How to Make Crispy Baked Tofu
Learn the tricks to making amazing crispy tofu, without a ton of oil! This tofu is a fantastic addition to Asian dishes and recipes that need extra protein.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
Let’s talk about tofu! Even as a vegetarian, I don’t eat a ton of it. When I do, however, I want it crispy, and crispy tofu is an elusive beast. I’ve shared this method here and here, but I’ve gotten such fantastic feedback that I wanted to highlight it.
Even tofu skeptics love this tofu. Try it, and you will see!
Tips for Irresistibly Crispy Tofu
1) Choose the right kind of tofu.
Extra-firm tofu is the only way to go, and I’ve found that the Trader Joe’s brand is the most firm of them all (plus, it’s only two dollars). It’s organic, too, which is important when you’re buying tofu because soy is conventionally treated with fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides. Look for tofu in the refrigerated section by the produce.
2) Squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
Water-logged tofu never gets super crispy. The key here is to slice the tofu into pieces before pressing it. Have you ever tried pressing a whole block, or even two halves? They just sit in soggy puddles. Slice them into smaller pieces to maximize the surface area. Press those, and you’ll extract more moisture—faster, too.
3) Toss your tofu in oil, soy sauce and starch.
Now, you just need to toss your tofu in a little oil (just 1 tablespoon for the full batch), tamari or soy sauce (for some flavor) and cornstarch or arrowroot starch. The starch makes the edges extra crispy and irresistible (I got this idea from The Kitchn).
Cornstarch vs. arrowroot: You might be wondering which starch is better. Cornstarch is a more processed ingredient, but it yields the crispiest results. Arrowroot is less processed and works well, but the outer covering can turn a little slippery and strange if you’re adding the tofu to a dish containing a lot of moisture (like curry).
4) Bake it.
Spread your prepared tofu in an even layer across a sheet pan. Don’t worry if your tofu fell apart a bit as you tossed it. Bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Boom! Perfect tofu.
Why Bake Your Tofu?
Some people swear by cooking their tofu in a skillet, but it never turns out well in my cast iron skillets. It sticks, and the crispy bits end up sticking to the pan, which is a tofu tragedy. Plus, it requires more oil, and you don’t need to use a lot of oil to get crispy tofu.
When you bake your tofu, you give it time to develop crispy edges and warm, pillowy insides. It’s simply the best.
Uses for Crispy Baked Tofu
If you want to infuse your tofu with more flavor, I recommend adding sauce after it’s baked, rather than marinating it. Why? Water-logged tofu isn’t actually very good at absorbing flavor (something that I always suspected, which was confirmed by Deborah Madison, via Serious Eats).
So, bake your tofu in the oven to crispy perfection, then cook it in sauce, or drizzle sauce on top. This tofu is perfect for tossing into any recipe with Asian flavors, or any recipe that could benefit from some hearty vegetarian protein. It would be great in my Thai red curry or green curry.
You could replace the eggs in my kale and coconut fried rice and Thai pineapple fried rice with this tofu. It is amazing with peanut sauce drizzled on top, in any form. (Fun fact: my crispy tofu and peanut sauce collide in my cookbook!)
Please let me know how your tofu turns out in the comments! I want to hear how you put it to use.
Watch How to Make Crispy Baked Tofu
How to Make Crispy Baked Tofu
Here is how to make super crispy tofu in the oven. Recipe yields 4 servings of tofu, as a complement to a larger meal.
Ingredients
- 1 block (12 to 15 ounces) organic extra-firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tamari* or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the tofu from sticking.
- To prepare the tofu: Drain the tofu and use your palms to gently squeeze out some of the water. Slice the tofu into thirds lengthwise so you have 3 even slabs. Stack the slabs on top of each other and slice through them lengthwise to make 3 even columns, then slice across to make 5 even rows (see photos).
- Line a cutting board with a lint-free tea towel or paper towels, then arrange the tofu in an even layer on the towel(s). Fold the towel(s) over the cubed tofu, then place something heavy on top (like another cutting board, topped with a cast iron pan or large cans of tomatoes) to help the tofu drain. Let the tofu rest for at least 10 minutes (preferably more like 30 minutes, if you have the time).
