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Panko Tofu is an easy way to get a delicious golden brown cutlet on your plate! This crispy breaded tofu as main or as an appetizer that you can dunk in sauces. Pan fry, air fry, or bake it in an oven, you can make this recipe so easily.
Hey Internet, we've dreamed up another great way to work with tofu. Crispy and tender, panko tofu is a great way to transform a tofu block into an amazing main dish. With just some panko crumbs and some spices, you can have this done in just 20 minutes.
We really love tofu and our list of recipes just keep on growing. We have this huge list of our favorite Tofu Recipes, that we update periodical. It's really useful for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Some of them that you can find on that list include our Tofu Nuggets, Vegan Honey Garlic Tofu, Tofu Schnitzels, Tofu Adobo, and Sweet and Sour Tofu, and so much more! There's so much you can do with a block of tofu.
But this Panko Tofu recipe is perhaps one of our easiest tofu recipes. And depending on how you cook it, it's one of our fastest. Using super firm tofu means you won't have to use a tofu press to get out the water. That means you just slice your tofu cutlets, dip them in the batter and bread crumbs and then cook! It's that easy. And whether you're dunking it in our Nut-Free Vegan Ranch and Vegan BBQ Sauce or pairing it with some potatoes and vegetables, we think this recipe will become one of your favorite ways to cook tofu, just like we love it!
Why You'll Love This Crispy Tofu Recipe
- Crispy: These tofu pieces have a nice crunch to them.
- Easy: These only take 20 minutes to make in an air fryer. We also have instructions for both pan frying and the oven.
- Packed with Protein: With the way we cut our tofu, one serving has almost 15 grams of protein!
Ingredients
Pick up these simple ingredients the next time you're at a grocery store. See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredients, instructions, and accurate nutritional information (to the best of my ability; please consult your physician or healthcare professional if you have specific dietary needs or need to meet a certain daily value of any nutrient). I give substitutions for the ingredients in the section below this one, so most people can still make this recipe!
- Super Firm Tofu: For this panko tofu recipe, the best tofu is the kind that is sold in vacuum-sealed plastic, not a tub of water (which is often called extra-firm tofu, not super firm tofu/high protein tofu). We can usually find it at our local supermarket, Trader Joe’s, Asian market, and even Costco (not sponsored).
- Non-Dairy Milk: The type of non-dairy milk (soy, almond, etc.) does not matter. Just make sure you get plant milk that is labeled unsweetened and original flavor, not vanilla or something like that. Personally, I use soy milk whenever possible.
- Lemon Juice or Vinegar: This is important for making the vegan buttermilk. It’s not absolutely imperative to the recipe, but I preferred the recipe with it when I tested it both ways. Fresh squeezed lemon juice is better, but a vinegar like apple cider vinegar or white vinegar is fine. If using vinegar, use 1 tablespoon instead of 2-3.
- Chickpea Flour / Garbanzo Bean Flour: This is great for breading tofu. It is a great gluten-free substitute option, but it also really amps up the protein and the texture of the breading in my opinion. A good trick for finding some if it isn’t in your regular grocery store (but check the baking section AND the gluten-free or natural section if there is one) or health food store, if you have an Indo-pak or Indian store nearby this flour is also known as “besan” or “gram flour.” You can also easily find it online.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Since this IS a recipe for panko tofu, you’ll need panko breadcrumbs. Use gluten-free panko if needed, but check the label because sometimes gluten-free products contain egg.
- Nutritional yeast: I love the flavor this adds to the breading, but if you don’t like nutritional yeast or don’t have it handy, feel free to skip this.
- Spices: I used granulated onion (or onion powder), granulated garlic (or garlic powder), sea salt, and fresh cracked black pepper to season the breading mixture. The spices help it taste savory and delicious. Feel free to use the spices you enjoy. If you are adding your tofu straight to a sauce, you might not need to season the breading at all.
- Oil, optional: If you are making panko FRIED tofu, you’ll need a high heat oil. I recommend sunflower, vegetable, corn, peanut, or canola oil for this. Avocado and grapeseed oil are also good options. Avoid olive oil. If you are airfrying it, you don’t need to use any oil.
