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Close up of a piece of Fried Tofu cut in half on a plate with additional fried tofu pieces.
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5 from 3 votes

4 Ingredient Crispy Fried Tofu

This crispy fried tofu is deliciously addictive and super easy to make with just four ingredients! Perfect for everything from stir-fries to salads to snacking.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 412kcal
Author: Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

  • 1 (15 ounce or 400 gram) package super firm tofu (Note 1)
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon salt (Note 2)
  • ½ cup peanut oil (or high-heat oil of choice), or more as needed

Instructions

  • Cut the tofu into small cubes, or desired shape. (Note 3)
  • Stir the cornstarch and salt together in a small bowl.
  • Pour the oil into a medium nonstick skillet, adding enough oil to reach a depth about half the thickness of your tofu pieces. Place the skillet over medium heat.
  • Add a few tofu cubes to the cornstarch mixture and gently turn them to coat them.
  • Once the oil begins to shimmer, remove the tofu pieces from the bowl, one at a time, shaking or brushing off any excess cornstarch and then placing them in the skillet.
  • Fry the tofu in batches, adding only as many pieces to the skillet at a time as you can fit without crowding.
  • Fry the tofu pieces for 4 to 5 minutes, then carefully flip them and fry an additional 4 to 5 minutes.
  • The tofu pieces are finished frying when the breading is crusty and very slightly darkened.
  • Transfer the fried tofu pieces from the skillet to a wire rack to drain any excess oil.
  • Continue frying the tofu in baches, adding oil to the skillet as necessary.
  • Serve.

Notes

  1. Other varieties of tofu will work with this recipe. Firm or extra-firm tofu will need to be pressed before beginning. 
  2. Omit the salt if you'll be serving your fried tofu in a very saucy dish, such as a stir-fry.
  3. You can cut your tofu into just about any shape, but avoid making the pieces too large (more than 1 inch thick). If they're too large it will be difficult to get the oil deep enough for pan-frying.

Nutrition

Calories: 412kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.1g | Protein: 11.3g | Fat: 32.6g | Saturated Fat: 5.2g | Sodium: 595mg | Potassium: 126mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Calcium: 188mg | Iron: 2mg