Vegan Tofu Schnitzel
This is a super easy but very delicious tofu schnitzel recipe with an amazing, crispy coating on flavorful, marinated tofu, is a perfect weeknight meal! The key for the delicious crisp crust that stays is double coating! Nutfree, with gluten-free and soyfree options
Servings: 3
Ingredients
For the Tofu
- 14 ounces extra firm tofu pressed for at least 15 minutes
For the Marinade
- 1/2 cup water or stock
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning or use concentrated bouillon
For the Batter
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or all purpose seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Breadcrumbs
- 1 1/4 cup breadcrumbs or panko
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
To Fry the Tofu Cutlets
- 1 tablespoon oil or more, as needed
Instructions
Prep and marinate the tofu.
- Press the tofu if you haven't already. Then, slice it into 3 slices that are each 1⁄4” thick. I usually also remove chop some from the edges, so that slices resemble chicken breast shape.
- Make your marinade by mixing all of the marinade ingredients together in a shallow bowl until well combined.
- Add the tofu cutlets to the marinade, and flip and coat both sides. Let this sit while you prepare your batter and the breadcrumb mixture.
Prepare the batter and breading.
- Add all of the batter ingredients to another shallow bowl, and mix really well. It'll take a minute for the flour to mix in. If the mixture is too thin, you can mix in another 1 to 2 teaspoons of flour. You want the batter to be thick enough that it can coat the tofu cutlets and not completely fall off.
- For the breading, combine the breadcrumbs, salt, and black pepper in a shallow bowl and set aside.
Bread and fry the tofu.
- Now, make your breading station by arranging your three bowls so you can easily transfer the tofu from the marinade bowl to the batter bowl and then to the breadcrumb mixture.
- Use a fork to transfer each tofu cutlet into the batter from the marinade and then flip to coat well with the batter. Use a different fork to transfer the tofu cutlet to the breadcrumb bowl, and using a spoon, sprinkle breadcrumbs all over, so that the breadcrumbs stick all over the tofu cutlet.
- Transfer this tofu cutlet back to the batter to coat it again, and use a spoon to drizzle some of the batter all over the tofu. Then, transfer back to the breadcrumb mixture to coat it with more of the breadcrumbs.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet, and then transfer the breaded tofu cutlet to the skillet.
- Repeat the double breading process for the remaining tofu cutlets, and add them to the skillet, as well. Cook until the cutlets are golden on one side. Then, use a spatula to flip them and continue to cook until they're golden on the other side, as well. This will take anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes, depending on your skillet and the pan and the stove. Drizzle some more oil if needed.
- Once the cutlets are cooked and golden on both sides, you also want to move the cutlets around to the edges of the pan, so that they can get golden on the shorter edges, as well.
- Remove the cutlets from the pan, and put them on a cooling rack, so that they don't sweat and soften that nice, crispy breading. Serve these immediately with sliced lemon and gravy or a sauce or dip of your choice. You can also serve this over salad or pasta or with mashed potatoes and gravy.
Video
Notes
To make these gluten-free, use gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs, and use tamari instead of soy sauce.
To make this soy-free, use my chickpea flour tofu or store-bought, soy-free tofu, like chickpea tofu or pumpkin seed tofu.
Nutrition
Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 698mg | Potassium: 378mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 32IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 5mg