Crispy Bang Bang Tofu

So my friend Lane had been asking me for a while to make a vegan version on Bang Bang shrimp. It has probably been 10 or more years since I have eaten any and had no idea what the sauce was made of.

So imagine my surprise when I googled it and realized it was actually only 3 little ingredients that I always have in my pantry.

I have been playing around with a vegan shrimp recipe after having the best vegan fried shrimp from a local food truck recently, but still haven’t totally figured it out. But then it dawned on me!! I should just use our popcorn tofu recipe!

The trick to making something like crispy bang bang “shrimp” is keeping the “shrimp” really ,really crispy so it doest go super soggy super quickly once it is coated in sauce.

Well our popcorn tofu is REALLY CRISPY and actually made the perfect “shrimp” for this recipe! This recipe is perfect on its own as kind of a snack or appetizer, but would also be delicious served with a side of rice and quick and easy pickled veggies ( I will eat a pickled veggie on the side of almost any meal!)

This Bang Bang tofu is crispy, sweet, creamy, and spicy. It’s perfect really, and we can all thank Lane for the idea! I promise I would have never thought to make this if she would not have asked! So thanks Lane, keep the request coming and I’ll keep knocking on your door with plates of food :)

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Ingredients:

• 1 block extra firm tofu

• 3/4 cups corn or tapioca starch

• 2 cups bread crumbs

• 1/2 cup vegan plain yogurt (I use Kite Hill)

• 1/2 cup non dairy milk

• 1 teaspoons salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons each, smoked paprika, and all purpose seasoning (we use a greek seasoning)

• 1/2 teaspoon each chili powder, black pepper, salt

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• oil for frying

• garnish: 2 green onions, finely chopped (the green ends only)

Bang Bang Sauce:

• 3/4 cup vegan mayo

• 2-3 teaspoons sriracha

• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Instructions:

1. Remove tofu from package and drain. Wrap the tofu in a clean kitchen towel or some paper towels and place a few books, or a heavy pan on top. Let the tofu sit for 15 minutes to press out any extra water.

2. Cut the tofu block in half, then cut halves into 1/2 inch strips. Using your hands, break off pieces of the strips to form little tofu nuggets.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, minced garlic, and milk.

4. In another, bowl whisk 1/2 cups of the starch and all of the seasonings.

5. In another bowl, add the bread crumbs.

6. First toss the tofu into the starch and seasoning mixture

7. Next add the tofu to the milk and yogurt and stir. All of the liquid should be absorbed by the tofu, although it will be a sticky mess. Now sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of starch over the tofu and toss.

8. Using your hands (I promise, it’s just easier) pick up a small handful of tofu and toss it around in the breadcrumbs until fully coated. You can use your hands to separate any tofu that got clumped together, sifting it though your fingers. Place coated tofu into a dish, and repeat until all of the tofu is coated.

9. Heat a few inches of oil in a high sided skillet. I use my cast iron for this. While the oil is heating, place a wire cooling rack on top of a paper towel lined baking sheet. This is where you will place the finished tofu to cool.

10. Once the oil is nice and hot, carefully add the tofu in small batches to the pan (you can poke a chopstick into the oil, and if tiny bubbles form around the stick, the oil is ready). Using a slotted spoon, keep the tofu moving around for a few minutes to make sure all of the sides get Nice and CRISPY. Once tofu is browned and crispy, remove and place on a wire cooling rack. Repeat with remaining tofu.

11. Mix all the ingredients together for the bang bang sauce. In large bowl toss finished tofu with all of the sauce. Sprinkle with finely chopped green onions and serve immediately.

If you like this recipe, try these:

Vegan Po-Boy with Popcorn Tofu

Crispy Coconut Tofu with Tropical Rice

Tofu Banh Mi Rice Cups

Crispy Sesame Tofu

Who needs Chinese take out when you can whip up some delicious sesame tofu at home, quickly and affordably!

I love making crispy tofu and learned a long time ago that starch is the secret. Just press the tofu, coat, fry, and slather in this perfectly sticky, savory and sweet, vegan sesame sauce!

I like to serve our sesame tofu with a side of rice and broccoli, but serve it however you like! This meal is a go- to when I am in a hurry and havnt’t had time to plan dinner.

If you prefer not to fry the tofu in oil, you can use an air fryer! I just coat the tofu, give it a light spray with some oil (or not), and air fry at 375 for 10-15 minutes! It always comes out perfectly crisp!

Just another quick and simple dinner recipe to add to your arsenal! Who doesn’t love that!?