- Transfer the pressed tofu to a medium mixing bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and tamari. Toss to combine. Sprinkle the starch over the tofu, and toss the tofu until the starch is evenly coated, so there are no powdery spots remaining.
- Tip the bowl of tofu over onto your prepared baking sheet and arrange the tofu in an even layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing the tofu halfway, until the tofu is deeply golden on the edges. Use as desired.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my roasted Brussels sprouts and crispy baked tofu with honey-sesame glaze.
*Make it gluten free: This dish is gluten free as long as you use gluten-free tamari, which is a variety of soy sauce that is usually (but not always, check the label) gluten free. I always use tamari instead of soy sauce because I prefer the flavor of it! Look for tamari next to the soy sauce in the Asian aisle of the grocery store.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I made this and added it to some Spicy Peanut Thai Noodles and it was awesome. I love the crispiness of the tofu!
Thanks for the recipe!
I add a teaspoon of 5 spice powder, curry powder, Japanese 7 Spice Blend (Shichimi Togarashi) or other *dry spices* to the cornstarch. It effectively helps boost the tofu flavor without adding liquid. Don’t overdo the spices as they can burn in the oven.
My husband and I ate tofu tonight for the first time ever. I followed the recipe exactly except I added a little smoked paprika and Sriracha sauce. It was delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Great recipe, thank you! This was my first time making baked tofu instead of skillet, and it went very well. I just needed to add some more oil to my pan at the halfway point to make sure it didn’t stick in the oven, and it turned out great! Perfectly crispy :) :)
I love this! Good crispy – baked – tofu is hard to find, and the fact I can make this myself is great. I make with steamed broccoli & lemon, and basmati rice with parsley, shallots, white wine & Parmesan. Serve with soy sauce and sambal oelek for an extra kick. And white wine, of course. Delicious!
Sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Kate. Another winner from your site! I replaced my long-standing method for oven tofu and tried yours exactly as written. Very easy and lots of praise. Delicious straight off the sheet pan, which is no mean feat with tofu. :). Keep up the great work.
I’m glad you loved it, Jen! Thank you for your review.
Has anyone tried cooking this in an air fryer? If so, what temp and for how long?
My daughter has but for me the problem with an air fryer is the limited amount you v
Can do at one time. I think she said 375 check after 10 minutes but may need more.
I cook a whole block at once in the Air fryer for 10 minutes at 400 F. I add to a lot of my Asian recipes or on my veg charcuterie board. love this stuff! I could honestly eat the whole thing myself!
I have used the method in the recipe for a while but started doing it in the air fryer last year! I can do a whole block of tofu in my air fryer. I cook at 400 for ~10-12 minutes (shaking a couple of times while cooking). It’s my go-to way to make tofu now.
“Bake” at what temp??
Hi, see the first step.
You omitted the oven temperature for baking the tofu. I can’t find the temp. in step 1. Need to repeat it as you do other things.
Hi Betsy, See step 1.
Step 1, 400°F
Thank you! Not seeing this in step 1
“Preheat the oven to 400 degrees” are you blind?
Omg, Kate! This is absolutely delicious. I usually add some sriracha and garlic powder and I use sesame oil instead of olive oil. I have a really hard time not eating the entire pan by myself! Thank you so much for the recipe. It’s a frequent snack/side dish at our house!
oh, wish I’d thought of sesame oil. I’ll do that next time
Any chance you would know how to convert this to an air fryer recipe?
I don’t, sorry! I really recommend this recipe. If you try it, let me know!
I followed the directions exactly, except used a gas convection oven and decreased the bake time by 10 min. AMAZING!
Thank You! I Didn’t know this is also the way you can prepare your tofu. I am making Tofu (vegan) in cashew curry sauce.
I tried this method last night and was amazed! I broke off pieces of tofu instead of cubing to increase the surface area for my buffalo sauce to adhere to. My son, who historically does not like tofu, was asking for more. I will definitely be making it again soon…probably tonight!
This is SO good. I ate it with a dip made of Greek yogurt and curry powder, garlic, cayenne, salt. I can see it as an appetizer with cute little toothpicks.
Hi, can I press the tofu longer than 30 minutes? I used to press the whole block 12 hours or overnight but I never pressed just the pieces before.
