Go Back
+ servings
A white baking dish serve with vegan tofu parmesan and topped with fresh basil leaves.
Print

Vegan Tofu Parmesan

Vegan Tofu Parmesan is crispy, saucy, cheesy, and made with healthy pantry ingredients! It's the perfect family main dish and can be made gluten-free if needed!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian, Vegan
Keyword tofu parmesan, vegan chicken parmesan, vegan parmigiana
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Pressing tofu 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 345kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the tofu

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!

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.
 
 
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: 345kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Fiber: 3g