Salt and Pepper Tofu
Make takeout-style Salt and Pepper Tofu in under 40 minutes! It’s super crispy and loaded with flavor but baked not fried, free from MSG & perfect for fakeout Fridays!
Servings: 2 - 4
Calories: 514kcal
Ingredients
- 1 (1-pound) block of super firm tofu, pressed, dried, and cubed
- 5 tablespoons of high heat oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (or tapioca starch, arrowroot,potato starch, or rice flour)
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 1 red or green bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1- inch fresh ginger, minced
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon of cumin
- ¼ teaspoon of five-spice powder, or to taste
- ¼ cup of green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Set aside
- In a medium bowl, toss the tofu cubes with 3 tablespoons of oil until evenly coated.
- Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and toss. Add the second tablespoon of cornstarch and toss until evenly coated and until most of the cornstarch is stuck to the tofu and not the bowl.
- Transfer the tofu to the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the baking sheet and flip the tofu cubes. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until all sides are evenly golden.
- While the tofu is baking, in a large pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes regularly mixing to prevent them from burning.
- In a small bowl, mix the salt, black pepper, cumin, and five-spice powder.
- Add half of the spice mixture to the pan with the veggies, mix well, and then add the remaining seasoning mixture and mix again. Continue to cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat and set aside while the tofu is in the oven.
- Once the tofu cubes are ready, transfer them to the pan with the veggies. Add the green onion, mix well, and serve.
Video
Notes
- Press the tofu: This is important for the best texture and crispiness. Learn how to press tofu here.
- Finely dice the veg/aromatics: That way, you get a bit of everything in every bite.
- For more flavor: Optionally, brine the tofu in salted water (use 1 tbsp salt per 2 cups of water) for 1-2 hours before patting dry and coating with oil/starch.
- To adjust flavor: Feel free to experiment with how much salt and pepper seasoning you use depending on how robust you prefer the flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 514kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Sodium: 733mg | Potassium: 613mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 354IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 4mg
