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A piece of crispy baked tofu cut open

Crispy Baked Tofu

Prep Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 block extra firm tofu
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon high heat oil - optional - E.g. grapeseed

Instructions

  1. Slice the block of tofu into 3 even slices, each about 1/2-inch thick.
  2. Microwave them for 2 minutes, turning over halfway through.
  3. Drain off any excess moisture, then put the slices on between paper towels with a cookies sheet or pan below. On top, add a cutting board or similar flat surface, then weight it down with cans. Let the tofu slices drain for 30 minutes, changing the paper towels (which will be well soaked with moisture from the tofu) about halfway through that time.
  4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  5. Cut each slice into cubes or rectangles. Toss them with the baking powder, line them up on a rack on the cookie sheet and let them air dry in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  6. Put the cubes or rectangles of tofu in a bowl and sift about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch over them. Put them back on the rack on the cookie sheet. If desired, lightly brush them with oil, so that they don't look as powdery as mine did. Bake them for about 30 minutes until puffed up and slightly browned, turning them over halfway through. If you like your tofu darker, put them under the broiler for just a minute or so.

Recipe Notes

The prep time is really about 10 minutes if you don't count the 30 minutes to drain and 30 mins to dry, when you can be doing something else.
The Kitchn notes that the cornstarch step doesn't really help if the tofu is chilled after baking. I can attest that this method works best if you eat the tofu straight from the oven. However, I didn't try chilling and then re-heating the baked cubes or rectangles that had been tossed in baking powder and then cornstarch.