu dumplings, vegan udon noodles stir-fry, vegan japchae, and vegan mushroom soup.

    How to make Crispy Pan Fried Tofu

    Preparing the tofu. Cut a slit in the tofu package and drain all the liquid out. Slice tofu into cubes. Lay each cube on a chopping board and stack another heavy board or anything that heavy such as a cast iron skillet, on top of the tofu and drain as much excess water. Use a paper towel or clean cloth to wipe the excess liquid. You can leave it until you are ready to do the next step.

    Tofu cubes coated in cornstarch mixture.

    Seasoning the tofu. On a plate, combine cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well until well blended. Coat all the tofu cubes using the cornstarch mixture, making sure all the sides are coated well.

    Pan-fried tofu into a skillet.

    Pan-frying. In a skillet, heat about one inch of cooking oil over medium heat. Make sure the cooking oil is hot enough but not too hot. Frying each side and leaving undisturbed for about 3 minutes to ensure it will not stick to the pan. Fry all sides of tofu until golden brown.

    Fried tofu in a cooling wire rack.

    Take them out and transfer them into a cooling wire rack to drain excess oil. Proceed to the next batch of tofu to fry.

    Helpful Tips

    • Draining as much excess water is one of the keys to making the best crispy tofu. There are 2 ways you can drain it. You can drain it while it is still a block, or you can slice them into cubes first, then lay it on a chopping board and lay a heavy cast iron skillet on top.
    • Adding cornstarch will give an extra crunchy texture to the tofu.
    • Heat the cooking oil before start frying the tofu to get that nice golden brown and crispy tofu. Also, a hot skillet gives the tofu a better chance to ‘not stick’ when trying to flip it to cook evenly.
    • Don't overcrowd your skillet. Fry the tofu in batches to avoid sticking together and leave it undisturbed to get that crispy coating on.
    • When cooking the tofu in a few batches, remove the first batch and transfer it to a wire rack to cool down. Placing it on a plate will steam the side faced down, and you will lose some of the crispiness!
    Crispy fried tofu on a white plate.

    Crispy Fried Tofu Recipe

    Jomelyn Mauermann
    You won't believe how easy it is to make a Crispy Fried Tofu that is crunchy and delicious in every bite. This pan-fried tofu is great as a side dish or to add to almost any dish you can imagine.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, Asian
    Servings 4 servings

    Equipment

    1 skillet

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 block extra-firm tofu slice in cubes
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ⅛ teaspoo onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon fine salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ½ cup cornstarch
    • ½ cup cooking oil for frying

    Instructions
     

    • Slice tofu into cubes. Lay each cube on a board and another heavy board on top of the tofu and drain as much excess water. Use a paper towel or clean cloth to wipe the excess liquid.
    • On a plate, combine cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix well until well blended.
    • Coat tofu cubes using the cornstarch mixture, making sure all the sides are coated well.
    • In a skillet, heat about one inch of cooking oil over medium heat. Fry all sides of tofu until golden brown.
    • Take them out and transfer them into a cooling wire rack to drain excess oil. Proceed to the next batch of frying to tofus.
    Keyword crispy air fried tofu
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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