Baked Tofu Bites

Bite-sized pieces of tofu are coated in corn starch and seasonings, topped with vegan butter and lemon juice and then baked until crispy and flavorful. These little bites are perfect to pair with your favorite vegetable and side dishes for a quick and easy dinner.

The key to this recipe is to use super-firm or high protein tofu. You can use an extra-firm tofu but super-firm tofu is my favorite. It has the least amount of water in it so it is denser than a soft tofu. The texture is definitely more appealing, in my opinion, for a dish like this and better for people who are just getting into tofu.

The flavors of this dish were inspired by the flavors my mom used to put on her roasted chicken! Some paprika, lemon, vegan butter, garlic and salt make this so delicious and easy to pair with a multitude of things. I personally think it would be great with some string beans and mashed potatoes for a comforting meal.

The olive oil and vegan butter work to create fat in this dish and give it richness. The tofu becomes tender and juicy with a crispy outer coating from the corn starch. We bake it twice at two different temperatures to ensure that the tofu gets cooked and isn’t mushy. The final bake with the olive oil will make that outside crispy and juicy.

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INGREDIENTS

1 (16-ounce [454g]) block super-firm tofu
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley leaves
Pinch black pepper
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon, juice only
2 tablespoons vegan butter, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
2. Cut the tofu slab into thirds lengthwise. So you end up with 3 slabs of tofu that are the original size of the tofu block just thinner. Then break them into bite size pieces using your hands.
3. Place them into a 9 by 11-inch baking dish.
4. Sprinkle with cornstarch and all of the seasonings. Toss with clean hands to coat.
5. Arrange tofu flat and then cover with lemon juice and top with the small pieces of cubed vegan butter.
6. Bake for 20 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and drizzle the olive oil over the tofu. Carefully, use a spoon to toss. If the tofu is a little stuck do not force it just give it a minute to loosen on it’s own.
8. Turn up the heat to 450°F (232°C) and bake for another 15 minutes.
9. Sprinkle with extra salt and black pepper before serving.

Serves 3 to 4

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