Crispy and Light Potato Crusted Tofu
For the lightest, crispiest tofu, try this potato crusted tofu! The tofu is frozen and defrosted to improve the texture, and lightly seasoned with soy sauce. The outside is light, delicate, and flaky, with a crisp texture and almost like a potato-chip flavor. It’s just simply delicious!
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Can you Freeze Tofu?
You can absolutely freeze tofu, but it’s important to know that the texture will change. I don’t think tofu that has been frozen is better or worse than fresh tofu, but it’s different and you may find you prefer it. Frozen tofu is spongier, firmer, less likely to fall apart, and a bit chewier. Some of the soft and creamy tofu elements are decreased in this process. In many ways tofu that has been frozen and defrosted is closer in mimicking the texture of meat, and holds on to sauce better. It also gives you a better crispy tofu. The key to these textural changes is in the high water content of tofu. As water freezes it expands, pushing the protein molecules in the tofu closer together. As it thaws, the water can be gently squeezed out, leaving you with a tofu that fries beautifully and soaks up sauce like a dream.
I typically freeze my tofu because I’m after those meaty, sponge-like qualities, but it’s also a great option if you have more tofu than you can eat and want to stop it from going bad. As of this writing, I have only tried freezing tofu on the firm side. I think that a lot of the appeal of silken tofu is, well, it’s silken nature and that would be ruined in the freezing process.
You can freeze tofu drained, or just right in the container (which is the method I prefer). To get the textural change, make sure you freeze for 12 or more hours. My “method”, if you will, is to buy a few blocks and as soon as I bring them home I throw them in the freezer and forget about them. Then when I’m looking for dinner ideas weeks later, they’ll be there waiting.
You can defrost them by either letting the block sit in the fridge for about 24 hours, or placing it on your counter for a few hours. If you don’t think ahead (like me- I never remember to thaw ahead of time) you can free the tofu from the container and defrost in simmering water until soft.
You can cook frozen tofu any way you regularly like tofu, but it is especially great at two things- soaking up sauce and getting a crispy exterior. Because of it’s more spongy texture, frozen tofu is great for marinades and sauces. And because of it’s lower moisture content and craggily edges, frozen tofu is able to get more of a sear and has more surface area.
Looking for Tofu Recipes? Try one of these!
- Soy-Glazed Quick and Crispy Tofu
- Garlic Mustard and Tofu Patties
- High-Protein Vegan French Onion Dip
- Crispy Coconut Crusted Tofu with Pineapple Dipping Sauce
- Rhubarb Vegan Hot and Sour Soup
- Pipián Verde with Mexican Jackfruit and Tofu
- Good Morning Vegan Hard Boiled Eggs
- Rice Paper Vegan Tofu Dumplings
- Hoover’s Breakfast Greens and Tofu
- Watercress Soup with Tofu and Vegan Broth
- Vegan Chocolate Brownie Tart with Raspberries
- Summer Tomato Vegan Caprese Salad
- Savory Steamed Silken Tofu with Crispy Shiitakes
- Vegan Chili Braised Tofu, Korean-Style
- Peanut Udon and Tofu
- Vegan Lion’s Mane Crab Cakes with Hollandaise Sauce
- Roasted Black Bean Tofu
- Roasted Red Pepper Vegan Miso Mayo
Potato Crusted Tofu Recipe Tips and Tricks
- For a better fry, we use frozen and defrosted tofu in this recipe. Freeze the tofu until solid (at least overnight in the freezer) and then defrost on the countertop until completely thawed before cooking. I recommend using firm tofu for this dish, but most tofu should work alright.
- You can of course cut your tofu however you like, but since we shallow fried them making relatively thin pieces makes sense. I cut mine into three pieces, perpendicular to the countertop. Next I cut them in half in each direction, leaving me with 12 pieces that are roughly 3 x 2 x 1/2-inch pieces.
- Potato flakes are the secret to the perfectly light and crispy coating- they add the perfect texture, flavor, and crispness.
- To shallow fry the tofu, you don’t need to add a lot of oil- just enough to cover the bottom of your skillet.
- Serve with a vegan tartar sauce, lemon wedges, or sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Crispy and Light Potato Crusted Tofu
Ingredients
- 16 oz. firm tofu, frozen and defrosted
- 2 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1/4 cup plant-based milk
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/3 cup dried potato flakes
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- Oil, for frying
Instructions
- Press the defrosted tofu to remove as much moisture as possible. Cut into pieces- I cut mine in 12 fairly thin rectangles by first cutting it into three even rectangles, and then cutting those into 4 pieces each. Combine the soy sauce with 2 tbsp. of water and pour over the tofu. Set aside.
- Combine the plant-based milk and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk. Combine the potato flakes, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a separate bowl and mix. Heat enough oil to cover the base of your skillet to medium-high heat. Prepare a place for the fried tofu to stand- either a baking tray with a cooling rack or a plate covered with paper towels.
- Once the oil is hot, take a piece of tofu and dip it first in the plant-milk, and next in the potato flakes, coating both sides. Transfer to the hot oil. Repeat until the pan is full, working in batches as needed. After a couple minutes the potato coating should be a rich golden brown- at that point flip and repeat with the other side. After the second side is golden, remove from the pan and allow to sit on the prepared pan or plate. Repeat until all the tofu is fried.
- Serve warm, with a lemon wedges or vegan tartar sauce, as desired.
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