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    Home » Entrees

    Crispy Fried Tofu

    Published: May 5, 2020 Updated: May 30, 2022 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Crispy Fried Tofu

    This fried tofu recipe is crispy, spicy and flavor packed! It’s probably the best tofu you’ve ever tasted. Perfect for a high protein dinner.

    Fried Tofu with black sesame seeds and spring onion on a plate.

    This fried tofu is seriously good. In fact I’d say it’s pretty much guaranteed to turn you into a raving fan of the mighty tofu, even if you’ve been sceptical up until now.

    It’s such a versatile ingredient and so high in protein that it’s really pretty awesome.

    Also try our marinated tofu (also divine!) and our crispy air fryer tofu.

    Fried Tofu with spring onions and black sesame seeds on a gray plate.

    How To Make Fried Tofu

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • Start off by pressing some firm tofu (not pictured) to make sure you’ve got all the water out and it’s as firm as possible. Then you cut your tofu into cubes.
    • Add cubed tofu to a bowl or container with a lid.
    • Add cornstarch, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, salt, pepper and red chili flakes to the bowl.
    Tofu cubes added to a bowl with spices and cornstarch.
    • Put on the lid and rotate the bowl a few times so that all the tofu cubes are covered in the spices and it’s all well mixed.
    Lid placed on container and rotated to coat the tofu with the spices.
    • Heat up a frying pan with some sesame oil and when it’s hot, add your tofu cubes. Let them fry for a couple of minutes before gently turning them over and frying them on the other side.
    Tofu frying in pan with sesame oil and then flipped.
    • Add chopped green onions.
    • Now you have delicious crispy fried tofu that is ready to serve!
    Chopped green onions added to tofu and sautéed.

    The Sauce:

    • But now we want to take this one step further and make a sauce that will take this to the next level!
    • Add soy sauce, water, maple syrup, rice vinegar and cornstarch to a measuring jug. Whisk until well mixed.
    Sauce ingredients added to measuring jug and whisked.
    • Pour this over your tofu.
    Sauce poured over tofu in pan.
    • Gently toss the tofu in the sauce until the sauce is mostly evaporated and the tofu is browned, crispy and sticky.
    Fried tofu in a pan with a spatula.
    • Pour over some black sesame seeds and toss them with the tofu.
    Sesame seeds added to tofu in pan and mixed in with a spatula.
    • And now you have amazing crispy fried tofu!
    Fried tofu in a black frying pan.

    Chef’s Tips

    Sauce or No Sauce: You can make this recipe two ways, the first way is just frying the tofu until lightly browned and crispy on both sides and then serving it. The second way is adding the sauce and letting the tofu fry up some more in the sauce. Both ways are totally delicious. If you’re in a rush, skip the sauce.

    Spiciness: This recipe is actually quite spicy due to the addition of the chili flakes. If you’re not a fan of spicy food then you can simply omit this ingredient.

    How To Prevent Tofu Sticking: The pan must be hot before you add the tofu. If the oil isn’t hot enough then the batter may simply come off the tofu altogether. So let it get hot first and then also, let it fry a couple of minutes before you flip the tofu over. The tofu should sizzle when you add it to the pan. If it doesn’t sizzle and you put it in too early, then let it sit for an extra couple of minutes (3-4 minutes total) before you try to flip it. You should be able to see that crust forming on the bottom of the tofu before you flip it.

    Fried tofu in a frying pan.

    Storing Leftovers

    This recipe keeps very well in the fridge for 3-4 days and can be eaten cold or reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop.

    Chopsticks lifting up a block of tofu.

    More Delicious Tofu Recipes

    1. Marinated Tofu
    2. Tofu Stir Fry
    3. Kung Pao Tofu
    4. General Tso Tofu
    5. Marinated Tofu Salad
    6. Tofu Burgers

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Crispy fried tofu on a gray plate with lemon wedges.

    Fried Tofu

    This fried tofu recipe is crispy, spicy and flavor packed! It’s probably the best tofu you’ve ever tasted. Perfect for a high protein dinner.
    4.93 from 13 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 234kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    • 16 ounces Firm Tofu (450g)
    • 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
    • 2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
    • ⅛ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
    • 2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
    • ⅓ cup Green Onions Chopped

    Sauce:

    • 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
    • 1 Tablespoons Water
    • 1 teaspoon Maple Syrup
    • ½ teaspoon Rice Vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon Cornstarch

    For Serving:

    • 1 Tablespoon Black Sesame Seeds
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Press your tofu, either with a tofu press, or by placing the tofu on a plate with another plate on top of it and then placing something heavy on top like a heavy pot. Leave it to press for 30 minutes.
    • Cut your tofu into cubes and add the cubed tofu to a bowl or container with a lid. 
    • Add the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, ground ginger, salt, pepper and chili flakes to the bowl. 
    • Put on the lid and rotate the bowl a few times so that all the tofu cubes are covered in the spices and it’s all well mixed. 
    • Heat up a frying pan with the sesame oil and when it’s hot, add your tofu cubes. Let them fry for a couple of minutes before gently turning them over and frying them on the other side. 
    • Add the chopped green onions and toss with the fried tofu. 
    • Add the soy sauce, water, maple syrup, rice vinegar and cornstarch to a measuring jug. Whisk until well mixed. 
    • Pour this over your tofu and gently toss the tofu in the sauce until the sauce is mostly evaporated and the tofu is browned, crispy and sticky. 
    • Add in the black sesame seeds and toss them with the tofu. 
    • Serve immediately. 

