Spicy Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips

Published: Nov 16, 2015 · Modified: Apr 1, 2019 by Richa 83 Comments

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Spicy Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips. Marinated Tofu breaded and grilled or baked. Flavorful and easy. Vegan Breaded Tofu, Holiday Recipe. Can be made gluten-free with glutenfree bread crumbs. Easily doubled.Jump to Recipe

For the longest while I disliked Tofu. I think it was because of the way it was prepared. Too bland, too fried or what not. After transitioning to a vegan diet, I was faced with a challenge to figure out how to make tofu on my own so I could like it. In general, I don’t necessarily need to eat Tofu at home. There are enough beans, lentils, veggie dishes that make up our meals. But when I eat out is when the options get limited by my dislike of tofu (and broccoli). I mean think of something like a saucy Thai Cashew delight minus both, it would just be cashews and onions. ha!

So once I started cooking some at home, I warmed up to this silky gelly beany slab. We eat Tofu infrequently at home, but at least the warming up has helped me be open to tryingmoreoptions at restaurants. My current favorite tofu dishes come from Wedgewood II Thai in Seattle (Capitol Hill).

Back to today’s recipe. This easy crisped up tofu needs just a few minutes of active time. Brush the marinade on the Tofu strips and let it sit for a while, then bread and grill. Serve as side or main with a side of salad or pilaf. Pictures below with a flavorful Butternut Squash Pilaf. The ketchup, spices, soy sauce make a great marinade, which also acts like a sticky coat to keep all those breadcrumbs on. Use other sauces like bbq, and spices and herbs of choice.

More Tofu dishes from the blog

Celery Black Pepper Tofu.
Spicy Orange Tofu
Tofu in Spinach Curry
Peanut Butter Tofu Bowl with mashed potatoes
5 minute Tofu “egg” Salad Sandwich
Mango Curry Tofu

Reading for the day:

Step by step photos:

Brush the marinate on the tofu and let it chill. The marinade coating should not be too thick or too thin.

Prepare the breading mixture. Coat the tofu strips in the breading and grill.

Grill over medium heat for 6to 9 minutes each side.

Slice and serve over salad, a roasted veggie and grain bowl with a creamy cooling dressing or over butternut pilaf.

Recipe Card

Save This Recipe in Your Inbox

Share your email and we will send this recipe! Plus, enjoy all the new recipes as they post!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Vegan Richa.

Print Recipe

4.96 from 23 votes

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips

Spicy Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips. Marinated Tofu breaded and grilled or baked. Flavorful and easy. Vegan Holiday Side. Vegan Recipe. Can be made gluten-free with glutenfree bread crumbs. Easily doubled. Glutenfree option

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Keyword: panko breaded tofu, vegan breaded tofu

Servings: 6

Calories: 120kcal

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

Tofu Marinade:

14 oz (396.89 g) extra firm or firm tofu pressed (I usually use Nasoya Organic non gmo)
1 tbsp low sodium tamari/soy sauce
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp maple syrup or other sweetener
½ tsp (0.5 tsp) hot sauce optional
2 tsp oil
½ tsp (0.5 tsp) garam masala or ½ tsp ground cumin and ½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp (0.5 tsp) garlic
¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
½ tsp cornstarch or tapioca starch (optional, helps the breadcrumbs stick better during grilling)

Breadcrumb coating:

¾ cup (81 g) breadcrumbs , use gluten-free crumbs to make gf
¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
¼ to ½ tsp (¼ to ½ tsp) cayenne
1 tbsp nutritional yeast optional

Instructions

Slice the slab into 6 to 8 rectangles. Press the tofu for half an hour between kitchen towels and under a heavy weight to remove excess moisture. or use Tofu press (before or after slicing).
Mix the marinade ingredients. (Add ½ tsp cornstarch to the marinade for extra binding). Dip the tofu in the marinade and coat all sides to make an even coating that is not too thick or too thin. Place the tofu strips in a container with a lid.
Refrigerate for atleast half an hour or longer.
Mix everything under breadcrumb coating. If the breadcrumbs are too large, pulse them a few times in a blender and use.
Place each tofu strip in the breadcrumb mixture. Flip to coat all sides
Heat a grill pan over medium high heat on the stove. Brush oil on the pan and place the breaded tofu on the pan. Cook 7 to 9 minutes each side or until brown strips appear.
Serve with sauces of choice like vegan ranch or a dash of lemon, or slice and to salads, bowls, wraps, sandwiches, etc. Pictured with Butternut Squash Pilaf.

Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzAvxJMYxvU

Notes

To bake: Bake at preheated 425 degrees F for 30 minutes or longer until crisp, flipping half way through.
You can grill the baked tofu over high heat to get grill marks.
For a stickier marinade, add 2 tsp flax seed meal and mix in. Let sit for 2 minutes, then coat tofu in the marinade.

Nutritional information based on 1 serving

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips

Amount Per Serving

Calories 120Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Sodium 545mg24%

Potassium 181mg5%

Carbohydrates 14g5%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 85IU2%

Vitamin C 0.7mg1%

Calcium 46mg5%

Iron 1.4mg8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you make this recipe?Please do leave a comment and rating below.. Tag me on Instagram @veganricha

Sharing is caring!

Share on PinterestShare on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on X (Twitter)Share on Email

More holiday

Vegan Baklava with Date nut filling
Popped Lentils with Mashed Potatoes
Vegan Mocha Cake with Chocolate Mousse (Gluten-free option)
Delicata Squash White Bean Casserole

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online! I love hearing from you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Reader Interactions

Comments

Leave a Comment and Rating

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Linda
February 12, 2024 at 2:39 pm

Fantastic tofu! I paired this tofu with some peanut butter noodles for a delicious dinner. I can tell that this tofu is versatile, and will be something I make often. Thank you, Richa!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  February 13, 2024 at 5:33 am
  Awesome!
  Reply
Liz
November 02, 2023 at 9:33 am

Absolutely delicious! Made this and served it as part of a rice bowl.
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  November 02, 2023 at 4:29 pm
  yay!
  Reply
KJ
February 28, 2023 at 3:58 pm

Absolutely delicious !! One of our go-to favorites 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  March 02, 2023 at 9:02 pm
  yay! thank you 🙂
  See Also
  Our 40 Best Potato Recipes Sourdough Bread: A Beginner's Guide - The Clever Carrot A 1620s fashion: virago sleeves and over gowns De complete Antilliaanse keuken | 9789082438246 | Jurino Ignacio | Boeken | bol
  Reply
Lyn Bart
June 11, 2022 at 1:58 pm

This was such a quick and easy recipe with all on hand ingredients so I went from reading the recipe to eating it in 15 minutes (coincidentally I had pressed some tofu earlier). It was really tasty and I put a little tamarind sauce on it. YUM. Thanks once again for helping me lose my fear of cooking food like this.
Reply
- Richa
  June 11, 2022 at 8:49 pm
  Yaya
  Reply
Martina
October 25, 2021 at 4:13 pm

This is one of my favorite tofu recipes. Absolutely delicious! I’m wondering if this could be made in an air fryer?
Reply
- Richa
  October 25, 2021 at 9:55 pm
  Yes it should work. Add in 1-2 tsp cornstarch to the. Marinade so that it thickens and dried faster in the air fryer and the breadcrumb coating stays and doesn’t fallmoff
  Reply
SusanL
October 20, 2021 at 6:16 pm
Made this tonight… it was so good and will be part of my regular rotation.
Reply
Esther Phelps
June 12, 2021 at 4:08 pm

This is a favorite!!! So delicious!!!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  June 13, 2021 at 6:10 pm
  ❤️❤️
  Reply
Felicia
April 24, 2021 at 3:26 pm

Made these tonight and put them in tacos with an avocado crema, so so so good!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  April 26, 2021 at 12:07 pm
  sounds yummy,
  Reply
GABRIELLE OTTAVIO
February 25, 2021 at 5:47 pm

Omg so delicious and easy. Perfect for a weekday dinner. I marinated the tofu while I went to yoga class. When I returned, breaded them with gluten-free bread crumbs and popped them into a convection oven- thank you for another fabulous recipe
Reply
Atilla
January 12, 2021 at 3:11 pm

!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  January 14, 2021 at 5:28 pm
  woo-hoo
  Reply
Christine Dougherty
December 20, 2020 at 5:24 pm

This was really good! Will definitely make it again, 😊
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  December 22, 2020 at 12:30 pm
  Excellent !! thank you
  Reply
Guggu
December 06, 2020 at 10:07 am
It was bitter. I used the same ratio. Any idea what would have gone wrong?
Reply
- Richa
  December 06, 2020 at 12:33 pm
  Maybe the coating got overcooked/burnt?
  Reply
Lela
November 25, 2020 at 1:40 pm

