Enjoy delicious crispy pan fried tofu that has plenty of flavors! Easy to make, no longer pressing, and messing with the tofu. All are made in one pan, 25 minutes, and is gluten-free and vegan friendly.
Jump To
Ingredients For Fried Tofu
- Tofu - extra firm or just firm tofu is what we need here. This will vastly help with things getting crispy as we like it! Soft tofu and silky tofu will just not work in this recipe.
- Sesame oil toasted - normal sesame oil in the bottle has some smell to it but not so much flavor. It is best to toast it for a couple of minutes to open up the flavors.
- Cornstarch - I have used this so far but possibly potato starch could work here as well.
The full recipe and ingredients can be found in the recipe card below this post.
How To Make Pan Fried Tofu
To prepare the tofu, first drain it and then press it between two kitchen towels or thick paper towels to remove excess liquid.
Alternatively, place the tofu on a flat surface, cover it with a cutting board, and gently press to squeeze out the water.
For a more convenient option, consider using a tofu press if available. Don't worry if the tofu crumbles slightly, especially if it's firm tofu rather than extra firm.
While pressing is recommended for crispy results, even removing some water will suffice.
Cut the tofu into thick cubes about 2-3 inches, and toss in cornstarch until fully covered.
Mix all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside.
Heat up a large skillet (nonstick!) over medium-high heat with enough oil to fry this amount of tofu (about 2-3 tablespoons).
Season tofu with a little salt and black pepper. Pan fry for 2-3 minutes on all sides until browned slightly and crisp.
This is the longest part as you’ll have to carefully flip each tofu cube. (My best recommendation for this is to use chopsticks).
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the sauce coating all the tofu.
Cook the tofu for 2 minutes gently coating with the sauce during this time.
Serve with Thai Peanut sauce, green onions, sesame seeds, and a bowl of rice or noodles.
Tips
- Do it the right way. For optimal results, press tofu to remove excess water. If pressing the whole block seems cumbersome, cut into cubes and press between cutting boards with a towel in between.
- Simple marinade. After frying tofu in cornstarch, serve with soy sauce, peanut sauce, or your favorite sauce for added flavor. If serving plain, consider frying it in a dark soy-based sauce for enhanced taste.
- Flip the tofu - Be patient and take the time to flip it with the chopsticks. You can just gently turn the tofu around with a spatula but some parts will not become as crisp, which is fine too. By the way, this tofu can be reheated in the pan within 1-2 days and still taste good!
- Be careful as once you added the marinade it may spatter.
- Choose a wide pan to spread out the tofu cubes all across the pan, they should be apart from each other for best results.
- A good nonstick pan goes along the way as the tofu covered in cornstarch tends to stick to the pan easily.
- Generously season the tofu with salt and black pepper but again, it depends on where you’ll use it later. You can use kitchen staples such as garlic powder and onion powder to have some more flavor to tofu.
What to Serve With Fried Tofu
There are different ways you can enjoy this pan-fried tofu recipe. My favorite and best way to serve this tofu is to top my Asian-style noodles with it instead of meat protein, and serve it over fried rice (minus the beef) or with plenty of veggies.
I also enjoy tofu as a healthy snack option with dipping sauces, especially Peanut Sauce and Sweet and Spicy Tahini Sauce.
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you fried the tofu in cornstarch, it will remain fresh for longer than fried in the sauce.
- Once the tofu is mixed with the marinade it will not remain crisp after reheating, but still tastes good, to be honest!
Easy Vegan Dinners
ALL Vegan Dinner recipes.
I would appreciate it so much if you left a comment about this recipe below! Subscribe to join the TYB newsletter and receive free recipes straight to your inbox! Let's connect via Facebook, IG & Pinterest!
Recipe
Pan Fried Tofu
INGREDIENTS
For Tofu
- 1 pack extra firm tofu, or just firm tofu, not silky
- 2-3 tablespoons oil for cooking
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
For Marinade
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce, gluten-free
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil, toasted is preferred
INSTRUCTIONS
- Drain the tofu, and press it between two kitchen towels to remove as much liquid as possible. Or you can place a small cutting board on block tofu and press gently until most of the water will come out. Don’t press too strong as some parts may crumble slightly, and if it happens that's fine, they don't have to be precise uniform sizes!
- Getting out the extra moisture is highly recommended for the crispy result but if you get at least some water out it is already good. Cut the tofu into thick cubes about 2-3 inches, and toss in cornstarch until fully covered.
- Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, and set aside. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with enough oil to fry this amount of tofu (about 2-3 tablespoons).
- Season tofu with a little salt and black pepper. Pan fry for 2-3 minutes on all sides until browned slightly and crisp. This is the longest part as you’ll have to carefully flip each tofu cube. (My best recommendation for this is to use chopsticks). Reduce the heat to low and stir in the sauce coating all the tofu.
- Cook the tofu for 2 minutes gently coating with the sauce during this time. Serve with green onions, and sesame seeds.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Asian Style Recipes
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Pan fried tofu is way easier to make than everyone thinks. It just takes a little patience and yo have crispy and delicious tofu meal.