Crisp Tofu Katsu With Lemon-Tahini Sauce Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Leah Macpherson

So the cauliflower goes into the dish raw?

Christina

▫️Roast the cauliflower until golden and crisped on the edges. ▫️Fry the pads of tofu after breading until golden and crunchy▫️sauté mushrooms until golden and fragrant ▫️1/2 water for sauce is plenty▫️little extra lemon and tahini, watch- garlic is potent

Ann Robinson

I made this tonight. Roasted the cauliflower with the mushrooms. I did not have anchovy paste and couldn't find shiitakes, so used regular mushrooms. Even, so, it was so delicious. The lemon and soy with garlic really gave the whole thing a bright flavor, and the panko crumbs added texture.I can't wait to try it with the anchovy paste and shiitakes !

Anonymous

Easy to veganize this recipe by replacing the egg with a dip made with 1/2 cup Soy combined with a teaspoon of mustard. The mustard will curdle the soy milk, yielding a buttermilk-textured liquid for dipping the tofu.

Rachel

I was shocked at the nutritional value of this vegan recipe...for 1000 calories I’d just as soon eat pork tonkatsu. But the recipe looked interesting so I used cooking spray to roast the mushrooms, cauliflower (seemed strange to keep it raw), cut back the bread crumbs to 1/2 cup, used the recommended amount of tahini but just 1 T of oil for the dressing. It’s delicious! Tofu is wonderfully flavored and I could stick to my healthy eating plan.

Max

We’re gluten free as well. Our go to substitute for pinko is crushed white corn tortilla chips.

silvia rennie

Are the cauliflower florets to be used raw?

Don

Perhaps a little more information will help people make up their own minds about canola oil:https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/oil-of-oleacute/

Paige

Canola oil is just fine for you in the amounts you would use it for cooking. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/oil-of-oleacute/

patrice

You've ruined the recipe by using canola oil. This oil has no place in the new healthy recipe lexicon

JEnny Schmidt

Instead of calling the tofu 'slabs', can we call it 'fillets'?

Gail

The serving size appears to be "four servings," which implies that the nutritional info is for the entire dish. Per serving, it would be 16.5 grams of fat.

Robin

Would it be better to blot the sliced tofu with paper towels? I often do this to get rid of excess water. Haven't made the dish yet, but will soon!

Don

Made as instructed. The quinoa salad is very tasty. The sauce/dressing does not really need as much of the oil as called for. And next time I would increase the tahini and reduce the dijon a couple of teaspoons each. Be careful with the tofu, as it can (and did) dry out in the oven; I will fry it next time.

Erin

This is a good method for tofu katsu, and it’s quick. I seasoned the tofu with s&p and garlic powder before all of the dipping steps and added some soy sauce, fish sauce, and sesame oil to the eggs, because I had a feeling it would need something extra. I made the tonkatsu sauce from the nytimes chicken katsu recipe.

Eb

We weren't big fans of the sauce...I was hoping for more of a sweet sesame dressing taste and it is definitely lemon forward, kind of bitter and tangy. But the texture of the crispy tofu was amazing, will be adapting to abetter sauce. Also I roasted the cauli really quick after a toss in olive oil and garlic salt.

Tess

Made this with a few tweaks (roasted the cauliflower, pan-fried the tofu so it didn’t dry out, and served the sauce and tahini separately) and it was delicious! And for everybody worried about the calories or fat: leave out the tahini.

Deborah

What could I use instead of eggs? I'm vegan.

Ruth's notes

Has anyone made just the quinoa without mushrooms and cauliflower? I am looking for an easy quinoa dish that is flavorful but not much prep work.

Melissa

One of my all time favorites. I love using pearl couscous instead of quinoa and always cook the cauliflower.

Richard

Is there a viable substitute for cornstarch, such as flour or something else? Thanks.

Ray Furse

Can we make an effort to reduce the jargon in cookery?, like oddly naming this dish a variant katsu, which is simply the shortened Japanese term for cutlet (full form katsuretsu, カツレツ) from the French côtelette, which in any case is always meat and deep-fried. This dish is just slices of tofu prepared and served in an interesting but totally non-Japanese way.

Patricia Fisher

If you toast that panko (after tossing it with the oil) on the stove for a couple of minutes, your resulting tofu katsu will have more of the toasty flavor of deep-fried. This trick comes from Nami, the mastermind behind "Just One Cook." Also, if you bake the breaded tofu on a baking rack, both sides will get toasty with no effort and no flipping.

D

About to make this for the first time and the recipe doesn't say anything about pressing the tofu first - i'd love some guidance for next time!

Suz in Portland

Excellent! Family said it was a nice change of pace. As recommended, I roasted the mushrooms and cauliflower together. I used a mix of of three types of mushrooms and pressed the water out of the tofu. To the dressing I added about two tablespoons of white miso. Sesame oil would be a nice touch. Start cooking the quinoa about 10 minutes before everything goes in the oven. Lemon juice is a must. This is time-consuming to make but worth the effort. Next time I may do the veggie prep a day ahead.

Esther

The sauce feels unbalanced, overly sour, too much water.

Madeline

I made 2 modifications and had enjoyable recipe. First I substituted the Just Egg vegan product (egg allergy). I also had the plain off-white quinoa so I balanced the colors in this recipe by using steamed baby carrots instead of cauliflower. I think it add a nice sweetness to the dish.

