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.
DO NOT USE PARCHMENT OR WAX PAPER. I repeat- DO NOT USE PARCHMENT OR WAX PAPER for this recipe. My whole batch stuck to the darn paper. I’ll stick to my old fashioned way of making baked tofu.
I’m sorry you hear you had a poor experience! That’s very strange. Did you coat them evenly and flip the tofu half way?
Love this recipe! My husband does not like tofu at all, but I try to sneak it into stir fry and other dishes when I can. He refers to it as (pardon the language), “that tofu s#@t.” Well, I made a batch using this recipe and used it in a fresh stir fry and soba noodle dish and my husband LOVED it! And with full transparency he knew that he was eating tofu and asked me to make it again! That’s something for him to say that he liked it and would eat it again. Thanks for making it easier for me to introduce more meatless meals to our week.
I love that!! Hooray. Thank you for sharing, Charlotte.
Love this recipe and make it all the time with no alterations! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Tanna!
Did you mean wax paper? Because I used parchment and it became irreparably stuck. Not crumbly stuck like to metal, but totally fused with the paper as to become inedible and impossible to avoid paper bits. Certainly was crispy though.
Parchment paper. Did you bake the tofu too long? Did it get evenly coated?
This was amazing! I have never eaten tofu before, and what a great introduction! Thanx for sharing a very tasty recipe! This will be my “go to”! (I used the arrowroot, and added the tofu to the your ‘Thai red curry’ recipe. Delish! it wasn’t slimy either!)
You’re welcome! I’m excited it’s going to be a go-to. Thank you for the review, Michaela!
This has become a mainstay in my granddaughter’s diet!!!!
A fabulous way to get in the protein she needs in a way that she likes!
Thanks so much for sharing.
You’re welcome, Wendy! Thank you for your review.
I love this recipe !! I’ve been stir frying tofu for decades but this tastes so much better. Thank you for sharing this!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you love it, Liz.
On to the Baked tofu! Just a twist in my prep after cutting tofu. While traditionally the tofu goes into a bowl to toss, and pieces break, my pan with the parchment paper was ready so I put the tofu there. Drisselled the oil an tamari and picked parchment up to hold moisture and moved around to coat. No broken pieces. Finished with cornstarch and ready for oven.
Thank you for sharing, Ruthie!
Hiya
I made this but it was not crispy. I used Marinaga brand extra firm tofu but it wasnt in the refrigerated section. This brand really fell apart more than other brands I’ve used in the past.
I am definitely going to try again with a different brand!
Could I use a stainless steel baking pan to make these with instead of a large, rimmed baking sheet?
I think so!
Actually, I ended up frying the tofu cubes and it was delicious!!
for some reason the print button doesn’t work on this page?
Hi Simon, that is strange and I’m sorry for the trouble! It is working for me.
I’ve looked at this recipe/technique a few times and decided to go for it today when I realized I had a brick of tofu to use up. One word: crispyyummyperfection! I tossed the tofu chunks in grapeseed oil and a spicy vegan “butter” sauce. Topped with curry ketchup when cooked. DIVINE! The cornstarch is the unfair advantage for crispiness. I’m trying NOT to eat it all before hubs gets home. Haha
I’m glad you went for it, Roni! Thanks for your review.
Did the Bake Tofu for the first time.My first time eating tofu I enjoyed. very tastey.I started eating by my blood type A+.Thanks
I’m happy you loved it!
Hello Kate,
Thank you so much for this recipe! Delicious! I followed your instructions and this was very,very easy to prepare. I used Nasoya extra firm tofu, (we don’t have a Trader Joe’s) and my tofu did not stick to the parchment paper. Yikes I ate the whole container!
I’m happy you loved it, Tami! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for this recipe! It is perfect. I added a little ground chili pepper to make it spicy, and baked it for a bit longer than 30 minutes. It was amazing, very crunchy and tasty.
You’re welcome! Thanks for your review.
What’s the oven temperature?
See step 1. It’s 400 degrees. :)
I made this tonight to go with a green veggie curry but mine turned out chewy.. nice and browned and seemed crispy on the outside but then very chewy and not that pleasant, any tips where I might have gone wrong?
I’m sorry you didn’t love it! I wonder if you didn’t get enough water out. Did you follow the towel and press directions?
