Quick & Easy Crispy Tofu (25 minutes!)

I made this today with paprika, chili powder and salt. It was good, and I’ll use this method again! One thing to remember – the smaller the cubes, the more surface area of seasoning there is. The smaller pieces definitely taste better. .5″ inch cubes maybe? Thanks for the recipe!

Delicious recipe that worked very well! I pressed my tofu for 30 minutes, as I usually do, but still had it in the oven for 15 minutes which was perfect. I added them to a vegetable soup which arguably cancels out the crispy-ness but it was so flavorful after using this recipe that it didn’t matter.

I have done it Dana’s way as above but I try to use my oven as little as possible so I find it’s easier slice the tofu block into eight rectangles (cut in half, cut pieces in half again, then again), press between two folded dish clothes. Then put a very very generous dollop of coconut oil in an already heated skillet. Place tofu rectangles in oil (test oil with wooden spoon or skewer to be sure it’s hot enough and make sure to have a splatter lid handy) until golden – only a couple of minutes. Flip and leave until the other side is golden. You may want to flip again depending on how chewy you like your tofu – I like mine chewy! Place on cooling rack until ready to use. When I am finishing up my pot of curry or pho or stir fry or whatever, just before serving I use my kitchen shears and cut the crispy fried coconutty tofu rectangles right into the bowl(s).

Hello, thanks for this recipe! I did indeed dry the tofu using the exact method described. I need to leave the tofu in the pan for 20 minutes and then we need to put it in the oven for 25 minutes and it still wasn’t crispy. I’m not sure what I did wrong. What are you recommend I do in the future so that it doesn’t take that long?

I did this recipe in two ways at the same time: once with the water pressed out of the tofu and once without. side by side, the difference was minimal.

I’m a notoriously awful cook (potato soup on the walls kind of disaster) and this was my first foray into cooking tofu. It was SO EASY and it came out perfectly! I bought extra firm tofu but it still crumbled a bit, but that didn’t seem to matter. I seasoned lightly with salt, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes to add to a quinoa bowl I was attempting. The tofu was perfectly crispy and I’m so pleased! Thank you so much for the clear directions! :)

This was a perfect and easy way to make crisp tofu. Thank you!

This worked SO well I actually don’t believe it. I did press it for a few hours, which likely could have helped as I usually do for ~ 30 mins. So crispy and delicious!

This combo really worked for me. Didn’t have extra firm tofu so used firm and just left the weight on about 30 mins longer. Also used a nonstick pan and resisted the temptation to shake the pan until I saw a “crust”. Many thanks 🙏🏽

I just squeezed the extra firm tofu between the backs of 2 plates for about 30 seconds, & seasoned the cubes with salt and curry to taste in a bowl. Sizzled in Avocado oil for 5 min. in an iron frypan then sprinkled with fresh cilantro, & baked the frypan for 15 min. just like she said. Really nice flavor, unlike unseasoned tofu yuk bland, not as crisp as I would have liked but LOOOOVED it thank you!

Very simple and very good! Thank you!

Made this but didn’t have a dish towel to wrap the tofu, so I placed it in medium-large bowl and put a large saucer directly on top of the tofu that was weighed down with a couple of heavy items for about an hour in the ‘frig. The tofu was well-drained; followed the rest of the directions and had delicious and crispy tofu cubes for a veggie stir-fry. Made in again, same as last time, but sprinkled a little corn starch on the cubes before baking them and got extra crispy tofu cubes! Thanks for inspiring me to make tofu more often!

Fantastic! Game changer for me! I followed the recipe and it was simple and exactly how I like it. I kept seasoning simple as I added it to a stir fry sauce, brown rice and broccoli. Fantastic! I have a kitchenette so I cook with an electric fry pan and toaster oven. A+ all the way around!

Amazing! Remember to wrap the tofu first. I added some lemon juice, cilantro, and cubed tomato at the end. Thank you so much for the recipe. I’m learning more vegetarian dishes and this is a keeper :).

First time baking tofu, followed the steps one by one and it came out delicious. Thank you for sharing your expertise!

Super good! Used dry bulgogi seasoning and it turned out great!

This was my first time making crispy tofu and it came out perfectly! All it needed was a little salt and pepper before browning. This is going to be a go-to going forward.

It was great!!! And I hate tofu this is bareable and tasty. I would cut them super thing next time for extra crispness.

This recipe converted my tofu-questioning boyfriend! Neither of us are vegetarian but I have been introducing him to a more plant-based/meatless diet. I don’t have a cast-iron skillet so the two times I’ve made this I put the tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet. It didn’t crisp up as much as I would’ve liked, but I was too impatient to wait longer, haha. I used curry powder the first time and chili powder the second, and both were yummy. Can’t wait to keep trying it out.

