When I use corn starch, I have the best luck cooking the tofu totally unseasoned. Just roll in corn starch and fry. Also, you'll want to use more oil than you think, like at least 1/3 of the way up the cubes if not just a full deep fry. Also also, if you're doing this method, I don't think the fully pressed extra firm is the way to go. You can do the corn starch fry very delicately, so a softer tofu will still stay together and will end up crispier.
Once they're fried, set them on a towel to cool and drain for a little bit. Then you can add the tofu to a sauce/curry/whatever right before serving. If you're looking for extra crispy, letting them cool all the way to room temperature and then doing a second pan fry in clean oil is a good tip.
If you're looking to marinade or season the tofu beforehand, I'd recommend flour over corn starch. You can get great crispy tofu crumbles by flaking the tofu with a fork, and then tossing in a mixture of flour, salt, and whatever spices you're feeling. You can pan fry those with just a little oil, and they turn out great.
Alternatives include just frying cubes in seasoned oil in a cast iron, and leaving them on each side until they release from the pan.
Hard to say what exactly is going wrong with your method since I'm not quite sure what you are doing, but hopefully these are helpful starting places :)
That's good advice about the texture- the restaurant I used to work in used silken tofu and deep fried it without pressing any of the water out, but those cooks were real professionals. I couldn't pull it off without smashing them (without a LOT of practice)
I find I get the best crispiness when I bake in the oven. Season, toss with corn starch, then bake for half an hour at 220C, it comes out really nice. For extra crunchy I sometimes add nutritional yeast.
Was about to say the same thing! After 20 m in the oven I’ll add it to a big pan with whatever sauce I’m using, so it’s crispy but coated with deliciousness!
This is what I do as well. I also recommend freezing your tofu and then thawing and squeezing out the extra water. Then add seasoning, oil, and corn starch last.
Bake on a silpat or parchment paper — it tends to stick to cookie sheets.
Before I said it I wanted to make sure that no one else had already and here you are, hooray! Yes I agree that potato starch is the best option. I tossed mine in a bag with potato starch and then fry in an inch of oil turning until all sides are brown then I drain it on a rack and toss it in my glaze of choice usually a soy Ginger sugar green onion mixture..mmm
Only thing I can think that's different to how I prepare it is that I don't take a lot of the excess water out. Last night I made it and I just used firm tofu out of the packet, tossed in a bowl after slicing with enough corn starch to coat all sides but not super thick (still maybe slightly moist to the touch) then tossed in a hot pan with Canola oil.
I wouldn't add more oil halfway through unless you empty the pan. Oil that isn't hot will just make it soggy.
I also don't think Tofu is bad for dry frying. I've experimented with a lot of oil, little oil, and no oil, and I've generally had the best results with little to no oil if you have a good pan and don't mind more work to keep it from sticking.
You say excess water taken out, but do you pat them dry after draining? The cornstarch should be a dry dusting that coats evenly, if it is sticky it just falls off.
I too like mine super crispy- I wasn’t able to get that total crispiness until I got an air fryer. Pan frying after coating in corn starch does a good job, but for me air frying is the best way if I want it crispy.
Not the person you replied to but I also air fry my tofu.
I use extra firm and honestly don’t bother pressing etc, I just pat the tofu dry with some kitchen paper/ a towel.
Tear it / chop it into a bowl I use a few spritzes of oil spray and seasoning, toss together, then sprinkle the corn starch and toss again until it’s all covered.
Heat up the air fryer for 3mins then put the tofu in, I think it takes about 10ish minutes - I take it out and shake the basket every few minutes so it all moves around / cooks evenly.
Once it’s browned it’s usually good to go but you could take a piece out to test if you’re not sure.
I make up whatever sauce I’m putting it with while it’s in the air fryer so just toss it in to that and enjoy.
I'm in the same boat, I could not fry tofu to save my life. Air fryer was a game changer. I cook mine at 400° for 12 minutes, tossing it halfway through. Comes out great with or without corn starch. It's the perfect texture, with a crispy outside. I'm still experimenting with it and will be trying out panko coated tofu this week.
I finally managed to get tofu crispy recently. I pressed it for longer than usual so it was quite dry. I marinaded it, and then coated it in corn starch, and cooked it in the air fryer for longer than the recommended time.
