I will never make tofu any other way.
I promise this technique will make everyone who previously thought they didn’t like tofu change their mind.
And yes, there’s a recipe at the end of this post, too.
But first, the technique.
1) Press extra firm tofu until it’s bone dry. Ok, that’s an exaggeration, it doesn’t have to be completely dry, but the longer you press it, the better your tofu will turn out.
2) Slice your tofu into slabs ~1 cm thick.
3) Coat tofu slices in all purpose flour. [I poured 1/2 cup flour onto a plate, spread it around, and rolled the tofu in the flour one slab at a time making sure all sides were adequately covered]
4) Place floured tofu into sauce of choice (tamari/soy/teriyaki/BBQ) and roll or baste the tofu until all sides are coated. [I often use the tofu containers to hold the sauce that I’m dipping them in, which was teriyaki this time]
5) Line tofu up on a baking sheet (whether it has foil or not makes no real difference) sprayed with cooking spray.
6) Bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees.
And then enjoy the flavorful ‘fu you just perfected.
The flour creates a coating around the tofu that allows it to absorb even more sauce, thereby enhancing the flavor without requiring hours of marinating time or alterations to the recipe. The best part is that the flour isn’t even detectable, so when you’re eating it, it’s like the tofu you get at a restaurant that’s been soaking in sauce all day.
I chopped it up and added the teriyaki tofu to peas and quinoa for a nice work lunch.
You can easily buy teriyaki sauce, but in case you’re inspired, here’s a simple recipe [for 1 block of tofu]:
- 1/4 cup tamari (or soy sauce if you don’t require a gluten free recipe)
- 2 tbsp vegan cane sugar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp garlic powder
The rest of my work eats.
I was drinking tea when I was packing up my food, so I steeped the Tazo chai tea bag’s last oomph of flavor in hot water before adding oats, puffed millet, chia seeds and raisins.
It looks a little soupy in the photo, but it was gelled up by the morning.
Dessert was candied ginger and the last of the Scharffen Berger mocha dark chocolate.
I snacked on the veggie flavored Pirate’s Booty on the way home from work. I had mixed feelings about them. At first I thought they were odd and a waste of a food – they are mostly just air with green powder. But then I had a few more and they grew on me. While I don’t think I’d ever buy them myself, they were at least something I could mindlessly munch on without ruining my appetite.
The ingredients aren’t too out there. Vegan, gluten free, no preservatives that cause stomach-aches. All in all, they were fine. But they did remind me an awful lot of the fluffy peanut packing you get in the mail.
What’s your favorite sauce for tofu? I rarely venture outside the Asian flavor profiles – any permutation of soy, peanut, ginger, coconut, and teriyaki works for me.
Thanks for the tofu tutorial, Elise! I’ve yet to get a tofu press so I have to rely on the old dish towel and heavy textbook on top technique. Seems to work pretty well though. I think my favorite way to marinade or dress my tofu is with peanut sauces, usually with a 4:1 ratio of sauce to tofu. I could pretty much bathe myself in that stuff (which probably wouldn’t be a good idea since I wouldn’t really want to eat it after soaking my body in it… hmmmm). I’m always looking for new ideas though. Got any you want to pass along?
Ill have to try that!
I love to marinate the tofu in braggs then dredge them in a mixture of nutritional yeast, basil, oregano, rosemary and chili pepper flakes…they come out of the oven with a crispy crust and taste like pizza!
I’ve been experimenting with tofu lately so this was right on time! GREAT post!
You’re a genius!
I cannot wait to try this recipe! I always press my tofu pretty dry, but I’m sure the extra flour would make it absorb more sauce/get crispy.
I’m stuck in a college dorm, so I’ve resorted to an old Orgo text book and a bunch of paper towels for the press. Then, I dice the tofu and cook it on a mini-George Foreman. Can’t wait to add the flour and a yummy sauce!
YESSS… I got a Tofu Xpress for Christmas and I haven’t used it… yet. Perfect recipe to break it in!
You’re making me want to try tofu again! I’m vegan but each time I’ve tried tofu, I’ve despised it.
I will have to try again!
This sounds GOOD! I like teriyaki or jerk seasoning.
How about subbing peanut flour for the flour!
i like it! so clever. ill definitely try that next – thanks melissa!
just give it one more try this way…
ew, i cant think of a better use for an orgo book 😛
Where did you get your tofu press? Was it pricey?
Seems like it comes in handy so much in may be worth the cha-ching
Thank you for the awesome tutorial! I’ve never rolled my tofu in flour prior to marinating it- that’s brilliant! Waiting hours for the flavor to be absorbed is the worst…my problems are solved. (:
Woohoo! I can’t wait to try the flour coating method. I bought a block of tofu after my boyfriend tried mine at Whole Foods this weekend and declared it was tasty.
the veggie pirate’s booty is just weird overall! the green color is odd and it smells kinda funny and it’s grainy or something.
how long does the tofu stay in the fridge after being cooked? (do you ever do double batches?)
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Thank you for introducing me to a tofu press! I have been using dish towels and books, but this looks like it will work much better and with less mess. Good thing my birthday is coming up!
its such a handy tool and its actually pretty inexpensive
i usually eat the tofu within the week so ive never tested it’s staying power much longer than that. i rarely double batches because we dont have a huge fridge and i only buy one silken and one extra firm pack at a time.
i have the tofu xpres, available here: http://www.tofuxpress.com/ (its $39, which is pretty inexpensive as compared to other kitchen appliances)
can you use a gluten free flour to coat the tofu? or will it not hold?
it should work the same. ive used corn flour before, but for a more neutral flavor try brown rice flour.
Ok… thanks to you I’ll give it another try. I made baked tofu last week but didn’t really became a fan.. I was looking for a recipe amongst yours and here it is… Almost like a sign… Thanks so much (sorry for the bad english… I’m portuguese).
Just a follow up – used this today and used your recipe posted above, except with whole wheat flour and a bottled teriyaki. I’ve made baked tofu before that was blah – but this… this is good stuff. Thank you! Also, the tofu express made a huge difference!
awesome!!
I love that when I go an extended period of time without reading your posts, I always find something I want to make. This is second on the list. And I need a tofu press!
Elise, it’s true! I did it! It was great! Thanks to you, tofu is back at the game!!!
hooray!!!
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My kids and I just tried this and we really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to try different sauces/seasonings – I’m going to try you teriyaki recipe next time. The kidligans said it’s their favourite tofu recipe so far. We’ll have to see what hubby says when he gets home!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Amy
Awesome!!! So glad you guys enjoyed it 🙂
Thanks so much…this is the best method I have ever tried, and I have tried quite a few, to make crispy oven tofu!! I had this for dinner, with my somewhat haphazard yet delicious sauce, and it came out so amazing!!! I am so happy to find this as I have a weakness for deep fried tofu…and well, that is kind of not so great for me. I will be eating this a lot, a lot!!!!
Angel =D