Homemade Baked Tofu Recipes

HOW TO MAKE CRISPY BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• 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.

BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• Slice your block of tofu into 2 or 3 even slabs (depending on the shape of your tofu block, each slab should be about 3/4 to 1-inch thick). Lay some paper towels or a clean tea towel on a flat surface, and place the slabs side by side on top of the paper towels. Cover with another layer of paper towels. Then place a cutting board on top of the tofu, and stack a bunch of heavy cans or pots or whatever you can safely balance on the cutting board. The idea is to put a lot of pressure/weight on the tofu, which will help the excess water to press out into the paper towels. Let the tofu drain for at least 15-30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 400°F.
• Once the tofu has drained, remove the weights and paper towels. And use a knife to cut the tofu into your desired shapes. I typically just make little cubes (about 3/4-inch each), but you can cut any size of triangles, rectangles, or other shapes that you'd like.
• Add your tofu to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle evenly with cornstarch, salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Gently toss until the tofu is evenly coated.
• Turn the tofu out onto a parchment-covered baking sheet, and arrange it so that the tofu is in an even layer (not touching).
• Bake for 15 minutes. Then remove the baking sheet from the oven, and flip each of the tofu bites so that they can cook evenly on the other side. Return to the oven for 15-20 more minutes, or until the tofu reaches your desired level of crispiness. Remove baking sheet from the oven.
• And enjoy!

BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a large baking sheet.
• Gently press tofu pieces to release as much water as possible. Arrange tofu on the prepared baking sheet.
• Whisk soy sauce, agave nectar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger together in a bowl until marinade is evenly combined. Brush half of the marinade over tofu pieces.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Flip tofu and brush remaining marinade over tofu. Sprinkle sesame seeds over tofu. Continue baking until tofu is crisp, about 30 minutes more. Transfer tofu to a wire rack using a spatula; cool.

SPICY BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• Lay the tofu on a plate lined with a couple sheets of paper towel. Layer more paper towel atop tofu and place another plate atop the stack to press water from the tofu. Let sit at least 5 minutes.
• Cut tofu into 1/2-inch strips and put into a large, sealable plastic bag; add soy sauce, chili sauce, ginger, and hoisin sauce. Squeeze bag to remove excess air and seal. Marinate tofu in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Remove tofu from the marinade, shake to remove excess moisture, and arrange onto the prepared baking sheet. Discard the remaining marinade.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, flip, and continue baking until firm, 15 to 20 minutes more.

BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• Press tofu for 20 minutes. Slice into 1/4-inch-thick slabs and transfer to a large bowl.
• Whisk together tamari and oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle dressing over tofu and marinate 20 minutes, tossing occasionally.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange tofu on an oiled baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Flip and bake 30 minutes more. Let cool.

HOMEMADE BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• Drain the tofu and cut into 8 slabs crosswise. Blot well between paper towels or clean kitchen towels (or use a tofu press). Cut each slab into strips.
• Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Arrange the tofu slices in a single layer in a shallow container or baking dish and pour enough marinade over them to cover. Let stand for an hour or two-the longer the better.
• Shortly before you'd like to bake the tofu, preheat the oven to 400°F. If this is the only thing you're making, use a toaster oven-it's the perfect size. Remove the tofu slices from the marinade and transfer to a parchment-lined baking pan in a single layer. If you're using the full-size oven, roast some veggies at the same time (I like to use the excess marinade to roast eggplant or green beans).
• Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the strips and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until the tofu is firm and starting to turn light brown along the edges.
• Variations:
• Add 1 teaspoon liquid smoke (or more to taste) to the marinade for a subtle smoky flavor.
• Instead of baking, cook these tofu slices on a grill. About 5 minutes per side should do-make sure there are nice grill marks on each side.

ALL-PURPOSE BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• Cut tofu lengthwise through center; slice crosswise at six 1/2-inch intervals (so you end up with 12 squares).
• Arrange tofu in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels. Top with more paper towels and another baking sheet; weigh down with canned goods. Press 10 to 30 minutes (more time will yield crispier edges).
• Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, stir together oil, tamari, and paprika. Add tofu; toss with a spatula to evenly coat all sides (it's okay if it breaks up a little-that will make crispy bits).
• Sprinkle cornstarch over tofu and toss until evenly coated. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake, flipping halfway through, until crisp and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or let cool completely and refrigerate in an air-tight container up to 5 days.

CRISPY BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Blot tofu dry. Cut into 3/4-in. cubes. Place on a clean kitchen towel; cover with another towel. Place a cutting board on top; gently place a large cast iron skillet on top. Let stand 10 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, whisk together soy sauce, olive oil, sesame oil, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Place cornstarch in a separate shallow dish. Add tofu to soy mixture; turn to coat. Add tofu, a few pieces at a time, to the cornstarch; toss to coat. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until cubes are golden brown and crispy, 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through. Garnish with green onions, if desired.

BAKED CURRY TOFU

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, mix together the ketchup, butter, maple syrup, curry powder, garlic powder and onion powder. Add the tofu and gently toss to combine, taking care not to break up the pieces, and season with salt and pepper.
• Arrange the tofu on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the tofu is nicely browned and crispy and the sauce has caramelized, about 30 minutes. Serve over brown rice with steamed broccoli and fresh cubed mango.