Thank you for this great recipe and video. I’ve been trying to get my family to eat a bit healthier. We’ve cut back on things like red meat and processed chicken, and have been trying new foods. (Like tofu !) This dish was a huge hit ! My kids call this “tofu nuggets”. Even got husband to try some. Thanks again. Stay awesome..
You’re welcome! I like ‘tofu nuggets.’ That’s so cute!
Lovely recipe, delicious! Cooked it right in my cast iron skillet and it worked out fine. You mention you have trouble with it sticking, perhaps you need to re-season your skillet? And for goodness sake don’t use soap to clean it up! (Southerner here and we swear by our cast iron for everything!)
Thanks for sharing, Missy!
I want to try to make your recipe but I was wondering if I should use a different sauce (instead of tamari/soy) if I want to serve with an Italian dish. I would greatly appreciate your recommendation. Should I use pesto, marinara, etc?
Do you think that this would still work if you seasoned the starch? I want to make tacos with crispy tofu but want to put a little taco seasoning on the tofu.
I don’t see why not! Let me know how it goes, Tiffany.
Can you use anything other than cornstarch or arrowroot? Like almond flour, maybe?
Unfortunately, you need the starch to get these to crisp up. Flour doesn’t react the same here.
Love this! Followed all of the directions except I did fry it. I used avocado oil for high heat. Turned out perfectly!
Thanks for sharing, Taunya!
Didn’t care for the Crispy Baked Tofu at all. Followed the instructions but it was flavorless, dry, and had a rubbery texture.
I’m sorry you didn’t love it. Thank you for your feedback, Diane.
Making this for the second time. My husband LOVED it! Being vegan/vegetarian we appreciate new ways to use tofu. Putting it in a green bean stir fry with a teriyaki type sauce I’ve used for salmon before we went meatless. Should be fabulous!
I’m glad you have already come back to this one, Wendy!
I’ve been searching for an easy tofu recipe that my kids will love. I haven’t made this yet, but intend on trying it soon. How does this keep in the fridge? Will my kids still gobble it up cold if I pack it in their lunch box? I need healthy lunch options for them! Thanks!
You can pack it for lunch! It is best right away to keep it crispy, but the overall flavor is still great the next day.
Always love crispy tofu, love your version too.
Thank you, Sophie!
I’ve been making this recipe for about a year now. I usually make it 2-3 times a month and put the tofu in almost everything.
I’ve found that using arrowroot starch, tamari sauce, and toasted sesame seed oil are a god mix. I have been adding a bit of chili oil lately to give the tofu a kick. Also, Trader Joe’s super firm tofu is the best for this because it has so much water drained already.
I highly recommend. Thank you!!
Thanks for sharing, Hannah!
Made this tonight for the first time and OMG! It is ridiculously good! I couldn’t stop snacking on it while I fixed the rest of my dinner, and hubby loved it, too (double win!). Thank you!
You’re welcome, Tabetha!
I love this recipe! Have made it a bunch of times and it always comes out great. Even though it’s a few steps and takes some care, the result is amazing! We usually just eat it all the two of us…it’s just too good :)
I love that! Thanks, Katherine.
I’m using your recipe to use with a pesto (basil, garlic, oil, lemon juice/rind, Romano/Parm mix) in a Quiona base with steamed veggies (mushrooms, broccoli & cauliflower, very spicy hot pepper). The tofu is baking as we speak.
I might have been too ambitious with all those ingredients, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Let you know.
Peter Stanley
Heh Kate, finally finished it. It came out delicious. I was looking for really crunchy tofu so I baked it a little longer than I should have and the tofu came out like croutons. I hope I didn’t bake out all their nutrition. The ensamble came out wonderful. Thanks for the great suggestion.
Peter
How did it turn out for you, Peter?
I have made this several times and it is now my “go to” recipe for baked tofu. My husband swears that it tastes like chicken.
Thank you!
You’re welcome, Patty!
I couldn’t stop eating this tofu! I put it in everything for 2 days. I will be making a batch every week. Came out perfect, especially with the 30 minutes of pressing.
Wonderful to hear, Hailey! Thanks for your review.
I screwed this up by forgetting to add the cornstarch until I had already baked the cubes 15 minutes. I know, I know, how could someone possibly miss a major ingredient in a recipe? Full disclosure: I was drinking wine. I yanked those cubes out of the oven, poured on a little more tamari, and doused them in cornstarch. They turned out surprisingly well, although a few of them (the small ones) were a little chewy. I went on to make tofu parmesan which actually turned out better than any I had made in the past. Kate’s right about crisping the tofu BEFORE adding sauces.
