Crispy Tofu Tenders

side view of a bite taken out of one of 7 tofu tenders on a plate.

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These crispy tofu tenders are tofu at its most fun (and kid-friendly)! Simple to make—just dredge super-firm tofu planks in vegan buttermilk + a spiced gluten-free breading, then give them a few minutes in a hot pan to crisp up to golden-edged perfection. Snack on them plain or dunk in your favorite dipping sauce!

Prep Time18

Cook Time12

Total Time30

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: to 4

Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

⅓ cup (80 mL) soy milk
1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon “no chicken base” (optional)
1 ¼ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
16 oz (454g) super-firm tofu, drained
3 ½ tablespoons (34g) medium-grind or coarse-grind cornmeal
4 ½ tablespoons (45g) potato starch (see Note 1)
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Heaping ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Heaping ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for a mild kick)
Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) and freshly cracked black pepper
2 ½ to 3 tablespoons (35 to 42g) avocado oil (or other neutral-flavored oil)

Instructions

If using the Better than Bouillon “no chicken base”: Add the soy milk to a small-medium bowl and heat in the microwave until hot, about 45 seconds. Whisk the Better Than Bouillon into the milk until completely dissolved.
Cool to room temperature (place in the fridge to speed this up). In the meantime, work on steps 3 and 4.
When the mixture has cooled to room temp, stir in the vinegar and set aside to curdle.
If not using the Better than Bouillon “no chicken base”: In a small-medium bowl, whisk together the milk and vinegar; set aside for a few minutes until curdled.
Slice the tofu block in half crosswise, then flip each half onto its taller side. Slice downward to get 3 evenly-sized planks. From here, halve the planks lengthwise into 1” thick batons, so you have 6 batons per half, 12 total. Gently press down on each with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
In a shallow bowl or pie plate, combine the cornmeal, potato starch, nutritional yeast, sugar, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, paprika, cayenne if using, several twists of black pepper, and 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (¾ tsp if using sea salt/table salt). Whisk very well to remove clumps of potato starch.
Arrange your work station: cooled milk mixture, cornmeal breading, and a cutting board or large plate. When battering and breading, to minimize mess, reserve one hand for the milk and one hand for the breading.
Working with one tofu slab at a time, use one hand to dip all sides of it into the milk, then use your other hand to dredge each side into the cornmeal batter, coating well. Set aside on the large plate. Repeat with the remaining tofu slabs, taking care to coat each piece individually.
If you have leftover cornmeal batter, dredge the tofu again, focusing on any spots of the tofu that aren't well coated.
Heat a 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat for a few minutes, then add the oil. Once shimmering, arrange the slabs in a single layer. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 3 ½ to 4 ½ minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown.
Flip and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the second side, or until golden brown, lowering the heat as needed to prevent burning (light charring is okay). Finally, cook for 1 minute or less on each of the thinner sides of the slabs until those are browned too.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, then enjoy plain or serve with your favorite dip.

Notes

In my tests, cornstarch lends off a chalky taste, at least for me, so I don’t like using it here. You can sub with 4 ½ tablespoons (36g) arrowroot powder, but the coating doesn't get as crispy.

Nutrition