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How to Make Crispy Baked Tofu with No Oil: the Basic Method

In today’s post, I’m going to share my tips on how to make crispy baked tofu with no oil. This way of baking oil-free tofu can be mastered by anyone regardless of their experience in the kitchen. This is a truly foolproof way to make crispy oven baked tofu that’s oil-free and ready to be used in your favorite vegan recipes.

How to make oil-free baked tofu: a basic method for making crispy baked tofu without frying it in oil

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Adding tofu to a lot of vegan and plant-based recipes is a great way to boost their protein content. However, if you add it raw straight from the box, it’s most likely going to fall apart because of its delicate texture.

That’s why I prefer to pre-bake my tofu before adding it to things like stir-fries, soups, salads, etc. It has a nice crispy texture and mouthfeel, and it holds together well when used in any recipe.

How to Make Crispy Baked Tofu with No Oil: a Simple Technique

For this recipe I usually use a standard 16-ounce store-bought block of firm or extra firm tofu. This yields four 4-ounce servings. For printable directions see the recipe card below.

1. Press your block of tofu. This will take about 20 minutes. This step is necessary to squeeze out excess liquid from the package, or otherwise the cooked tofu might come out rubbery.

To press your tofu, wrap it in a paper towel, put it between two cutting boards, and apply something heavy on top (like a teapot or a book). Alternatively, you can use a special tofu-pressing device like this gourmet tofu press from Amazon.

2. Preheat the oven to 400° F while the tofu is being pressed. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, and are ok with using a bit of oil, spray your cookie sheet lightly with cooking spray.

3. Cut your tofu into cubes or squares, making sure not to slice them too thin (they might dry out too much in the oven).

In the picture below, I’ve cut my tofu into 1″ x 1″ x 1/2″ pieces approximately. If you need larger pieces of tofu, cut them larger.

Cutting tofu for baking in the oven: a foolproof method for baking perfect oil-free tofu.

4. Arrange tofu pieces on the baking sheet.

I’m using a greased sheet in the pictures below, but these days I prefer to line my baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.

Arranging tofu on a cookie sheet for baking in the oven.

5. Bake tofu for 10 min at 400° F, then take it out and flip.

If you’re using a greased baking sheet, some of the tofu may stick to it. When baked on parchment, tofu is much easier to flip.

Tips for baking tofu with no oil

6. Bake for 6-8 min longer, then take the tofu out. At this point, the baking is done! The pieces will be golden in color and springy to the touch.

I often pop a few pieces in my mouth as soon as they’ve cooled off a bit. That’s even better if I have a fun dipping sauce on hand!

7. Use your oil-free baked tofu in any recipe that calls for pre-cooked tofu: add it to stir-fry, marinate it in various sauces, add it to soup, salads, etc. Enjoy!

Basic Facts About Tofu

1. Tofu is made from soy milk in a process called coagulation. Soy protein gets separated from the liquid parts of soy milk, and then is pressed to form a solid block.

2. Tofu comes in various degrees of firmness, from silken (the softest, most tender) to firm and very firm. Silken tofu is ideal for sauces, puddings, pie fillings, etc., while firm varieties are perfect for by baking, grilling, frying, and so on.

3. Tofu absorbs the flavor of whatever you cook it with, especially if you marinate it prior to adding it to the rest of the ingredients. While it is ideal in Asian-style stir-fries, it can also be used in soups, stews, and even sandwiches, especially if you bake it first following the directions in this post.

4. Tofu can absorb not only marinades, but also lots of oil during frying because of its spongy texture. This is why I decided to post my favorite way to bake tofu that involves no oil at all (if you bake the tofu pieces on parchment paper), or very little oil (if you spray the cookie sheet with oil) .

My baked oil-free tofu comes out sturdy and firm, so it doesn’t break when added to various dishes, but it’s still soft enough to absorb flavors. Plus, it’s not drenched in oil!

5. Tofu is in no way a mandatory food to consume if you decide to go vegan/plant-based! There are plenty of vegan people who forgo tofu completely, just as there are vegans who are gluten-free/allergic to other foods. Recipes calling for tofu are usually easy to make without it, like substituting beans for tofu in soups and stir-fries.

Still not interested in eating soy products as a vegan? See my tips on how to go soy-free as a vegan.

Is Tofu Good for You or Bad for You?

Tofu is one of the ingredients common to vegan/plant-based cooking that often gets a lot of bad rap. While some people declare it terrible for our health to the extent of causing cancer, others say that they can’t stand its taste or texture.

I’ve heard people say that they could never go vegan because they didn’t want to “eat all that tofu”!

Tofu (like all soy foods) contains substances called isoflavones. “Isoflavones are classified as phytoestrogens… which means that they can have very mild estrogen-enhancing effects under some conditions and anti-estrogenic effects under others, as they block the body’s hormonally active compounds.” (Quoted from  My Beef with Meat: The Healthiest Argument for Eating a Plant-Strong Diet by Rip Esselstyn.)

Because certain cancers (some types of breast cancer in particular) thrive off of estrogen, a lot of health-conscious people choose to stay away from eating soy in the hopes to lower their cancer risk.

However, phytoestrogen is quite a bit weaker than estrogen that naturally occurs in our bodies, as well as in meat and dairy. When phytosetrogen gets attached to cancer receptors that are looking for real estrogen, its growth happens at a slower rate.

So if you’re trying to cut down on estrogen consumption, you’re much better off avoiding meat and especially dairy than soy!

(Note that I’m not a doctor or a medical professional, so please do some additional research and ask your healthcare provider about soy in your diet.)

The exact ways of how (and if) tofu and soy products affect our health are continued to be studied, but evidence suggests that there’s no need for us to be afraid of consuming tofu made from organic soybeans once or twice a week.

Recipes with Tofu on the Blog

Easy Vegan Tofu Banh Mi Sandwich

Easy Baked BBQ Tofu Sandwich

Vegan Szechuan Tofu with Peppers and Onions

Vegan Tofu and Veggie Lasagna

Also, I have a whole board on Pinterest devoted to tofu.

Yield: 4 servings

Crispy Baked Tofu with No Oil

How to make oil-free baked tofu: a basic method for making crispy baked tofu without frying it in oil

This crispy baked tofu is cooked in the oven with no oil added. This is a basic recipe that can be used to make tofu for use in various recipes - stir-fry, soups, salads, curry, etc.

Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Time to Press Tofu: 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 standard block of firm or extra firm tofu (about 16 oz)

Instructions

    1. Press the tofu to remove liquid. This is easy to do using a tofu press. If you don't have a tofu press, wrap the drained tofu block in a paper towel, put it between two cutting boards, and apply something heavy on top (like a teapot or a book). Press the tofu for about 20 min and up to an hour.
    2. Preheat the oven to 400° F (200° C) while the tofu is being pressed. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don't have parchment paper, you can lightly spray the baking sheet with cooking spray (see note*) - this won't add a lot of oil to the finished tofu.
    3. Drain the pressed tofu and pat it dry. Cut it crosswise into 1/2" thick rectangles, then cut each rectangle in half lengthwise. Cut the resulting tofu strips into 4 equal-sized pieces.
    4. Arrange the tofu pieces in rows on the prepared baking sheet, making sure that the pieces don't touch. Bake for 10 minutes, then take out and flip. Return to the oven for 6-8 minutes, or until the tofu pieces are slightly golden in color and springy to the touch. Use in any recipe of your choice, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.

Notes

* Keep in mind that parchment-free method can cause your tofu to stick to the baking sheet even if it's greased.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

4 oz

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 94Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 11g

Please note that the provided nutritional information data is approximate.

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author avatar
Alina Zavatsky - Vegan Runner Eats
Alina first made a switch to a vegan diet in 2013 to optimize her athletic performance as a marathon runner. Eventually she embraced veganism as a way to be kinder to fellow living beings and the environment. Alina hopes that this blog helps its readers on their path to becoming vegan and making this world a better place.

Ann

Wednesday 16th of December 2015

I dredge mine in soy sauce before putting on the sheet. Adds a nice bit of flavor, enough to eat straight or in salads, but not so much it interferes with the dish. (While it's a sponge, it doesn't absorb much after baking creates a crust.)

Also been dredging in oil, but going to give it try without now. Thanks! :-)

Monika

Sunday 3rd of May 2015

A simple and tasty recipe! I do a similar baked tofu (I even have the same cookie sheet!!) in slices. I often sprinkle herbs over the slices or cubes -- dried or fresh basil, or chopped fresh green onion work especially well.

Alina

Sunday 3rd of May 2015

Thanks for the tip, Monika, I haven't tried adding spices but should do so next time.

jeanie

Friday 21st of February 2014

i finally found a vegan runner who loves to cook and does not use oil. this is fabulous. thank you so much. oil is the worst: makes for greasy skin and hair and zits and fat on the hips.

Alina

Friday 21st of February 2014

Very much agree with you, Jeanie: since I cut down on oil dramatically, my skin and hair look and feel way better! Glad you found my blog!

Natalie Tamara

Friday 14th of February 2014

This looks like a really effective method - I sometimes find tofu sticks a bit when I cook it so may well try using parchment paper next time. Thanks for the tip!

Alina

Friday 14th of February 2014

You're welcome Natalie!

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