Substitutions
- Super Firm Tofu: If you can only find firm or extrafirm tofu (that comes in water), you can still make this dish. You’ll want to drain the excess water from the block of extra firm tofu and press it for 20-30 minutes in a tofu press or between two plates with a heavy book on top. Otherwise it may turn out soggy due to too much moisture from the tofu.
- Chickpea Flour: Regular all purpose flour, cornstarch or arrowroot powder will work in place of the chickpea flour. You may not need all of the non-dairy milk indicated in the recipe, so add and stir as needed. You’re looking for a thicker (but still drippy) pancake batter type consistency.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: It wouldn't be panko tofu without Japanese panko breadcrumbs, but this recipe should still work with regular breadcrumbs.
- Oil-Free Options: You can bake or make air fryer tofu in this style using no oil at all if you prefer.
How To Make Panko Tofu
- Make the vegan buttermilk first so it has time to set up. In a small measuring cup or bowl, simply add 2-3 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice OR 1 tablespoon of vinegar to ⅔ cup unsweetened original flavor (not vanilla) non-dairy milk. Stir and set aside.
- Prep your super firm tofu by removing the packaging and blotting gently with a paper towel. Cut the tofu however you like—we did triangles but cubes or rectangular slabs also work! Cooking time may depend on thickness of your cut tofu. If you did not buy super firm tofu (the kind that comes vacuum sealed), drain out all the water and press the block of tofu in either a tofu press or between two plates/cutting boards with a heavy weight on them for 20-30 minutes. Waterlogged tofu will not get very crispy.
- If baking, prep oven: If you are baking the panko breaded tofu, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius) and line a baking tray with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Set up your breading station first. You want two wide and shallow bowls for dredging the large pieces of tofu. Whisk the chickpea flour into the vegan buttermilk (which may have separated slightly, that’s OK). Put the non-dairy milk and chickpea flour / garbanzo bean flour (the wet mixture) into one of the bowls. In the other bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, and spices. Finally, place a plate or tray (or your air-fryer basket!) at the end where you can put the breaded tofu.
- If frying, prep pan and oil: If you are choosing to make panko fried tofu, start heating the oil in the pan as soon as your breading station is set up. Heat the largest skillet you have over high heat with a decent amount of oil—I’d say about a half inch.
- Start the Breading: I find using my hands is the easiest way to do this. Tongs or forks may break the pieces of tofu. You can use food prep gloves if you prefer not to get the mixture on your hands. Keep in mind that you will want to cook the tofu pieces as soon as they are breaded otherwise they will not be as crispy. Place a piece of tofu in the wet mixture, turning it a few times. Let the excess drip off. Then place the coated tofu in the dry breading mixture. You can use your fingers to push or sprinkle the breading onto the top half so you can flip it without making too much of a mess. Make sure all sides including the edges get coated. Place the coated panko tofu on the plate/tray/in your air fryer basket and repeat with the other pieces. Cook immediately.
- Air frying method: Carefully place each breaded piece of tofu in your air fryer, letting each one have at least ½-inch breathing room from the other pieces. Cook for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius), CAREFULLY flipping the panko tofu once halfway through (note that if your breading is sticking to the air fryer tray, it isn’t cooked enough to flip. Air fry 2 more minutes and check it again). The tofu is done when it is medium golden brown on all sides and crispy to the touch.
- Pan frying method: Once the oil is heated you can add the tofu. The oil should be about 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 177 degrees Celsius)—hot, but not so hot that it smokes or splatters. You can use a meat or candy thermometer to test this, or you can drop a single bread crumb into the pan of oil. If lots of little bubbles start forming around it, the pan is ready. Very carefully add the tofu to the pan. For a 12” skillet, I would cook 6-8 pieces at a time, depending on how big each piece is. If you have a much smaller skillet, you may only want to cook one at a time. It’s important not to crowd the pan, otherwise the tofu may cook unevenly, the breading can be rubbed off, etc. Cook each piece for about 3-5 minutes on each side. Flip very carefully. You can cook until light-medium browned or a little bit more done if you prefer crispier tofu. Place each fully cooked tofu on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil or place on a wire rack (with something underneath to catch drips. Repeat with remaining tofu.
