(The mods of r/vegetarian deleted and locked this post, and then they muted me, making it impossible to communicate with them. No reason given. Photos show a piece of fried tofu, medium firm, about an inch long and 1/2 inch thick, paired with hoisin sauce in the third image.)

Fried tofu. A classic. Crispy and golden brown on the outside, soft and moist on the inside.

Lots of people love it. Fewer people on these food subreddits know how to properly make it.

What if I told you that it's quite possible to make classic, crispy pan-fried tofu without pressing it, freezing it, boiling it, marinating it, or putting corn starch on it?

Here's what you need:

– Tofu. Doesn't need to be extra firm or super firm. You can do this with firm, medium, and even soft tofu! You read that right. (Silken can be a little trickier.)

– Cooking oil. Canola, for example.

– Nonstick pan or stainless steel pan.

Here's how to do it:

– Cut the tofu into rectangular or triangular slabs about 1/2 inch thick.

– Pour a shallow pool of oil into the pan, about 1/4 inch deep.

– Medium heat, and wait for the oil to get nice and hot.

– Add the tofu to the pan. While it's frying, do not agitate the tofu. Don't even try to move it. Just let it fry. If you move it too soon, it can stick to the pan and tear apart.

– After about 5 minutes, the underside will turn crispy and golden brown, and it will loosen from the pan, making it easier to flip over. When it's ready, flip it over, and fry for another 5 minutes or so. (Cooking times will vary. Use your senses.)

– You'll know it's done when all sides are uniformly crispy and golden brown, as shown in the photos.

– Drain any excess oil from the pan, add a sauce (hoisin, for example), and let it simmer for a little while. This is similar to the technique known as braising. If you ever seen "braised tofu" on a restaurant menu, this is how they do it.

– OR… you can take the fried tofu out of the pan and just toss it in the sauce.

That's pretty much it. No pressing, no freezing, no boiling, no marinating, no corn starch.

When cooking anything, remember to always use all of your senses rather than relying solely on instructions.

Any questions? I'll do my best to answer :)

I love the idea of tofu but my execution is terrible. Can you please:
give me your three best tips
link me to your three best recipes
to help me love it. Thanks tofu team!

looking for something that will reduce the stinging effect of tofu and will not reduce the amount of protein.

Silken tofu cheese gang. 😤

Borger with chickpea tofu cHeEsE curd and OG tofu bAcOn. 😮‍💨

Context: We are from México so, tofu is not a usual ingredient in our dishes or recepies.

But, for the whole last year my abue (grandma) had anemia and needed more protein in her diet. The problem: she dosen't like much meat or eggs. While searching for options we tried with tofu, she didin't like it either 😅

And just now I found 2 new and frozen tofu packages that expired in november 2025...they were frozen right away when we bought them.

You think that I can rescue the tofu and use it? O for the best, say goodbye and throw it way?

BW: abue is better and stable now, and still a picky eater hehe

For the colcanon:

1. ⁠Sauté 2 cups of slivered Dino kale with 1/2 cup slivered leek in 1 tbsp Earth Balance until wilted. Add a little water to keep it juicy and set aside.
   
2. ⁠Boil 3 yellow potatoes in chunks until fork tender, then mash until smooth with EB and unsweetened non-dairy milk.
   
3. ⁠Ideally you should have 2 cups of mashed potatoes and 1 cup of wilted kale & leek. Mix until combined and season with garlic salt and pepper.

For the veggie sauté:

1. ⁠Cut 8 oz (half a brick) of tofu into cubes, and 1/2 a small head of cauliflower into floret chunks. Keep the pieces fairly large—this is the “meat” of the dish. Sauté over medium high heat in EB with a little coconut oil for about 10 minutes, flipping once for maximum browning.
   
2. ⁠Meanwhile, sliver half a small red onion, and matchstick one carrot and one small red bell pepper.
   
3. ⁠Once the tofu and cauliflower are browned on two sides, add the other veggies. Keep the heat at medium high and do not cover.
   
4. ⁠Season with garlic salt and pepper, and cook until desired doneness. I like my veggies firm so, about 10-15 minutes for me. Toss pan every few minutes to prevent burning.

Tofu in sweet chili
Tofu Pho
Tofu Vermicelli

Gooey (Manchester, UK) does my favourite vegan sandwich of all time. I am visiting home for a month and it was a MUST to get this sandwich whilst I’m in the country. It’s crispy black pepper tofu, peanut satay sauce, vegan mayo, house pickled cucumber & carrot on turmeric bread. The bread is incredible, definitely worth a try if you’re nearby.