One of my favorite ways to enjoy tofu is with crispy tofu. It is so easy to make and perfect for sandwiches, salads, wraps, smothering in sauce – anything you want with it! These panini are easy to make and great for lunch.
I have been on a HUGE panini kick lately. Maybe it’s just the Italian in me, I can’t resist them. I love it because they are easy to make and fun to fill with different ingredients to create different flavors. This crispy tofu panini has vegan cheese, spinach, and a vegan chili onion crunch mayo. You can also make the breaded tofu cutlets ahead of time which is a time saver for when you are in a rush. I love to enjoy these with pickles, sliced bell pepper, cucumbers and some harvest snap peas.
What are Panini
A panini in Italian just simply means sandwiches! You will find various kinds of panini all over Italy. Here is a quick Italian lesson for you – panini means multiple sandwiches, panino is 1 sandwich. Also, in Italian the word “pane” means bread, so you can see how panini is very similar. Now what makes panini special is they are typically either pressed, grilled, or toasted. In Italy they would typically make panini with either focaccia or ciabatta, maybe a baguette – however today I cheated a bit and used some white bread. You can really use any bread you want, just make sure it is a bread that is sturdy enough that when pressed it won’t lose its shape and can handle being grilled.
Do I Need a Panini Press?
I will never tell you what to do but technically the whole point of the panini is for it to be pressed. This is the panini press I use, but I do also sometimes use my little George Foreman grill as well. You do not need a very expensive panini press to get the job done, and there are more affordable choices. If you don’t have a panini press you can make the sandwich and put it in a pan on the stove, then use a spatula to press down on it. While it isn’t exactly the same it will give a somewhat similar effect.
What is Super Firm Tofu?
You will see this recipe calls for super firm tofu. If you check out the last blog post I went into a bit more detail on the different types of tofu. Super firm tofu is the most condensed and packed in tofu with the least amount of water. I like it because you do not need to press it and it has a denser consistency. If you find tofu is too mushy definitely try super firm tofu. If this is your first time using tofu, I would also encourage you to check out my Tofu 101 video where I go very into depth about different kinds of tofu.
Crispy Tofu Panini FAQ
- Can I make this gluten free? Of course just use gluten free bread and gluten free breadcrumbs.
- What can I substitute tofu with? You can do tempeh, seitan, breaded cauliflower. You can even just do a panino with all veggies, would be delicious!
- Can I make this ahead of time? While these definitely are best enjoyed fresh, I did eat one a day later and it was very good still. So if you wanted to pack it for work or school it would be great, just may lose a bit of that crispiness.
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Crispy Tofu Panini
Equipment
- Panini Press
Ingredients
- ½ block super firm tofu (about 8 ounces/224g)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons seasoned breadcrumbs
- 2 handfuls of spinach (about 1.5 ounces/40g)
- 4 slices bread of choice
- 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- 2 ½ tablespoons Trader Joe’s chili onion crunch
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Cut the tofu crosswise into 4 equal rectangles about ¼ inch thick.
- Put the breadcrumbs on a flat dish. Press the tofu into the breadcrumbs to pack them on. You may have leftover breadcrumbs. If not using seasoned breadcrumbs you can add things like salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, parsley flakes, paprika – anything you like.
- Spray the tofu with cooking spray. Air fry at 375°F (196°C) for 15 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Adjust to your air fryers cooking. *see below for alternate cooking methods.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the chili onion crunch and vegan mayo.
- To assemble take 1 piece of bread and spread a quarter of the vegan chili onion crunch mayo on it. Add a slice of vegan cheese, 2 crispy tofu cutlets and half of the spinach. Add another little bit of the vegan mayo on another piece of bread. Place on top of the panino. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Plug the panini press in and allow it to heat up. When warm, spray with oil and place panini in. Press the panini for about 3 to 5 minutes until the vegan cheese is melted and the panini are crispy.
- When done cut in half and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- To bake the tofu place oven on 425°F (218°C), bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until crispy.
- These are the breadcrumbs I used: https://amzn.to/3i2oc2I
- This is my air fryer: https://amzn.to/2VrQjkh
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