Hi Jasmine, I appreciate your comment. I haven’t tired that, so I can’t say for sure.
I have made this many times now, and it really works. Thank you Kate.
Making it again to go with your sesame noodles for a party tomorrow.
That’s great, Jaishree! Thank you for your review.
Kate
This is recipe sounds delicious. Wondering if you can freeze the tofu once cooking.
Thanks,
Mary
Very, VERY tasty! And I didn’t have to freeze the tofu! :) So glad it can be baked instead of fried. I will use this in a LOT of recipes! I think I’ll try sesame oil next time!
Great to hear, Callie! I appreciate your review.
Soooo good. My new favorite served with quinoa/jasmine rice mixture. Tofu baked on non stick aluminum foil. Didn’t think the small amount of cornstarch was enough, but I followed the directions and I got crispy deliciousness. I might have eaten the whole block.
Made this tonight. AMAZING! My teen boys devoured it.
That’s great! Thank you for your review.
This is so good thank you! Always hated tofu but thought I’d give this recipe a try. I’m converted!
I was skeptical halfway through baking that the tofu would turn out crispy, but it did! I used 2 tbsp of cornstarch because I was skeptical about that too, but next time I will try just 1 :) I’m glad I now have an easy method to bake tofu — I was getting frustrated with the amount of oil I needed to pan-fry and get them perfectly crispy
I started making this with 1T of cornstarch and went up to 2. Crispier! I add salt and pepper, next time I’ll try sesame oil and garlic powder. Great recipe!
First time I made this recipe. Instead of using cornstarch I tossed the tofu in seasoned egg. I will serve the tofu with a mix of jalapeño ranch dressing, sweet chilli sauce, and hoisin sauce.
Thanks from Vancouver BC Canada
Thank you for sharing, Ruth!
Great Recipe. Love your real food . I also love dogs. Turning mine into a stir fry with vegetables I just picked, snow pea pods, green and yellow beans, garlic , onion and a little celeriac.
not crunchy on the outside nor creamy in the center
Hi Lurline, I’m sorry you didn’t love it. Did you get enough moisture pressed out of it?
This was simple and DELICIOUS! Thank you
I’m glad you loved it, Fatema! Thank you for your review.
Have had better tofu made in the oven. Followed recipe but tofu had no flavor at all and was rubbery. Would not recommend this recip.
Hi Lynne, I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe. Did you get all the water out and add the soy sauce?
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have acid reflux side effects from medication so I can’t enjoy fries at the moment. I used an 1/8th oil to about 1/5 of a block of tofu and it was perfect for making them crispy while not triggering my symptoms. I think I’ll try marinating the tofu in soy sauce before coating to get a more permeated flavor. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
oh, wish I’d thought of sesame oil. I’ll do that next time
Great recipe!! After cooking can it be frozen so I can make a big batch and freeze it?
Hi! I don’t know if it will still remain crispy. Let me know if you try it!
Has anyone used tapioca starch for the coating? It’s what I’ve got in the house. I’ll try it tomorrow. I avoid corn due to food sensitivity.
I made this once, loved it, tore the tofu to give it more crispy bits. Would like to try this a a substitute for paneer, think I could add spice like cumin, coriander and garam masala to the cornstarch to good effect?
I read your method years ago, and tried it again over the weekend – but forgot to press the tofu first! Critical step, I know, but it turned out okay, just okay. I’m making more today (using another 1/3 of the tofu block, just for me), and pressing it as I speak, er, write. I’m going to use Ponzu sauce, which is a citrus infused soy sauce, but I also want to try Speidie sauce sometime.
I love crispy tofu! 1/3 of a block of tofu is the perfect amount for one, and although I don’t make tofu often, crispy tofu is a great treat!
This was the best tofu recipe I have ever tried. I will never make it in a skillet again. I added a tbsp of curry powder to the cornstarch before mixing and used slightly less tamari to keep the Na content lower. I served it with thai noodles, a multitude of vegetables and peanut sauce drizzled over the top. It came out perfect. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome, Cecilia!
Kate, we loved the recipe and gave it to our son who is vegan. He says it is the best way to prep tofu for his meals that he has found!
That’s great, Robert! I’m glad he enjoys this recipe.
