Since we began focusing on (mostly) plant-based meals at home, we have come to really enjoy tofu. It’s a wonderful protein source, inexpensive, and good for you.
And while there are several ways to prepare tofu, baking is one of our favorites. We’ve found that baking yields a consistently crisp exterior and soft interior, making it a great addition to soups, stews, noodle dishes, and grain bowls.
Tofu Textures
Tofu comes in different textures, but the varieties you’re most likely to find at the grocery store are silken, extra firm, and super firm. There are several more in between, typically carried at specialty markets. For baking, we like extra firm varieties the best.
About Pressing
To bake, just drain your tofu block and press it to remove some of the water. Tofu holds A LOT of water, so the pressing step is important.
You can invest in a tofu press, or you can cut your tofu block and place the slices between two kitchen towels or paper towels. (We usually start with a 14 oz. block and cut it lengthwise into three or four slices.) Then place a baking sheet on top of the towel-covered slabs and set a heavy object – like a cast iron skillet – on top of it.
Let the tofu sit under the press for about 20 minutes. The longer you press it, the more water you remove.
How much water you remove can be a matter of personal preference. For baking, we find that 20 minutes is about right. You don’t need to go crazy with the water removal, but you do want to remove enough so it’s not sopping wet.
After pressing, cut the tofu into cubes. We usually cut each slice into 10-12 cubes. What you’re going for are bite-sized pieces, so feel free to make them bigger or smaller as you like.
Tofu Prep
Place the tofu cubes in a medium sized bowl and, for the basic recipe below, add some olive oil, soy sauce or tamari, and sriracha. Gently toss to coat all of the tofu, then sprinkle some cornstarch over everything and give it another gentle toss. The cornstarch will give the tofu a crispy coating.
Spread the tofu cubes onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pop it into a 400°F oven and bake it for 20-25 minutes. Smaller cubes will take less time and larger ones will take a little longer.
They’re done when they golden brown and crispy on the outside.
Then add them to your favorite dish, or even enjoy them as a low fat, protein packed appetizer for dipping.
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Easy Baked Tofu
Ingredients
- 14 oz. block of extra firm tofu
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
- ½ tsp. sriracha
- pinch red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tbsp. corn starch
Instructions
- Drain the tofu and slice it into three slabs. Press the slabs to reduce the water content in the tofu (see Notes below).
- While the tofu is being pressed, preheat your oven to 400℉ and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cut the pressed tofu into cubes (we usually get 10-12 cubes from each slab). Place the cubes in a medium-sized bowl and add the olive oil, soy sauce, sriracha, and red pepper flakes, if using. Toss gently to coat.
- Sprinkle the cubes evenly with the cornstarch and gently toss again to coat.
- Spread the cubes out onto the parchment lined baking sheet and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or till crispy and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and serve hot, or add to your favorite soup, stew, or side dish.
Notes
- Tofu contains a lot of water, so it needs to be pressed before baking. There are two options for doing this: using a tofu press or using a baking sheet and a weight.Â
- You can find tofu presses on Amazon and read some reviews here. If you choose this option, just follow the manufacturer’s instructions for pressing.
- For the baking sheet option, cut your tofu into three slabs and place them on a kitchen towel-lined baking sheet (you can use paper towels in place of the cloth towels, if needed). We usually fold the towel in half so there are two layers underneath. Cover the tofu with another kitchen towel (also folded over) and place a second rimmed baking sheet on top of it. Then put a weight, like a cast iron skillet, on top of the second baking sheet. This acts as the press.Â