How to Make Perfect Baked Tofu

Have you ever wondered how to make baked tofu that comes out crispy and delicious every time?  I commonly hear that people don't like tofu and want some guidance on how to make it taste better. When prepared properly tofu is delicious, yet I understand that there are so many ways to press, cut, marinate, and bake tofu that it can get overwhelming!  That's why I've created a complete guide to baking tofu that will teach you how to achieve the taste and texture that you are looking for every time. 

Jump to:

• ✨Types of baked tofu
• 🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
• 🔪 Helpful tools
• ⬜ Pressing tofu
• 🔪 Cutting the Tofu
• ❄️ Fresh or frozen tofu?
• 🧂 Flavoring tofu
• 🥄 Baking instructions
• 📖 Flavor variations
• 📜 Should I use parchment paper?
• 🌟 Other methods for cooking tofu

✨Types of baked tofu

• Tofu Steaks
• Crispy Baked Tofu
• Marinated Tofu
• Tofu Jerky
• Tofu Bacon or Bacon Bits
• Breaded Tofu

🔪 Helpful tools

• A cookie sheet - to bake the tofu on.  The low edges of a cookie sheet allow the air to flow around the tofu making it crispy.
• Parchment Paper - helps the tofu not stick to your cookie sheet.  It's not necessary but makes clean up easier.  Make sure you use parchment and not waxed paper!

⬜ Pressing tofu

You want to get as much liquid out of the tofu as possible before marinating it.  Think of your tofu as a sponge.  The more liquid you squeeze out of it, the more it will be able to absorb.  (The high protein tofu is very dense and is not as porous, so you won't be able to get as much liquid out of it. For this type of tofu, just wrap a paper towel around it and give it a squeeze).

1. Drain the tofu and press it in a tofu press or simply between two plates or cutting boards with something heavy on top.
2. Allow the tofu to press for about 15 minutes and pour off any excess liquid that has drained out. 
3. Pat the block of tofu with a paper towel or very clean dish towel to remove any excess liquid. 

🔪 Cutting the Tofu

Cut the tofu into the size and shape that you want like:

• small squares for adding to stir-fries or salads
• large squares for baked tofu steaks.
• strips for tofu jerky.
• crumble it for taco "meat" or tofu bacon bits.

❄️ Fresh or frozen tofu?

If you want spongier, firmer tofu, you can freeze the tofu and then let it thaw again before cooking it. This gives the tofu have a denser meatier texture and allows you to press more water out of it. Tofu that has been frozen is not necessarily better, just different. You may want to test it both ways to see which method you prefer.

To freeze tofu - simply place the block of tofu in the freezer in its original packaging. Leave it in there for at least 24 hours or up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge, then drain and press as you would fresh tofu. (I always keep a couple of packs of tofu in the freezer and then move them to the fridge a day or two before I'm planning on making something with them.) 

Tip - Use a sharpie to mark the package so you know which ones have been frozen.

🧂 Flavoring tofu

You have 3 choices to flavor the tofu before baking it.  You can marinate it, sprinkle dry spices on it, or coat it in a flavored breading.

• Marinate the tofu: Simple place the tofu in a shallow dish with your tofu marinade of choice for at least 15 minutes. (These are my family's 6 favorite tofu marinade recipes). 
  • Note: if soaking your tofu longer than 15 minutes before cooking, place it in the refrigerator to marinate).
• Dry spices: Sprinkle a dry spice mix on your tofu to flavor it before baking.   You can sprinkle on things like taco or fajita seasoning, Jamaican jerk seasoning, or steak seasoning.  Toss the tofu around a little to get it well coated on all sides and stick to the tofu. 
  • Note: since there is no marinade that contains oil, you may want to bake it on an oiled cookie sheet to crisp it up.
• Breaded Tofu:  You can also add the flavoring to the outside of the tofu in the form breading.  You can make a breading with bread crumbs, dry stuffing mix, crumbled crackers, or cornmeal mixed with some flour and spices.  Make sure to check out my full instructions for breaded tofu.

🥄 Baking instructions

The temperature that you bake the tofu depends on the result that you want to achieve, and the time that you will need to bake it depends on the size of the pieces that you cut it in and the desired crispiness. 

Basic Baked Tofu:  Bake the tofu at 400°F for about 40-45 minutes flipping the pieces every 10 minutes. 

Tofu Jerky:  For a chewier tofu jerky, bake the tofu at 300°F for about 90 minutes to get a jerky-like texture.  Cooking it slower dehydrates the tofu and makes it chewy.  This tofu jerky is great for portable snacks and will stay good out of refrigeration for about a day, so it's great for packed lunches and car trips!  Make sure to also check out my post on how to make vegan jerky with soy curls.

📖 Flavor variations

Tofu Steaks

• Cut your tofu into rectangular blocks.
• Marinate your tofu in soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg's Liquid Aminos.
• Drain off the soy sauce and sprinkle with steak seasoning. (about 2 tsp.)
• Bake on an oiled cookie sheet at 400°F for 40-45 minutes.

Extra crispy baked tofu

• Soak your tofu in a tofu marinade of choice.
• Drain the marinade and coat your tofu in 1/3 cup of corn starch, 3/4 tsp salt, and a dash of pepper.
• Bake on an oiled cookie sheet at 400°F for 40-45 minutes.
• Check out my post on How to Make Perfect Crispy Tofu for more options for making crispy tofu.

Balsamic, Teriyaki, or Sweet Thai Tofu

Breaded Tofu

• Drain and press a block of tofu getting out as much liquid as possible.
• Mix together 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or crumbled crackers, 1/4 cup flour, 2 tsp spices of choice, 1/4 tsp salt to make a breading.
• Sprinkle tofu with some Bragg's Liquid Aminos, soy sauce, or equivalent.
• Place the tofu in the breading and press down a little to make the coating stick to the tofu.
• Flip over and coat the other side.
• Bake at 400°F for 40-45 minutes flipping after 20 minutes.

🌟 Other methods for cooking tofu

• Deep-Fried Tofu
• Grilled Tofu
• Pan-Fried Tofu
• Stir-Fried Teriyaki Tofu

📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!

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