Crispy fried tofu with panko coated in a savory, salty, and crunchy panko breading. This Chinese-style tofu recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it perfect for a busy weeknight.
This is part two of my tofu recipe series. Check out my Chinese Battered Tofu, Mapo Tofu with Chicken, and Egg Tofu next!
The first time I had fried tofu with panko was at a Chinese restaurant in 2022. They were crunchy on the outside but soft and tender on the inside. The breading was salty and had a distinctly rich taste - similar to fried puffs at a dim sum restaurant but without the puffiness. After evacuating all the tofu on the plate, I knew I had to try making it at home!
My Chinese-style tofu recipe uses Tomax pepper salt, a Taiwanese pepper mix typically used for Taiwanese fried chicken. If you can't find this, you can substitute it with white pepper, which also tastes great.
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🧂 Ingredients
Silken or soft tofu is the best for crispy tofu as it provides a nice contrast to the crispy coating. Panko bread crumbs and cornstarch are used for the crispy coating - cornstarch helps absorb moisture from the soft tofu. MSG and Tomax pepper salt give the panko-fried tofu an earthy, slightly spicy, and savory flavor profile.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1. Slice tofu
Open the silken or soft tofu box and pour out any excess water. Use a sharp knife to cut the tofu from the sides of the box. Invert the box onto a cutting board, pat the box a few times, then slowly lift off the box. Cut tofu into 2-inch by 2-inch nuggets.
Step 2. Prepare breading
Combine salt and MSG in a pestle and mortar and grind until it's a fine powder. Combine panko breadcrumbs, cornstarch, Tomax pepper salt, and the MSG mixture in a shallow dish.
Step 3. Prepare egg wash
Combine eggs and milk in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
Step 4. Bread tofu
Set up your workstation by placing the egg mixture, panko mixture, and baking sheet next to the sliced tofu.
Pick up a piece of tofu with your hand and dunk it in the egg mixture. Shake off the excess, then place it into the panko mixture. Gently press all sides of the tofu into the panko mixture. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining tofu.
💭 Tip
Use one hand for dipping the tofu in the egg wash and the other hand for pressing into the panko to prevent the panko from sticking to your fingers.
Allow the breaded tofu pieces to rest for 15 minutes before pressing each into the panko mixture again.
Step 5. Fry tofu
Heat 1 inch of oil to 350°F (175°C) in a dutch oven, wok, or high-walled pot. Cook 6-10 pieces of tofu at a time for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. You can use a metal spider to lower the tofu into the fryer without breaking them.
Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and serve immediately. Enjoy!
💭 Top Tips
- Be gentle when handling the tofu! Soft tofu is extremely fragile and breaks easily. If you have trouble placing the tofu in the fryer, you can place them on a slotted spoon before lowering it into the oil.
- Be generous with the MSG! ¾ of a teaspoon may seem like a lot, but not all of it will be used. There will always be leftover breadcrumbs when breading food.
- When breading the tofu, use one hand for the egg wash and the other hand for the panko; otherwise, the panko will stick to your fingers!
👩🏻🍳 Substitutions
- Tomax pepper salt can be hard to find if you don't live near an Asian grocery store. You can substitute it with equal parts ground white pepper or a combination of ground white pepper and Chinese five spice.
- Soft tofu or silken tofu is the best for this recipe, but medium-firm tofu will also give good results.
🥡 Storage & Leftovers
Storing: Store crispy tofu with panko in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: To reheat, bake at 375°F for 10 minutes or re-fry at 350°F for 2 minutes. You can also air fry at 350°F for 2-3 minutes.
📖 Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can, but they will lack the same crispiness and rich flavor. To bake crispy panko tofu, spread a thin layer of oil onto a nonstick baking sheet. Add the panko-breaded tofu and spray them with a thin layer of oil. Bake the panko-breaded tofu at 400°F (200°C) for 25-30 minutes, flipping once in between, until golden brown on both sides.
Tofu with panko should stay crispy for about 30 minutes after frying. Since this recipe uses soft tofu, the moisture will slowly be absorbed into the panko crust, softening it.
🍽 Looking For More Panko Recipes?
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📋 Recipe
The BEST Fried tofu with panko (Chinese-style)
Equipment
- 1 deep fryer, dutch oven, wok, or high-walled pot
Ingredients
- 1 box soft tofu (or silken tofu, drained)
- 1 ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon MSG
- 1 ½ teaspoon Tomax pepper salt
- 2 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to release the tofu from the sides of the box. Invert the tofu onto a cutting board, pat the box a few times, and slowly lift off the box. Cut tofu into 2-inch by 2-inch nuggets.
- Pound salt and MSG in a pestle and mortar until they become a fine powder.
- Combine panko breadcrumbs, cornstarch, Tomax pepper salt, and the MSG mixture in a shallow dish.
- Whisk eggs and milk in a small bowl.
- Set up your workstation by placing the egg mixture, panko mixture, and baking sheet next to the chopped tofu.
- Pick up a piece of tofu with your hand and dunk it in the egg mixture. Shake off the excess, then place it into the panko mixture. Gently press all sides of the tofu into the panko mixture. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining tofu. Let the breaded tofu pieces rest for 15 minutes before pressing each into the panko mixture again.
- Heat 1 inch of oil to 350°F (175°C) in a dutch oven, wok, or high-walled pot. Cook 6-10 pieces of tofu at a time for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and serve immediately.
Notes
- Be gentle when handling the tofu! Soft tofu is extremely fragile and breaks easily. If you have trouble placing the tofu in the fryer, you can place them on a slotted spoon before lowering it into the oil.
- Be generous with the MSG! ¾ of a teaspoon may seem like a lot, but not all of it will be used. There will always be leftover breadcrumbs when breading food.
- When breading the tofu, use one hand for the egg wash and the other hand for the panko; otherwise, the panko will stick to your fingers!
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