Crispy, gluten free “breading” on the outside, tender on the inside. I’d say, these taste like chicken! 🙂
Dare I say it? When I tasted these quick and easy, crispy tofu strips for the first time, I found them to be just as tasty and satisfying as the real deal. There, I said it. Now granted, I haven’t had actual chicken strips since my jaw locked, and I went mostly vegetarian, but I can at least say with 100% certainty that tofu strips are a delicious meal in their own right and a fun throwback to childhood. Serve with home baked fries, I go for sweet potato fries, and you’ve got yourself a filling meal!
Some recipes for tofu strips require quite a few steps. These, on the other hand, can be made in about 15 minutes, seriously! All that’s required is to cut the tofu into your desired shapes. I go for strips, but you could also make nuggets. Dip them into beaten eggs (or the vegan version noted below), then dip them into the almond flour and nutritional yeast “breading” mix. Then fry them until golden and crispy.
While these make a perfect, quick weeknight meal, these crispy tofu strips can also be served mid-day for lunch. If you work from home, they don’t even need to be made ahead because of how quickly they can be whipped together. If you have a job that requires you to pack a lunch like I do, you can still bring these already fried in your lunchbox. They’re still delicious, though they won’t be as crisp.
Let’s go through the ingredients:
Tofu - Use extra-firm and press it to rid it of excess water. I like to use fava bean tofu as it is the perfect texture without pressing it at all and has twice the amount of protein per serving.
Eggs - For a vegan version, try oil or, in a pinch, unsweetened dairy free milk.
Almond Flour - Use flour not meal. When fried, the almond flour, yeast, starch combo turns crispy, savory, and irresistible.
Nutritional Yeast - Make up the bulk of the coating along with the flour to provide a crisp exterior.
Starch - I used corn starch. Could also try potato starch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot powder. Make sure the starch is well blended into the other ingredients.
Garlic Powder - Could sub for onion powder if you don’t happen to have garlic powder on hand.
Paprika - Regular paprika provides that classic “chicken” strip coating flavor.
Salt - Use fine sea salt to blend the flavor into the coating.What’s a nugget without salt?! 🙂
Olive Oil - Use high quality oil, but if you are looking for an oil with a higher smoke point, avocado oil would be a good choice.
Want more gluten free tofu dishes? Try this Easy Tangy Vegan Tofu Stuffed Zucchini!
QUICK AND EASY CRISPY TOFU STRIPS (GF, VG, SD, DF, V option)
Yield: approximately 12 tofu strips
What You'll Need:
10-12 ounces of extra-firm, pressed tofu
1 egg, beaten (or ¼ cup neutral flavored oil mixed with 2-3 tablespoons unsweetened plant-based milk for vegan option)
2 tablespoons almond flour
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ tablespoon garlic powder
½ tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1-2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil, for frying
How To Make it
1. Preheat a large frying pan on medium high, and warm the oil. Cut the pressed tofu into strips, approximately 1 ounce per piece. Place the strips into the beaten egg and soak.
2. Remove the pieces of tofu, and shake some of the excess moisture off, then coat them in the flour mixture on all sides.
3. The oil should sizzle when you add the coated tofu pieces. Turn the heat down to medium, and fry 3-4 minutes, then flip and fry for another few minutes. The coating should be nicely browned and even charred in spots.
4. Serve with honey mustard dipping sauce, ketchup, and/or ranch dressing. Best eaten fresh, alongside a heap of home baked fries, obviously! 🙂
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Abby
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