If you love tofu, you’re going to love this crispy chipotle tofu. And if you don’t like tofu, I’m thinking you might love this crispy chipotle tofu. I am personally very picky about tofu. I rarely order it at restaurants for fear of it being too soft, which also means it’s not cooked long enough for my taste. One of the only ways I make tofu at home and for clients is by baking it. But not just baking it, baking it at a high temp for a good long while, so that it gets crisp on the outside and almost chewy on the inside.
I love this tofu in burrito-style grain bowls, as a taco filling or as a finger food with a sauce for dipping. In the finger food case, I would cut the tofu differently, make the pieces slightly bigger, in a rectangular or triangle shape. They’d cook longer too. But this recipe right here is perfect for this tasty chipotle tofu as a mix in, topping or filling.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that when cooking with tofu, I always get organic tofu. Organic tofu is clean-eating friendly, GMO-free and negligibly more expensive (tofu is very inexpensive to begin with).
Crispy Chipotle Tofu
Serves: 2-3 Start to Finish: 1 hr 15 minutes
vegan | vegetarian | gluten-free | dairy-free
Ingredients
1 package extra firm or super firm tofu
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon chipotle powder (for extra spice, use 1 teaspoon)
3/4 teaspoon garlic granules or garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, fine grain
To Make
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Press drained tofu for 15 minutes (if using super firm tofu you don’t need to press). You could use a tofu press, but I don’t have one. I simply sandwich the tofu between two paper towel lined plates and place something with a bit of weight on top, like a tea kettle. The paper towels will absorb the moisture as the tofu is gently pressed down.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine oil and remaining ingredients. When tofu is finished pressing, cut the tofu into bite-size pieces. I get 72 pieces out of one block of tofu by first cutting the block into 3 slabs, then dicing each slab into 24 pieces. If they’re not exactly even, it doesn’t matter. Sometimes I get them perfect, and sometimes I totally botch it.
Toss tofu with seasoned oil mixture. Spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 25 minutes. Gently toss with tongs or a spatula. Return to the oven for another 10-25 minutes or until desired crispiness. Note that the tofu will firm up a bit more as it cools so pull it when it’s a little softer than you want it.
Radiate Food Vibes 
I normally pan fry my tofu because I find baking leaves it too soft. Will try baking it longer and higher next time. Good tip.
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If you like firmer/crispier tofu, this is the way to go. It took some experimenting but now it’s my go to method. Definitely try it out!
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