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.
The technique of cubing the tofu BEFORE pressing it is the star of this show. I never had satisfactory results until I tried it your way. I sandwiched the cubes between a pair of two-thirds size sheet pans with towels under and over the tofu. Now I feel confident that I can turn out crispy baked tofu on demand for any recipe. Thanks!
Delicious, the best!
I’ve ever been able to get a good tofu result by frying, so like you, I’ve been baking/roasting my tofu for years. A couple notes:
1. If Trader Joe’s is in your area, their ‘High Protein’ tofu has 14g protein, compared to 8-9g for most others and it’s reasonably priced.
2. When I buy tofu, I throw it in the freezer when I get home. The next morning it gets moved to the fridge where it takes ~4 days to thaw out. The freezing breaks down the cell walls, so the water squeezes out & drains much better, resulting in a chewier, meatier texture… almost like chicken breast.
3. To make it more organic-looking, you can cut/tear tofu into chunks, e.g., start a shallow cut, then tear it apart for rough edges that hold more marinade. But it’s easier to cut into 8 ‘cutlet’ slabs (cut in half, cut those in half, then half again. 2 cutlets fit on sandwich bread just fine.
I definitely marinade before baking, using teriyaki/soy sauce, veg gravy, or even prepared sauce pouches with Mexican or Indian flavors. Two pounds of tofu firs perfectly on ½ sheet roasting sheet pan. Freeze half for later. Also like to open the oven door every 10-15 minutes to release/vent some of the steam out of the oven.
All of these are wonderful ideas! I’ve made “froze and squoze” tofu a lot over the years, and I find that the texture is really similar to chicken when you do it this way. And tearing it makes it fit into a rustic dish well. I love your idea to open the oven door every 10-15 minutes to release/vent some of the steam out of the oven–I’m going to try that next time I make it!
I just replied to your comment and somehow the recipe rating defaulted to 3 stars. Couldn’t fix it–it should have been 5 stars!
My family absolutely loves this with vermicelli bowls. I sub the olive oil for sesame oil to give it extra flavour. Thanks Kate!!
You’re welcome, Karley!
Omg, how did I cook before Cookie & Kate?
This recipe is perfection. My tofu comes out perfect every time and works for so many recipes, when I’m not just straight up popping it into my mouth. It’s easy to get in the groove of prepping and baking it, too. Thank you!!
I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes, Miriam!
I made this last night. It looked nothing like the picture but it was crispy. It was the oil and cornstarch gunk that threw me off because we eat with our eyes before we eat with our mouths. I had to scrape off the gunk and then use in a pho soup. I read another user’s comment that the oil isn’t necessary so maybe I’ll try that next time.
I’m sorry to hear that, Kishana.
Made this today following directions exactly. Turned out excellent. Served with a sweeter, hoisin based sauce and the kids (and adults) LOVED IT! 5lbs wouldn’t have been enough! Highly recommend.
The oil on the tofu isn’t enough to prevent sticking on the sheet.Next time I’ll spray the sheet or use parchment,
I’ve tried tons of baked tofu recipes and they all leave me disappointed…but not this one. It crisped beautifully and had a nice flavor (I added it to a stir fry.) Thank you so much!!!
You’re welcome, Karen! I appreciate your review.
Enjoyed the easy tofu bake. Will be using it again
I am never frying tofu again, this was perfect!
Great to hear, Sam!
My new go-to for crispy tofu. Using it in a red tofu curry tonight! Thank you Kate.
That’s great to hear, Kate!
I’m trying this method and the tofu fell apart before it got into the oven so definitely not the fault of the method here. Question: would it be better to freeze the tofu first?
Oh no! Did you use extra firm? That can make a big difference.
Made this and we love it! I have tried for a long time to get the right texture and this is it! Thank You.
Do you think it could be frozen aster baking it?
You’re welcome, Karen! I don’t think you will have the same results. Sorry!
This was so so good! My husband was pleading for crispy tofu like he had at a restaurant recently. Tofu is new to me so when I saw you had a recipe for it, I knew I couldn’t go wrong! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Tracy!
Can you freeze a batch of baked tofu for later use?
I don’t think it will hold-up the same.
Very good recipe, I use it for all tofu recipes! Agree with commenters regarding freezing and using a tofu press.
100% firm tofu is definitely not the only way to go.
Your experience with this diverse product seems limited.
I would encourage the use of all varieties (though silken is often problematic). Firm does not often marry with Asian recipes.
Press semi firm tofu so it is drier but NOT hard. Much nicer than firm.
I’ve used this several times in various recipes, most recently as a substitute for chicken in a cashew chicken recipe. LOVE IT!!! I always forget to slice it before pressing it, but it still works fine. Next time, I’m going to try it with torn tofu instead of cubed.
Our family loves this recipe. We use an air fryer and it cooks up perfectly in about 10 minutes – no flipping required.
Quick and easy – few ingredients (pantry stuff). Really good. Decided to try an experiment. After reading the comments, made 2 batches: 1 as written and one subbing nutritional yeast for the cornstarch. Yeast was ok but not as crispy as cornstarch (just fyi.) Will give the sriracha a shot next time. Thanks!
