Are pigs flying?
I think pigs are flying.
Wait, maybe tofu is flying.
I know what you are thinking…Ange is eating tofu?
It all started a couple months ago when my friend Sarah treated me to an incredible sweet and sour tofu dish for dinner. A heavenly sweet and sour glaze coated crispy baked tofu all served over steamed vegetables and wild rice. This meal was all I could think about for days! I haven’t tried a lot of tofu because I always thought that tofu bothered my stomach (I tend to have stomach pains after eating tempeh and seitan, for example), however this tofu meal did nothing of the sort. My stomach was fine and my taste buds were smitten!
A few weeks later, I was in the kitchen making a similar recipe…
Then, I made eggplant roll-ups with “ricotta” cheese and was also blown away.
[Both recipes may appear in a hopeful future cookbook, but if not, I will certainly post them!]
This week, I was struck with an idea to make a crispy breaded tofu to pair with sweet potato fries. I was inspired by a cornmeal tofu recipe in Veganomicon. One of the meals Eric always ate in university was chicken fingers and fries so I was curious if I could make a tofu version that he’d enjoy. It was a stretch, but I figured it would be an interesting experiment! You know how I love my kitchen experiments.
Well, lo and behold it worked…and we both inhaled this meal. Dipped in ketchup and served with roasted sweet potato fries, it was easily one of our favourite easy meals in a long time. I seasoned the fries and tofu with a lovely cinnamon/cumin/chili powder blend which went along nicely with sweet potato fries. I never thought I would see the day when we would both inhale tofu.
Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips and Sweet Potato Fries
Yield
3 servings
Soak time
20
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
These crispy strips could turn anyone into a believer…even my chicken finger loving husband.
Inspired by cornmeal tofu in Veganomicon
Ingredients
- 1 package firm or extra firm tofu (I use organic, non-GMO, about 350 grams)
- 1/2 cup almond milk (or other milk)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/3 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if necessary)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- scant 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne powder (for a kick of heat)
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1 large sweet potato + 1 tsp oil + 1/2 tsp cinnamon + pinch salt + 1/4 tsp cumin
Directions
- Press tofu: Rinse the tofu with water and place a couple kitchen towels on the counter. Wrap the tofu with another towel, place another towel on top, and finally several heavy cookbooks on top. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to soak out the water.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the milk and cornstarch in a shallow dish. In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, salt, and spices. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400F and grease 2 baking sheets with oil. Slice the potato into fries and then coat with 1 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cumin, and a couple pinches of salt. Lay out on greased baking sheet.
- Slice tofu into 8-9 strips, lengthwise, depending on how thick you want it. With one hand dip the tofu strip into the milk mixture and then into the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture. Use other hand to sprinkle dry mixture all over the tofu. Coat both sides entirely and then place on baking sheet. Repeat with the rest.
- Bake tofu on middle rack and fries on bottom rack at 400F. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the tofu and fries, and then bake for another 15-20 minutes until crispy. Remove tofu and broil the fries for a few minutes, watching carefully, until golden and charred in some spots. Remove and serve with ketchup!
The first thing I did was rinse and press the tofu. I put down a couple kitchen towels on the counter, then wrapped the tofu in another towel, added another towel on top, and then stacked heavy cookbooks on top. I let it sit for about 20 minutes. This simply soaks out some of the water in the tofu, allowing for a crispier result.
Meanwhile, I got my sweet potato on! I used 1 large sweet potato, added 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cumin, few pinches of salt, and 1 tsp oil. Mix it all together and lay out on a greased baking sheet. Set aside.
After pressing, I sliced the tofu into 9 strips (next time I would probably just do 8 so they are a bit thicker)
Then I dipped the tofu into the milk and cornstarch mixture, followed by the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture.
Place on a greased baking sheet. Now bake the tofu and sweet potato fries simultaneously (tofu on middle rack, fries on bottom), for 20 minutes at 400F. Now flip everything and bake for another 15-20 minutes. Remove tofu and broil the fries for a few minutes, watching very closely!
Amazing, crispy, addictive tofu strips that were made for dipping in ketchup!
With the leftovers, I chopped up a couple strips and mixed it into a big salad for lunch. It was a great salad topper with a kick of protein. You could also layer these in a sandwich or wrap too.
If you try it out, let me know what you think!
