30 Minute Meals

Baked Tofu Crumble

Prep

5 minutes

Cook

30 minutes

Yield

This versatile baked tofu crumbles can be added to so many recipes and flavored to your liking.

This Baked Tofu Crumble recipe is going to be your new go-to way to make tofu. It legit tastes like popcorn “chicken” and is so versatile. I’ve included some of my fav inspirations for spices and flavorings below in the recipe card but you can use this tofu crumble in salads, in bowls, on its own as a source of plant-based protein, or whatever you wish.

❤️ Why You’ll Love Baked Tofu Crumble

Versatile: You can throw this baked tofu recipe into anything – tacos, salads, stir-fry’s, the options are endless.
Plant-Based: Getting enough protein into your diet when you’re plant-based can be hard, but tofu is a great source of it so this can be a great recipe to whip up early in the week and have on hand to throw into recipes for a protein boost.
Delicious: This is a super easy baked tofu recipe but it is a base, and you can add whatever seasonings and sauces you want to it to change up the flavors (you’ll see some inspo below in the recipe card).

🍲 Ingredients

Tofu – The main star of this Baked Tofu Crumble recipe is the tofu. Tofu is soy-based and it’s made by coagulating soy milk and pressing the curds. Tofu is so good for you as it’s a plant-based source of protein, and essential in amino acids, iron, and calcium. What’s great about tofu is that it is like a blank canvas. You can use it with any marinades or spices to make it your own. Add it into bowls , BBQ it on skewers , toss it into stir fry , or add it into ramen. For the perfect crumble I used firm or extra firm tofu, to avoid having too much moisture that interferes with the texture.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Baked Tofu Crumbles

Preheat the oven to 400F and prepare a baking tray with parchment paper.
Drain the excess water from the tofu package and crumble into a medium-sized bowl.
Add all of the remaining ingredients and mix together.
Set onto the prepared tray and bake for 20 – 30 minutes until golden brown. Make sure to stir halfway through.
Enjoy the tofu with any dish you desire or eat life popcorn- it’s the best high protein snack!

🗒 Tips and Tricks

Press Your Tofu: Pressing your tofu is KEY to getting rid of all the moisture. his will allow your tofu to get crispy and be the perfect texture. To do this, put your tofu on a plate or rimmed baking sheet, with a paper towel underneath it and on top. Then stack something heavy on top and leave it for at least 30-60 minutes.
Don’t Overcrowd: Arrange the tofu pieces in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Avoid overcrowding, as this will steam the tofu instead of crisping it.
Experiment with Flavor: Tofu doesn’t taste like much on its own so get creative with the seasoning.

🗒 Variations

There are so many ways you can make this tofu your own. Here are some examples of ways you can season it for different variations:

Mediterranean Spices: This flavor combination uses common Mediterranean seasonings like oregano, and basil to make a flavorful tofu that can be added to your Mediterranean dishes in place of meat (like this Mediterranean rice bowl )

Taco Seasoning: Using classic taco seasoning spices, this is one of my fav ways to bake tofu that can be used for a taco salad or a taco filling.

Bacon Bit-Inspired: Swap out bacon for your plant-based recipe by using this bacon bit tofu that has a similar flavor but is vegan-friendly.

Beef Stew-Inspired: For a hearty, comforting flavor, this is inspired by “beef stew”. Use this tofu on sandwiches, eat it on its own, or get creative. It’s a really good protein snack! This one is also great mixed into pasta.

🗒 Best served with

Nachos (swap the vegan meat in this recipe for the crumble)
Tofu Noodle Bowl (add this tofu crumble instead of the tofu in this recipe)
High Protein Breakfast Burrito (add it into this breakfast burrito for added protein)

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This is a great meal prep recipe.

🤔 Common Questions

Extra-firm or firm tofu is best. These varieties have less water content, which allows them to crisp up nicely in the oven.

Pressing removes excess water, which is crucial for achieving crispy tofu. If you skip this step, the tofu will steam rather than bake, resulting in a soggy texture.

You can eat it cold, or reheat it in a skillet, oven, or microwave on low.

Baked Tofu Crumbles

Video

Ingredients1x2x3x

For Mediterranean-Inspired,

350 g package firm tofu crumbled
2 tbsp. corn starch
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. oregano
1 tbsp. basil
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

For Taco Seasoning-Inspired,

350 g package firm tofu crumbled
1 ½ tbsp. corn starch
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 ½ tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. minced onion
1 ½ tsp. chili powder
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. harissa seasoning
½ tsp. red chili flakes
½ tsp. black pepper

For ‘Bacon Bit’-Inspired,

175 g firm tofu ½ pack, crumbled
3 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. corn starch
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. liquid smoke
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. minced onion
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper

For ‘Beef Stew’-Inspired

350 g package firm tofu crumbled
1 ½ tbsp. corn starch
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 ½ tbsp. garlic powder
1 ½ tbsp. oregano
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. red chili flakes
3 bay leaves

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F and prepare a baking tray with parchment paper.
Drain the excess water from the tofu package and crumble into a medium-sized bowl.
Add all of the remaining ingredients and mix together.
Set onto the prepared tray and bake for 20 – 30 minutes until golden brown. Make sure to stir halfway through.
Enjoy the tofu with any dish you desire or eat life popcorn- it’s the best high protein snack!

Notes

Nutrition

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Baked Tofu Crumbles

Ingredients

For Mediterranean-Inspired,

350 g package firm tofu crumbled
2 tbsp. corn starch
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. oregano
1 tbsp. basil
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

For Taco Seasoning-Inspired,

350 g package firm tofu crumbled
1 ½ tbsp. corn starch
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 ½ tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. minced onion
1 ½ tsp. chili powder
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. harissa seasoning
½ tsp. red chili flakes
½ tsp. black pepper

For ‘Bacon Bit’-Inspired,

175 g firm tofu ½ pack, crumbled
3 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. corn starch
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. liquid smoke
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. minced onion
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper

For ‘Beef Stew’-Inspired

350 g package firm tofu crumbled
1 ½ tbsp. corn starch
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 ½ tbsp. garlic powder
1 ½ tbsp. oregano
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. red chili flakes
3 bay leaves