Pan Fried Tofu
The best pan fried tofu is fast and easy — no pressing required! Follow the steps below for a quick, flavorful addition to your weekly rotation.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Pan Fried
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 14 ounces firm or extra firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons smoked soy sauce (Regular soy sauce or gluten-free tamari are fine, too.)
- For garnish: Toasted sesame seeds and chopped chives
Instructions
- Cut the block of tofu into 1.5 to 2-inch cubes and pat them dry with a towel.
- Add the olive oil to a non-stick pan, followed by tofu cubes and a few pinches of kosher salt.
- Turn the stovetop to medium-high heat. Cook 5-6 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom.
- Briefly remove tofu from the heat to reduce spitting. Flip the tofu with chopsticks or tongs.
- Return the heat to medium-high and cook an additional 5-6 minutes until browned.
- Briefly remove from the heat again and drizzle with sesame oil and soy sauce.
- Return to low heat and cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes until the color is darkened.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chives, scallions, or green onions. Top with sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
Cooking time depends on the size and thickness of your tofu pieces. Generally, it takes 5 minutes per side for golden brown and crispy pan-fried tofu. To keep the tofu from splitting, let it sear undisturbed for a few minutes before flipping it the first time.
This pan-fried tofu recipe is vegan and gluten-free. It’s low on carbohydrates, and most of its fat is the healthy kind (monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat). Tofu is a nutrient-dense protein that can safely be consumed several times a week as a side dish or an easy recipe for busy weeknights.
Find it online: https://www.acouplecooks.com/pan-fried-tofu/