Hi Angela,
I use tofu a lot. We find, It comes out best when you lay it on a cookie sheet in the oven @ 350-ish for about 20-30 minutes. it firms it up ,and gives it a not so fragile texture. You can also do this in a dry frying pan. Then, prepare as desired…
I love it breaded too… great post and welcome !!! :)
I JUST bought sweet potatoes with the intent to make fries! Perfect timing!
I was once a tofu-hater. Until I tried Averie’s mango ginger tofu. I ate the whole pan… in one sitting. It’s amazing have removing the moisture from the tofu and adding a delicious sauce or marinade will transform tofu into an incredible meal.
Good luck on the cookbook!
Thank you! I have tofu in my fridge and sweet potato on my counter and I was looking for ideas for both of them! Trying this tonight :)
I’m making these tonight. I have everything except the sweet potato. If you are wanting a more fry like consistency on the potato you can cut in strips, set them in water for an hour and add corn starch! Crispy sweet potato fries! I learned that on pintrest. Thank you for all the recipes Angela. Everything I’ve tried so far has been great!
Oh and here’s the link to try the fries. Of course they are not perfectly crispy because they are still backed in the oven, but the closest I’ve come for sure! http://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/guaranteed-crispy-sweet-potato-fries-sriracha-mayo-dip/
Thsoe look fab… do you know how much oil you’d use for 1 sweet potato?
great tip thanks!
i LOVE sweet potato fries.. have you ever drizzled them with warmed up raspberry preserves?? SOOOO delicious!!
I had avoided tofu for the same reasons, but lately I’m all about it with no stomach woes :) its so versatile I don’t know what I’d do without it and as college Nordic ski racer I need the protein!! Last night I made a big stir fry with tofu and added Bebere.. have you ever heard of it? Its an ethiopian spice mixture I found the recipe for in a Moosewood Cookbook and I am HOOKED!! It has a delicious warm spicy taste that sort of reminds me of some Indian curry dishes. I thought you might enjoy!!
thanks so much for this recipe. I always order tofu similar to this when we go out because I thought it was way too hard to make at home….. I’m going to try this soon & see how it turns out! So excited that I may be able to treat myself to delish tofu anytime now!!!
T
Tofu and I have a love hate relationship. I love eating it at resturants in already prepared dishes. I buy tofu at the store with every intention of using it in some dish, but it sits there until the expiration date and Hubby ceremonially tosses it out. The one in the fridge right now, will not hit the expiration date. I am totally making these!
I’m totally going to make these next week for Kevin and I! We’re not big on tofu, but when it’s prepared right, it’s SO good. Thanks again Angela :)
I feel like you do about tofu, so maybe I a would like these.
Oh those look delicious, and sweet potato fries are my favorite!
I’m definitely going to have to try it again, because I’ve had many tofu disasters! But there has to be a reason so many people like it.
I’m excited about trying this, because no matter how I season or cook tofu it always tends to just taste like tasteless rubber at the end of the day haha. I do prefer it crispy but at most I’ve only ever been able to get the very outer skin crispy and the inside is still rubbery and unflavoured.
I’ve been to a sushi restaurant where they serve inari strips on top of salads and those are AMAZING but at home I’ve had no success in recreating, so I look forward to trying this!
This recipe looks really super Ange. G;ad you are warming up to tofu.
I’m surprised that tempeh causes stomach distress for you. My experience is that the fermentation process of tempeh makes it very easy to digest, even for those bothered by other forms of soy. For that reason (and b/c it’s considered one of the least processed forms of soy) I usually favor it. I hope you’ll give it a shot again – I buy the slabs by Lightlife in the freezer section of WF. Marinating and baking it or sauteeing it works great!
Wow.. this really does look so good. I have never cooked with tofu because I feel I would never know what to do with it… although this is a great idea and has me tempted!
Never thought of breading tofu before- great idea!
I loooove tofu!! I’m actually making some for dinner tonight. The best one I’ve made is a peanut butter crunchy baked tofu. Dallas loves it, too!
I made that recipe from Veganomicon. It was really delicious! Marinated fried tofu and this baked variety are pretty much the only way I like tofu as well. Or mixed into things like bread or casseroles so you barely know it’s there ;)
We love tofu around here!! I haven’t tried breading it yet, but can imagine it’s amazing. Glad your stomach is able to handle it now. I’ve GF’d breaded tempeh, so I know it will work for this too. Yummm
I’ve never tried tofu but these pictures make me want to.