Neonata

I left out the cauliflower and definitely didn’t miss it. Used baby-Bella’s ‘regular’ quinoa that’s what we had and it was fantastic. I freeze my tofu (buy it in bulk) which makes it much spongier and it worked beautifully in this recipe- very crispy. We even copied the tofu method for another dish the same week.

Katie

Does it really take only 15 minutes to make the tofu? Tofu has always taken me 25-30 in the oven at 425

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Crisp Tofu Katsu With Lemon-Tahini Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What not to mix with tofu? ›

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

Why can't I get my tofu crispy? ›

Make sure to press the tofu.

This really is essential for removing excess moisture and getting that crispy texture.

How do you cook tofu and make it taste good? ›

Toss the cubes with olive oil, tamari or soy sauce, and sriracha. If desired, you could also add cornstarch to make the cubes extra crispy. Finally, bake! Transfer the baking sheet to a 425°F oven and cook until the cubes are browned around the edges.

What should I marinate tofu in? ›

In a mixing bowl or measuring cup with a spout, whisk together the marinade: soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, olive oil, sesame oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ginger, and Sriracha. Drizzle over the tofu. If any pieces look bare, turn them over in the marinade a few times so all of the sides are coated.

Why can't you eat spinach and tofu together? ›

- It is said that tofu cannot be eaten together with spinach at the same time. As tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively, the combination of the two will form kidney stones. But in fact, only prolonged and volumionous consumption of tofu and spinach at the same time will pose this risk.

What is the downside of eating too much tofu? ›

The significant disadvantages of Tofu may cause allergies in some people. The symptoms of soy allergies include skin rash, inflammation, itching, fainting, breathing difficulty, abdominal pain and throat swelling. In rare scenarios, Tofu may cause osteoporosis and estrogen-related cancer.

How long to press tofu for crispy? ›

For the best results, I recommend pressing tofu for at least 30 minutes before cooking, though longer is great if you're able to plan ahead. In a pinch, even less time can make a big difference. I pressed the left block of tofu in the photo above for just 20 minutes. An unpressed block of tofu is on the right.

What can I coat tofu with instead of cornstarch? ›

If you want a crispy outer coating for your tofu, flour can be a great substitute for cornstarch. Simply coat the tofu cubes or slices with a dusting of all-purpose flour before frying. The flour helps create a light and crispy texture while ensuring the tofu stays tender on the inside.

How do you're crisp fried tofu? ›

Reheat leftovers: You can re-crisp any leftover tofu on a tray in the oven, or in an air fryer.

What is the secret to cooking tofu? ›

Tofu contains a large amount of water when it comes out of the package. In order to bake, fry, or scramble tofu, it's best to press out as much water as possible before cooking.

Is tofu good for you to Lose Weight? ›

Low calorie density: Tofu is a low calorie food, with around 70-90 calories per 100 grams, making it a good option for those who are trying to lose weight. This is because foods with low calorie density help you feel full with fewer calories, which can help you consume fewer total calories throughout the day.

How do you get the most flavor out of tofu? ›

12 Ways To Add More Flavor To Tofu
  1. Press tofu to help it absorb flavor. Nungning20/Shutterstock. ...
  2. Coat tofu in starch before cooking. ...
  3. Season tofu more than you think. ...
  4. Use a marinade. ...
  5. Toss it in a sauce. ...
  6. Find inspiration from other foods. ...
  7. Roast tofu for tasty caramelization. ...
  8. Try deep frying your tofu.
Jan 7, 2024

Do you put cornstarch before or after marinating tofu? ›

Place the tofu in a baking dish, top with marinade and toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Place cornstarch in a medium bowl. Working in batches, remove tofu from marinade (but, don't scrape it off) and toss in cornstarch; shake off excess cornstarch.

Should you press tofu before marinating? ›

Drain the firm or extra tofu from its package and pat it dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Tip: We don't find it necessary to press tofu, but if you like, you can do so. Break the tofu apart with your hands into bite-size pieces and add it to the bowl with the marinade.

Can you marinate tofu too long? ›

You can leave the tofu in the bag with the marinade for as little as 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. Can I marinate tofu overnight? Technically, yes, but in our tests, the tofu that marinated for longer than 4 hours absorbed too much of the marinade and ended up less flavorful and crispy.

Is tofu a high inflammatory food? ›

Tofu and tempeh.

Studies suggest people who eat soy-based foods have lower odds of inflammation-related diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. Nuts and legumes, Tree nuts like almonds and walnuts, along with peanuts, are rich in unsaturated fats, along with anti-inflammatory vitamins and minerals.

Can we eat tofu and egg together? ›

Yes, you can eat eggs and soya chunks together. Both eggs and soya chunks are good sources of protein, and consuming them together can help meet your daily protein requirements. You can add boiled or scrambled eggs to your soya chunk curry or stir-fry for a balanced meal.

Is it OK to eat eggs with tofu? ›

Quick, easy, and healthy, Tofu and Eggs is the perfect meal for any weeknight dinner!

What can I add to tofu to make it taste better? ›

Marinate it: Tofu can be marinated in a variety of flavorful sauces or spices. You can use soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and other seasonings to make a simple marinade. Let the tofu marinate for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours) before cooking or grilling.

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