Description
These herb-crusted tofu steaks are the perfect protein side for a weeknight dinner or a holiday table. Coated in panko breadcrumbs, fresh herbs, and lemon zest, they create the perfect crispy golden crumb for the marinated tofu. Easy to prepare, and can be made gluten-free.
Ingredients
EQUIPMENT
- Kitchen towel or paper towels (for pressing)
- Small plate
- Something heavy to press tofu
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Shallow dish with lid (for marinating)
- Small whisk
- Grater to zest lemon
- Spoon
- 3 shallow bowls or plates
- Large skillet or frying pan
- Spatula
- Paper towel
- Plate
INGREDIENTS
Marinade
- ¼ cup / 50ml olive oil
- 2 tablespoons / 30ml lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch smoked paprika
Herb crust
- ½ cup / 30g panko breadcrumbs (or GF panko if GF)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Everything else
- 12.35 oz / 350g firm tofu*
- ½ cup / 50g cornstarch*
- ¼ cup / 60ml plant milk, unsweetened (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- Olive oil, for frying
Instructions
Tip: For step-by-step images, please check earlier in the post.
- Press the tofu: Wrap it in a clean kitchen towel or a few sheets of paper towel and place it on a plate. Set something heavy on top — a cast iron pan, a few books, or a heavy pot works well. Leave for 20 minutes, then unwrap and slice into 6 even slabs.
- Make the marinade: Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a shallow container. (Note: zest the lemon first for the crust before juicing). I find it easier to tilt the container to one side and whisk all the ingredients in the corner (see image above). Add the tofu slabs, turning to coat, and marinate for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight in the fridge. If you can, flip halfway through.
- Make the herb crust: Combine all herb crust ingredients in a bowl and mix well. The lemon zest might clump together, so break it up with the back of the spoon as you mix.
- Set up the dipping station: Set out three shallow bowls — cornstarch (½ cup) in the first, plant milk (¼ cup) in the second, and the herb crust mixture in the third.
- Crumb the tofu: Remove each slab from the marinade and coat in the cornstarch well, shaking off any excess, then dip into the plant milk, and finally press firmly into the herb crumb mixture, turning to coat both sides. Use your hands to press the crumbs on, so they adhere well. Repeat with all slabs.
- Fry the tofu: Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan over medium heat, generously. Working in batches if needed, so you don’t overcrowd the pan and make the overall temperature of the oil drop, fry the tofu for 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess oil. Serve straight away with your choice of sides, in a wrap, or burger.
Notes
Tofu firmness: I tested this with firm and extra-firm tofu. I also experimented with freezing and defrosting the extra-firm tofu before pressing to see if it would yield a better result, and it didn’t. I found the texture of the firm tofu to be the best in this recipe. The extra firm didn’t have enough air pockets to soak up the marinade (even after freezing), and the texture of the firm one was better. The only thing to keep in mind is that “firm” tofu varies from brand to brand, so your firmness might be slightly different from mine.
Cornstarch: If you don’t have access to cornstarch, you can use plain flour.