Ok. Well, we just baked tofu using this recipe, and it’s AMAZING! I was thinking, “how can I make tofu palatable” and what I got was tofu that is crave worthy. My husband just suggested we make this again tomorrow. I’m inclined to agree with him. (We mixed it in with pasta, mushrooms, and onions. So good!! So so good)
I’m happy you enjoyed it, Kelley!
I just made the crispy tofu. I find this a more palatable way to prepare tofu. I sautéed fresh asparagus & white onion in garlic and olive oil, stirred in the toasted tofu and put it over white rice. Then, smothered it in a Ginger-Lemon sauce and topped it with sesame seeds. Wonderful! Wish I could post a picture!
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it, Erin! Thank you for your review.
I love this recipe. I tend to eat it as a snack. could use a slightly longer bake time, but I have burnt it that way
Made this recipe today for first time. Delicious! Totally transforms my idea of how to incorporate tofu into my new vegan recipes. Didn’t need to flip half-way. Baked in convection oven for 25 min. with silicone tray liner. No sticking.
Hooray! That’s great to hear, Mary.
Thank you, this worked very well-I used avocado oil instead of olive oil. It worked great!
My family loves this recipe! It is in weekly rotation. I add ginger with the cornstarch. Thanks!
Awesome in the air fryer!
Does the crispy tofu keep well? Can i meal prep this or will it get super soggy
I find it is best right away, but is still good leftover. It will loose some of the crispy texture.
Great recipe! I’ve been using it almost every week for while. I never really cooked tofu before, and I use it almost every week now. I use just a little bit more cornstarch and don’t bother to flip the tofu. Also converted my boyfriend to eating it. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Jen!
Finally, an easy and clean alternative to frying. This is an excellent recipe. I followed the instructions exactly. And the result: perfectly crisp and well-seasoned tofu, ready to toss in a salad or add to a stir fry. I’ll never make my tofu any other way! Five stars.
Great to hear, Rochelle!
Our family has been wanting to eat more vegetarian meals, and I kept trying different tofu recipes, without success, until this one. Kathryne, you are a great teacher, and our whole family loves this tofu with your peanut sauce, veggies, and basmati rice.
I’m so happy to hear you have been having success with my recipes. I appreciate your review, Barbara!
Very easy & tasty recipe. I use cooled baked tofu to top my lunchtime salads. I like to use 1 T. olive oil and about 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil to give it a bit more flavor. Stays well in the fridge for about a week.
Simple, easy and always comes out perfect! This is my go to recipe to have some tofu ready to add to whatever dish sounds good.
Thank you.
P.S. I always trust a dog lover!
I love this easy recipe and so does my family. I have to make a double batch because we all snack on the savory tofu squares before mealtime.
I have used this recipe a few times now, this is how you eat tofu at my house!
I’ve always used a skillet..but this method is much better! Thanks!
You’re welcome, Brain!
Tried this today, and it was delightful. I might try the oil-free method, though I have some chili-garlic sesame oil that could be delicious!
Thank you. I always wondered how restaurants made crispy tofu. This was my first try.The recipe was easy to follow. I didn’t have tamari so I used soy sauce. It was delicious. Perfect appetizer.
I’m going to make thai panang curry next.
I’ll let you know how it turns out.
I hope it turned out well! Thank you for your review, Donna.
Great description and simple!
Great to hear, Lusia!
Can this be made the night before and taken to work? For a potluck type food day?
This is best same day, but others haven enjoyed it leftover.
Thanks for this Kate! I’ve always wanted a crispy tofu and this is perfect!
Great to hear, Pam! Thank you for your review.
Really lousy recipe. Love tofu but won’t be trying this recipe again. still on the lookout for an edible baked recipe.
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love this, Kat. I appreciate your review.
The best recipe for crispy tofu!! Works perfectly every time. I’ve tried others before and none were half as good as this one. Love it, thanks for sharing!!
Made these for the first time — super easy and great with stir fry.
Wonderful to hear, Nadia!
One of my kids turned vegetarian so I was looking for ways to cook new things. This tofu recipe was a lifesaver. I cook it like this however cut in long spears. Then after it is cooked I put buffalo sauce on it. Then I roll some flour tortillas into cones (bake a little to get crunchy and hold together got this part from a friend). Then make buffalo tofu cones and put in spears of veggies such as cucumbers, colored peppers, bok choy, carrots, whatever you like/have around that is crunchy. Then drizzle with blue cheese or ranch dressing.
Thank you
I made this last night and the tofu was crispy. I had frozen it first. I had some with your red curry recipe. It was excellent. I saved about 1/2 the tofu. Today I put a small amount of oil on the pieces and heated them in an air fryer. They were very good. The tiny bits were so good that I plan to make more of them for toppings on other recipes. I will be making your crispy baked tofu again.
This has become my go-to recipe for baked tofu. It’s incredibly simple and tasty, and perfect for every day, to mix into a bowl or salad.
Made this today. The BEST baked tofu I ever made.