Thanks for your honest review, Kim! I’m glad you were able to make it work out for you. :)
Thanks for sharing your recipe! I mixed the crispy tofu with Lao Gan Ma spicy chili and they were a hit!
PS Used potato starch instead as I had no cornstarch. Works too!
Thank you for sharing, Monica!
Oooh just made it. Actually, just eating it. My husband took me out to lunch and I got an enormous vegan salad (read vegetable, but it was tasty).
We got the leftovers in a takeout box.
I decided they would be good with your crispy tofu.
I used a block of tofoo and experimented adding a scant teaspoon of peanut butter to the coating.
It is delicious. Totally crispy and my dog is sitting next to me dribbling and mooching. Will have to try it on my husband who swears there is no nice way to cook tofu. Pity he’s on a back shift tonight.
Thank you.
Thank you for sharing, Christine!
Kate, you will forever hold a special place in my heart! I love tofu, especially crispy tofu. This is perfect! I did make the slices a bit thin and ended up with some broken bits, but great googly moogly, these came out perfect!
You’re so sweet! I’m glad you love this recipe!
Mine were chewy/gummy, not “crispy”… but why?!
How long did you leave it in the oven?
Hi Kate, I love your recipes! I am not much of a cook (or so I thought) but discovering your website, I have taken so much pleasure in cooking and following your recipes, so thank you.
For baking tofu, I used this method twice and both time had the same issue of tofu sticking to the wax paper, even after greasing it. Do you use a special type of lining paper or tofu?
You don’t want to use wax paper, rather parchment paper. I hope this helps. Check this page for the one I use: https://capital-fly.pro/healthy-kitchen-essentials/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Very good. Nice and crispy!
Thank you for your review, Mary!
I love this recipe! I have made it many times and use it any time I want to include tofu (although it is hard not to eat the cubes right out ot the oven). I have seen recipes that describe baked tofu as bland and boring but I will never go back to frying tofu after this.
I’m excited you love it, Katherine!
Please note, one block of tofu cooked this way only yields a half a serving for the dish you plan to add this to! You will find that you’ve eaten a half a block off the sizzling hot baking pan before the tofu has even cooled. Yeah, it’s THAT good! Not exactly a sharing kinda dish for me! :)
Hi Elaine, did you slice it as the recipe stated? It should give you more than one serving. But if you want more, you can always do another block! :) Thanks for your feedback.
LOL! I think you missed the point. I was indicating the recipe was so good, I ate half of the tofu before it made it to another dish. Your response is priceless though! Millennial math rules!
Ah, sorry about that Elaine! I’m happy you loved it :)
I really enjoyed this. I added a bit of nutritional yeast to my recipe. I nibbled on it plain but so good in a recipe as well. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome, Steph.
This was the best tofu I have made yet! Added a little stir fry sauce at the end for a boost of flavor. Delicious and crispy!
Wonderful, Rebecca! Thank you for your review.
Bake at what temperature, it doesn’t say.
See step 1, Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the tofu from sticking.
Should I just cook it longer if I accidentally forgot to put the corn starch on it to make it crispier? I’ve made it before and it was damn yummy I’m very sad and I forgot the corn starch this time. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
I’m not sure if that will work, sorry! How did it turn out?
Any idea how long this will last in the fridge if you make a humongous batch? I mean I just used a whole block of tofu and I’ve almost eaten it all already. Trying to cut down on the sodium and far per the doctor’s orders and if I could do three blocks of tofu at a time that would be great I didn’t have to worry about it going off. Dr said less stress too.
It should keep well in the fridge covered for a few days, 3-4.
So crispy, Just they way we wanted it!!
Hooray! Thanks for your review, Meg.
Kate! I experimented with my air fryer, as my oven never achieved the best results. 12mins @180C/ 360F, shake half way, and voila… totally crispy on the outside, deliciously fluffy on the inside, tofu :-)
I made this again. This time without drinking wine (well, I did have just one big glass) or forgetting the cornstarch. Perfect winner! Nearly everyone I know says they hate tofu. (I guess I just know stupid people.) They’re wrong. These little tofu nibblets are wonderful. I followed your recipe EXACTLY. ….Pressing the tofu for 30+ minutes I think made a difference.
Thank you for your comment and review!