Salt and pepper tofu is my current snack obsession. It’s a popular Chinese dish featuring crispy fried tofu tossed with peppers and an aromatic seasoning blend. The flavor and crunch make it super addictive, and I’ve been making it every chance I get ā usually on weekends when I’m craving something a little indulgent to scratch that itch for takeout.
I make crispy tofu in a variety of ways, but this version is special for a few reasons. First, rather than pressing it, we brine the tofu in heavily salted water to firm up its texture and infuse it with flavor. (Thanks osmosis!)
The second thing that sets it apart is the incredible seasoning: a blend of of aromatic Chinese five-spice powder and white pepper. This is an uncommon flavor profile in the States, but it deserves more love! You should be able to find both at your regular supermarket, but you can also support your local Asian market.
Table of Contents
Salt & Pepper Tofu Ingredients
Let’s break the recipe into a few component parts, and explore each separately.
- Crispy Fried Tofu. The base of the recipe! Tofu is salt-brined, coated in starch, and fried till crispy.
- Seasoning Mix. A super flavorful seasoning mix with Chinese five-spice, white pepper, garlic, and salt.
- Aromatics. Sweet and spicy peppers, scallions, and fresh garlic. These are stir-fried with the crispy tofu just before serving.
Crispy Fried Tofu Ingredients
- Tofu. I use one block of firm or extra-firm tofu. You can also use a block of super-firm (high-protein) tofu for a firmer bite.
- Salt + water. This recipe uses the traditional Chinese technique of brining tofu to firm up its texture and remove excess liquid.
- Cornstarch. Starch is needed for a crispy coating. You can also use tapioca starch, potato starch, or arrowroot starch. I’ve tested them all and they are all delicious and similarly crispy.
- Frying oil: My favorite is peanut oil. You can use any kind of oil as long as it has a high smoke point and a fairly neutral flavor. Good old vegetable or canola oil are options, as are corn oil or rice bran oil.
Salt & Pepper Tofu Seasoning Mix
- Five-spice powder: A Chinese seasoning blend consisting of star anise, cinnamon, cloves, Sichuan peppercorns and fennel. It adds a delicious and unique flavor to this dish. In a pinch, you can omit it.
- White pepper: White pepper has a milder spice than black pepper and has an earthy, slightly “funky” flavor that adds something special to the dish. If you don’t have it or don’t like it, feel free to use black pepper instead.
- Granulated garlic: There’s also fresh minced garlic in the recipe, but a little extra garlic never hurt anyone.
- Salt.
Aromatics
- Garlic & scallions.
- Red peppers. Such as a red bell pepper or a few red fresnos.
- Green peppers/chilis. Use a few of any kind depending on your spice tolerance. I typically use 2-3 serrano peppers, leaving the seeds in for heat. For something milder, try jalapeƱos. For no spice at all, you can omit the green chilis.
How to Make Salt & Pepper Tofu
Step 1. Cut and brine the tofu.
- Cut the tofu into cubes or tear into bite-sized pieces.
- Soak in hot salt brine for 10 minutes.
- Drain and allow to cool.
- Pat dry with a clean towel.
Step 2. Make the seasoning blend and prep aromatics.
- Mix together spices for the Salt & Pepper Tofu seasoning blend.
- Mince, chop, and slice aromatics.
Step 3. Coat and fry the tofu.
- Preheat oil to 400Ā°F. (The temperature will fall once we add the tofu.)
- Set up spot to place fried tofu. (I use a wire rack over a cookie sheet. A paper towel lined plate works too.)
- Add tofu to frying oil. Stir and then fry undisturbed for 1-2 minutes.
- Separate any pieces that are sticking.
- Continue to fry until crispy (5-6 minutes).
- Remove from oil to wire rack or plate.
Step 4. Stir-fry tofu with aromatics.
š©āš³ Sarah’s Recipe Notes š
- Monitor the temperature of your frying oil. I highly recommend a thermometer for precision. If oil isn’t hot enough, your tofu will be greasy and it will take forever to crisp up. If it’s too hot, it can make your kitchen smoky. When fried at the right temperature, the tofu will be perfectly light, crispy and not oily.
