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Fried tofu in a bowl on a wooden table.
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5 from 10 votes

Fried Tofu

Crunchy and golden on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside, this pan-fried tofu recipe is not only delicious but yields amazing results every time. Plus, there are a million ways to use it and you can easily customize the flavors!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

  • 1 (14-ounce/400g) block of extra-firm tofu
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch (DO NOT sub with arrowroot powder, or it will get gummy)
  • 3 tablespoons neutral-flavored cooking oil (see Note 2)

Instructions

  • Drain the tofu. Slice the blocks lengthwise into 4 slabs. Press the tofu for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Slice each slab in half, lengthwise, so you have 8 slabs. From there, cut the tofu into ½” cubes.
  • Add tofu cubes to a large bowl. Sprinkle tofu with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, several cracks of pepper, and add the cornstarch. Toss gently with your hands (or a silicone spatula) to avoid breaking tofu.
  • Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat with the oil. 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, 6 to 7 minutes. Take a minute or two to carefully flip each piece with a thin spatula (an angled silicone spatula is very helpful!). Cook on the second side until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes.
    NOTE: some pieces may stick together due to the starch, but they are easy to pull apart (and it makes flipping the tofu a bit easier).
  • Transfer tofu to a paper towel lined surface to blot away excess oil. Push tofu pieces together and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

Video

Notes

  1. For flavor variations, see Variations section in the blog post.
  2. You can reduce the amount of oil to 2 tablespoons. 3 tablespoons of oil gives you super crispy tofu, but it’s still delicious with just 2 tablespoons. I typically use avocado oil, but any neutral-flavored oil or even olive oil works fine.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 153mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg