Crispy Baked Tofu

Recipe by Camille Panaro

Each time I prepare and serve tofu, I’m always surprised by how much my family likes it. I still laugh when I hear my sons get excited about tofu for dinner!

I didn’t grow up eating this protein. Tofu wasn’t exactly a staple in an Italian household from upstate New York!

I became acquainted with tofu when my sister, a long-time vegetarian, started serving this delicious meat substitute at her family gatherings. She would always season her dishes with something different, often trying out different herbs and spices.

What I love the most is its versatile nature and the ability of this food to absorb any flavor it interacts with.

I started to play around with my own seasonings and cooking temps, but I couldn’t get the consistency quite right.

Then – I discovered a simple trick to make it crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

After numerous attempts to make this white bean curd palatable for children, I discovered that any starch will give the outside edges a nice texture. I use corn starch, but any starch will do (I don’t recommend using flour).

You may wish to try arrowroot or potato starch to achieve the crispy, textured coating.

The fun part is deciding which flavors will blend together for the perfect combination.

I settled on a few seasonings that I think work well together!

The herbs and spices for this recipe are simple and family approved.

Baked Tofu directions:

1. The first thing you’ll want to do is drain the tofu and pat it dry with a paper towel.
2. Cut tofu into 1 inch cubes. The thickness and shape of each cube is really a preference – I just prefer cubes.
3. Drizzle EVOO or vegetable oil over the tofu and gently fold to coat the cubes.
4. Sprinkle the (corn) starch over the cubes to coat each one.
5. Add the seasonings and gently fold to distribute evenly over the tofu.
6. Arrange evenly spaced tofu pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. In a pre-heated oven, bake the pieces for a total of 30 – 35 minutes on 400 degrees f – turning each piece over midway through the cook time (roughly 15 minutes).
8. Serve warm over your favorite veggies or cold in a salad! Enjoy!