    Notes

    1. Green Onions: These are also called spring onions or salad onions or scallions. 
    2. Skip the sauce: You can make this recipe two ways, the first way is just frying the tofu until lightly browned and crispy on both sides and then serving it straight away. The second way is adding the sauce and letting the tofu fry up some more in the sauce. Both ways are totally delicious. If you’re in a rush you can skip the sauce.
    3. The Spice Factor: This recipe is actually quite spicy due to the addition of the red pepper flakes (chili flakes). If you’re not a fan of spiciness then you can omit it. 
    4. How To Prevent Tofu Sticking: The pan must be hot before you add the tofu. If the oil isn’t hot enough then the batter may simply come off the tofu altogether. So let it get hot first and then also, let it fry a couple of minutes before you flip the tofu over. The tofu should sizzle when you add it to the pan. If it doesn’t sizzle and you put it in too early, then let it sit for an extra couple of minutes (3-4 minutes total) before you try to flip it. You should be able to see that crust forming on the bottom of the tofu before you flip it. 
    5. Gluten-Free: If you want this to be gluten-free then use a gluten free soy sauce or switch it for tamari. 
    6. Storing: This recipe keeps very well in the fridge for 3-4 days and can be eaten cold or reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop. 
    7. Prep time: The prep time stated includes the 30 minutes spent pressing the tofu. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.8g | Protein: 15.7g | Fat: 14.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.4g | Sodium: 849mg | Fiber: 9.5g | Sugar: 2.2g
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Linda Caragulla says

      March 02, 2021 at 4:40 pm

      This is my new favorite vegan web site. This tofu is the absolute best I have ever tried. I have tried other crispy tofu recipes, but I only cooked them once because they weren’t crispy and they weren’t good. This recipes delivers on the crispy and it’s not good, it’s delicious! I am so looking forward to trying more of your recipes. If they are half as good as this, they are sure winners! Thank you for sharing your recipes with us. Keep up the great work!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 03, 2021 at 9:22 am

        Favorite comment of the day, thanks so much Linda! I really appreciate it! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Tanya says

      June 14, 2020 at 9:33 pm

      Super yummy. Made it 3 times this week already 🙂 My 5 year old said he doesn’t like tofu, but absolutely loved it ( without the sause and chilli flakes of course ) and kept coming back for more .
      I tried making it with sauce too, but it was a bit too salty for us, maybe I’m using very strong soy sauce or not enough water. I’ll try reducing it to 1tbsp next time:)
      I’ve followed loads of online/video recipes for the past couple of years, but none of them would turn out as tasty or looking as on picture, but your recipes are absolutely divine xx super easy to follow and food always turns out super tasty xx
      Lovingitvegan.com is now the only website I go to when planning to cook something new. xx
      (Chocolate cupcakes are next on the menu) 🙂5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 15, 2020 at 12:42 pm

        Thanks so much Tanya! So glad it worked out well! And hope you’ll love the cupcakes too. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Anna says

      June 01, 2020 at 6:34 am

      If I had to choose between this tofu recipe and the Vegan Taco Meat, I would be hard pressed as to which one is more delicious! Excellent recipes and such incredible photographs – seems almost lifelike and one could eat it off the screen..5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 01, 2020 at 9:24 am

        Haha that’s awesome, thanks Anna!

        Reply
    4. Janet Wilkin says

      May 25, 2020 at 6:35 pm

      I’m not a vegan but I do use an awful lot of your recipes and this tofu recipe, without the sauce, is awesome. I scattered the pieces over a salad. I will try it with sauce next time 😀5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 27, 2020 at 11:32 am

        Wonderful! Thanks Janet!

        Reply
    5. Kay Baker says

      May 10, 2020 at 2:53 pm

      I loved this recipe but because I had my oven on and had room I decided to cook it there. I heated my cast iron pan then added the oil, hmmm did not sizzle when I tried a cube, so back in the oven for another minute. This time we had sizzle, cooked at 400 for 15 minutes, flipped, 15 more, added sauce, back in oven for just a couple of minutes. Stirred, and it turned out perfectly. Thank you so much for sharing, I found you on foodgawker.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 11, 2020 at 1:34 pm

        Fantastic! So glad it worked out well! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Sydney Gray says

      May 06, 2020 at 7:17 pm

      I didn’t actually try it but I make mine nearly the same way and your recipes are always awesome! I voted for you for the vegan award thing. Thanks for being awesome!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 07, 2020 at 10:03 am

        Thanks so much Sydney! That is so kind of you to say. Much appreciated! xoxo

        Reply
    7. Cindy says

      May 06, 2020 at 6:23 pm

      Delicious. My 8 yr old daughter, who said she dislikes tofu, is stealing pieces off my plate! ????5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 07, 2020 at 10:06 am

        Hahaha awesome! Thanks so much for the wonderful review.

        Reply
    8. Jennifer says

      May 06, 2020 at 11:59 am

      Just made this – and it was AMAZING! Favorite tofu recipe ever! Thanks so much.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 06, 2020 at 11:59 am

        Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it Jennifer.

        Reply
    9. Lynn says

      May 05, 2020 at 9:16 pm

      I just made this and would definitely give you a 4 for taste. Yet for the cooking process, I think it needs another ingredient or step. My oil was hot, and I followed your timing. I got a crust then flipped them over, but it really needed more oil at that point, even turning down the burner from where it was on Medium. It was impossible to turn the tofu after adding the wet ingredients, because it instantly evaporated. I like this, it just needs a few tweaks to make it a keeper for me.4 stars

      Reply
    10. DK says

      May 05, 2020 at 5:28 pm

      Can you bake at high temp instead of trying or put in air fryer?

      Reply
    11. Vivienne frank says

      May 05, 2020 at 4:25 pm

      Warm wishes for the competition. I hope you will build on last years number .
      I so enjoy the ease of your blog and easy availability of ingredients.
      Thank you
      Vivienne

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 06, 2020 at 11:57 am

        Thanks so much Vivienne!

        Reply

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