Recipe of the Month: Crispy Tofu

From GRP skier Adam Martin

This recipe produces light, slightly chewy tofu with a crave-worthy taste. It’s far better than the weird, unpleasant flavors and soggy consistency that I used to associate with this plant based protein product. I think the transformation comes from two umami rich ingredients, Bragg’s liquid aminos and nutritional yeast, and the process of freezing the tofu ahead of time. The whole recipe takes about 15 minutes and can be ready to eat in 45 minutes to an hour.

The basic recipe is drawn from Caitlin Shoemaker’s tofu blog.

Yields 2 Servings

Ingredients

1 lb Firm Tofu
2 T Nutritional Yeast
1 T Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

Optional Mexican Seasoning
1 t Chipotle Powder
Zest of 1 Lime

Optional Curry Seasoning
½ t Curry Powder
½ t Turmeric
½ t Ground Ginger

In place of Bragg’s liquid aminos, you could try coconut aminos, tamari, or soy sauce.

Instructions

1. At least 24 hours before cooking, drain excess liquid from the tofu, cut into 1 inch thick slabs, and place in the freezer.
Ideally, this is done right away after purchasing the tofu.

2. 8 hours before cooking, remove the tofu from the freezer to thaw.

3. Preheat the oven to 450 ℉.

4. Over a sink, gently press each tofu slab between your hands. The tofu should feel spongy, lots of liquid will come out, and the tofu should not feel like it's breaking apart.

5. Dice the tofu into small cubes.
Any size will work, but since I enjoy the crispy exteriors, I usually dice them fairly small.

6. Gently toss the tofu cubes in a bowl with the nutritional yeast, liquid aminos, and optional seasonings.

7. Optionally, spread a very thin layer of olive oil on a baking sheet.

8. Spread the prepared tofu cubes on the baking sheet, and place in the oven.

9. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes depending on the cube size and how crispy you want the end result. Turn the tofu over with a spatula once or twice during the bake.
The tofu has a tendency to stick until it’s turned over once. For the first turn, use a metal spatula and firmly press it into the bottom of the baking sheet. This will break the tofu cleanly away from the pan, and they will remain loose.

Serving Suggestions

Try this tofu with brown rice or quinoa; roasted vegetables like broccoli, carrots, or sweet potatoes; and tahini dressing or a coconut milk based curry sauce.

Previous Blogs in this Series

Chickpea Cookie Dough
Homemade Corn Tortillas
Banana Ice Cream
Home-Ground Almond Butter
Date Caramel
Naan
Black Bean Date Brownies
Sweet Potato & Red Lentil Curry
Instant Pot Baked Beans
Chia Seed Cookies from the COC Kitchen
Pizza Crust
Kim Backus' Rich Beet Mousse