This simple baked tofu recipe is delicious as a snack or entree, and is so easy to prepare! Vegan & gluten-free.
This year I’ve been challenging myself to add more vegetarian dinners to our weekly meal plan to reduce our impact on the environment. We’ve been pretty steady at 3 vegetarian meals per week, and tofu has made its way into the rotation.
I love tofu because it keeps in the fridge for quite awhile, which means if I forget to thaw something out, I have an option waiting for me.
Tofu has a bad rep for being bland, but this baked tofu recipe is anything but! Tossed in a delicious spice blend and baked to perfection, these tofu cubes are highly addictive!
Don’t forget to pin this recipe to save it for later!
Reasons to love this baked tofu recipe
- it has SO MUCH FLAVOR and is even kid-friendly
- you don’t need to make a sauce or marinade, simply season with a few spices
- it’s very easy to prepare and leaves your hands free while it bakes up
How to bake tofu
Let’s talk about a few important details when it comet to how to bake tofu:
- Tofu- use extra firm for this recipe.
- Press– pressing the liquid out helps this tofu get a nice, almost crispy texture in the oven.
- Cut small– I cut my block in thirds horizontally, then across the block to get 1/2-3/4 inch cubes.
- Cornstarch– first toss in olive oil, then in cornstarch. This helps keep any extra moisture from the surface of the tofu, helping it get a better texture.
- Seasoning- for this recipe, I’ve used a spice blend, because it’s so easy! You could also toss it in one of these 7 stir fry sauce recipes (after thickening in a pan)
After preparing your tofu, you will bake for 45 minutes- 1 hour.
Does this baked tofu recipe get crispy? Almost. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it crispy, but it does get crispy as it cools down. However it has a delicious (almost chewy) texture that is so different from how it normally tastes.
Can I use a different seasoning blend on this baked tofu recipe? Sure! I have 7 Dry Rub Recipes which you could use as seasoning for this recipe. I bet the lemon herb and Indian spice blends would be so yummy on tofu!
What can I use as a dip for this baked tofu recipe? This baked tofu would be fantastic served with dip. Honestly, we gobbled it up without a dip, but I would love to serve it with ranch (I have my eye on this vegan ranch dressing!), my favorite homemade hummus recipe, this maple tahini dressing, or the almond butter sauce from these cold sesame noodles.
What to serve with baked tofu?
This recipe is versatile and goes well with so many flavors! Here are some ideas of dishes you could pair it with:
- Turmeric Cauliflower Rice or one of these 7 Cauliflower Rice Recipes
- one of these 3 Broccolini Recipes
- this Autumn Apple Farro Salad or this Staple Kale Salad
- Grilled Broccoli
- one of these 3 Snap Peas Recipes
Tips & equipment for perfect baked tofu
- I recently invested in a good quality sheet pan (these ones!) and wished I had sooner!
- I tested this recipe with extra firm Sunrise Soya tofu
- cornstarch can be swapped with arrowroot powder
- Looking for more tofu recipes? Try this Air Fryer Tofu, this Peanut Ginger Tofu Stir Fry, these Pineapple BBQ Tofu Meal Prep Bowls and this Tofu Scramble with Breakfast Sweet Potatoes
Baked Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Press tofu: sandwich between paper towels and two plates. Place a heavy object (like a 28 oz can) on the top plate. See photo in post for a visual. Press for 30 minutes or more.
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Cut tofu into 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch cubes.
- Toss tofu in olive oil, then in cornstarch 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Toss tofu in all remaining ingredients, then arrange on a large baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until cooked to your liking.
Lola
Great recipe! I added cumin & 1/2 tbs of sesame oil.
Denise
Hi Lola, so happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for reporting back!
Lailla
Made this tonight, following the recipe as written. I liked the cruchiness but felt it was a little band. Will try again using a different seasoning. Thank you for sharing.
Hashmanis
I just used your recipe to prepare tofu to be added at the last minute to a stir fry of onions, garlic, ginger and several large sweet peppers in a sauce of combined soy sauce and oyster sauce. The crispness of the tofu cubes was retained and they had absorbed some of the flavors of the sauce. I served it on fried noodles. Excellent!
Denise
So glad you enjoyed!
Veronica
Looks so delish! Do you think it would keep if I used it for four servings of a lunch prep?
Denise
Hi Veronica, so sorry about my late reply! It will still taste good, but won’t be crispy. Hope you enjoy!