- Oven method: Similar to the air fryer method, lay your breaded tofu on a lined baking tray or shallow dish. Leave an inch of space around each piece so they can crisp up better. Optionally spray each with a little avocado oil (or similar, don’t use olive or coconut oil), but it’s not a necessity. The panko is still great without oil. Bake for 15-25 minutes, flipping halfway through and removing when both sides are the level of doneness you prefer. The panko tofu is done when both sides are at least medium browned in color and crispy to the touch.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce like Vegan BBQ Sauce, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, Vegan Ranch, vegan mayo mixed with sriracha and rice vinegar, ketchup, or any other of your favorite dipping sauces. Or put it in any other dish!
Storage Instructions
Panko crusted tofu is a great recipe that is really best on the first night, but if you have leftovers, you can store them for about 3 days. I recommend wrapping the leftover crispy panko tofu bites in a single layer in aluminum foil or parchment paper (so they aren’t touching, which can rub off the breading when it gets moist from the condensation) and then placing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a pan, an air fryer, or an oven for a crispy texture. The microwave just kind of leaves the breading a bit soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep! Breaded tofu cubes would be great with some rice and a sauce or you could use them like vegan chicken nuggets. Thick slices of tofu would be nice treated as a steak.
We both love dipping this panko crusted tofu into various sauces like my nut-free vegan ranch, vegan BBQ sauce, or even just ketchup is good! But I also like to serve this super crispy tofu with pasta, on a salad, with a stir fry or some fried rice, or in any number of other dishes.
Use the air fryer (preferred) or oven methods. It’s not necessary and I make this all the time without oil! Alternatively, a good quality non-stick pan can work wonders for cooking oil free!
You can store panko tofu in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. While they are probably at their absolute best on the first night, they’re still delicious when reheated. I highly recommend reheating in a pan on the stove, an air fryer, an oven, or a toaster oven to get that crispy texture back. This particular dish won’t be as delicious when reheated in a microwave since the breading won’t crisp back up.
More Tofu Recipes
I love tofu. I love it so much I made a whole collection of my tofu recipes, all quite different.
Here are some of my faves:
- Tofu Schnitzel
- Vegan Honey Garlic Tofu
- Sweet and Sour Tofu
- Vegan “Beef” and Broccoli
- Vegan Orange “Chicken”
- Crispy Tofu
- Sticky Tofu
- Vegan Paella
- Puffed Tofu
- Spicy Tofu
- Hoisin Tofu
Panko Tofu
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 pieces 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Crispy and flavorful, this Panko Tofu is incredibly easy, quick, and versatile. Add it to your favorite bowl, pasta, or salad.
Ingredients
- 16 ounce package (454 grams) Super Firm Tofu (see note 1)
- ⅔ cup unsweetened original flavor non-dairy milk (we used soy)
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (or 1 tablespoon vinegar)
- ⅓ cup chickpea flour / garbanzo bean flour (see note 2)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional, for flavoring)
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the vegan buttermilk first so it has time to set up. In a small measuring cup or bowl, simply add 2-3 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice OR 1 tablespoon of vinegar to ⅔ cup unsweetened original flavor (not vanilla) non-dairy milk. Stir and set aside.
- Prep your super firm tofu by removing the packaging and blotting gently with a paper towel. Cut the tofu however you like—we did triangles but cubes or rectangular slabs also work! If you did not buy super firm tofu (the kind that comes vacuum sealed), drain out all the water and press the block of tofu in either a tofu press or between two plates/cutting boards with a heavy weight on them for 20-30 minutes. Waterlogged tofu will not get very crispy.
- If baking, prep oven: If you are baking the panko breaded tofu, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius) and line a baking tray with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Set up your breading station first. You want two wide and shallow bowls for dredging the large pieces of tofu. Whisk the chickpea flour into the vegan buttermilk (which may have separated slightly, that’s OK). Put the non-dairy milk and chickpea flour / garbanzo bean flour (the wet mixture) into one of the bowls. In the other bowl, mix the panko breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, and spices. Finally, place a plate or tray (or your air-fryer basket!) at the end where you can put the breaded tofu.