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INGREDIENTS:

• I batch crispy fired tofu

• 1/4 cup soy sauce or coconut amnios

• 1/4 cup water

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar

• 3 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon tapioca or corn starch

• 1 -2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

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INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prepare crispy tofu according to instructions.

2. Add the remaining ingredients, minus the sesame seeds, to a medium sized sauce pan. Heat over medium/low heat, whisking continuously, until the sugar has melted and the mixture thickens. If it gets too thick, add a tablespoon or so of water to thin it back out a bit.

3. Coat the crispy tofu in the sesame sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over rice and with a side of steamed broccoli if you like.

serves 4

If you like this recipe, try these:

Popcorn Tofu

Crispy Coconut Tofu with Tropical Rice

Tofu Japchae

Crispy Tofu with Roasted Pepper Marinara and Quinoa

Crispy tofu on a bed of savory quinoa, covered in a delicious red pepper marinara makes for a quick and filling weeknight dinner.

You can easily makes this recipe gluten free by using a gf flour blend, and gf panko. You could also use an air fryer to prepare the tofu if you have one, or try baking the tofu pieces if you prefer cooking without oil!

I like that this recipe because it comes together fairly quickly, its super flavorful thanks to the sauce, and can be a nice gluten free option for entertaining!

If you bake or air fry the tofu, it is a super healthy dinner as well. I would air fry by giving the tofu a little spray with oil and fry at 375 for 10-15 minutes or until crispy. If baking, I would bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet at 400, flipping the tofu pieces after 8-10 minutes to crisp up both sides.

No matter how you cook it, I think you will be just as big a fan of this tofu as our family is!

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INGREDIENTS:

The Tofu

• 1 block extra firm tofu

• 1/3 cup all purpose flour

• 1 flax egg

• 1/4 cup plant based milk

• 2 cups panko bread crumbs, regular or gluten free (not all are vegan, be sure and check)

• 1 teaspoon each of salt, paprika, garlic powder, and thyme

• oil for frying

The Marinara

• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

• 1/2 -1/3 cup roasted red peppers

• 1/2 small onion cut in quarters

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon dreid thyme

• pepper to taste

The Quinoa

• 1 cup dried quino

• 2 cups water

• 1/2 small onion finely diced

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon dried time

• 1 teaspoon oil such as grape seed or olive oil

• 2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)

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INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Remove tofu from package, and wrap in a clean kitchen towel, or a few paper towels. Put a few books on top and let sit for about 15 minutes to remove the excess liquid from the tofu.

2. While tofu is pressing, prepare quinoa by bringing 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium sized pot, then add the quinoa. Reduce heat to a simmer and put a lid on the pot. Let quinoa simmer, stirring occasionally until all of the liquid is absorbed.

3. While the quinoa is simmering, heat a teaspoon of oil in a small skillet. Add the diced onion, and minced garlic, cooking until onions are translucent. Add in the pine nuts and cook just a few minutes. Pine nuts burn very quickly, so keep moving them around the pan until just until they are toasted, then remove from the heat. Once the quinoa is done cooking, mix in the onion, pine nut mixture, and seasoning. Put the lid back on and set aside.

4. Drain the liquid from the tomatoes, and add them along with all of the other sauce ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend for a few minutes, until the onion, peppers, and tomatoes are broken down. Heat the sauce in a medium sized pot on simmer while you prepare the tofu.

5. Cut pressed tofu into 1/2 inch pieces, cutting from the ends of the tofu block. You will get around 8 or 9 pieces.

6. In a shallow dish, mix 1 flax egg, and 1/4 cup of non dairy milk. Add flour to another shallow dish or plate. Then mix the panko in another dish, or plate with the seasonings.

7. First coat each piece of tofu with flour, next the flax egg wash, and lastly the panko. Make sure to evenly, and fully coat the tofu with the flour, and flax egg wash. The panko will stick best if you press it into the tofu pieces, flipping the tofu to make sure both sides are covered.

8. In a large skillet, heat about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of oil. You just need enough to fry each side of tofu, you do not need to cover the tofu in oil.

9. Once oil is good and hot reduce heat to medium, add the coated tofu pieces and fry each side for 3 - 5 minutes. You want each side crispy and golden brown. Once tofu is finished frying, place on a wire cooling rack with some paper towels underneath for a few minutes.

10. To serve, add a scoop of quinoa to each plate, top with 1 or 2 pieces of tofu, and a few spoonfuls of sauce.

Serves 4 - 6.