- Prep first! If you don’t do it often, frying can be a little intimidating ā I get it. It’s really helpful to have all your ingredients and tools prepped ahead of time. Make sure the seasoning blend and aromatics are ready to go before you start frying. Otherwise the fried tofu can get cold and lose its crispiness while you’re prepping them.
FAQ
For a healthier option, you definitely can! It will not taste quite as decadent and restaurant-quality, but it will still be tasty. I would recommend following my Crispy Air Fryer Tofu recipe. (You can omit the onion and garlic powder.) Once it’s cooked, stir fry the air fried tofu with the aromatics and the Salt & Pepper seasoning blend from this recipe before serving.
There’s a good chance the oil wasn’t hot enough when frying, causing the tofu to absorb a lot of it. This is why a thermometer is so helpful for deep frying! At the right temperature, there is much less oil retention, and the tofu will have a light and crispy exterior.
I also prefer to place my fried tofu on a wire rack over a cookie sheet. This allows any excess oil to drip off. If you put it on a plate with a paper towel, the paper towel will be holding extra oil against the tofu, which can sometimes make it feel greasier.
Yes, feel free to use whatever your favorite method is to press your tofu. If I were in a bit of a hurry I would simply use my tofu press. You might need to add a little extra salt before serving as well.
I am always able to find it at my local Sprouts grocery store. If you have trouble finding it at your usual supermarket, try visiting your local Asian grocer or ordering online. If all else fails, you can definitely make this recipe without the five-spice. It will still be delicious.
Yes, although note that they have somewhat different flavor profiles. Black pepper is more spicy than white, so you might need to reduce the amount you add depending on your spice tolerance. White pepper also has more of an earthy and slightly funky flavor because it’s more mature and fermented, so you’ll be missing out on some of the nuance of the recipe if you use black pepper. It will still be tasty though.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free as written. If you have an allergy, double-check to make sure whatever starch you use is not processed on the same equipment as wheat.
Salt & Pepper Tofu
Video
Equipment
- colander
- lint-free kitchen towel
- Frying thermometer
- heavy pot for frying
- wire rack and cookie sheet to transfer fried tofu
- wok or frying pan
- spider or slotted spoon or tongs
Ingredients
Fried Tofu
- 1 (14 or 16 oz) block firm or extra-firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup cornstarch can sub potato starch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch
- frying oil such as peanut oil, usually 2-4 cups depending on the size of your pot
Seasoning Blend
- 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder or up to 1/2 teaspoon, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper or up to 1/2 teaspoon, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
Stir Fry
- 1 small red bell pepper or 2 fresno red peppers, chopped
- 1-2 hot green peppers (jalapeƱos, serranos, or birds eye chilis) depending on spice preference, sliced in rounds
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 2-3 cloves
- 2-3 fresh scallions thinly sliced, whites and greens separated
Instructions
Salt Brine the Tofu
- Note: This is a Chinese method used to firm up the tofu as well as infuse it with some salty flavor. If you prefer, you can also feel free to use a different method to press your tofu and skip to the next section.
- Boil water: Pour about 4 cups of water into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cut tofu: In the meantime, cut the block of tofu into roughly 1" cubes, or tear into bite-sized pieces.
- Brine the tofu: When the water reaches a boil, stir in 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Then add in the tofu pieces, remove from heat, and allow the tofu to soak in the salt brine for about 10 minutes.
- Dry the tofu: After 10 minutes, pour the tofu out into a colander and allow it to drain for a few minutes, till cool enough to handle. Then transfer the tofu to a clean, lint-free kitchen towel and gently blot it to remove excess liquid.
Make the Spice Blend
- Mix spices: In a small bowl, mix together five-spice powder, ground white pepper, granulated garlic, and salt. Set aside. Now is also a good time to make sure your peppers, garlic, and scallions are sliced up.
