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    Home » Main Courses

    Baked Tofu Bites

    Published: Nov 12, 2019 by Sherri Hall · This post may contain affiliate links.

    These 5-ingredient gluten-free and vegan baked tofu bites are super easy to make and extremely versatile too! Hot out of the oven, they've got a crispy coating on the outside. Chill them in the fridge and they resemble leftover breaded chicken. Perfect alone, added to a salad or wrap or served with your favorite dipping sauce! 
    overhead shot of baked tofu bites in an orange bowl on a wooden serving platter with dipping sauce in the background

    Hi. My name is Sherri Hall, and I am addicted to these tofu bites.

    There. I said it.

    In fact, it was veeeeery difficult for me to get them in the dish to take these photographs.

    It was kind of like "one for the dish, one for my mouth...and so on and so on...

    Anyway, you get the picture. 😉

    Tofu bites in an orange bowl with a cocktail toothpick in one surrounded by some more on the serving platter

    What I love about this baked tofu recipe is that the bites are super crispy when eaten warm, but when chilled in the fridge, they transform into what reminds me of the leftover breaded chicken I would eat cold as a child...without any actual breading...or any actual chicken! 😉

    Of course, I had to share them with my omni husband and friends to get their opinion.

    And of course, I got the famous line, "it tastes like chicken!"

    At least it wasn't just me! 😉

    Tofu bites in an orange bowl with some dipping sauce in the background

    Ingredients you'll need

    • Tofu
    • Gluten-Free, Reduced Sodium Tamari
    • Olive oil
    • Rice Vinegar
    • Nutritional Yeast

    What's the best tofu to use?

    The best variety to use for ultimate crispiness is organic, extra-firm tofu. Some of my favorite brands are Nasoya, 365 Everyday Value and Greenwise.

    Should the tofu be pressed?

    Absolutely, 100% yes! In fact, the tofu should be pressed for 40-45 minutes as this contributes to the level of crispiness.

    How to Press Tofu

    Open the package of tofu and drain any excess water. Then, place the block of tofu in the center of a clean, absorbent kitchen towel on a sturdy plate.

    Tofu block placed in the center of a kitchen towel on a plate

    Wrap the tofu with the towel.

    Tofu block wrapped in a towel on a plate

    Place a heavy object, such as a large pot or some books on top of the tofu. Please note that the item(s) you use will get wet.

    Large pot on top of towel-wrapped tofu block on a plate

    Allow the tofu to press for 40-45 minutes. Pressing for this long helps the tofu get crispy when it cooks.

    After pressing remove the heavy object(s), unwrap the block of tofu and place it on a cutting board.

    Alternatively, you can use a tofu press if you have one. Depending on the one you have and how efficiently it works, it can cut the pressing time down significantly.

    When I went back and tested this recipe after I got my tofu press, the EZ Tofu Press, it cut the pressing time down to about 25 minutes.

    Just remember, the longer you press, the crispier the tofu bites will be.

    Tofu pressing in a tofu press

    How to make these baked tofu bites

    Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces. Mine were approximately between ½" and ¾" in diameter.

    Tofu cut into bite-sized pieces on a wooden cutting board

    Cutting them into small pieces rather than larger ones is one of the tricks to keeping them crispy.

    There's one more trick, but that has to do with the baking process, which is coming up shortly.

    After you've cut the tofu, make the coating. In a mixing bowl, whisk together tamari, olive oil, rice vinegar and nutritional yeast.

    Tofu coating ingredients whisked together in a mixing bowl with the whisk in it

    Add the tofu bites to the mixture.

    Tofu pieces added to the coating mixture in the mixing bowl

    Gently toss the bites until fully coated. I use a silicone spatula.

    Tofu pieces coated with the sauce in the mixing bowl

    Transfer the tofu bites to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pour on any extra coating sauce and then carefully spread the pieces out evenly so that they are not overlapping.

    Tofu pieces spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet

    Bake on 400° F for 15 minutes. Then, flip the tofu pieces and bake for another 15 minutes.

    Now, here is the secret to making them ultra crispy:

    Once the tofu is done, stir the pieces around on the baking sheet and return to the oven, but turn off the heat. Leave the tofu bites in the oven for 10 more minutes.

    Remove from the oven and allow tofu to cool for a few minutes before serving.

    Tofu bites hot from the oven on the parchment-lined baking sheet

    Serving Suggestions

    Enjoy them as is or serve them with your favorite dip such as ketchup, mustard, Buffalo sauce, vegan ranch, vegan honey mustard, maple mustard dipping sauce or vegan cheese sauce.

