This crispy-on-the-outside and slightly-meaty-on-the-inside, crispy baked tofu is absolutely delicious smothered in gravy made by using the leftover marinade sauce.
If you have time to plan ahead, I suggest freezing the block of tofu before using it. It’s not required, but freezing tofu changes the texture and causes it to have a spongy texture that I really like for this recipe and others. When I bring tofu home from the grocery store, most of the time, I pop it right in the freezer and store it that way. It’s a great idea because there’s no need to worry about it going bad before the expiration date like would normally be a concern when it’s stored in the refrigerator. For a lot more information about cooking with tofu, check out my article, Easy Tofu Recipes, which has lots of tips.
If you have previously frozen and defrosted tofu on hand, simply drain the water from it and squeeze with your hands to remove all the excess water. If your tofu is fresh, you’ll need to press it.
Next, cut the tofu into 1/2″ slices and place them into a flat shallow dish and set to the side while you mix up the ingredients for the marinade.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients EXCEPT THE THICKENER which will be used at the end. Keep in mind that this marinade has two purposes. After it has been used for marinating the tofu, we are going to make it into a yummy gravy to drizzle over the final dish after baking.
One of the ingredients for the marinade is poultry seasoning. Now everyone, please remain calm because there is no chicken in the seasoning. It’s simply herbs that are commonly used to season chicken, and it’s really good to cook with.
If you like a lot of gravy on your food, maybe even consider making a double-batch of it now so there will be plenty leftover to make the gravy shortly.
Now, pour the marinade over the tofu slices in the flat shallow dish. Turn the slices over so all the sides are well coated. Cover the dish and place it in the refrigerator to allow it to marinate for several hours or even overnight. Turn the slices over occasionally or spoon marinade over them from time to time.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400°F, and line a baking dish with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make for really easy cleanup.
While the oven is heating up, whisk together the coating mix in a medium-sized bowl. Remove each slice of tofu from the marinade one at a time and dredge each one in the coating mix, making sure to cover them well all over.
Place the slices on the prepared baking sheet as soon as they are coated well. Once they are all on the sheet, I like to sprinkle mine with a little smoked paprika and dry parsley.
Place in the oven and bake at 400°F until the slices are golden brown which takes approximately 20-30 minutes.
If you have an air fryer, these do really well and finish up even more crispy than baking in the oven. Simply place the breaded tofu slices in your fryer and set the appliance at 400°F and cook for approximately 20 minutes.
Gravy Instructions
While the tofu is cooking, scrape the marinade into a microwave-safe bowl. If you decided to make a double-batch of the marinade earlier, I think you’re going to be even more pleased.
Add your thickener of choice and whisk together well. I personally like arrowroot powder best because it doesn't clump and is so easy to use.
Simply place the bowl in the microwave and heat for 2-minutes. Stop and whisk and check thickness. If it needs to be a little thicker, add 1-minute. However, be aware that it will continue to thicken for a minute or two even after you remove it from the microwave, so don’t get it too thick. If it does get too thick, just add a little bit of water to thin it a bit.
Once the tofu is baked, remove it from the oven. Allow it to cool and then drizzle the marinade gravy over the top before serving. If you want to make Mashed Potatoes as a side dish, this gravy is perfect for those too. As you can see from my photos, roasted vegetables are another great side option.
Video
Notes
Air fryer directionsIf you have an air fryer, these do really well and finish up even more crispy than baking in the oven. Simply place the breaded tofu slices in your fryer and set the appliance at 400°F and cook for approximately 20 minutes.Recipe adapted from Dr. Neal Barnard’s book, Breaking the Food Seduction.