Bonus Recipe: Easy, Crispy Tofu Cutlets
A fast weeknight method for making crispy, versatile tofu cutlets
This recipe is a good example of something I cooked on the fly one night when I needed to get dinner on the table fast. I wasn’t trying to develop a perfect recipe, I just needed a quick and easy way to make tofu that my kids would eat.
I lured the kids in with a crispy, fried coating that gives tofu a crunchy texture. I’ve made this tofu a few times now, and decided it was time to jot down a recipe so I could share it with you!
This tofu has a light and crunchy coating and softy custardy middle. The flavor is mild and therefore really versatile. You don’t have to limit this tofu to Asian cuisine. It can be served with pasta on the side, or any type of roasted vegetables. I often serve it with roasted frozen broccoli (here’s the recipe for broccoli I sent last week) and buttered noodles. I can also imagine serving this crispy tofu with French fries and coleslaw (kind of like fish ‘n chips, but tofu and chips!)
Easy, Crispy Tofu Cutlets
Servings: 4
Cooking Method: Pan-fried
Cooking Time: About 30 minutes total
(15 minutes to press moisture out of the tofu, plus 15 minutes of hands-on cooking)
A printable pdf version of this recipe can be found at the bottom of the post.
Ingredients
1 14-oz package of firm tofu, pressed (see notes)
3/4 cup plain, finely ground breadcrumbs
2 eggs, whisked (see the Notes for an egg-free substitute)
3 tablespoons sunflower/canola oil
Salt, to taste
Instructions
Press the tofu for 10 to 15 minutes to release some of the moisture (see detailed instructions below in the Notes section).
Slice the block of tofu into 6 to 8 cutlets, about 1/4-inch thick. Lightly salt the slices of tofu.
Next to the stove, set up your dredging station by putting the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish and whisking the eggs in a wide bowl.
Pour the oil into a wide (12-inch) non-stick skillet and warm it over medium-high heat.
Dredge both sides of each tofu cutlet in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs. Make sure that the tofu cutlet is completely covered in a light coating of breadcrumbs. Be gentle, so the tofu doesn’t break in half (if it does break, it’s fine, just throw the pieces into the hot skillet).
After dredging each tofu cutlet, set it directly into the hot skillet. You should be able to fit all of the tofu slices in the skillet at once. If not, you’ll have to cook it in batches.
Fry the tofu for about 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned and crispy. Add a drizzle of oil while frying if the pan seems to get dry. You need enough oil to get the coating really crispy, so don’t be stingy with the oil.
Sprinkle the pan-fried tofu with a generous amount of salt right before serving. The tofu tastes best hot, but is also pretty good at room temperature.
Notes
Pressing tofu: Pressing down on tofu with a heavy weight squeezes out some of the moisture. Less moisture means the tofu will have a crispier exterior when it’s cooked. If you eat a lot of tofu, a tofu press might be a good investment. If you don’t like having extra gadgets in your kitchen, then you can press tofu this way:
Wrap a block of tofu in a lint-free dish towel. Set it on a plate.
Set another plate on top of the tofu.
Weigh down the tofu by setting 2 cans of food (like beans) on top of the plate.
Press the tofu for between 10 to 30 minutes. For this recipe, 10 to 15 minute is fine.
Dredging without flour: Most recipes call for dredging in flour first, then egg and breadcrumbs. This is because flour gives the egg something to cling to and it also creates a slightly thicker coating overall. I’ve found that egg sticks to tofu fairly well so the flour isn’t as necessary.
Breadcrumbs: Use finely ground breadcrumbs for this recipe, not panko. I’ve used the Progresso brand for this recipe and also the Whole Foods 365 plain bread crumbs.
If you’d like to make tofu with a slightly heavier panko coating, then try my recipe for crispy tofu schnitzel.
Egg substitute: If you can’t use eggs, then you can whisk together ¼ cup water with ¼ cup all-purpose flour and a pinch of salt. Dredge the tofu in the flour mixture (it looks like runny paste) then dredge it in the breadcrumbs. I think you’ll be happy with the results. The tofu won’t get quite as brown and isn't quite as light and crunchy, but it still works.
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