Crispy Baked Tofu Recipe

The ultimate crispy baked tofu that tastes like the most delicious roasted Italian sausage crumbles packed full of savory umami and the undeniable flavor of toasted fennel seeds.

Crispy Italian Baked Tofu

Savory to the core with a subtle hint of sweetness, tender in the center but crispy all around the edges. It’s perfect for dipping in my ultimate vegan egg yolk for breakfast, to use in a vegan Bolognese, lasagna and sprinkle over your favorite soups, roasted smashed potatoes, dairy free Alfredo pasta and mac and cheese. Your new go to crispy roasted tofu sausage crumbles forever and a day.

Tofu Success Tips

• Extra Firm – It’s important to choose an extra firm block of tofu packed in water that you will only drain but DO NOT PRESS. All the trapped moisture is going to evaporate in the oven creating steam and helping the edges get crispy while the center stays tender without drying out.
• Super Firm Tofu – this high protein tofu comes vacuum sealed usually without any liquid and it’s also a good option for this recipe, however you might want to cut back on the cooking time by a few minutes as this one contains less moisture and has a tendency to get chewier quicker.
• Tear the Tofu – Tearing the tofu into bite size pieces will yield an irregular texture that traps lots of flavor and gets crispy all around with some small bits falling off and getting darker and crunchy like bacon bits. It’s a beautiful contrast between meatier pieces and the little crispy bits.

The Spice Mix

• Shoyu + Olive Oil – This is your wet base that will soak deep into the tofu seasoning it from the inside before adding all your spices. The olive oil will add the much needed fat layer keeping the moisture and also enhancing the crispiness.
• Onion + Garlic powders – classic seasonings in all types of sausages, they add beautiful aroma and flavor.
• Smoked Paprika – use the sweet kind and balance it with some chili flakes for a touch of heat, it adds depth of flavor and very subtle smokiness.
• Nutritional Yeast – both for extra umami and crisp factor.
• Fennel Seeds – It’s where the authentic “Italian sausage” flavor comes from, they get nice and toasty in the process with a mildly sweet anise flavor profile. DO NOT OMIT! This is your star spice in this recipe!
• Rosemary + Oregano – complimentary spices for more depth of flavor but without overpowering the fennel!
• Maple Syrup – Just a tiny bit for that mild sweetness characteristic of Italian sausage + it helps get little caramelization around the edges.
• Flaky Salt – I like adding a sprinkle of it just before baking so it sticks to the outside for the ultimate salty bite.

FAQ

• How long to bake the tofu in the oven? – For these bite size pieces you’ll want to bake @400″F for 20 minutes before giving everything a toss and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes to your desired crispness level. Take care to not overcook however as the tofu will continue to get chewier and shrink into smaller crumbles.
• Storage + Reheating – Best enjoyed straight out of the oven, although the leftovers are great cold or reheated on the stovetop in a skillet until crisped up again.

Tofu Recipes

• Tofu Bolognese
• Marinated Grilled Tofu Adobo
• Best Orange Tofu
• Sesame Tofu
• Ultimate Tofu In Peanut Sauce
• Vegan Chicken
• Best Seitan Recipe
• Deviled Potatoes
• Best Tofu Scramble
• Vegan Chorizo Tofu
• Lettuce Wraps
• Sweet and Sour Tofu.

how to make crispy baked tofu that tastes like Italian sausage

5 from 2 votes

Crispy Baked Tofu

Seriously the best crispy baked tofu recipe, it tastes like the most delicious roasted Italian sausage bits you will want to make forever and a day. Bonus point for NO PRESSING the TOFU and done in 30 minutes.

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

• 14 oz block extra firm tofu
• 2 Tbsp Shoyu or Tamari
• 2 Tbsp olive oil + more for drizzling
• 2.5 tsp granulated onion
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1.5 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 rosemary sprig (chopped leaves only or a pinch of dry rosemary)
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• black pepper to taste freshly cracked
• 1 pinch flaky salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400”F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Drain the tofu block (Do Not Press). Have a large mixing bowl ready and break up the tofu block with your hands into bite size pieces 1/2 inch or so. Toss with the shoyu and olive oil then sprinkle in the spices and toss to coat well. (The tofu will break off some smaller pieces which is perfectly great as they will get crispier and make a great contrast of meaty + crispy with the larger pieces).
• Transfer the seasoned tofu to the baking sheet and drizzle with an extra drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt and bake for 20 minutes. Give everything a good shake or stir and continue baking another 10 minutes or until you reach desired crispness and chewiness of the tofu bits and a gorgeous roasted golden brown color is achieved. Garnish with fresh herbs like Italian parsley, basil or onion chives and serve with your favorite creamy pasta, on pizza, in lasagna etc…

Video

Notes

• Fennel Seeds - It's where the authentic "Italian sausage" flavor comes from, they get nice and toasty in the process with a mildly sweet anise flavor profile. DO NOT OMIT! This is your star spice in this recipe!
• Extra Firm Tofu - It's important to choose an extra firm block of tofu packed in water that you will only drain but DO NOT PRESS. All the trapped moisture is going to evaporate in the oven creating steam and helping the edges get crispy while the center stays tender without drying out.
• Using Super Firm Tofu - this high protein tofu comes vacuum sealed usually without any liquid and it's also a good option for this recipe, however you might want to cut back on the cooking time by a few minutes as this one contains less moisture and has a tendency to get chewier quicker.
• Tear the Tofu - Tearing the tofu into bite size pieces will yield an irregular texture that traps lots of flavor and gets crispy all around with some small bits falling off and getting darker and crunchy like bacon bits. It's a beautiful contrast between meatier pieces and the little crispy bits.

Nutrition

Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 506mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 506IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: baked tofu, crispy tofu, roasted tofu

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 155kcal

Author: Florentina