Vegan Tofu Parmesan (Parmigiana)
This Vegan Tofu Parmesan Recipe may just be one of the best ways to prepare tofu. And trust me, I've made a lot of tofu dishes over the years, but I am pretty sure that this one can turn anybody into a tofu lover.
I am talking breaded tofu fried until golden brown and topped with marinara sauce and vegan cheese, and baked until golden perfection.
This recipe was inspired by the Italian classic- chicken parmesan, but it reminds me of eggplant parmesan as well. Either way, it's a delicious and hearty main dish that is great to serve alongside a green salad or roasted veggies.
Ingredients You Need
- Tofu: You'll need 4 blocks of tofu, each 8-9 ounces. This may sound like a lot of tofu, but this recipe makes 8 servings.
- Marinara sauce: Use your favorite jarred marinara for the best results.
- Vegan cheese: You'll need both vegan mozzarella cheese and vegan parmesan cheese.
- Flour: You'll need all-purpose flour for coating the tofu, but if you don't have it on hand you can use cornstarch instead.
- Corn starch: To make a vegan egg substitute, you'll need to mix corn starch with plant-based milk.
- Non-dairy milk: I like to use soy milk because it's rich and creamy, but you can also use any other milk you like.
- Panko breadcrumbs: You'll need 1 ½ cups of breadcrumbs to coat the tofu.
- Spices: This vegan tofu parmesan includes plenty of prices to flavor the tofu including Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, salt, and black pepper.
- Olive oil: You'll need quite a bit of olive oil - ⅓ cup, to fry 18 slices of tofu.
How to Make Vegan Tofu Parmesan
- Cut a block of tofu into 4 ½ cm (0.2-inch) slices. Repeat with the rest of the block until you have 18 slices. Layer them with a paper towel and place something heavy on top (alternatively, you can use a tofu press). Press tofu slices for 1 hour.
- Prepare 2 plates and 1 shallow bowl. On the first plate, add the breadcrumbs, on the second plate mix the flour with the spices, and in the bowl mix milk with corn starch until dissolved.
3. Take a slice of tofu and coat it with the flour mixture first, then dip it into the milk, then back into the flour, then dip it in the milk for a second time. Finally, coat it with breadcrumbs and set it aside. Repeat until all of the tofu slices are coated.
4. Heat a cast-iron skillet or a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add a few of the tofu steaks and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until both sides of the tofu are golden brown. Repeat until all pieces are fried, adding more oil as needed.
5. To assemble this vegan tofu parmesan, add half of the tofu cutlets to a baking dish, and top with half of the marinara sauce and half of the cheese. Then, add the rest of the tofu, followed by the rest of the tomato sauce and cheese.
6. Bake in a preheated oven to 390ºF (200ºC) for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Top with fresh basil if desired and serve right away!
Top Tips
- Use the right type of tofu. Make sure to use extra firm tofu or super-firm tofu for best results, soft tofu won't work at all.
- Cut the tofu into thin pieces. I've tested this recipe with thicker pieces of tofu and I've found that it makes the parmigiana dry and not as flavorful. The key in this recipe is to cut every piece thin and coat it well with spices on both sides.
- Don't skip pressing the tofu! It's essential to get rid of excess moisture in order for the tofu to crisp up when frying.
- To make this recipe faster, prep the tofu cutlets ahead of time. They're the most time-consuming part of this recipe, so if you fry them ahead of time and keep them in the fridge, you can make this dish in just 30 minutes!
- To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed gluten-free crackers to coat the tofu, and substitute the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If you don't want to fry the tofu pieces, add them to a baking sheet layered with parchment paper and bake for 20-25 minutes, at 390ºF (200ºC). Flip halfway through, and cook until both sides are golden brown. Make sure to brush generously with oil before baking to prevent the tofu from drying.
Yes, you can cook the tofu in the air fryer for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until golden brown. Don't forget to spray with cooking spray on both sides!
Although this recipe is best when fresh, you can still freeze it. I recommend assembling the parmigiana and freezing it uncooked for best results. You can keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
No. Most recipes call for some kind of marinate, but since we're adding so many spices there is no need for that extra step.
Serving
This high-protein tofu parmesan is best served alongside steamed broccoli, air fryer asparagus, or kale salad.
For a well-rounded dinner table, serve it with a pasta dish like vegan Cacio e Pepe, avocado pesto pasta, or if you want something healthier, butternut squash spaghetti.
Storage
Let cool to room temperature then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up 6 days. Reheat either in the microwave or in the oven.
More Tofu Recipes
Salt and Pepper Air Fryer Tofu
For even more ideas on how to cook tofu check out my 50 Best Tofu Recipes!
Vegan Tofu Parmesan
Ingredients
For the tofu
- 4 blocks (8-9 oz each) extra-frim tofu
- 1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 ts sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup soy milk (or another non-dairy milk)
- 3 tablespoon corn starch
- ⅓ cup olive oil, for frying
For the parmigiana
- 1 jar (14 oz) your favorite marinara sauce
- 2 cups vegan mozzarella, shredded
- 1 cup vegan parmesan, shredded
Instructions
- Cut a block of tofu into 4 ½ cm (0.2 inches) slices. Repeat with the rest of the blocks, until you have 18 slices. Layer them with a paper towel and place something heavy on top (alternatively, you can use a tofu press). Press tofu for 1 hour.
- Prepare 2 plates and 1 shallow bowl. On the first plate, add the breadcrumbs, on the second plate mix the flour with the spices, and in the bowl mix milk with corn starch until dissolved.
- Take a slice of tofu and coat it with flour mixture, then dip it into the milk, then back into the flour, then dip it in the milk for a second time. Finally, coat the wet piece with breadcrumbs and set it aside. Repeat until all of the tofu is coated.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet or a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Once hot, add a few of the tofu steaks and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until both sides of the tofu are golden brown. Repeat until all pieces are fried, adding more oil as needed.
- Pre-heat oven to 390ºF (200ºC). To assemble this vegan tofu parmesan, add half of the tofu cutlets to a baking dish, and top with half of the marinara sauce and half of the cheese. Then, add the rest of the tofu, followed by the rest of the tomato sauce and cheese.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Top with fresh basil if desired and serve right away!
(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs and other helpful information for this recipe)
Suggested Equipment/Tools
Notes
- Use the right type of tofu. Make sure to use extra firm tofu or super-firm tofu for best results, soft tofu won't work at all.
- Cut the tofu into thin pieces. I've tested this recipe with thicker pieces of tofu and I've found that it makes the parmigiana dry and not as flavorful. The key in this recipe is to cut every piece thin and coat it well with spices on both sides.
- Don't skip pressing the tofu! It's essential to get rid of excess moisture in order for the tofu to crisp up when frying.
- To make this recipe faster, prep the tofu cutlets ahead of time. They're the most time-consuming part of this recipe, so if you fry them ahead of time and keep them in the fridge, you can make this dish in just 30 minutes!
- To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed gluten-free crackers to coat the tofu, and substitute the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour.
Nutrition
Post photography by: Petranka Atanasova.
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