    They're perfect for an appetizer platter with a variety of vegan dipping sauces for a game day get together or even a New Year’s Eve party.

    They also make a great main alongside vegan mac and cheese, air fryer tater tots, fries, air fryer sweet potato fries or your favorite veggies. We love them with our air fryer baby carrots. 🙂

    overhead of tofu bites in orange bowl on wooden serving platter

    These baked tofu bites can also be enjoyed in a wrap, quinoa bowl or salad.

    They're perfect for meal prepping too! If you’re going to use them in your lunches throughout the week, whip up a batch and store them in the refrigerator.

    You can keep them in refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

    If you eat them cold, they won't be crispy anymore, but as mentioned above, they will resemble cold, leftover breaded chicken and they're pretty darn delicious!

    However, if you want to heat them up again, reheat the tofu bites in a 400° F oven for several minutes until warmed throughout.

    More tofu recipes you might enjoy:

    • Baked BBQ Tofu
    • Salt and Pepper Air Fryer Tofu
    • "Cheesy" Tofu Scramble
    • Vegan "Eggs" Benedict
    • Vegan "Egg" and "Cheese" Breakfast Sandwich
    overhead of tofu in bowl on a wooden block
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    5 from 1 vote

    Baked Tofu Bites

    These 5-ingredient gluten-free and vegan baked tofu bites are super easy to make and extremely versatile too! Hot out of the oven, they've got a crispy coating on the outside. Chill them in the fridge and they resemble leftover breaded chicken. Perfect alone, added to a salad or wrap or served with your favorite dipping sauce! Try them with our vegan honey mustard, vegan ranch, maple mustard sauce or vegan cheese sauce.
    Course Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine American, Gluten-Free, Vegan
    Keyword dairy-free, egg free, gluten free, nutritional yeast, tamari, tofu, vegan, vegetarian
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes
    Inactive Prep Time (to press tofu) 40 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
    Servings 3 -5 depending on use
    Calories 235kcal
    Author Sherri Hall

    Ingredients

    • 14 oz. block of organic extra firm tofu
    • 3 tbsp. gluten-free, reduced sodium tamari (can use soy sauce instead if not gluten-free)
    • 2 tbsp. olive oil
    • 1 tbsp. rice vinegar (not seasoned)
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast

    Instructions

    • Open the package of tofu and drain any excess water. Then, place the block of tofu in the center of a clean, absorbent kitchen towel on a sturdy plate. Wrap the tofu with the towel. Place a heavy object, such as a large pot or some books on top of the tofu. Please note that the item(s) you use will get wet. Allow the tofu to press for 40-45 minutes. See notes below about using a tofu press instead.
    • While the tofu is pressing, preheat the oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Once the tofu is done pressing, remove the heavy object(s), unwrap the block of tofu and place it on a cutting board. Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces. Mine were approximately between ½" and ¾" in diameter for the cube-shaped ones. Due to the tofu's spongy consistency, it's not always easy to cut every piece the same size. If some come out too large, you can always cut them in half, which is why some will be rectangular in shape, rather than cubes. 
    • In a mixing bowl, whisk together tamari, olive oil, rice vinegar and nutritional yeast. Add the tofu bites to the mixture and gently toss until fully coated. I use a silicone spatula.
    • Transfer the tofu bites to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pour on any extra coating sauce and then carefully spread the pieces out evenly so that they are not overlapping. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the tofu pieces halfway through.
    • Stir the tofu pieces around on the baking sheet and return to the oven, but turn off the heat. Leave the tofu bites in the oven for 10 more minutes. This will allow them to get ultra crispy. Remove from the oven and allow tofu to cool for a few minutes before serving. 

    (Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)

    Suggested Equipment/Tools

    Mixing Bowls
    Baking Sheet

    Notes

    Tofu can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Leftovers can be enjoyed cold or reheated in a 400° F oven for several minutes until warmed throughout.
    This recipe can be doubled to serve more people.
    To press the tofu, you can use a tofu press instead of the heavy object method if you have one. Depending on the one you have and how efficiently it works, it can cut the pressing time down significantly.
    When I went back and tested this recipe after I got my tofu press, the EZ Tofu Press, it cut the pressing time for this recipe down to about 25-30 minutes.
    The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Fiber: 3g
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    ©Watch Learn Eat. All content and images are copyright protected. Recipes and images are not to be used or republished without prior permission. If you adapt this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, and link back to this post for the original recipe.

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    Sherri

    About Sherri

    Founder, Author, Recipe Developer, & Photographer

    With a lifelong passion for cooking, I specialize in creating easy meatless meals that are omnivore-approved!

    Learn more about me

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