When I was an undergraduate, I had the privilege to study abroad in Tokyo for a year. During this time, I became well-acquainted with tofu and have loved it ever since. Prior to my time in Japan, I did not know much about tofu and had only eaten it a handful of times and it always seemed bland and mushy. But let me tell you, there are so many different ways to prepare it, and if you haven’t tried at least few, you should definitely give it a try again.
One of my favorite ways to prepare tofu is baking it until just crispy on the outside and still tender on the inside. This makes it a perfect addition to so many meals as a plant-based protein. It is a little more chewy than fresh tofu and the texture is one of the best parts about it, so if you avoid tofu because you have an aversion to mushy foods, I strongly suggest you give this a try.
Seasoning is also key for the enjoyment of tofu, as it has very little flavor on its own. But the good thing about having little actual flavor is that it soaks up anything you throw at it, making it go with just about anything you want it to. This is a pretty simple and quick meal that I love with the five-spice tofu, sauteed mushrooms, and cauliflower rice. Once you have the baked tofu, this takes about 10 minutes of active cook time and you have a really easy vegan meal. For more carbs, substitute brown rice for the cauliflower rice.
I often even bake a double recipe of the tofu and refrigerate it to have on hand for easy meals like this one, or the other bowl pictured, with cucumber and somen noodles with a rice wine vinaigrette. Two of my favorite types of baked tofu are five-spice tofu and salt and pepper tofu. Five-spice powder is a mixture of cinnamon, fennel seed, star anise, and cloves, as well as ginger, white pepper, and/or Sichuan peppercorns. It is a great option if you are trying to cut sodium in your diet, as it has no salt added and stands up well on its own without adding salt.
Adding the flour is completely optional, but it does add a bit of crustiness to the tofu, similar to fried tofu. If you want to make it gluten-free, use cornstarch in its place or just leave it out.
Baked Tofu Two Ways
Depending on how crispy you want the tofu, you can vary the cooking time. I like it closer to 30 minutes for a nice crisp outer layer and a more chewy texture to the inner, but 20 makes a nice crisp crust too. To lower the fat content, use several sprays of nonstick cooking spray in place of the oil to coat the tofu lightly.
Ingredients
- 1 (14-ounce) container firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- or
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2 Press the the tofu with a few paper towels to remove the water. Cut into 3/4 inch cubes.
- Step 3 In a bowl, drizzle the tofu with oil and toss with the five-spice powder and flour (if using) OR salt, pepper, and flour (if using).
- Step 4 Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, flipping once about halfway through cooking.
- Step 5 Serve.
If you make these baked tofu recipes, tag me @homecookedpdx on Instagram and let me know what you think!