This is most perfect Tofu recipe.Very satisfied!!!
Thank you for shearing!
Reply
- Richa
  November 25, 2020 at 10:29 pm
  Awesome
  Reply
Amanda
November 22, 2020 at 8:42 pm
I want to try these but my partner and I aren’t ketchup eaters so we never have it in the house. Do you think it would work to sub sriracha?
Reply
- Richa
  November 22, 2020 at 9:37 pm
  That will be too spicy in that amount. Use 1 tsp sriracha and some bbq sauce
  Reply
  - Amanda
    November 23, 2020 at 11:35 am
    Makes sense! Thank you!!
    Reply
Terri H Hartsfield
June 29, 2020 at 1:48 pm

I made this for lunch today to top a salad and it turned out great. Probably my favorite tofu recipe!
Reply
- Vegan Richa Support
  June 30, 2020 at 9:35 am
  Oh I’m so glad! Thanks for stopping by!
  Reply
Alexandra
October 29, 2019 at 5:44 am

I’m already a big fan of tofu but I made this recipe last night and WOW. I think this is my new favorite way of making tofu. It was absolutely delicious.
Reply
See Also
Beyond the Sandwich: 10 Best Packable Lunches
- Richa
  October 29, 2019 at 11:24 am
  awesome!!
  Reply
Nadia
September 22, 2019 at 4:44 pm
I don’t usually comment on recipes, but this one is deserving! This tofu turned out amazingly, and I will definitely be making it often. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Reply
- Richa
  September 22, 2019 at 6:11 pm
  awesome!
  Reply
Cheryl Davis
May 03, 2019 at 6:12 am

Made this tonight – so good! My partner says it is the best thing he has eaten all week. Loved the texture (I baked rather than grilled) and loved the marinade. Will definitely be making this again (soon…)
Reply
- Richa
  May 03, 2019 at 11:33 am
  yay!
  Reply
Aisling Connolly
April 01, 2019 at 10:57 am

Made these on the George Foreman with sriracha instead of hot sauce…absolutely gorgeous. Will be making again
Reply
- Richa
  April 01, 2019 at 3:00 pm
  yay
  Reply
Cecdkc
February 14, 2019 at 8:08 pm

Rmarlabky tasty! I was a little concerned that this might be bland. I marinated sliced and pressed extra firm tofu overnight, and grilled over a gas grill this evening: it was delicious! Just had a leftover slice in a sandwich. Home run! I’ll be making this again!
Reply
- Richa
  February 15, 2019 at 9:42 am
  awesome!
  Reply
Proserpine
June 07, 2017 at 11:47 am

Hi, and sorry about the necro-comment!
Frenchie vegan here. Just wanted to tell you that I tested your recipe tonight and love it to bits!
Thank you very much for posting.
Reply
shilpa
July 29, 2016 at 3:17 am

Can I put the tofu pieces in a grill sandwich maker , close the lid and prepare?
Reply
- Richa
  July 29, 2016 at 10:45 am
  Yes, that should work. Don’t press and lock the sandwich maker as that might squeeze the tofu too much, just rest the grill on the tofu slices.
  Reply
Maya Harel
January 26, 2016 at 11:07 am
This is my new favorite tofu recipe. It comes out amazingly moist, which is hard to get in tofu. I even forgot to bread it, but it was still yummy. Next time I’ll try the breading.
Reply
- Richa
  January 26, 2016 at 11:08 am
  Great!
  Reply
Ayaka
January 20, 2016 at 7:25 am
Looks yummy! I am going to try this tomorrow!!
I don’t have a grill, but to make this crispy, is it better to pan fry with some oil instead of baking in the oven? Have you try pan frying??
Reply
- Richa
  January 20, 2016 at 10:47 am
  yes you can pan fry as well. I use a grill pan on the stove. which is a pan with grill marks and pan fry on that. You can use a regular pan, just keep an eye on the breading so that it doesnt burn/char completely.
  Reply
Lisa
December 22, 2015 at 6:16 pm
Hi Richa, I made this tonight — very nice, especially considering that it used virtually no oil! They grilled up well, got the grill marks, but I found myself wishing I had pan fried them — the breading was a bit dry. I also think I actually over-pressed the tofu; it was also kind of dry. All of that said, I would make this again, doing a couple tweaks. I’m curious — did you use fresh bread crumbs, or panko, or what? Thanks!
Reply
- Richa
  December 22, 2015 at 6:54 pm
  I used panko and a thick coating of the sauce. It could be the over dry tofu or over cooking. You can soak the slices in a marinade of soy sauce + garlic powder and spices of choice for an hour or and then coat in the thick sauce, and bread and grill. I did use an oil spray on both sides, so maybe that also helped lock in the moisture.
  Reply
  - Lisa
    December 23, 2015 at 6:40 am
    OK, that’s it — I’m going to finally invest in a spray bottle thingee for oil, because I think that is exactly what the tofu needed: just a bit more oil than I had brushed onto the grill pan. Also I’m going to get a better brand of tofu — brand I used for this tends to be dense and dry. I’d forgotten that I wasn’t going to buy it again. Thanks!
    Reply
    - Richa
      December 23, 2015 at 10:25 am
      😀 yes, the type of tofu matters for sure. 🙂
      Reply
simple chocolate martini recipe
December 04, 2015 at 5:35 pm
Those look like some of the best crispy tofu strips I ve ever seen. Can t wait to try them.
Reply
Safira
November 26, 2015 at 9:29 am

