Just 4 simple ingredients is all it takes to make super crispy pan-fried tofu! It's the perfect high-protein addition to stir fries, salads, wraps, and more — or enjoy it as a snack with your favorite dipping sauce.
There are so many ways to make crispy tofu and pan-frying it is definitely an underrated method! Cooking tofu this way is a good blend of convenience and taste. When you make crispy pan-fried tofu, you don’t need to deal with pre-heating your oven, fussing with the small basket of an air fryer, or the overwhelm of a big pot of fry oil.
Yet the result is incredible! You get perfectly golden-brown cubes of crispy, flavorful tofu that can be used in myriad ways. Eat it as a snack or appetizer, dipping in your favorite Buffalo or barbecue sauce, or turn it into a takeout-at-home staple such as Orange Tofu or Sesame Tofu.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Crispy Pan-Fried Tofu
- Tofu. Firm or extra-firm work best. You can also use super-firm (high-protein) tofu. This recipe can be prepared with softer varieties of tofu, but you will need to be extra gentle when coating with cornstarch and flipping in the pan.
- Salt & pepper.
- Cornstarch. Potato or arrowroot starch also work, but they can be a little bit stickier, so you will need to take extra care to keep the pieces from touching.
- Neutral oil. My favorites are peanut oil or refined olive oil, but any neutral, high-smoke point oil (such as canola or sunflower) is fine.
How to Make Crispy Pan-Fried Tofu
- Press your tofu for at least 10 minutes to remove the extra moisture.
- Cut tofu into even pieces. (Or tear into bite-sized pieces.)
- Toss with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. (It can be helpful to put half of the starch in the bowl first, add the tofu, and then sprinkle the rest of the starch on top of the tofu.)
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully add tofu to pan, ensuring there is space in between the pieces. (They will stick together if they are touching at this stage.)
- Fry tofu for 2-3 minutes (you should see some browning) and then flip each piece. Fry for another 2-3 minutes. After this, keep tossing every few minutes until the pieces are more or less evenly crisped.
👩🍳 Sarah’s Recipe Notes 📝
- Don’t skip pressing your tofu. Removing the excess water is key to getting a nice crispy outer layer on your tofu. It’ll also keep the oil from splattering as much. If you cook tofu often, I highly recommend investing in a tofu press (this one by Tofuture is my go-to). It not only presses out extra moisture but also condenses it for a firmer texture.
- Trust your eye while frying. Every stovetop and pan are different, so while you should use the recommended frying times in this recipe, always keep an eye on your tofu. If it starts getting dark too fast or the pan starts smoking, turn the heat down a little. If the oil isn’t bubbling around your tofu, your pan might not be hot enough.
- Use a splatter screen. Anytime you’re cooking something that has the potential to splatter all over your cooktop, it’s a good idea to use a splatter screen, such as this one. This allows steam to escape from the pan while reducing the amount of oil that gets on your stove.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my tofu sticking to the pan/not getting crispy?
Not enough oil: For the starch to crisp up and release from the pan, you need a thin but even layer of oil covering the entire bottom of the pan.
Oil not hot enough: Make sure the pan preheats long enough. The tofu should sizzle immediately when added to the pan.
Pan is overcrowded: This can cause the tofu pieces to steam, which will make the starch gloopy rather than crispy.
What kind of oil is best for pan-frying?
My favorite oils to fry with are peanut oil and light olive oil (I love the Frizzle oil from Graza). Regular vegetable or canola oil will also work, as will sunflower or rice bran oil, to name a few.
What type of starch is best for pan-frying?
Cornstarch is my preferred starch for pan frying.
Other types of starch (potato, arrowroot, tapioca) can work, but they have more of a tendency to stick together. Potato and tapioca starch can create a gloopy mess unless you are very careful to keep the tofu pieces from touching one another. These starches work better for deep frying (in my experience).
Ways to Enjoy Crispy Tofu
Like any crispy tofu, you can use this crispy pan-fried tofu in so many ways! Here are a few of my personal fave ways to serve these crispy tofu bites.
- Toss them in buffalo sauce and serve with a side of plant-based ranch dressing. This is a quicker version of my baked Buffalo tofu. Enjoy as a snack or add it to a wrap or salad extra protein.
- Once the tofu is crispy, turn the heat down and add in your favorite store-bought sauce, whether it’s sweet chili sauce, teriyaki sauce, or BBQ sauce.
- Turn your crispy tofu into one of our many takeout-inspired dishes:
- Sesame Tofu – This nostalgic dish is better than getting takeout!
- Orange Tofu – Another takeout-style dish: sweet and tangy orange tofu.
- Gochujang Tofu – Crispy tofu chunks tossed in a spicy, Korean-inspired gochujang sauce.
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Crispy Pan-Fried Tofu
Just 4 simple ingredients is all it takes to make super crispy pan-fried tofu! It's the perfect high-protein addition to stir fries, salads, wraps, and more — or enjoy it as a snack with your favorite dipping sauce.