- If frying, prep pan and oil: If you are choosing to make panko fried tofu, start heating the oil in the pan as soon as your breading station is set up. Heat the largest skillet you have over high heat with a decent amount of oil—I’d say about a half inch.
- Start the Breading: I find using my hands is the easiest way to do this. Tongs or forks may break the pieces of tofu. You can use food prep gloves if you prefer not to get the mixture on your hands. Keep in mind that you will want to cook the tofu pieces as soon as they are breaded otherwise they will not be as crispy. Place a piece of tofu in the wet mixture, turning it a few times. Let the excess drip off. Then place the coated tofu in the dry breading mixture. You can use your fingers to push or sprinkle the breading onto the top half so you can flip it without making too much of a mess. Make sure all sides including the edges get coated. Place the coated panko tofu on the plate/tray/in your air fryer basket and repeat with the other pieces. Cook immediately.
- Air frying method: Carefully place each breaded piece of tofu in your air fryer, letting each one have at least ½-inch breathing room from the other pieces. Cook for about 10 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius), CAREFULLY flipping the panko tofu once halfway through (note that if your breading is sticking to the air fryer tray, it isn’t cooked enough to flip. Air fry 2 more minutes and check it again). The tofu is done when it is medium golden brown on all sides and crispy to the touch.
- Pan frying method: Once the oil is heated you can add the tofu. The oil should be about 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 177 degrees Celsius)—hot, but not so hot that it smokes or splatters. You can use a meat or candy thermometer to test this, or you can drop a single bread crumb into the pan of oil. If lots of little bubbles start forming around it, the pan is ready. Very carefully add the tofu to the pan. For a 12” skillet, I would cook 6-8 pieces at a time, depending on how big each piece is. If you have a much smaller skillet, you may only want to cook one at a time. It’s important not to crowd the pan, otherwise the tofu may cook unevenly, the breading can be rubbed off, etc. Cook each piece for about 3-5 minutes on each side. Flip very carefully. You can cook until light-medium browned or a little bit more done if you prefer crispier tofu. Place each fully cooked tofu on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Repeat with remaining tofu.
- Oven method: Similar to the air fryer method, lay your breaded tofu on a lined baking tray or shallow dish. Leave an inch of space around each piece so they can crisp up better. Optionally spray each with a little avocado oil (or similar, don’t use olive or coconut oil), but it’s not a necessity. The panko is still great without oil. Bake for 15-25 minutes, flipping halfway through and removing when both sides are the level of doneness you prefer. The panko tofu is done when both sides are at least medium browned in color and crispy to the touch.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce like Vegan BBQ Sauce, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, Vegan Ranch, vegan mayo mixed with sriracha and rice vinegar, ketchup, or any other of your favorite dipping sauces. Or put it in any other dish!
Notes
- Note 1: For this recipe, the best tofu is the kind that is sold in vacuum-sealed plastic, not a tub of water. I can usually find it in my local supermarket, Trader Joe’s, Asian market, and even Costco. If you can only find firm or extra firm tofu (that comes in water), you can still make this dish. You’ll want to drain the tub of tofu and press the block of tofu, using either a tofu press or two plates or cutting boards, paper towels, and a heavy weight (like books or a cast iron pan) for 20-30 minutes. Otherwise it may turn out soggy.
- Note 2: Regular flour, cornstarch or arrowroot powder will work, but I greatly prefer chickpea flour for breading tofu. It is a great gluten-free substitute option, but it also really amps up the protein and the texture of the breading in my opinion. A good trick for finding some if it isn’t in your regular grocery store (but check the baking section AND the gluten-free or natural section if there is one) or health food store, if you have an Indo-pak or Indian store nearby this flour is also known as “besan” or “gram flour.” You can also easily find it online. If you’d like to use regular all purpose flour instead, that will work. You may not need all of the non-dairy milk indicated in the recipe, so add and stir as needed. You’re looking for a thicker (but still drippy) pancake batter type consistency.
- Note 3: Cooking without oil? Use the air fryer (preferred) or oven methods. It’s not necessary and I make this all the time without oil!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Method: Baking, Air fryer
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: Vegan Panko Tofu, Panko Tofu, Tofu Recipes
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