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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Sharing direct links to recipes and pictures is highly encouraged, please do not copy and paste my recipes or share my pictures without permission. I work very hard on my blog and don’t want to see my recipes popping up anywhere. Thank you so much.
Baked Tofu Bites
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce [454g] block super-firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley leaves
- Pinch black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ lemon juice only
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter cubed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- 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.
- Place them into a 9 by 11-inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle with cornstarch and all of the seasonings. Toss with clean hands to coat.
- Arrange tofu flat and then cover with lemon juice and top with the small pieces of cubed vegan butter.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- 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.
- Turn up the heat to 450°F (232°C) and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle with extra salt and black pepper before serving.
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Looks tasty!
thank you Dorothy!!
I used corn meal which is SO not corn starch bit these turned out great! O baked them in my air fryer. Thanks!
hahah I am still glad they turned out great! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! Love how your meals are easy to follow and also have a great taste! Looking forward to your cookbook 🙂
You are so welcome Jane!!! thank you so much 🙂
I tried this recipe just now and OMG! It’s a game changer! I’ve always heard people say if you don’t like tofu, you’re preparing it wrong and I finally understand, this is delicious!
Hi Lesly, I am so so happy you enjoyed it! thank you so much for trying it and taking the time to leave a comment/review means so much!!
I am SO over baked tofu bites ! I love when they are warm and soft , but within minutes i cant even chew them !
hi Melanie, did you try this recipe or are you just referring to them in general? I’ve never had a problem with them getting too hard to chew but you can always bake them for 1-2 mins less.
Do you press the tofu before cutting and baking it? or do you just take the tofu out of the package and cook it as is?
you don’t need to press it for this recipe but you can if you like!
I haven’t tried the recipe but where would I get vegan poultry seasoning?
Hi Monica, all poultry seasoning should be vegan it’s just a blend of spices and seasonings. You can just get it your local grocery store I use the one from McCormick
This is by far HANDS DOWN the best tofu recipe I’ve ever made. I make it at least once a week. It will have anyone who says they don’t like tofu, loving it! I like to add a little chili powder to the seasonings mix and cook for a little extra time (5-10 mins) sometimes as I like it extra crispy! But truly the recipe is perfect as is! Make this one!!!!! Thanks so much for it! 💛
Hi Kat!! Oh thank you so so much for making it and all the kind words!! I am so happy you enjoyed it so much and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment/review. Really means so much! Yes love the idea of a little chili powder in there yumm xoxo
This was super tasty! The lemon juice added a lovely dimension of flavor. Definitely going to make this again.
Hi Amira! Thank you so much for trying it and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment/review it means so much! So glad you enjoyed them xox
I’m just starting to eat tofu and came across your recipe! It is delicious and so easy to make! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with others!
hi Susan!! oh yay I am so so glad to hear that! makes me happy 🙂