My most favourite way to prepare tofu! Everyone in our family loves it ?

Just made this tonight and it turned out so great – even our kids loved it!! It’s been years since I’ve made a tofu dish and have never had such yummy, crispy morsels. I pan fried for an additional 10 minutes and baked for an extra 5 as well (I don’t think I got enough of the moisture out during the first step). I seasoned the tofu with salt, garlic powder and roasted sesame & ginger flakes. After it was all done, I added it to brown rice & millet ramen, steamed veggies and topped with a bit of roasted sesame dressing. Delish!

Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. This was the first time that I’ve prepared a tofu dish, and everyone loved it, even my husband! I used tamari sauce to season after I took it out of the oven. It turned out perfectly.

Be warned: Do not season this with a sauce. Tried making this with general tsos bc I thought the spices part would work with a sauce and it made super mushy tofu. Lesson learned for next time

I have been searching for an easy, low fat was to make a crispy tofu – and THIS IS IT!

I made it tonight and added it to a Chinese stir fry with broccoli and peppers. I coated it in Chinese Five Spice and pan fried in toasted sesame oil. DELICIOUS and super easy. I only had firm (not extra-firm) tofu on hand and it worked fine, just had to be careful when coating it with the spice and I pan fried it about 12 minutes to get it crispy. Can’t wait to try this with other flavor profile. A big thank you, my search has ended!

Never actually cooked tofu before but my friend who moved out and cleared her fridge gave me a huge block of ‘Firm Tofu’. I was a little concerned about trying this recipe for a number of reasons (for example the tofu wasn’t labeled ‘extra firm’) but it turned out great! Though the times mentioned in this recipe (5 minutes pan, 15 mins oven) seemed a little short so I just cooked them longer and judged by sight to the point that the tofu cubes looked brown enough for me. Also on the last few minutes in the oven I sprinkled sesame seeds over them – definitely added a little something :).

I mixed my cubes into a green curry tonight and will incorporate the leftover cubes to try and make another maybe soy-based sauce tomorrow. Just wanted to say thanks for sharing! :)

Delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and used it in a stir-fry. My 11 year old hates tofu and he didn’t complain at all- success!

SO. EASY!!! I use firm tofu because I am also feeding this to my toddler who only has a few teeth so I try to keep things soft for her. Even with firm tofu, this recipe turns out PERFECT! Everyone in our house gobbles this up. Thanks so much!!

My 2nd time cooking crispy tofu. I couldn’t find the original recipe I used so I thought I would try this. I was very disappointed. I cooked it way longer and still not crispy. I used twice the seasoning and still bland.

Thanks so much for this very useful advice on crispy tofu. I’ve been trying, (experimenting) on my own with no success. From you I learned that squeezing out the tofu is key, and now I brown it in my cast iron with a little coconut oil, and pop it in the oven for the 15 minutes-perfect! I add to my stir fry veges, toss it all over fresh ramen, rice, or quinoa. I’ll try it with my lettuce wraps next-thanks again!

This is the most versatile recipe and I love it! We use Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel seasoning and my kids gobble these down for afterschool snacks!

So delicious! I tossed my pressed tofu in a tsp each of curry powder, nando’s garlic peri peri, and soy sauce. Added 1 tsp of olive oil to the cast iron skillet, heated it hot, and added the tofu. Only turned it once on the stove, then into the oven it went. And you were right, 15 minutes was perfect! So incredibly tasty. This is definitely going to be a new weeknight staple for me.

I followed the recipe. However, I got chewy instead of crispy. Suggestions?

SO quick, easy and delicious! I made a double batch for weekday quick meals and even for snacking.

Method of my dreams! I’m a vegetarian and tofu is one of my favorite plant based proteins. I’ve been trying every recipe I could find to replicate the crispy tofu from my favors local place. This recipe did just that. So simple and easy, too! I always freeze my tofu first because I feel like it gives better texture. I put the tofu in fridge night before to thaw and then followed your recipe from there. I seasons with s&p and a little garlic powder. This was perfect over steamed broccoli with a honey-ginger sauce drizzled on top.

I’m giving this recipe five stars even though I didn’t follow the recipe lol. Somehow in my cooking flurry I didn’t even put the tofu in the skillet before baking, but it still turned out golden and crispy. So I can only imagine how much tastier it is when it toasts for five min in an oil in the skillet…
I think I’ve learned from this experience that pressing the tofu beforehand is pretty important for getting it to toast up and be crispy!
Thank you for your recipes :)

Great recipe! Simple, fast, infinitely changeable (I used Chinese Five Spice) and not messy. I used a very hot wok, and dry fried (I don’t cook with oil) which worked very well—and quickly. Final dish was black pepper tofu with Bok Choy.