I made this last night along with the Butternut Squash Pilaf… oh my! It was incredibly scrumptious. Thanks for all the delicious recipes you provide here. I was telling one of my friends how you’re such an amazing cook!
Reply
- Richa
  November 26, 2015 at 11:44 am
  Awesome!! So glad you loved it!
  Reply
Erin
November 23, 2015 at 4:41 am
YUM! I’m always looking for new ways to prepare tofu. This looks simply delicious!
Reply
- Richa
  November 23, 2015 at 10:12 am
  Thanks! this one was a hit at our recent potluck!
  Reply
masala girl
November 21, 2015 at 8:22 pm
ive never tried breading tofu but this looks really good!!
Reply
- Richa
  November 21, 2015 at 10:47 pm
  try it!
  Reply
Angela Davis
November 21, 2015 at 6:18 pm
I will try this but not cure if you buy soft or firm tofu?
Reply
- Richa
  November 21, 2015 at 10:48 pm
  firm or extra firm. just make sure to remove excess moisture by pressing
  Reply
Amy
November 21, 2015 at 5:12 pm

Made this tonight and it’s delicious! My non-vegan husband really enjoyed it as well. Thanks so much!
Reply
- Richa
  November 21, 2015 at 6:03 pm
  Awesome!!!!
  Reply
Sheena Yap Chan
November 21, 2015 at 1:00 pm
damn those look really yummy! i will have to try these out =D
Reply
Ruchi
November 19, 2015 at 2:54 pm
Great recipe! Will try it soon. I have been a long time reader of your blog and read your article in the Vegetarian Times this month. Congratulations and way to go!
Reply
- Richa
  November 19, 2015 at 3:08 pm
  Thanks Ruchi!
  Reply
Sheila
November 19, 2015 at 10:02 am
Cook these be cook in a George Foreman grill ?
Reply
- Richa
  November 19, 2015 at 11:17 am
  yes it should work.
  Reply
Travis
November 19, 2015 at 7:58 am
Richa, did you grill to get the marks then baked the tofu? Or only one of the cooking methods?
Reply
- Richa
  November 19, 2015 at 11:18 am
  no you either grill them, or bake them. you can bake and then grill over high for the marks.
  Reply
Ranjana
November 17, 2015 at 8:24 pm
Tried these today – very nice! I did the baked version but had to bake for almost 45-50 minutes to get them crispy. In the last 10 minutes, I sliced them in half to get them crisper sooner. Great recipe! Will make again- thanks Richa!
Reply
- Richa
  November 17, 2015 at 10:17 pm
  Awesome! maybe there was too much moisture in the tofu or the a thicker marinade layer? Yes, slice them thinner for quicker bake time.
  Reply
Tendayi
November 17, 2015 at 2:16 pm

I just made these for an early dinner, on a bed of rice, with a side of your easy green beans…. delicious!! Thank you for the recipe.
Reply
- Richa
  November 17, 2015 at 2:20 pm
  Great! thanks
  Reply
- Anna
  July 01, 2019 at 8:28 am
  where is the recipe for “easy green beans? ” ,.. i would love to make all of this =)
  Reply
Hollie
November 17, 2015 at 10:08 am

Dinner – sorted!
Reply
Jenn
November 16, 2015 at 5:29 pm
This looks AMAZING!! Home run, Richa!
Reply
- Richa
  November 16, 2015 at 5:49 pm
  Thanks Jenn!
  Reply
Michelle
November 16, 2015 at 3:55 pm
This looks very flavorful. I will be making it this week. What brand of hot sauce do you like? I am always looking for a good one.
Reply
- Richa
  November 16, 2015 at 4:09 pm
  Crystal or franks hot sauce
  Reply

Spicy Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips - Vegan Richa (2024)

More Tofu dishes from the blog

Step by step photos:

Recipe Card

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips

Ingredients

Tofu Marinade:

Breadcrumb coating:

Instructions

Video

Notes

Nutrition

Sharing is caring!

More holiday

Reader Interactions

Comments

Leave a Comment and Rating

References