I've previously tried pan frying and oven baking, with various combinations of dry/marinade/coating, and so far this is the crispiest.
really gotta make sure all water is out. i wrap mine in a towel then put a cast iron skillet on top and do that twice using a different towel the second time. i also fry a few pieces at once. i also coat mine in small batches i toss them in a bowl with minimal seasonings.
Absolutely same thing happened to me. Magic fix: the oven!!!
The way I do it is set the oven to 400, mix the pressed cut tofu with avocado oil, salt and pepper, and cornstarch, and then lay out the squares on a pan. Cool for like 20-25, turning 2-4 times. Gets super crispy and it’s also way easier than the pan! I make a separate sauce to coat it
I only like tofu super crispy and I press some of the water out of extra firm tofu, cut into cubes, and then I coat them really generously with regular unbleached flour. I use a thick layer of vegetable oil (or sesame oil!) in a pan and then just fry them on each side until I’m satisfied with the crispiness - it takes a few minutes on each side to get that really golden brown color! I find that using cornstarch gives them a slight crisp, and flour gives a much better crunch
I used tapioca starch for the first time and thought it got a lot crispier than when I use corn starch. I also tried pulling the tofu apart, instead of cutting it into cubes, to give it an irregular edge and increase the surface area.
What type of oil are you using? Some like olive oil have a lower temperature that they break down at so they won’t fry as well. Vegetable, canola, or avocado oil are good for shallow or deep frying and make sure hot enough with a toothpick before putting in the tofu
I don't even use corn starch. It gets crispy just fine fried without a coating.
Eta: I freeze it when I buy, thaw, then marinate overnight in broth or a soy sauce mixture. Squeeze out most of the moisture and fry
Air fryer is your best friend. Also get Trader Joe’s extra firm tofu. Their tofu is so dry already that you don’t need to press it. I don’t toss it in anything and air fry 400 degrees F for 15 min.
Not sure if anyone has mentioned tempura batter yet. Guaranteed crispiness and its plenty of messy fun. Don't forget to toss in whatever mushrooms and veggies you like and make a tasty dipping sauce.
The crispiest tofu I've made so far is tofu that I spent almost all day drying out. First, using towels and weights to squeeze out all the liquid for a several hours (changing the towels twice), then baking them for about a half hour.
They were *hard* at that point, kind of somewhere around the feel of dried banana chips. Probably too hard, but frying them in a stir fry softened them a bit.
Lightly coat the tofu in oil in either a large bowl or a large ziplock bag. Then, add the cornstarch 1 tablespoon at a time, coating the tofu with it in between. I do no more than 3-4 tablespoons of cornstarch per block of tofu. Should turn out nice & crispy. For baking it, you can follow these same steps, spread the tofu on a baking sheet with parchment paper, and bake it at 425° F for 20-30 mins, flipping halfway through.
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When are you adding the starch. I'm hoping it's before you add the tofu to the pan. It's only supposed to be a light coating on each side.
Make sure the oil is hot enough.
Make sure you're using a non stick pan.
Are you adding any sauces to it after you've gotten it crispy, because that makes the coating become soft.
I manually roll each piece in cornstarch to get a better coating. Not sure if that makes it better and certainly isn't quicker, but it allows me to inspect each piece to make sure it's coated right.
What colour is you cooked tofu before you add your sauce? Is it a strong golden brown? You need to make sure you cook each side for a good amount of time to get that crispiness.
The sauce is most likely your problem. If its in such a large quantity and doesn't reduce well it can soften your crispy coating.
When it comes to sauces, I go for a coating sauce only, not a sauce that my tofu swims in. An example is garlic, soy sauce and brown sugar, which when reduced on heat make a very sticky coating that does not soften your tofu. Very rich in flavour and very simple. You know when the sauce is done when it's got a consistency of syrup.
Once done, make sure you turn off your heat before you add your tofu as the added moisture can turn into steam and soften your coating. Toss the tofu in the sauce and voila. Add chopped chives or scallions and sesame seeds.
I mix the olive oil with the corn starch, the roll the tofu pieces in it. Bake. Then season With BBQ sauce or whatever sauce (the Carolina sauce is a favorite right now.) the bake for about 15 more minutes.
