Vegan Crispy Tofu Bites

Total time1 hr 5 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time20 min

4.5

(27)

These golden, lacquered bites prove that tofu can absolutely be the star of the show. The secret is pressing the block for a full 30 minutes before anything else — that step pulls out excess moisture so the cornstarch coating crisps up beautifully in the pan instead of steaming. A blend of smoked paprika and garlic powder gives each cube a savory depth before they even hit the glaze. The sauce itself is a quick mix of tamari, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and fresh ginger that thickens in the skillet in under two minutes and coats every piece in sticky, glossy perfection. Everything here is built from pantry staples with zero animal products in sight, so there's no swapping or substituting required. Finished with a scatter of sesame seeds and sliced scallions, the whole dish comes together in well under an hour and serves four — which means it works just as well for a weeknight dinner as it does for meal prep.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the tofu

1 block (14 oz) extra-firm tofu
3 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
3 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado oil or canola oil), divided

For the glaze

3 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water

For serving

1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
2 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)

Instructions

1
Drain the tofu and wrap it in 3–4 layers of paper towels. Set a heavy skillet or cutting board on top and press for 30 minutes, replacing the towels halfway through if they are saturated.
2
Unwrap the pressed tofu and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. In a large bowl, whisk together the 3 tbsp cornstarch, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Add the tofu cubes and toss until each piece is evenly coated.

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