Crispy Breaded Tofu Steaks
Moist and tender tofu, zingy tomato marinade, with a crispy breadcrumb coating. A quick and easy recipe perfect for serving with potatoes and veg. Gluten free option.
Moist and tender tofu, zingy tomato marinade, with a crispy breadcrumb coating. A quick and easy recipe perfect for serving with potatoes and veg. Gluten free option.
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 block extra-firm tofu
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (plus more if needed *see notes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil ((or enough to fry the tofu))
- a side of your favourite bbq sauce for dipping
- Carbohydrate 53.2650003243778 g
- Cholesterol 0.56 mg
- Fat 3.75517375105854 g
- Fiber 5.77612502844542 g
- Protein 12.7394250064578 g
- Saturated Fat 0.856990625090747 g
- Serving Size 1 1 large tofu steaks (or more depending on how you cu (226g)
- Sodium 1096.01715642457 mg
- Sugar 47.4888752959324 g
- Trans Fat 0.517101250245486 g
- Calories 287 calories
Step-by-step
- Drain the tofu, and cut into your steak sized pieces. I like cutting it into two large steaks by slicing the block it in half lengthwise, but you could cut it into more pieces for smaller crispier tofu.
- Once cut, lay the tofu pieces on a clean dishtowel, and then wrap them up in the towel. Put a cutting board on top, and balance something heavy, such as a few cans on top of that. This is how you press the tofu to help release excess water. Let the tofu press for 10 to 30 minutes, the longer you press it, the drier and more firm the steaks will be.
- When you are ready to make your tofu steaks, mince the garlic cloves and add them to a large flat bowl that is big enough to fit one of your tofu steaks.
- Add the remaining sauce ingredients to the garlic bowl: the tomato paste, dijon mustard, maple syrup, soy sauce, water, and pepper, and mix together.
- In a separate dish that is also big enough to fit the tofu steak, add the breadcrumbs.
- Dip the tofu steaks in the tomato paste mixture, and use a spoon or fork to help spread a thick layer of the sauce on the tofu. Now dip the sauced tofu steak into the breadcrumbs and use your hand to help pat the breadcrumbs onto the tofu. Repeat with remaining tofu pieces.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, carefully fry the tofu pieces until they are golden brown on both sides, and heated through. About 3 to 6 minutes per side. The breading can be a little fragile and falls off easily, so I found the best technique was to use a large spatula (and not tongs) for flipping. Just be gentle when handling the tofu.
- For presentation, cut the tofu on an angle and serve with a side of your favourite BBQ sauce.
Surface moisture remains the primary enemy of crispiness when frying high-water-protein foods. Extra-firm blocks retain internal liquid that escapes during cooking, instantly turning dry breadcrumb coatings into soggy layers unless forced out beforehand. Weight-pressing the sliced blocks for a full twenty minutes extracts surplus moisture far more effectively than surface blotting alone. Thoroughly dehydrating the interior allows the exterior starch structures to achieve proper dehydration in hot oil.
Coating soybean curd successfully requires an intermediate adhesive layer that bridges hydrophilic proteins and dry carbohydrates. Thick aromatics like tomato paste combined with dijon mustard create a viscous paste that clings tightly to smooth tofu surfaces without sliding off. Panko breadcrumbs possess a flaky, coarse geometry that traps micro-air pockets, yielding a much crunchier final texture than finely ground standard breadcrumbs. Maintaining a moderate frying temperature of medium heat ensures the thick outer crust browns uniformly during the three to six minutes per side without scorching the garlic within the binder.
Pairing these savory, umami-rich cutlets with roasted root vegetables or steamed starches balances the concentrated flavors of the soy sauce and maple glaze. Gluten-free adaptations require simply swapping standard panko for certified rice-flour alternatives while keeping the identical binding ratios intact.
