Finally Crispy Baked Tofu

INGREDIENTS:

plate of golden crispy cubes of tofu

  • 2 blocks extra firm tofu
  • 2 tsp garlic powder, onion powder, salt, white pepper
  • 4 Tbs corn starch
  • cooking spray
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Press and drain cut tofu for at least 15 min. Cut into ~1" cubes or tear off pieces.
  2. Toss tofu in a large bowl with seasoning. Add corn starch and shake over the tofu until well coated.
  3. Lay out on baking tray lined with parchment paper. Make sure not to over-crowd the tray. Spray tofu with cooking spray to coat evenly with oil.
  4. Bake at 425 F for 15 min. Flip and cook another 15 min.
  5. Remove from oven and immediately coat with Hoisin sauce (or other sauce of choice)
  6. Serve with rice, dumplings, sautéed Bok choy, and fresh green onions for a full meal.

Notes:
This recipe took me FOREVER to figure out because I kept adding liquid marinade before coating with corn starch and baking at a lower temp. While the frustration came from following recipes as they were written and STILL getting soggy or unbearably chewy tofu, I'm happy to finally enjoyed this dish and to know that it isn't as labor intensive as I thought it might. Frying the tofu would just turn it into a grease sponge and I didn't like the splattering or how much time it took to turn each piece. The thing that takes the longest, really, is draining it but you can do that while the oven preheats.