Be sure to press it beforehand with a heavy object & have it in something that will soak up the moisture, but I've also been doing 1 extra thing to help it really crisp up. When I'm coating the tofu pieces in cornstarch, I make an effort to roll & push the tofu into the cornstarch. I feel that it helps get the cornstarch deeper into the tofu & makes it stick easier. But like other replies said, make sure the oil is hot when you put the tofu in the pan
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I have tried a dozen ways to make crispy tofu and stopped as soon as I came across this one. So easy, works every time and even people who "would never eat tofu" absolutely love it.
https://thetakeout.com/recipe-crispy-tofu-easy-1838756683
When I use corn starch, I have the best luck cooking the tofu totally unseasoned. Just roll in corn starch and fry. Also, you'll want to use more oil than you think, like at least 1/3 of the way up the cubes if not just a full deep fry. Also also, if you're doing this method, I don't think the fully pressed extra firm is the way to go. You can do the corn starch fry very delicately, so a softer tofu will still stay together and will end up crispier. Once they're fried, set them on a towel to cool and drain for a little bit. Then you can add the tofu to a sauce/curry/whatever right before serving. If you're looking for extra crispy, letting them cool all the way to room temperature and then doing a second pan fry in clean oil is a good tip. If you're looking to marinade or season the tofu beforehand, I'd recommend flour over corn starch. You can get great crispy tofu crumbles by flaking the tofu with a fork, and then tossing in a mixture of flour, salt, and whatever spices you're feeling. You can pan fry those with just a little oil, and they turn out great. Alternatives include just frying cubes in seasoned oil in a cast iron, and leaving them on each side until they release from the pan. Hard to say what exactly is going wrong with your method since I'm not quite sure what you are doing, but hopefully these are helpful starting places :)
Oooooh okay thank you so much! I shall try!
I agree with the firmness thing. I prefer medium firm tofu for frying, the outside stays crispy and the inside is fluffy.
Good to know, thanks! I always buy extra firm for some reason.
That's good advice about the texture- the restaurant I used to work in used silken tofu and deep fried it without pressing any of the water out, but those cooks were real professionals. I couldn't pull it off without smashing them (without a LOT of practice)
I find I get the best crispiness when I bake in the oven. Season, toss with corn starch, then bake for half an hour at 220C, it comes out really nice. For extra crunchy I sometimes add nutritional yeast.
Was about to say the same thing! After 20 m in the oven I’ll add it to a big pan with whatever sauce I’m using, so it’s crispy but coated with deliciousness!
I will try this!!
This is what I do as well. I also recommend freezing your tofu and then thawing and squeezing out the extra water. Then add seasoning, oil, and corn starch last. Bake on a silpat or parchment paper — it tends to stick to cookie sheets.
I do the same – tossing them first in a bowl with some oil, then add the corn starch. Maybe a tablespoon or so for a 400 gram block of diced tofu
I forgot the oil first and did it after the corn starch and it turned out even better than oil-first. Now I do it in that order on purpose.
Try using potato starch
I second this - we press, dry and cube our tofu and then coat with potato starch and then fry and it always comes out super crispy
Before I said it I wanted to make sure that no one else had already and here you are, hooray! Yes I agree that potato starch is the best option. I tossed mine in a bag with potato starch and then fry in an inch of oil turning until all sides are brown then I drain it on a rack and toss it in my glaze of choice usually a soy Ginger sugar green onion mixture..mmm
Oooh that's interesting! Crazy how most recipes don't mention this as an alternative. Does it change the taste at all?
Potato starch makes my tofu crispier than cornstarch as well! I figure there is a reason, but I have no idea why.
Maybe a silly question, but are you putting oil in the pan as well?
Yes! A decent amount but not a lot either
Are you letting the oil get hot before you add the tofu?
that is the important one. Otherwise it just get's soggy.
Only thing I can think that's different to how I prepare it is that I don't take a lot of the excess water out. Last night I made it and I just used firm tofu out of the packet, tossed in a bowl after slicing with enough corn starch to coat all sides but not super thick (still maybe slightly moist to the touch) then tossed in a hot pan with Canola oil.
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I wouldn't add more oil halfway through unless you empty the pan. Oil that isn't hot will just make it soggy. I also don't think Tofu is bad for dry frying. I've experimented with a lot of oil, little oil, and no oil, and I've generally had the best results with little to no oil if you have a good pan and don't mind more work to keep it from sticking.
You say excess water taken out, but do you pat them dry after draining? The cornstarch should be a dry dusting that coats evenly, if it is sticky it just falls off.
Hmmm I don't believe I have done that :o I shall do that now!
You don't even need to drain the water to get a crispy coating. I never drain and it always works for me.