Great process for cooking tofu. It needs more flavor though. Next time I will add more tamari and some dry spices. I served the tofu over Trader Joe’s Stir Fry Cauliflower Rice. Added some broccoli and leeks as well. Delish! Easy!!
Thank you, Judy!
My daughter is a vegetarian and I could never find a way to make tofu that she liked. This recipe is a game changer! I make it at least once a week and she devours it every time!
OMG I love this so much! I made it for healthy midnight snacks…I’m going to have to make a triple batch tomorrow!
I’m happy you loved it, Brenda! I appreciate your review.
I don’t have corn starch. Could I use four abs I’ll pick it up next time. Thank you
Added this to some sautéed broccoli & made a satay sauce with peanut butter, siracha, soy sauce, and a little honey. Great recipe!
Thank you for sharing, Zada! That sounds delicious.
Absolutely delicious!! I have been making tofu for most of my adult life and this by far is THE BEST recipe. (When I fried it in cast iron before, It was always so disappointing to see the best part stuck to the pan!) I made kung PAo tofu tonight and it was outrageously good. Thank you for another great recipe!
I’m glad this is just what you needed, Sally! No more stuck tofu. I appreciate your review!
Hi Kate, this sounds so good. I cannot find the nutritional information. Do you have that? Thank you so much!
Heidi
Hi Heidi, It is below the notes section of the recipe. You need to click to expand. I can take a moment to load, depending on browser speed.
I used “sweet soy sauce for rice” and it was delicious. Also anybody know a good way to reheat it and get it crisp again? I’m thinking I just need to drop it into a frying pan.
Loved this recipe and will make again and again. So versatile. Thank you!!
You’re welcome, Heidi!
So I’m pressing my tofu now. I’m a bit confused…are you saying you can bake it with NOTHING on it then add marinade once cooked for more flavor? Thank you!
Hi Susan, you want to add the ingredients in the list and then bake. Does that make sense?
Great recipe! I prefer this over skillet tofu. It has a nice crunch. I will definitely be making this again.
Hi…I’ve been trying to learn veg cooking and came across your blog. I love your recipes. I’m just starting…I’ve done very little cooking. Anyway…the videos are very helpful for me being a visual learner. I’m noticing that the videos are interrupted by an add but then it switches to a whole new video. I’m only able to see part of the video. I’m wondering if there is something I can do to watch the whole thing. Thanks so much. I’m sure I’ll have more questions as I go along. Thanks for all you do.
Diane
Hi Diane, I’m sorry that is what you are experiencing. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I will look into it. I do know some of my videos are shorter. You can always head to my YouTube channel to see the videos too!
This is only my second time making tofu. The first recipe was skillet fried tofu stuffed with cheese with a seasoned breadcrumb coating. It was good but hard to do since the tofu kept breaking apart. I did this recipe (including draining/squeezing the tofu) minus 1/2 Tbsp of oil and added some 5 spice powder. I baked it on a dark pan w/ parchment paper and turned it after 25 min because only one side appeared crisp and maybe baked it 10 more min. It was very bland which I didn’t mind so much as I put it in stir-fry and my Mongolian sauce coated it. The texture was just weird though. It wasn’t really crispy. It had the texture of a tough piece of dried out beef. Maybe I baked it too long. Or maybe leaving off the 1/2 Tbsp of oil made it dry out. I think I’m going to try marinated tofu next time. I may give this one more shot but not really a winner for me.
Hi Susan, reducing the oil likely impacted your results. Sorry it wasn’t great for you!
Mine stuck in my baking pan, even after oiling it. Should I be using Parchment paper? Thanks!
Hi, Yes. You want to use parchment paper per instructions.
I had this as a “chicken wrap” with ranch and spinach on a tortilla, it was so good! It was crispy and really easy to make, thank you for the recipe :)
Hi Elizabeth, Please see step 1. 400 degrees.
Such a great and foolproof way to make crispy tofu. I threw them in the oven and completely forgot about them until my timer rang. I put a timer on initially for 15 minutes, flipped them, and put them in for another 10. Would definitely recommend as either a main course (like chicken nuggets) or part of a bigger meal.
I’m glad you loved it, KC! I appreciate your review.