I am a new tofu-er…tofu-ee…new to tofu-ing? Hmmm. This is my first time trying tofu. I didn’t have my cast iron skillet handy so I just put a baking pan in the oven to preheat while I used a regular skillet. I placed the paper towel wrapped tofu in a pie plate and placed another pie plate on top with a cookbook in it to press out the liquid. Needless to say, I smushed it and ended up with cubes and crumbles. I tossed it with salt and pepper, Italian seasoning and fresh garlic. I followed your steps and now I am a tofu lover! I think the crumbles were my favorite part. Thanks for making it so. Easy!

Fantastic recipe. Have made so many variations on this theme I would not dare attempt to count! Thank you!

Great recipe. I’ve found that freezing and then thawing the tofu prior to using it somehow gives it a better texture. I discovered this on accident but now swear by it. Thanks!!

Perfect thank you! First time cooking tofu but it came out much better than I expected, texture and taste spot on…

Turned out great! I used a heavy cast iron skillet and kept it on the towel-wrapped tofu for about 15 minutes. I cut the tofu into small cubes, fried in avocado oil for about five minutes (some definitely stuck to the pan), then transferred to the oven. I put it on a baking sheet and baked it at 400 for about 25 minutes then bumped it up to 425 for about five additional minutes. I kept checking to see if it was drying out and crisping up. Turned out great with this modifications.

Amazing recipe followed to a T and came out exactly like a restaurant.. Even better

Whoa!! This was my very first time making tofu anything and I am beyond impressed with the results. I tried a tofu meal for the first time a few weeks ago and have noticed various textures and definitely prefer a firm, crispy exterior texture and minimal moisture on the inside (certainly not completely dried out, lol). Anyway, this turned out perfect. I made general tso tofu with peppers, onions, and brown rice. My flavor came from the sauce, so I only added salt to the tofu after the initial baking step. I’ll definitly be making this again. By chance, the package I bought was an organic “extra firm” variety at Trader Joe’s. Thanks so much for posting this. I followed the recipe exactly and I’m beyond pleased with the results. XO.

This method is perfect! I’ve tried countless different methods to get my tofu just perfect and this is it! Thank you :)

I was really scared to make Tofu. Me and my family recently went plant based. Saw this recipe and gave it a try and we LOVED it. It tasted just like the one we get from a local place here in Utah. I’ve already made it twice this way and my boyfriend made me double the recipe this second time because he loves it so much. Even my 13 year old loves it.

Thanks so much!!

This recipe is really great. It took a lot time for me to figure out how to make tofu crispy. I really like how it is a healthy, crispy version of tofu too. Most crispy tofu is deep fried, so it is really nice to see you figured out a way to make it healthier. Thank you so much! Btw many of your other recipes are really delicious! Thanks for sharing them. You are really good at what you do.

This is perfect and crispy. I used to use the frozen method but not only do you have to plan better, like the night or day before, the final product lacks a freshness , most likely do to the freezing and as with all foods, fresh is always better. So this marks the spot. I get rave reviews when I serve it this way. Thank you, Dana. Your recipes are absolutely delicious and simple. Genius!!!

Thank you so much! I have been looking for a way to make crispy tofu for so long and here it is, perfect recipe :) thank you!

Fantastic. I made my own spice mix (curry, turmeric, and garam masala) and I used garlic salt instead of sea salt. The great part about doing this on the stove first is that the spices all get cooked and the aroma is amazing. I used this to go in a curry broth with peppers, onions, carrots, and rice noodles. It added a great texture. This will be my go-to crispy tofu recipe for the future.

I have tried and failed at making tofu so many times, but since I’ve had great results with a number of your recipes, I thought I’d give it one last go. Boy, am I glad I did! This recipe is getting pinned to my favorites board!

Tofu turned out crispy, firm and delicious. I’m excited to try it with other seasonings and in different dishes. Hopefully you’ll post more recipes featuring this ingredient.

Thank you!

See above comment.

I made this recipe with my own adjustments of course. I used toasted sesame oil, nutritional yeast, soy sauce and red chili flakes. This is the tastiest tofu recipe I have ever made and is just the right crispy outside and soft inside! I love it, thank you!

Love this. Works every time.

