Crispy Pan-Fried Tofu
Meet my favorite weeknight-friendly way to turn a block of tofu into a pile of perfectly crispy morsels. Thanks to a dynamite combo of crisp-enhancing techniques, you’ll end up with bouncy, golden tofu chunks that work beautifully as a crunchy protein upgrade to any meal!
Servings: 3 to 4
Ingredients
- 1 (12 to 14-ounce / 340 to 400g) block extra firm tofu, drained
- 2 cups (480 mL) boiling water
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt, (see Note 1)
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 3 tablespoons (24g) cornstarch (see Note 2)
- 3 tablespoons (42g) olive oil, avocado oil, or cooking oil of choice
Instructions
- Use your hands to tear the tofu into 1” (2.5 cm) chunks. Add to a large bowl.
- In a heatproof glass or jar, combine the boiling water and 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Stir to dissolve the salt, then pour the hot saltwater over the tofu. Soak for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, several cracks of black pepper, and the cornstarch.
- Drain the tofu in a colander and gently shake it to release excess water. Spread out the tofu on a clean dish towel and gently pat dry (or let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes to dry a bit).
- Dry the bowl and return the tofu to it. Sprinkle it with the cornstarch seasoning. Use a silicone spatula to gently coat the tofu all over.
- Heat a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat with the oil. Line a cutting board or plate with a few layers of paper towels. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the tofu. Push the tofu around in the oil to evenly coat in one layer. Fry until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes.
- Use a wide spatula to flip the tofu. Many pieces will stick together, which is fine–it marks them easier to flip. Cook on the second side until golden brown on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the tofu to the paper towel-lined surface to absorb excess oil. If desired, sprinkle the tofu with a pinch of salt.
Notes
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt is less salty than most salts, teaspoon for teaspoon.
If using sea salt or Morton’s kosher salt: in step 2: use a scant 2 teaspoons salt; in step 3, use a heaping ½ teaspoon salt.
If using table salt: in step 2, use 1 ½ teaspoons salt; in step 3, use ½ teaspoon salt. - I don't recommend substituting cornstarch with arrowroot powder or potato starch, as they tend to make the tofu stick together in the pan and parts of it get gummy.
- If you want to add spices, feel free to do so. Use 2 ¼ teaspoons of your favorite spice blend for this amount of tofu. Stir the spices into the cornstarch in step 3. For Chinese five spice tofu, try 1 teaspoon five spice powder, ½ teaspoon white pepper, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. The tofu may need an extra 1 to 2 minutes while cooking on the first side.
Nutrition
Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.2g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10.51g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 361.4mg | Potassium: 210.2mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 1.5mg