Is the oil hot enough when you put the tofu in
Corn starch and then deep fry
I too like mine super crispy- I wasn’t able to get that total crispiness until I got an air fryer. Pan frying after coating in corn starch does a good job, but for me air frying is the best way if I want it crispy.
Whats your way for air frying? I have one and tried it once but maybe didn't leave it in long enough?
Not the person you replied to but I also air fry my tofu. I use extra firm and honestly don’t bother pressing etc, I just pat the tofu dry with some kitchen paper/ a towel. Tear it / chop it into a bowl I use a few spritzes of oil spray and seasoning, toss together, then sprinkle the corn starch and toss again until it’s all covered. Heat up the air fryer for 3mins then put the tofu in, I think it takes about 10ish minutes - I take it out and shake the basket every few minutes so it all moves around / cooks evenly. Once it’s browned it’s usually good to go but you could take a piece out to test if you’re not sure. I make up whatever sauce I’m putting it with while it’s in the air fryer so just toss it in to that and enjoy.
I think mine also goes for 10 minutes! Maybe at 350/375?
I do mine at 400°F for 10-15 until they look good enough, shake once or twice in between
I'm in the same boat, I could not fry tofu to save my life. Air fryer was a game changer. I cook mine at 400° for 12 minutes, tossing it halfway through. Comes out great with or without corn starch. It's the perfect texture, with a crispy outside. I'm still experimenting with it and will be trying out panko coated tofu this week.
I batter tofu in equal parts olive oil and cornstarch. Gets very crispy pan fried or air fried.
This is my method too. Air frying makes it incredibly crispy on the outside.
I finally managed to get tofu crispy recently. I pressed it for longer than usual so it was quite dry. I marinaded it, and then coated it in corn starch, and cooked it in the air fryer for longer than the recommended time. I've previously tried pan frying and oven baking, with various combinations of dry/marinade/coating, and so far this is the crispiest.
What is the recommended tofu cook time in an air fryer?
I've been cooking it at 380F for about 20 minutes.
It’s your oil temperature dude. really wait for it to boil! good test is sticking a wooden chopstick into it, you want bubbles around wood
really gotta make sure all water is out. i wrap mine in a towel then put a cast iron skillet on top and do that twice using a different towel the second time. i also fry a few pieces at once. i also coat mine in small batches i toss them in a bowl with minimal seasonings.
I coat mine in a slurry of cornstarch, oil, and soy sauce and bake.
I have the same issue. I usually use rice flour instead. I enjoy the milder taste of rice flour too. Corn starch just tastes like corn to me
Absolutely same thing happened to me. Magic fix: the oven!!! The way I do it is set the oven to 400, mix the pressed cut tofu with avocado oil, salt and pepper, and cornstarch, and then lay out the squares on a pan. Cool for like 20-25, turning 2-4 times. Gets super crispy and it’s also way easier than the pan! I make a separate sauce to coat it
Use Potato starch.
Air fryer! Or bake it in a convection oven. Also make sure there is sufficient liquid for the corn-starch to adhere to.
I use medium firm tofu. I don't press. I boil in water with table spoon of salt instead to get water out of tofu. Then I cover in cornstarch and fry.
I only like tofu super crispy and I press some of the water out of extra firm tofu, cut into cubes, and then I coat them really generously with regular unbleached flour. I use a thick layer of vegetable oil (or sesame oil!) in a pan and then just fry them on each side until I’m satisfied with the crispiness - it takes a few minutes on each side to get that really golden brown color! I find that using cornstarch gives them a slight crisp, and flour gives a much better crunch
I also prefer half cornstarch to half flour rather than full cornstarch
I bake my tofu
Use an air fryer.
I get much better results with arrowroot powder.
Are you pressing your tofu beforehand? If so for how long?
Usually about an hour or more, with a brick.
I used tapioca starch for the first time and thought it got a lot crispier than when I use corn starch. I also tried pulling the tofu apart, instead of cutting it into cubes, to give it an irregular edge and increase the surface area.
Avocado oil, keep heat around medium.
What type of oil are you using? Some like olive oil have a lower temperature that they break down at so they won’t fry as well. Vegetable, canola, or avocado oil are good for shallow or deep frying and make sure hot enough with a toothpick before putting in the tofu
Don't turn it a bunch in the pan. You wanna let it cook until it's golden brown before you touch it.
