• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Asian Inspired Eats Food Blog
  • Home
  • All Recipes
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • CONTACT
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • CONTACT
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Appetizers and Snacks

    Crispy Salt and Pepper Tofu

    January 31, 2024 · Published: December 2, 2019 By: Asian Inspired Eats 8 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    Crispy Salt and Pepper Tofu is a popular dish you'll find on Chinese menus. But it's super easy to make in your own kitchen! Even if you're not a tofu-lover, this vegetarian appetizer will definitely change your mind!

    crispy tofu cubes on a serving plate with a side of sweet chili dipping sauce

    When you make this appetizer for the first time, BE WARNED! -- you will become obsessed! I promise you this tofu nibbler will be on the top of your list of faves.

    For the best consistency, I use the firmest tofu I can find. It holds up so much better when frying. And you can experiment with different dipping sauces, or simply use my go-to for this app -- sweet chili sauce!

    The tofu cubes have a super crispy exterior and a soft and silky center. The dish is very easy to make and ready in just 45 minutes!

    Tofu cubes on a wooden cutting board with a chef's knife

    HOW TO PREP THE TOFU:

    1. Make sure to use extra firm tofu for this recipe so the tofu doesn’t fall apart. They will crisp up nicely with the cornstarch coating (low fat too!).
    2. You can purchase extra firm tofu at just about any grocery store. I get mine at Trader Joe’s because I like the consistency of their sprouted tofu. And it’s always in stock!
    3. Dry the tofu with a kitchen towel or paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. You may need to let it sit in the towel for at least 30 minutes to absorb the liquid.
    4. Cut the tofu into one-inch cubes.
    a woman tossing tofu cubes into corn starch in a glass dish

    How to make Crispy Salt and Pepper Tofu:

    1. You’ll want to drain the tofu as much as possible, tightly wrapping it in paper towels or a kitchen towel to remove excess liquid. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.
    2. Cut the tofu into one-inch cubes. Then lightly toss the tofu cubes into the cornstarch to coat all sides.
    3. Brown the tofu cubes on all sides in a wok or heavy skillet, about 3 to 4 minutes, until crispy and golden.
    4. Remove the tofu cubes from the pan and let drain on a paper towel.
    5. Place on a serving plate, garnish with slices of green onion, and serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping.
    crispy tofu cubes on a plate with a woman's hand dipping one piece into a chili sauce

    TIPS & TRICKS:

    • You really don’t need to use a lot of oil in the pan to fry these up. As long as you have thoroughly dried the tofu, the cubes should brown up nicely with the corn starch coating!
    • I don't like a lot of oily foods, so once the tofu is nicely golden place them on a paper towel to drain off the oil.
    • Sweet chili sauce is great for dipping, but you can use any Asian dipping sauce that you'd like!

    WANT MORE?

    If you like this recipe, you’re going to love my Crispy Sesame Seared Tofu Strips recipe! These are so full of flavor from the easy, sweet and spicy sauce to the crispy exterior.

    Crispy tofu strips being browned in a black cast iron skillet with an oven mitt on the side

    Update Notes: This post was originally published on January 8, 2016, but was republished with slight text changes and additions, like step by step instructions and tips in November 2019.

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    crispy tofu cubes on a plate with a side of sweet chili sauce

    Crispy Salt & Pepper Tofu

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 1 review

    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    This Crispy Salt and Pepper Tofu vegetarian appetizer is crispy on the outside and silky on the inside. So perfect for entertaining!

    • Total Time: 45 min
    • Yield: 4 1x

    Ingredients

    Scale

    For the Tofu

    • 1 block (14 oz when drained) extra firm tofu
    • 4 tablespoons corn starch
    • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • Canola oil for frying

    For dipping:

    • Sweet chili sauce

    Garnish with sliced green onions.

    Instructions

    1. Drain the tofu block and tightly wrap with paper towels or a kitchen towel to remove excess liquid. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Place on a cutting board and cut the tofu into one-inch cubes.
    2. Place the cornstarch into a shallow dish (like a pie pan). Mix into the corn starch the chili powder, salt, and pepper. Lightly toss the tofu cubes into the cornstarch to coat all sides. Heat a wok or heavy skillet on medium high heat using 2 tablespoons of the canola oil. Add the tofu cubes and brown the tofu on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes, until crispy. Remove the tofu cubes from the pan and let drain on a paper towel.
    3.  Place on a serving plate, garnish with slices of green onion, and serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping.

