These breaded tofu sticks are chewy and dense on the inside, surrounded by a crispy layer of breadcrumbs that guarantees a crunchy bite every single time. Dip them in your favourite sauce, and enjoy pure tofu heaven.
How to Pick the Right Tofu for Breaded Tofu Sticks
There are five basic types, or firmnesses, of tofu:
- Silken: perfect for smoothies, sauces, salad dressings, and in desserts.
- Soft: good for soups, and for battering and frying.
- Medium: excellent for battering, stir-frying, baking and fermenting.
- Firm: great for baking, boiling, pan-frying, deep-frying, stir-frying, glazing and grilling.
- Extra-firm: use it for battering, baking, boiling, pan-frying, deep-frying, stir-frying and glazing.
For making these tofu sticks, I used extra-firm tofu, but firm or even medium should work fine as well. A lot depends on the brand that you’re using, so if possible, use one that you’re already familiar with.
If you want to learn more about picking the right tofu, make sure to check out this amazing guide on different tofu types.
How To Make Breaded Tofu Sticks
Step One
Press the tofu using a tofu press, or a DIY method: wrap your tofu in paper towels, place it between two cutting broads, weigh it down with some books or a skillet, and let the towels absorb the extra moisture for at least 30 minutes. If you want to find out more about why you should press tofu and how to do it, I wrote a short guide on how to press tofu without a tofu press here.
Step Two
Cut your tofu into sticks. I recommend making them about ½-inch thick, which should make 14 to 16 sticks if you’re using a standard tofu block. Make sure the sticks are all approximately the same size, as this will ensure they all get evenly baked.
Step Three
Create the crispy layer by dipping the tofu sticks first in the mustard and milk mixture, and then in breadcrumbs.
Step Four
Layer the coated tofu sticks on a baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the sticks, and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until crisp and golden brown.
Tips and Variations for Breaded Tofu Sticks
- You can use any kind of milk you like. I made these with almond milk, but soy and coconut milk work just as well.
- Adjust seasoning to your liking. Add a bit more of garlic and onion powder for a sharper taste, or omit any flavours you don’t like.
- You can cut the tofu into any shape you like: try making tofu nuggets by cutting it up into bite-size pieces.
- Make sure you don’t cut tofu sticks too thin, as they will dry out when baking. Half an inch is perfect to keep a dense, chewy middle, and still enjoy a crispy crust.
- Eat right away. These tofu sticks tend to get soggy quite quickly when they cool down, so I recommend you serve them piping hot.
Breaded Tofu Sticks
Ingredients
- 1 block tofu (firm or extra-firm, well pressed)
- ¼ cup (60ml) plant-based milk
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅔ cup (70g) breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Press tofu: pat it dry and place it in between two layers of paper towels. Place a small cutting board and a weight (such as books or cans) on top of the tofu. Let the tofu sit for 30 minutes, replacing the paper towels when they become saturated.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Toast breadcrumbs: Spread the breadcrumbs on a tray. Spray with oil, bake for 4 minutes until golden. Transfer the toasted breadcrumbs into a bowl, add the cornstarch and mix.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the milk, mustard and spices in a shallow dish. Set aside.
- Slice the tofu into ½-inch strips. You should get 12 to 14 sticks, depending on exactly how your slice them.
- With one hand dip the tofu strip into the milk mixture and then into the breadcrumb mixture. Coat both sides entirely and then place on baking sheet. Repeat with the rest.
- Spray with oil. Bake for 20 minutes on middle rack, then flip the tofu, and then bake for another 15-20 minutes until crispy.
- Serve immediately with lemon wedges and vegan tartare sauce.
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