Italian Crusted Tofu (2 ways!)

This flavorful Italian Herb Crusted Tofu recipe is perfectly spiced with cheesy, savory Italian seasonings and a kiss of heat. It's tender and juicy with a crunchy golden crust. Make it in the oven or the air fryer, this quick and nutritious tofu dish is ready to serve in 25 minutes or less!

We're big fans of tofu at my house, it's easy, super versatile, and ridiculously delicious - great for meal prep too. A busy weeknight essential ingredient, tofu is a healthy, plant protein to feed the family, takes on flavor like a boss, and takes only 5 minutes to whip together.

This Italian herb crusted tofu can be air fried or pan fried until the exterior is a gorgeous crispity, crackly golden brown. But baked tofu is my favorite. It's the most succulent tofu texture with tender pillowy insides and gorgeous crispy exterior. Yum!

Crispy Crunchy Tofu Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this super flavorful Italian tofu (it's the easiest and best tofu recipe ever!):

• Extra firm tofu: I like the texture of extra firm tofu for this recipe. If you buy the vacuum packed extra firm tofu, you might not need to press it!
• Soy sauce: Adds a rich salty, umami flavor that soaks into the tofu boosting the flavor. Sub with gluten-free soy sauce, tamari or low sodium soy sauce if you prefer.
• Hot sauce: Sambal oelek chili paste adds a kick of heat. Can sub with sriracha sauce.
• Nutritional yeast: Nutritional yeast adds a ton of cheesy savory flavor. This is the secret, flavor bomb ingredient!
• Seasoning blend: Oregano (or Italian seasoning), garlic powder, onion powder, and coarse black pepper for the Italian flair. I don't typically add extra salt because of the soy sauce, but feel free to add a pinch of two to suit your taste.
• Olive oil: I prefer olive oil, but any oil works. You can also skip the oil altogether if oil free and still get a nice crust on the tofu whether baking or air frying!
• Cornstarch: One of the secrets to making the succulent crispy tofu crust.

How to Make Italian Crusted Tofu (2 ways!)

Crispy, crunchy tofu is super versatile, extremely easy (great tofu recipe for beginners!), and a favorite, go-to recipe. This tofu is incredible baked in the oven (18 minutes) OR cooked in the air fryer (10 minutes) - your choice!:

1. Tofu: Cut or break the tofu into pieces and place in a large bowl. FYI: Breaking the tofu creates lots of rough edges that the seasoning sticks to.

2. Sauce/marinade: Add the sauce ingredients (soy sauce, sambal, spices, and olive oil) to the bowl then gently stir to coat the tofu.
3. Coat the tofu: Sprinkle the tofu with nutritional yeast and stir again. Hot Tip: Nutritional yeast (aka nooch) soaks up a lot of liquid so I add it after the marinade ingredients to give the marinade time to seep into the tofu first.
4. Cornstarch: Cornstarch gets added last to make the marinade sticky so it coats the tofu sealing in the juiciness and creating a crunchy coating. Start with 1 tablespoon then add another as needed. The tofu should be sticky (not juicy and wet).

5. Bake the tofu: Next, transfer the tofu pieces to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. I cook at 400º F for ~12 minutes then flip and bake for another 6-8 minutes. Voilà, a tasty, perfectly cooked Italian tofu dish!

6. Air Fry the tofu: For the easy, air fried version, place the seasoned tofu pieces into the air fryer and cook at 380º F for ~10 minutes shake the basket a couple times to prevent sticking. Air frying is great for oil-free tofu that's still crispy and crunchy. Every air fryer is slightly different so play around with the time and temperature to get the perfect tofu texture to suit your taste.

Tofu Cooking Tips & Variations

• Epic crunch: For extra crispy tofu, add a drizzle of oil to the parchment-covered baking sheet. Oil raises the surface temperature of the tofu and makes it crispier! Spread the oil evenly over entire sheet before adding the tofu pieces.
• Can I make this Italian tofu recipe oil free?: If you follow an oil-free diet, this healthy baked tofu recipe is still super delicious made without oil - just skip it altogether. We enjoy this tofu recipe oil free often.
• Storing leftover tofu: Leftover over tofu bites will keep in the fridge all week. The leftovers aren't crispy, but they are still delicious and the texture is excellent!
• Reheating tofu: To bring the crispness back to leftover tofu, pop it into the air fryer at 380º F for ~2 minutes until heated through.

MILLION DOLLAR TIP: Don't overcook your tofu! Overcooked tofu is rubbery and dry (not great). Everyone's taste is different - people like tofu from rare to well done. Newbies typically prefer a firmer tofu texture (well done) at first. Just cook the tofu for a few extra minutes or cut the tofu into smaller pieces to create a firmer, meaty texture. When you first start cooking tofu, I recommend trying it periodically as you're cooking to find the perfect combination of time, temperature, and texture to suit your taste.

Ways to Serve Italian Crusted Tofu

This Italian seasoned tofu is soooo flavorful - it's the perfect protein for any main dish. Here's a few more ways to enjoy it:

• As an appetizer: Serve tofu bites with your favorite dipping sauce like sweet and spicy tahini, vegan ranch, creamy chipotle sauce or peanut hoisin sauce to name a few.
• In a bowl: Make tofu the star of your Buddha bowl, rice bowl or grain bowl.
• Elevate your salads: Bump up the plant protein in your favorite salad like Thai Crunch Salad, Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad or Mason Salad Jars for a healthy lunch or dinner.

I hope you love this easy Italian Tofu recipe. If you make it, please leave a rating and comment below. Tag me on Instagram, I love seeing all the FUN ways you're using tofu.
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