The Best Crispy Baked 'Popcorn' Tofu Recipe

Move over popcorn chicken and shrimp — popcorn tofu is here. The "popcorn" preparation method takes tofu to new levels — even people who don't like tofu are bound to enjoy it once it's breaded and cooked to crispy perfection. Tofu has a mild flavor on its own, but adding a spiced breading amps up the experience.

Recipe developer Michelle Bottalico has created a recipe for popcorn tofu that's likely to please plant-based eaters and omnivores alike. Pieces of tofu, dipped in flax egg and coated in seasoned panko breadcrumbs, are baked for a lighter alternative to frying, but they still crisp up nicely in the oven.

This recipe is easily customizable. You can go the traditional route and deep fry the breaded tofu for a richer, moister version if desired. The flax egg could also be replaced with milk or mayo (plant-based or not, depending on your diet) or a regular egg. Panko breadcrumbs make the coating extra crunchy, but some people like to use potato chips for an ultimate crispy and salty breading. Note that the smaller you tear the tofu, the more flavor it'll have from the greater relative surface area of breading. Don't skimp on the salt and spices either. Serve this ultimate finger food with your favorite dipping sauce, with fresh veggies in a bowl, or as a side for fried rice. Whether you're a seasoned tofu lover or trying out Meatless Mondays, you may just find a new favorite in popcorn tofu.

For this recipe, you will need a block of extra-firm tofu. Softer tofu isn't recommended because the tofu pieces might not hold up properly, but if all you have is firm or medium tofu, press it first to drain the water. Gather all-purpose flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, ground cumin, salt, and pepper for the flour dredge, and panko breadcrumbs for the outer coating. Finally, ground flaxseed and hot water will be used to make the flax egg.

Make the flax egg by whisking together the ground flax seed and hot water in a small bowl. Set aside to gel.

Place the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mix until evenly combined.

Place the breadcrumbs in a second bowl. Set the bowls aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Drain the block of tofu and pat it dry well with paper towels.

Tear the tofu into irregularly shaped bite-sized pieces for a popcorn look. 

Spray a baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Roll a piece of tofu in the flour mixture until evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour.

Dip the piece into the flax egg until all sides are moistened and then into the breadcrumbs until fully coated. Place it on the greased baking pan and repeat the process to bread the remaining pieces, adding them to the pan in a single layer.

Spray the tops of the breaded tofu pieces with cooking spray.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and golden.

Serve immediately.

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If you're a bit confused about the types of tofu, you're not alone. Knowing the over 15 types of tofu and how to use them requires a little investigation at first. Silken tofu is the softest, most fragile form. It's very moist and, since it's uncurdled and unpressed, retains a smooth, silky texture. It's good for liquidy recipes like sauces. Soft tofu is the softest block tofu. It's textured but pressed the least and falls apart easily. It can be blended, boiled, or even deep-fried with careful handling.

While still delicate, medium tofu is firmer than soft tofu and is sometimes compared to soft cheese. It can be crumbled but can also stand up to pan-frying, poaching, and deep-frying. Firm tofu is more textured and holds up well to manipulation. You can slice and cube it and pan-fry, boil, deep-fry, and stir-fry without worrying about it disintegrating. The firmest block tofu, extra firm tofu, is the densest, driest option and holds up well to all cooking methods.

Silken and soft tofu are too soft to hold up to pressing. You can press medium in a pinch to turn it into firm tofu, or use it as is to retain the moisture that characterizes medium tofu. Firm and extra firm tofu are already pressed and can be used as is.

Cornstarch is often used as a thickening agent, but it can also make foods extra crispy, and is important when frying or baking crunchy foods like this popcorn tofu. Cornstarch wears many hats. It adheres well to food, so it's not likely to fall off. It absorbs moisture well, making the surface of the food it's coating drier but, at the same time, acting like a seal to prevent the food from drying out when cooked. Foods coated in cornstarch only or a mixture of cornstarch and flour will thus crisp up better on the outside while the inside stays moist. Food coated only in cornstarch will also end up crispier when fried because cornstarch doesn't absorb as much oil as flour.

If you're not using a breading, you can add cornstarch to the outer coating of flour. Up to ¼ of the quantity of flour a recipe calls for can be replaced with cornstarch. Don't go overboard with this method, because too much cornstarch can make the pieces gummy.

When breading foods by dredging them in flour, dipping them in egg, and then coating them in breadcrumbs, add cornstarch to the flour. The addition of starch to the flour will pull moisture out of the egg, making it more like a glue so the breading adheres better. Your dish will be crispier because less breading will fall off. A preliminary dredge in cornstarch will also help batter to adhere better if you're using batter instead of breadcrumbs.

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