I’m newly vegan without stopping in vegetarian land so I had never cooked or eaten tofu. Tried your recipe tonight and WOW!! So crispy and delicious! Thank you, this will definitely become a staple!

This was delish! The first time ever that I cooked it well. Will be doing again for sure.

Extra-firm tofu is sometimes hard to find in my usual grocery stores. Took a chance and used firm tofu. Placed it for an hour in my TofuXpress, then proceeded with recipe as written. Tofu turned out very crispy! Making the Almond Butter Tofu Stirfry with it tonight!

My sister and I used this for the first time in the Cashew Soba Noodle Salad (from the cookbook) because we were unable to get edamame. It was fabulous! The first time either of us have LIKED tofu!

My never-fail reference guide to making perfectly textured tofu. Crisping up in a cast-iron skillet before transferring to the oven – I went with 425F, personally – proves magical. Thank you!

I made this recipe using sriracha for a stir fry, and it is by far the best tofu I’ve ever eaten at home. Even my husband ate it; he usually complains about the texture, but not this time! Thanks for an easy solution to mushy tofu.

I loved the idea of sautéing AND baking the tofu! I ended up having to do both for a lot longer than the time recommended, but when the tofu was finally crispy, it was wonderful! I had this with broccoli and rice, topped with stir fry sauce and green onions. My whole family loved it.

I made these using tamari and served with stir fried veggies. Thank you for sharing as they were delicious. I will definately make them again and try other seasonings too.

Tried this tonight and it worked a treat. Thanks!

Holy Cow…er…Tofu!!
I’m a very new vegetarian and I found myself desperately craving steak. I heard tofu could have the same texture and decided to give it a whirl. I found you recipe and instantly thought about using carne asada seasoning as if I was making a steak and I was blown away. It’s delicious!! Just enough of a crunch that it feels meaty without the guilt and tastes way better. Thank you for sharing this. I am now a tofu fan for life!

This has become my absolute favorite way to cook tofu! It turns out so crispy and delicious, and it’s extremely versatile. Thank you for this!

Wow!! A nearly guilt-free way to enjoy Korean Tofu that I haven’t made much because it is usually deep-fried – and much less hassle! Still has a touch of oil absorbed which is part of the flavor of the dish.
So simple! Thank you!

I love tofu and order it whenever I see it on a menu. I made your tofu recipe and it was fantastic. Thank you for sharing all of your healthy and delicious ideas.

Hi Dana!

1. I love you.

2. Do you have a tsukemono press? I used to work in a Japanese restaurant and the head sushi chef used it to make tsukemono (Japanese pickles). It is also SPLENDID for tofu. I toss a block in before work and when I get home I slice and cook it and my tofu gets extra super crispy. Combined with your method it is the best thing ever!

I make mine like this, but I use a seasoning that is advertised as salmon seasoning. It’s really delicious!

I have trouble EVER getting tofu crispy. I tried this recipe two weeks ago, but it was spongy as any “crispy” recipes I try. I gave it another shot tonight using the tofu drying method described in Angela Liddon’s book, Oh She Glows Every Day. You cut the drained tofu into planks before pressing instead of pressing the block whole. I let it sit for probably an hour (overkill, maybe, but I wanted crispy!) – it worked GREAT! If yours isn’t crisping, there’s probably still to much water in the tofu.

I was avoiding tofu for very long time. But recently I decided to give it a go. Then I googled some recipes and you came up. I tried this and now eat tofu every night! My favourite is tamarind, ginger and garlic sauce with maple syrup and little sugar… OK, excuse me, I must go and cook!

Its really amazing!!!! So Good in taste who does not like raw tofu try this tofu recipe.Easy to make and No so much ingredients are used.Everyone can try to make it. I loved its taste.

This came out really great. I cut my tofu much smaller than you did and my tofu got a little drier than I intended, but threw it into a sauce and it was amazing! I might make another seasoned batch and dry it a little more than I did this time for snack (like crunchy baked chickpeas with tofu instead) because I found myself munching on the smaller pieces. Really loved this method and it let me get the pan ready for your green coconut curry and the tofu was finished close to the same time as the sauce.

Just made it!! The crisp is there but it doesn’t tast much of the curry and smoked paprika I’ve put in for seasoning, any idea why???

thank you for this! this truly is a <30 min cripsy tofu dish. i used my cast iron grill pan on my tofu pieces, they came out great. i made a wet seasoning and the 15 mins you recommended wasn't enough, i left them in for approx 20 mins at 400F. all in all, still under 30 mins :)

As a tofu veteran I was pleasantly surprised to learn a new method. Ingenious! Tasty too! Thanks :)