The first time I tasted tofu, I hated it. I thought it tasted like cardboard – bland and completely unappetizing. Turns out I didn’t quite know how to cook it! It took years for me to try tofu again, and this time, I wasn’t the one making it.
As soon as I tasted crispy tofu from a Chinese restaurant, it was a completely different experience. The texture was marvellous and the taste was bursting with flavour. I’ve been experimenting with tofu ever since and fell in love with its versatility.
So what is it that makes tofu go from almost disgusting to downright delicious? Read on to find out all you need to know about Tofu. You can also jump straight to the easy crispy baked tofu recipe by hitting the ‘jump to recipe’ button. I promise, this crunchy tofu will get you hooked!
Quick FAQ – Tofu for beginners
The most important things you need to know about tofu for the best cooking results. Plus one of the best tofu recipes I’ve tried at the end.
What is tofu?
Tofu is a food staple in pretty much every plant based diet, made from coagulated soy milk. The process is quite similar to making cheese and is straightforward enough that you can make your own at home.
How to make tofu
The steps involve; soaking the soy beans for a few hours, blending them with water, and filtering out the soy bean pulp to make soy milk. You then boil the milk and mix in your coagulant for the mixture to curdle. You then place it in a mould with something heavy on top, and bam! You’ve got yourself a tofu block! You can learn about the process in more detail here.
Which tofu is best?
Not all tofu is made equal and there are several types out there. Which one is best wholly depends on what dish you’re making. Tofu ranges from extra soft (Silken tofu), which has a pudding like texture to extra firm tofu, which is the ideal choice for baked or stir fried tofu recipes. If you’re making a tofu scramble, you’d want to go for something in between by choosing either regular or firm tofu.
Oven baked tofu is my all-time favorite recipe, which I could literally eat every day, for the rest of my life. This makes extra firm tofu a ‘firm’ favorite with me and my number one choice. Since it contains the lowest amount of water, it absorbs any flavour you give it like a charm!
How to marinate tofu
As we’ve established, there isn’t much you can say about what tofu tastes like – it doesn’t really taste like anything. That’s why marinating tofu is a must. There are a few key ingredients that are the basis for any great marinated tofu recipe. You basically need some kind of oil, a sauce for flavor and some seasoning. You can never go wrong with this ingredient mix but here are some simple tofu marinade ideas to illustrate how they blend together;
Asian Tofu Marinade: 1T Soy sauce, 1T sesame oil, 2T peanut butter or peanut sauce
Mediterranean Tofu Marinade: 1T Olive oil, 1T lemon juice, garlic powder, rosemary, salt & pepper to taste
Teriyaki Tofu Marinade: 1T Sesame oil, 1T teriyaki sauce*, juice of one fresh orange, paprika
If you’re making roasted tofu, simply toss the tofu cubes until they absorb all the liquid and bake for 15 minutes. If you’re using a very soft variety such as silken tofu, you’ll need to handle this with more care. When marinating soft tofu, I gently cut it into large cubes, place in a pan and pour the marinade over it.
*I like to use the Japenese style Teriyaki sauce which is not as thick, and is made without corn starch and honey.
How to make tofu taste good
There are infinite ways to make tofu taste good. The main trick is to always add some flavour. Be it a marinade or coating tofu in batter and frying it, tofu tastes amazing when mixed with something flavorful.
I much prefer baked crispy tofu so I’m always on the lookout for ways for you to enjoy tofu without frying it. For something like breaded tofu or baked tofu steaks there is one absolutely critical step to make tofu taste good. You NEED to squeeze out the excess water. Tofu is a bit like a sponge, it contains plenty of liquid which you want to drain out and replenish with something flavoursome.
How to bake tofu
Achieving delicious, perfectly browned tofu fully depends on the preparation stage. Basically, you need to squeeze all the liquid and then marinate it. If you want a crispy baked tofu, you’ll also need to add coating to those 2 steps. The most popular coating is probably cornstarch (or cornflour) which I use in my recipe too, but with a twist! The baked crispy tofu recipe below is one of my all time favorites.
