Super Crispy Fried Silken Tofu
This Fried Silken Tofu is super crispy on the outside, and creamy and light on the inside. It's easy to make, using just a few pantry ingredients! Enjoy with our sriracha mayo or your favorite dipping sauce.
Ingredients
Tofu
- 12 oz. (350g) package of silken firm tofu
- ¼ cup flour of choice (all-purpose, gluten-free all-purpose, or chickpea flour)
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if needed)
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Sriracha mayo (optional)
- ½ cup vegan mayonnaise (or regular)
- 2-3 tablespoon sriracha sauce
Instructions
- Using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, carefully pat dry the tofu to remove excess water. Cut into 1 ½-inch pieces.12 oz. (350g) package of silken firm tofu
- Then, in a shallow bowl, add water, spices, and flour and mix until smooth. The mixture should be thick, but pourable, kind of like pancake batter. If it gets too thick, add a splash of water to thin it out.¼ cup flour of choice, ¼ cup water, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- To another shallow bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs. Start coating the tofu, first dip it in the wet batter, then in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to coat all sides of the tofu in the breadcrumbs, gently pressing them down so they stick.1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- If you don't have a deep fryer, heat 2 inches of oil in a cast iron skillet or a Dutch oven until it reaches 380ºF (190ºC). Use a kitchen thermometer to check when the oil is ready. Once hot, carefully drop the tofu and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side, until golden brown.Vegetable oil, for frying
- Then, remove the pieces from the hot pan/pot and set them aside on a plate with a paper towel to soak the excess oil. Serve this fried silken tofu right away, while it's warm and crispy.
- For the sauce, mix the mayo and sriracha together until creamy.½ cup vegan mayonnaise, 2-3 tablespoon sriracha sauce
Notes
- Pat dry the tofu. In order for the breading to stick, you have to make sure that the tofu is as dry as possible. Since you can't press silken tofu with a tofu press, I suggest using a paper towel to remove excess liquid.
- Work carefully while coating the tofu. Silken tofu is very soft. I am talking, it can crumble in your hands by just touching it. Make sure to slowly and carefully coat each piece so it doesn't fall apart.
- Use a kitchen thermometer. This is essential to have on hand whenever you're frying something. It will help you know when the oil has reached the right temperature for frying, and it will help you monitor the temperature while cooking. However, if you don't have a kitchen thermometer on hand, you can use a wooden spoon or a chopstick. Dip it into the oil and if the edges sizzle right away, the oil is ready. Just keep in mind that this isn't as accurate as using a thermometer is.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. Frying too many pieces at a time will make the temperature of the oil drop too much, and the tofu may stick together. Depending on how big your pot or pan is, you should fry a maximum of 5-6 pieces at a time.
- Be very careful when working with hot oil! Make sure to work very carefully to prevent burning. To be safe, I recommend wearing long sleeves, an apron, and even protective gloves if necessary. Use long kitchen tongs to take the churros out of the oil!
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 289kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 8.7gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 1.65gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 11.3gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 329.5mgPotassium: 783.3mgFiber: 0.6gSugar: 1.2gVitamin A: 82.4IUCalcium: 30.3mgIron: 1.4mg
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