Coat and Fry the Tofu
- Coat the tofu in starch: Add about half the cornstarch (or another starch of choice to the bottom of a mixing bowl. Add in the tofu and pour the remaining starch on top. Then use your hands or a flexible rubber spatula to gently toss the tofu until it's thoroughly coated with the starch. Let the tofu sit in the starch while you heat the oil.
- Prep your frying pot: Add your frying oil to a pot or pan. Personally I like to use a heavy pot (a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet), because it will retain heat and keep the temperature stable while frying. I also like to use a pot with high sides to avoid splattering, but this is optional. I usually need to use about 2-3 cups of oil in my pot, but you might need more if yours is larger.
- Heat the frying oil: Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 400Ā°F. I like to fry these at around 350-375Ā°F, but the temperature will drop once the tofu is added, which is why I start at 400Ā°F. A thermometer is highly recommended to monitor the temperature.
- Prep your space: While the oil heats, set up a spot for your tofu once it's fried. I like to use a wire cooling rack over a cookie sheet. You can use a paper towel lined plate if you prefer.
- Add tofu to oil: Once the frying oil reaches 400Ā°F, carefully add your starch-coated tofu pieces. Give them a quick stir just to ensure they aren't sticking to the bottom of the pot, then let them fry undisturbed for about 1-2 minutes. At this point some of the pieces may be sticking together slightly. Carefully peel them apart. (I usually use two forks to do this,Ā but be cautious of the oil splattering.) Some starches stick more than others āĀ see notes.
- Fry until crispy: Fry the tofu pieces for 5-6 minutes in total, stirring occasionally, until they are very crispy. Starch won't develop a deep golden brown color in the same way that flour would, but they will be slightly golden brown when they are ready.
- Remove tofu: Turn off the heat. Use a metal spider, slotted spoon, or tongs to remove the crispy fried tofu to the rack or plate you prepared earlier.
Finishing Touches
- Stir-fry aromatics: In a wok or frying pan, spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the oil from your frying pan and heat over medium-high. Add in the chopped red pepper, sliced green pepper(s), minced garlic, and the white portions of the scallions. Stir fry for about 2-3 minutes, until the peppers are tender.
- Add tofu and seasoning: Toss in the crispy fried tofu and sprinkle on the seasoning mix you prepped earlier. Stir-fry for another minute or so until everything is heated through.
- Serve: Serve garnished with the sliced green scallions! I also love to serve with lime wedges to add a bit of freshness.
Notes
- Frying oil: My oil of choice is peanut oil due to its affordability, high smoke point, and buttery yet neutral flavor. You can use any neutral oil with a high smoke point. (Vegetable oil, rice bran oil, corn oil, etc.)
- Starch options: I have tested this recipe with cornstarch, tapioca starch, potato starch, and arrowroot starch. In this recipe the final results are all pretty similar. There are some minor differences in flavor but they are not very noticeable once the seasoning is added. For the average home cook I would use cornstarch because it is less “sticky” than the other starches, and easier to work with.
- Five-spice powder: A Chinese seasoning blend consisting of star anise, cinnamon, cloves, Sichuan peppercorns and fennel. It adds a delicious and unique flavor to this dish, so I highly recommend buying some if you can! Otherwise you can omit it.
- White pepper: White pepper has a milder spice and a more earthy flavor than black pepper. It’s almost a little “funky.” It adds something special to the dish, but if you don’t have it or don’t like it, feel free to use black pepper instead.
- Tofu: You can also use a block of super-firm (high-protein) tofu for this recipe.
Useful Tools
- Frying thermometer.
- Wire rack and cookie sheet.
- Stainless steel spider.
Incredible! This recipe does take a bit of prep work, living in an RV makes it that much more difficult, but it is so worth it! We ended up doubling the chilis and adding some cayenne to the corn starch, just to get the spice we like.
But, the way the tofu has a subtle crunch and an almost smokey flavor is insane! Iāve always wanted to try making a pepper tofu dish and just never found one that seemed like it would turn outā¦ until now!
This will be a new rotating dish on our menu.
Just made. Absolutely delicious!!