Spice Crusted Tofu (Vegan)

What you will need for the recipe.

• Tofu – One block of Firm Tofu (not extra firm and not medium firm tofu) is perfect for this recipe. It can hold its shape well but not too hard.
• Nori Sheets – These seaweed sheets are now widely available at most grocery stores or Amazon. All you need to do is blitz them up in a blender or spice grinder till you get a powder.
• Vegan Fish Sauce or Soy Sauce – We want the tofu to have a burst of umami so either vegan fish sauce or soy sauce works well.
• Panko Bread Crumbs – These tend to be bigger, give crisper results and are easier to find vegan friendly compared to bread crumbs commercially available.
• Seasonings – you can use any seasoning of choice but as a certified Ghanaian woman, I reached out for the grains of paradise, the anise seeds, uziza seeds (Ashanti pepper), salt, black pepper and coriander seeds for that burst of flavour. For more details on West African spices, please check out my blog post on Important Ghanaian Spices (click here)
• Plant-based milk + Flour – any plant-based milk works here as an egg wash, which when combined with flour makes the perfect process for breading anything.

Overview of How to Make Herb-Crusted Tofu

1. Marinate Tofu with nori and vegan fish sauce
2. Crust Tofu with spices and panko bread crust
3. Air fry till crispy.

FAQ + Substitutions

1. Can I substitute vegan fish sauce or soy sauce? Yes you can, you can alternatively use tamari if gluten sensitive/celiac or omit it entirely
2. I do not have an air fryer, can I use an oven? Yes you can, I think you can place it in the oven at 425°F for about 20 mins, flipping it halfway
3. I do not have access to all the spices, can I make substitutions? Yes, you can. You can remove the spices you do not have and substitute them with your favourite whole spices or omit them altogether. You can also replace some of the spices you do not have with spices you do have
4. I do not have whole spices, can I use the powder version? You are welcome to but powdered spices are a lot more concentrated and do not give the same textural feel as whole spices. So some adjustments, like reducing the quantity of each whole spice for the powder version, will have to be made.

Looking for recipe ideas to pair with this dish?

• Fall Fonio Salad
• The Tastiest Jollof Rice
• Waakye

If you like this recipe, make sure to leave a comment below.

Print Recipe

Spice Crusted Tofu

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 8 pieces

Ingredients

• 1 block of firm tofu
• 1 tsp of vegan fish sauce or soy sauce
• 1 sheet of nori blended into a powder
• 1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 tsp of coriander seeds
• 1/4 tsp of grains of paradise
• 1/2 tsp of uziza seeds
• 1/4 tsp of black or pink peppercorn
• 1/2 tsp of anise seeds
• 1/4 tsp of flaky sea salt
• 1/2 cup of plant-based milk
• 1/2 cup of flour

Instructions

• Slice the tofu into thin steaks and marinate with the fish sauce and nori powder for an hour
• As the tofu is marinating, prepare your breading process. Roughly grind the whole spices in a mortar and pestle and mix with the panko crumbs and salt.
• Generously cover all sides of the tofu with flour, then dip in the plant-based milk, then bread with the panko mixture. Repeat this step till all the tofu has been crusted.
• Place in the air fryer and generously spray with some oil
• Air fry at 375°F for 25 minutes flipping halfway.
• Serve with any choice of grain