Extra-Crispy Baked Tofu Recipe

The perfect tofu texture varies depending on the person and how you're serving the soy product. Silken tofu is a winner if it's in a spicy soup, but a crispy consistency makes it extra toothsome when paired with crunchy vegetables and steamed rice. Daily Meal recipe developer Deniz Vergara created this crispy baked tofu recipe that has a delicious seasoning shining through in every bite. 

Vergara says, "I typically don't like the squishy texture of tofu, but i really liked how this recipe created drier and crispy tofu." A crispy exterior is common if you're frying tofu, but the process introduces plenty of oil and typically results in said squishy texture. Meanwhile, grilling tofu is not recommended, as it tends to crumble into pieces. Lightly marinating tofu and dusting it with cornstarch and baking powder before baking it in the oven yields optimal results. "I like to serve this tofu with fried rice, but white rice and stir-fried veggies would be a nice combination, as well," Vergara shares. It also makes an excellent snack to pop in your mouth one cube at a time.

For this recipe, you'll need a block of extra-firm tofu (drained), minced garlic cloves, minced ginger, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar (measure it packed), sea salt, cornstarch, baking powder, and avocado oil. To garnish the dish, use thinly sliced scallion and sesame seeds.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and place a cooling rack on top.

On a cutting board, sandwich the tofu between doubled layers of paper towels and press down slowly to remove liquid without cracking the block.

Place something heavy on top and allow it to sit for 30 minutes.

Remove the paper towels and cut the tofu in half lengthwise, and then cut each half into 16 pieces so that you have 32 equal pieces.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together garlic, ginger, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, and brown sugar until smooth.

Set aside half of this mixture and reserve for glazing later.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Add the tofu to half of the marinade, toss gently to coat, and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.

Drain the excess marinade off of the tofu and place the tofu on the prepared cooling rack.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sea salt, cornstarch, and baking powder.

Sprinkle the cornstarch mixture over the tofu and gently toss to coat evenly.

Drizzle the avocado oil over the tofu and toss to coat each piece.

Bake for 35 minutes, until golden and crispy.

To serve, brush the tofu with the reserved marinade mixture and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.

The tofu marinade features a multitude of ingredients, including chili garlic sauce to really pack in a punch. The tasty hot sauce is a staple in many Chinese dishes, and it ties all of the components of the marinade together with a bold flavor. The Huy Fong Foods brand produces the classic version, but you can also make it from scratch with its namesake ingredients and a few additional components, such as sugar, salt, and vinegar.

That said, if you don't have chili garlic sauce on hand and aren't in the mood to start making it, Vergara recommends subbing in sriracha, also sold by Huy Fong Foods. Considering that the primary ingredients are chili, garlic, sugar, salt, and vinegar, it's a pretty good compromise. Vergara also points out that "the texture is similar to sriracha and so is the flavor, so don't stress if you can't find the chili garlic sauce!"

Vergara emphasizes that firm or extra-firm tofu should be used in this recipe, noting, "Anything softer will probably crumble and fall apart." While that is desirable in something like a tofu scramble, it won't produce crispy cubes of tofu. A few other steps and ingredients help guarantee the consistency is perfectly crispy. Vergara notes that the combination of baking powder and cornstarch work together for the best results, saying, "Cornstarch alone will gel when it comes in contact with the moisture of the tofu — yuck! Baking powder, however, reacts with heat in the oven and creates tiny bubbles that will crisp up the crust."

Another step that really keeps the cubes crispy and steers clear of any mushiness is to press the tofu first to drain the water. That said, Vergara adds, "if you like [the softer texture], then you can skip the pressing and simply pat [the tofu] with paper towels." Although she finds it mushy, some people are fond of the spongy contrast to the crispy shell. You might want to try both ways.