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Servings: 5
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Equipment
- Tofu press or clean kitchen towel
- skillet 10" or larger recommended
- splatter screen optional but helpful
- tongs or spatula for flipping tofu pieces
Ingredients
- 1 (14 or 16 oz) block firm or extra-firm tofu
- heaping 1/3 cup cornstarch you can sub potato starch or arrowroot starch, but see notes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- black pepper to preference
- 2-4 tablespoons high smoke point oil such as peanut or light olive oil; see notes
Instructions
Press Tofu
- I highly recommend pressing your tofu for at least 10-15 minutes. Too much extra moisture will cause the oil to splatter. I always use a tofu press, but you can also wrap the block of tofu in a clean, lint-free kitchen towel and carefully weigh it down with something moderately heavy such as a cutting board.
Coat Tofu with Starch
- Once you've pressed your tofu, cut it into cubes or tear it into bite-sized pieces.
- Add cornstarch (or starch of choice) to a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix together. Add in the tofu pieces and toss to coat. Let the tofu sit in the bowl with the cornstarch while you heat the oil.
Pan-Fry Tofu
- Heat oil: Add oil to a medium to large skillet. (I use a 10" skillet and I can fry the whole block of tofu in one batch.) Use as much oil as needed to cover the entire bottom of the pan; don't skimp if you want it to be as crispy as possible! Heat over medium.
- Add tofu: When the oil shimmers, carefully add one piece of tofu to the pan. The tofu should sizzle immediately — if not, the pan needs to preheat more. Add in the tofu pieces, doing your best to leave space between them so they don't stick together. (Careful of splattering oil. I highly recommend wearing an apron to protect your clothing, or using a splatter screen.)
- Fry on one side: Let the tofu pieces fry on one side without touching for about 2-4 minutes, or until browned and crispy, then give them a flip. Resist the urge to flip them too early. The cornstarch needs time to form a crust, otherwise it may stick to the pan. When it's ready to flip, the tofu should release cleanly from the pan — if it won't, wait another minute or two.
- A note on temperature: Different stoves and cookware materials all work a little differently. Adjust temperature as needed! Medium heat on my stove is typically perfect for pan-frying in a stainless or nonstick skillet, but yours may differ. Reduce heat slightly if at any point the oil starts smoking.
- Flip and fry till crispy: Flip the tofu and fry again on the second side for a few minutes until crispy. At this point, go ahead and pull apart any pieces that are sticking together. Keep frying, tossing the tofu every so often, until it's evenly crispy and golden brown.
- Remove from pan: If there's excess oil in your pan, you can transfer the crispy tofu pieces to a wire rack over a cookie sheet, or to a paper towel-lined plate to let any excess drip off. (Optional.) When it comes off the heat, I like to sprinkle with a little bit of extra salt while it's still hot.
- Enjoy: Pan-fried tofu can be served with sauces for dipping, or tossed with veggies and sauce for stir fries. There are many other ways to enjoy too! See the recipe notes for some of my personal favorites.
Notes
- Super-firm tofu: You can also prepare this recipe with a block of super-firm (high-protein) tofu. You won’t need to press this variety of tofu. It will have an extra chewy texture.
- Oil: My favorite oils to fry with are peanut oil and light olive oil (I love the Frizzle oil from Graza). Regular vegetable or canola oil will also work, as will sunflower or rice bran oil, to name a few.
- Starch: Cornstarch is my preferred starch for pan frying. Other types of starch (potato, arrowroot, tapioca) can work, but they have more of a tendency to stick together. Potato and tapioca starch can create a gloopy mess unless you are very careful to keep the tofu pieces from touching one another. These starches work better for deep frying (in my experience).
Ways to Enjoy Pan-Fried Tofu
- Buffalo tofu: Toss with buffalo sauce and enjoy as a snack, or serve with vegan mac ‘n’ cheese.
- Sweet chili tofu: One of my favorite low-effort meals. Set the crispy tofu aside and in the same pan, stir-fry onions and red bell peppers. Add the tofu back in, drizzle with store-bought sweet chili sauce, and eat with rice.
- Protein booster: Add it to nourish bowls/grain bowls, wraps, salads, pasta and more to boost the protein content.
- Takeout: Swap out the baked/air fryer tofu for this pan fried tofu in any of my homemade takeout recipes like Orange Tofu, Sticky Sesame Tofu, Gochujang Tofu, etc.
Why is my tofu sticking to the pan/not getting crispy?
Here are a few potential causes:- Not enough oil: For the starch to crisp up and release from the pan, you need a thin but even layer of oil covering the entire bottom of the pan.
- Oil not hot enough: Make sure the pan preheats long enough. The tofu should sizzle immediately when added to the pan.
- Pan is overcrowded: This can cause the tofu pieces to steam, which will make the starch gloopy rather than crispy.
Other Ways to Make Crispy Tofu:
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