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    You are here: Home / Snacks / Easy Salt & Vinegar Tofu

    LAST UPDATED: June 19, 2019 • FIRST PUBLISHED: June 19, 2019

    Easy Salt & Vinegar Tofu

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Crispy Salt & Vinegar Tofu

    This crispy salt & vinegar tofu is perfect as a salad topper, sandwich stuffer, or a snack you eat with your hands. It cooks up in just ten minutes and is deliciously addictive!

    Crispy Salt & Vinegar Tofu on a Plate Topped with Chives

    I feel a little funny about posting this recipe, because it's ridiculously simple. It's just tofu. Not a tofu stew or sandwich or salad...just super simple seasoned tofu. And at four ingredients, it barely even seems like a recipe.

    So why am I posting it? Because I love it! Simple as it is, this is one of those extremely useful recipes that I find myself making at least once a week when I'm looking to add some bulk to a salad or in need of a protein-heavy snack. I'm hoping some of you guys will love this one as much as I do.

    Four Ingredients

    Crispy Salt & Vinegar Tofu on a Plate with a Side of Malt Vinegar

    Literally just four ingredients. Period. I'm not even cheating here by not counting oil or salt. (The chives are for garnish, I swear!)

    Here's what you'll need:

    • Oil. Something with a high smoke-point. I usually use canola, but if you've got another favorite, go for it.
    • Tofu. Make sure it's extra firm. I like SoyBoy and Trader Joe's brands. Press it if you want, but I usually just dice it blot it dry for this one.
    • Vinegar. Preferably malt vinegar, but I've subbed white vinegar and red wine vinegar with no problem.
    • Salt.

    How to Make Salt & Vinegar Tofu

    Dice up your tofu and pat it dry with some paper towels to remove the surface moisture.

    Heat up your oil in a skillet. Make sure your skillet has a good nonstick surface — I love cast iron for pan-frying tofu.

    Once the oil has had a minute to heat up, add your tofu cubes in an even layer. Cook the cubes for a few minutes, give them a flip and cook them a few minutes more. Your goal is to get the surface of each cube brown and crispy on multiple sides — if you're a perfectionist and want to flip each individual cube five times to get every surface browned, be my guest. Personally, two or three crispy sides is enough to make me happy.

    Once the tofu is as crispy as you like it, lower the heat a bit. Drizzle your tofu with vinegar and sprinkle it with salt.

    Collage Showing Steps for Making Salt & Vinegar Tofu: Pan-Fry Tofu Until Crispy, Then Add Salt & Vinegar

    If you'd like, serve your tofu with some extra vinegar on the side.

    Fork Dipping a Piece of Crispy Salt & Vinegar Tofu into a Dish of Malt Vinegar

    FAQ & Tips for Making Awesome Salt & Vinegar Tofu

    • Need more guidance on how to cook perfectly crispy tofu? Check out this post!
    • How should I use my salt & vinegar tofu? I like it best as a salad topper, but it's also excellent on its own for snacking, or stuffed into a sandwich or wrap.
    • I don't usually buy malt vinegar. Will other types work? Yup! Just about any type of vinegar with a neutral-ish flavor should be fine. I've had luck with red wine and white vinegar.
    • Is this tofu gluten-free? It can be! But malt vinegar is generally not gluten-free, so you'll need to substitute another variety.

    Like this recipe? If so, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter. And please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you make it!

    Crispy Salt & Vinegar Tofu on a Plate Topped with Chives
    5 from 4 votes
    Print

    Easy Salt & Vinegar Tofu

    This crispy salt & vinegar tofu is perfect as a salad topper, sandwich stuffer, or a snack you eat with your hands. It cooks up in just ten minutes and is deliciously addictive!

    Course Entree, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 134 kcal
    Author Alissa Saenz

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons canola oil, or high heat oil of choice
    • 1 (14 ounce or 400 gram) package extra firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes and patted dry with a paper towel
    • 3 tablespoons malt vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    1. Coat the bottom of a medium nonstick skillet with the oil and place it over medium heat.

    2. Give the oil a minute to heat up, and then add the tofu in an even layer.

    3. Cook the tofu for about 10 minutes, flipping once or twice, until the cubes are browned and crispy on multiple sides.

    4. Carefully drizzle the tofu with the vinegar and then sprinkle it with the salt.

    5. Flip the tofu a few times to distribute the salt and vinegar.

    6. Cook the tofu for about a minute more, until the vinegar dries up.

    7. Remove the skillet from heat and transfer the tofu to plates.

    8. Serve, optionally with some additional malt vinegar on the side.

    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Salt & Vinegar Tofu
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 134 Calories from Fat 100
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 11.1g17%
    Saturated Fat 1.4g7%
    Sodium 303mg13%
    Potassium 155mg4%
    Carbohydrates 1.8g1%
    Fiber 0.9g4%
    Sugar 0.7g1%
    Protein 8.1g16%
    Calcium 150mg15%
    Iron 1.6mg9%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Pamela says

      June 19, 2019 at 4:25 pm

      5 stars
      D’oh! This recipe came in just as I finished a plate of tofu w Chili-Lime seasoning. The S/V idea sounds fabulous - timing is everything. 😡🤣🤣

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        June 19, 2019 at 8:42 pm

        Chili lime tofu sounds delicious! I hope you enjoy this with your next batch of tofu!

        Reply
        • helen moore says

          July 26, 2020 at 5:19 am

          5 stars
          Just made this with balsamic vinegar and it was fab

          Reply
    2. Sarah | Well and Full says

      June 20, 2019 at 12:32 pm

      I used to hate salt and vinegar when I was younger, but now I can't get enough of that salty and tangy combo! I need to try it with tofu, it looks so good! :)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        June 23, 2019 at 4:15 pm

        It's one of my favorite combos too! :) Thanks Sarah!

        Reply
    3. Amy Carter says

      June 20, 2019 at 1:21 pm

      5 stars
      Outstanding! I’ve been looking for a fool proof simple tofu recipe and this is definitely it. I used a green chile vinegar and put it on top of sautéed garlic red pepper broccoli with raw shredded beet and cauliflower, cucumber, lettuce, basil, mint and cilantro with a peanut sauce. Delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Love it. 😀💙🎉

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        June 23, 2019 at 4:15 pm

        Oh my...green chile vinegar sounds delicious, and that sounds like an awesome meal! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    4. Cheryl Giles says

      July 11, 2019 at 6:08 pm

      5 stars
      Simple but oh so yummy 😋. Thank you for the awesome recipe!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        July 14, 2019 at 10:52 am

        Very welcome! So glad you like it!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

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