How long does tofu last and can tofu go bad?
Let’s start with Yes, tofu is a perishable food and can go bad.
If your tofu is a few days past it’s ‘best before’ date, it’s probably still safe to consume. Simply check for signs of spoilage. If your tofu turns into a pale yellowish colour, smells funny or looks slimy, throw it away.
Once you open tofu from its original packaging, you’d need to store leftovers in an airtight container, covered with fresh, cold water. You’ll also need to change the water every day to keep the tofu fresh and use it within 3-5 days.
Even if you bought your tofu from a non refrigerated area, always store it in the fridge once opened.
Once cooked, tofu can be stored in the ridge and lasts up to a maximum of 5 days after cooking.
Can tofu be frozen?
Yes tofu can be frozen. You’d need to drain and press it before freezing. Freezing tofu in its original packaging is not recommended since it might burst and make a mess in your freezer. Admittedly, I have actually tried this a couple of times (because I’m lazy like that) and it was perfect after defrosting. But do so at your own risk 🙂
How to press tofu quickly
The quickest way to press tofu is by cutting it into cubes and wrapping these in a cheesecloth with something heavy on top. Since you’re not pressing the whole block, the water in the smaller cubes drains quicker.
This works best if you’re preparing something like crispy tofu since you’re required to cut the tofu into small cubes anyway. If you’re making any kind of tofu steak recipe, you’d need to squeeze out the water as you would normally. No matter what easy baked tofu recipe you’re trying out, pressing tofu is ALWAYS recommended.
How to Make Crispy Baked Tofu – The Healthy Malteser style
Very often I end up cooking teriyaki tofu recipes as I simply love the combination. This time I wanted to make a different sort of fusion with Mediterranean undertones.
This baked crispy tofu recipe is my absolute favourite and it couldn’t be easier to bake. It’s tried and tested by non-vegans and got a thumbs up from several people who previously hated tofu. Plus you’d need a total of 25 minutes to bake this from scratch.
The process couldn’t be easier. You press the tofu for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, you prepare the marinade in a bowl and the coating ingredients in another bowl. You dip the tofu into the marinade bowl and then dip into the coating bowl and proceed to bake for 15 minutes. Your extra crispy tofu is ready to enjoy!
P.S it’s also suitable for those on a gluten free diet.
I hope the above inspired you to give this amazing food a go and provided you with some ideas on how to make it taste great. If you’re looking for more low calorie vegan recipe inspiration, check out these Mushroom Stuffed Aubergines, Maltese Baked Pasta Casserole and Healthy Pea Pies.
Crispy Baked Tofu
Equipment
- 2 x Mixing Bowls
- Baking Tray
Ingredients
- 6 blocks Firm Tofu Blocks (750g)
- 20 ml Soy Sauce
- 25 ml Teriyaki Sauce
- 15 ml Olive Oil
- 5 ml Apple Cider Vinegar
- 60 g Tomato Sauce
- 40 g Cornflour
- 15 g Baking Powder
- 20 g Nutritional Yeast
- 15 g Mixed Seeds
- 25 g Vegan Parmesan
- 2 tsp Preferred Seasonings black salt, pepper, piri piri, herbs
Instructions
- Wrap your tofu blocks in a cheesecloth and place something haeavy on top to drain out the water.
- While your tofu is being pressed, mix the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, apple cider vinegar and tomato sauce in one bowl. Mix the cornflour, baking powder, nutritional yeast, seeds, vegan parmesan and seasonings in another bowl.
- Once your tofu is drained from the excess water you can either cut it into small cubes or slice lengthwise for steaks.
- Dip the tofu in the marinade bowl and then dip the marinated tofu into the seasoning bowl to coat.
- Place the tofu on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 15 minutes at 200°C. If you have a microwave oven with a crisp function, this will give you an even better result than baking in the oven.
Video
If you use My Fitness Pal to log your food, you can find this recipe listed on the database as ‘The Healthy Malteser Crispy Baked Tofu’.
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