    Notes

    • You really don’t need to use a lot of oil in the pan to fry these up. As long as you have thoroughly dried the tofu, the cubes should brown up nicely with the corn starch coating!
    • I don't like a lot of oily foods, so once the tofu is nicely golden place them on a paper towel to drain off the oil.
    • Sweet chili sauce is great for dipping, but you can use any Asian dipping sauce that you'd like!
    • Author: Asian Caucasian
    • Prep Time: 30 min
    • Cook Time: 15 mins
    • Category: Appetizer
    • Method: Stove Top
    • Cuisine: Chinese
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 239
    • Sugar: 3.5 g
    • Sodium: 766.1 mg
    • Fat: 14.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 17.2 g
    • Protein: 11.2 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @AsianCaucasianBlog on Instagram and hashtag #AsianCaucasianEats

    More Appetizer and Snack recipes

    • Hamachi yellowtail crudo on a white round plate with a yuzu lemon dressing surrounded by shaved radishes and topped with red fish eggs and microgreens.
      Spicy Hamachi (Yellowtail) Crudo
    • Chinese salt and pepper shrimp in a black bowl with sautéed vegetables and herbs, and a pair of chopsticks on top on a gray surface with a gray linen on the side.
      Chinese Salt and Pepper Shrimp
    • A fork inserted into a white bowl filled with Air Fryer Teriyaki Cauliflower Wings topped with sesame seeds and sliced scallions on top of a marble surface with a white napkin.
      Air Fryer Teriyaki Cauliflower Wings (Easy and Crispy)
    • Sushi waffles with salmon and tuna on two round plates with a side of chopsticks on top of a white surface with a napkin on the side.
      Sushi Waffles with Salmon and Tuna

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Caroline Finkle says

      December 02, 2019 at 12:41 pm

      I am obsessed with these tofu bites! I’ve been serving this quite often for dinner guests and even those that don’t like tofu are down for this! So yummy!

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian says

        December 02, 2019 at 12:42 pm

        I know what you mean! My family loves these so much too!

        Reply
    2. Richa Gupta says

      March 02, 2018 at 9:18 pm

      I love such crispy Tofus anytime, this looks yum!

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian says

        March 04, 2018 at 3:47 pm

        Thank you! It's so delicious, crispy and a winner!

        Reply
    3. Megan says

      February 28, 2018 at 9:38 pm

      Love this idea for an appetizer, looks tasty.

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian says

        March 01, 2018 at 9:51 am

        It's always a winner! Sometimes I have to make two batches just to keep up!

        Reply
    4. Jersey Girl Cooks says

      February 27, 2018 at 3:09 pm

      Perfect vegan appetizer!

      Reply
      • Asian Caucasian says

        February 28, 2018 at 3:15 pm

        Definitely! These are gobbled up quickly when I serve them to friends!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    A profile picture of Lesli Schwartz with Asian Caucasian.

    Hi, I'm Lesli! Welcome to Asian Inspired Eats (formerly Asian Caucasian), a food blog featuring easy and delicious, Asian-inspired recipes for the home cook. I always use market-fresh ingredients to prepare healthy and nutritious recipes, so you can ditch those take-out menus! Come share my culinary love of beautiful Asian-fusion food, and get cooking in the kitchen!

    About me
    • A stainless steel Cuisinart stand mixer on top of a kitchen countertop with a bundt cake and wooden utensils on the side.
      10 Best Kitchen Deals during Amazon's Extended Spring Sale -- from Cuisinart to Lodge
    • Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon on top of white rice with fork on a white round plate with roasted asparagus on the side.
      Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon Recipe - Quick & Easy Dinner
    • Two bowls filled with Chinese curry chicken and potatoes with whole red chili peppers on top all placed on a white wooden board with a white spoon on the side.
      36 Easy Chinese New Year Recipes - The Year of the Snake
    • A white bowl of Thai seafood soup with shrimp, mussels and lime on top of a yellow plate with fresh herbs and a small bowl of rice on the side placed on top of a wooden board.
      53 Asian-Inspired Seafood Recipes to Make at Home

    Featured In:

    Seriously Good Chili Cookbook!

    My Asian-Spiced Pork Chili recipe was featured in celebrity chef Brian Baumgartner's best-selling cookbook, "Seriously Good Chili Cookbook." You probably know Brian as Kevin Malone on NBC's major hit series, "The Office!"

    Get the Recipe!
    Asian Inspired Eats featured in Brian Baumgartner's Seriously Good Chili Cookbook.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact Us
    • Work with Us
    • Featured In

    © 2016-2023 Asian Inspired Eats

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission.
    If you want to share this recipe, please provide a link back to this post for the original recipe.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    crispy tofu cubes on a plate with a side of sweet chili dipping sauce
    crispy tofu cubes on a plate with a side of sweet chili dipping sauce