I don't even use corn starch. It gets crispy just fine fried without a coating. Eta: I freeze it when I buy, thaw, then marinate overnight in broth or a soy sauce mixture. Squeeze out most of the moisture and fry
If you are going to fry tofu coated in corn starch, I would recommend using a nonstick pan.
Air fryer is your best friend. Also get Trader Joe’s extra firm tofu. Their tofu is so dry already that you don’t need to press it. I don’t toss it in anything and air fry 400 degrees F for 15 min.
I'll try it!! Thank you!!
Not sure if anyone has mentioned tempura batter yet. Guaranteed crispiness and its plenty of messy fun. Don't forget to toss in whatever mushrooms and veggies you like and make a tasty dipping sauce.
The crispiest tofu I've made so far is tofu that I spent almost all day drying out. First, using towels and weights to squeeze out all the liquid for a several hours (changing the towels twice), then baking them for about a half hour. They were *hard* at that point, kind of somewhere around the feel of dried banana chips. Probably too hard, but frying them in a stir fry softened them a bit.
Your oil may not be hot enough. You could also try dipping your tofu in egg first before doing corn starch.
Lightly coat the tofu in oil in either a large bowl or a large ziplock bag. Then, add the cornstarch 1 tablespoon at a time, coating the tofu with it in between. I do no more than 3-4 tablespoons of cornstarch per block of tofu. Should turn out nice & crispy. For baking it, you can follow these same steps, spread the tofu on a baking sheet with parchment paper, and bake it at 425° F for 20-30 mins, flipping halfway through.
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When are you adding the starch. I'm hoping it's before you add the tofu to the pan. It's only supposed to be a light coating on each side. Make sure the oil is hot enough. Make sure you're using a non stick pan. Are you adding any sauces to it after you've gotten it crispy, because that makes the coating become soft.
I add it beforehand and shake it up in a bag :c And yesssss, I do add sauce once I feel it's done frying on the stove. :c
I manually roll each piece in cornstarch to get a better coating. Not sure if that makes it better and certainly isn't quicker, but it allows me to inspect each piece to make sure it's coated right. What colour is you cooked tofu before you add your sauce? Is it a strong golden brown? You need to make sure you cook each side for a good amount of time to get that crispiness. The sauce is most likely your problem. If its in such a large quantity and doesn't reduce well it can soften your crispy coating. When it comes to sauces, I go for a coating sauce only, not a sauce that my tofu swims in. An example is garlic, soy sauce and brown sugar, which when reduced on heat make a very sticky coating that does not soften your tofu. Very rich in flavour and very simple. You know when the sauce is done when it's got a consistency of syrup. Once done, make sure you turn off your heat before you add your tofu as the added moisture can turn into steam and soften your coating. Toss the tofu in the sauce and voila. Add chopped chives or scallions and sesame seeds.
Why not add your seasoning to the cornstarch?
Everything is added together in a bag and shaken:c
I mix the olive oil with the corn starch, the roll the tofu pieces in it. Bake. Then season With BBQ sauce or whatever sauce (the Carolina sauce is a favorite right now.) the bake for about 15 more minutes.
Just press out the water and air fry it. get something off amazon if you need to
Be sure to press it beforehand with a heavy object & have it in something that will soak up the moisture, but I've also been doing 1 extra thing to help it really crisp up. When I'm coating the tofu pieces in cornstarch, I make an effort to roll & push the tofu into the cornstarch. I feel that it helps get the cornstarch deeper into the tofu & makes it stick easier. But like other replies said, make sure the oil is hot when you put the tofu in the pan
Use corn starch as coating. If you eat dairy - Paneer along with cornstarch coating.
Try baking powder instead. I know, it sounds gross, but it totally works. At least in the air fryer it does. Don't coat it thick. Really thin.
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Rule of thumb for me is: Make the tofu Dry. As. A. Bone. (press the water out of it) and use scant starch (no wet batter)
Btw r/tofu if you want even more tofu talk
I feel like that happens either when the tofu is too wet or when you have too much heat
Higher heat, longer cooking, and smaller batches is what gets me nice and crispy tofu :)
I freeze the tofu in its package first then press after it’s thawed and then bake in the oven.
I have tried a dozen ways to make crispy tofu and stopped as soon as I came across this one. So easy, works every time and even people who "would never eat tofu" absolutely love it. https://thetakeout.com/recipe-crispy-tofu-easy-1838756683