Pan Fried Peanut Tofurn

Crispy Peanut Pan Fried Tofu is a vegetarian main dish that is surprisingly easy to make! Extra firm tofu is dredged in a salty peanut and bread crumb coating to create a seriously crunchy tofu dinner.

Two slices of crispy pan fried peanut tofu on a plate next to rice and garlic snow peas.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions are my own.

Jump to:

Ingredients
Instructions
Top tips
FAQ
More tofu recipes
Recipe

Tell me you're not head over heels in love with any food that offers a good crunch.

While my crispy tofu is, you know, CRISPY, I wanted to create a tofu recipe that had some serious crunch. I decided pan fried tofu was the best choice!

As far as flavors go, this recipe is on the mild side since I wanted to make a tofu dish that would appeal to kids. If you prefer more flavor and spice, you can drizzle the finished tofu in sriracha, or add a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes and freshly cracked black pepper to the bread crumb mixture.

Serve this crispy tofu with fluffy white rice and garlic ginger snow peas for a meal the whole family is sure to love!

Ingredients

Extra firm tofu
Lightly salted peanuts
Panko bread crumbs
Garlic powder
Coarse kosher salt
All-purpose flour
Egg
Water
Coconut oil
Toasted sesame seeds, optional

Instructions

Place peanuts in the bowl of a food processor. Turn the food processor on and let it run until the peanuts are finely chopped to the point of crumbs.
Transfer the chopped peanuts to a shallow bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, and salt. Stir together with a spoon or just mix it up with your fingers.
Place the flour in a separate shallow bowl.
In a third shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and water.
With one hand, coat one piece of tofu with flour, shaking off any excess. Using your other hand, dip it into the egg mixture, allowing any extra to drip off. Using your first hand again, flip the tofu around in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere to all sides.
In a large cast iron skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add the tofu, working in batches if necessary so as not to crowd the pan. Allow to cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook 2 minutes more or until the coating is golden brown. Repeat with any remaining tofu, adding more coconut oil to the pan if necessary.
Serve the tofu sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds if desired.

Top tips

How to press tofu

Pressing tofu is easy. You can press tofu with a press, or press tofu without a press.

All presses vary in their design. The one I use has screws to tighten the plates together. Continue to tighten your press every few minutes if necessary until the flow of liquid slows or stops, roughly 15-30 minutes.

To press tofu without a press, stack the block of tofu between several paper towels on a plate and place something heavy on top to squeeze the water out for 15-30 minutes.

You can press the tofu a little or a lot, it's up to you. The tofu should feel firm and look drier than when you started.

Tofu cut into thin slabs on a cutting board.

How to store peanut tofu

Pan fried tofu is best enjoyed soon after cooking, but can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It will lose most of its crispiness in the refrigerator, but you can reheat it in the oven or air fryer to make it a little crispy again.

You can also freeze this recipe in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that freezing may change the texture of the tofu.

The secrets to tofu success

If tofu just feels too intimidating, I have a free 4 day crash course all about cooking tofu successfully. Don't be scared, let me hold your hand through picking out the right kind of tofu, pressing, marinating, and cooking!

Tips for customizing crispy peanut pan fried tofu

You could experiment with using a flax egg, aquafaba, or other egg replacer to keep this vegan

Use gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs to make this gluten-free

Add a sprinkling of sesame seeds to the peanut/breadcrumb mix

Sprinkle the finished tofu with toasted sesame seeds or a drizzle of sriracha

Drizzle the finished tofu in your favorite Asian sauce such as teriyaki, sweet and sour, or peanut sauce

Two plates of two slices of crispy pan fried peanut tofu on a plate next to rice and garlic snow peas.

FAQ

How do you make tofu crispy?

We're making super crispy crunchy tofu by pressing all the water out, then dredging slices in flour, egg, and a combination of bread crumbs and finely chopped peanuts. As I mentioned before, I like pan frying for the best color and texture.

How do you pan fry tofu?

Be sure to use enough coconut oil to reach up the sides of the tofu a little bit. Melt the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat, then cook the tofu in batches for two minutes per side. You may need to add a little extra coconut oil to the pan before cooking the second batch.

What kind of tofu should I use for this recipe?

I recommend using only extra firm tofu to make this recipe. Other types of tofu will result in an extremely soft texture.