We made crispy fried tofu sandwiches 🥪 today! A great #meatlessmonday recipe! Also…sounds healthy, but isn’t 😆. You won’t miss the meat at all with all the delicious deep-fried goodness 🤤
For the best results, and to enjoy this as a weeknight meal, we recommend marinating the tofu overnight for the most flavor. The next day when it’s time to cook, the frying is relatively quick and easy!Â
Ingredients
FOR THE MARINATED TOFU:
1Â (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained
1 ½ cups pickle juice
1Â tablespoon hot sauce
1Â tablespoon Dijon mustard
1Â teaspoon gochugaru or red-pepper flakes
2Â tablespoons grapeseed oil or other neutral oil
FOR THE FRIED TOFU:
½ cup Dijon mustard
2Â cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1Â teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground cayenne
1Â teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1Â teaspoon black pepper
Grapeseed oil or other neutral oil, for frying
FOR ASSEMBLY:
6Â potato buns or other soft rolls
Vegan mayonnaise and hot sauce, as needed
Thinly shredded green cabbage and dill pickles, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the marinated tofu: Line a baking sheet with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Cut the tofu crosswise into two rectangles that are each about 2 1/2 inches wide and 4 inches long. Slice each rectangle into three 1/2-inch thick slabs and arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. Cover the sliced tofu with more towels and gently press each piece to extract some of the moisture.
- In a large bowl, combine the pickle juice, hot sauce, mustard and gochugaru.
- Heat the grapeseed oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over high heat until shimmering. Sear the tofu to form a golden-brown crust, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Immediately drop the hot tofu into the pickle juice mixture. Refrigerate and let the tofu marinate for at least a few hours, or even overnight.
- Prepare the fried tofu: In a medium shallow bowl, stir the mustard with 1/4 cup water until it’s the consistency of heavy cream and set aside. In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, salt and pepper.
- In a Dutch oven or sturdy pot, heat 2 inches of grapeseed oil over medium heat and set a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Remove the tofu from the brine and pat dry. Dip the tofu in the mustard mixture, turning until coated all over, then the flour mixture; dip it again in the mustard then flour until twice coated. When the oil temperature reaches 350 degrees, carefully place the battered tofu into the hot oil and fry, flipping as needed, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the fried tofu to the wire rack and sprinkle with a little salt.
- To serve, toast the buns and spread generously with mayo and dot with hot sauce, if desired. Top with fried tofu, cabbage and dill pickles, and eat immediately.
