Never in my life would I think my partner would eat tofu on his own free will. I caught him eating this sandwich in his room the other night, cold, and he mumbled “I like this sandwich”. He’s always been a “tofu hater” but I think this sandwich converted him and convinced him that tofu isn’t as weird as he thought.
This sandwich is seriously amazing. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a crispy “chicken”/tofu sandwich and more. It’s crispy, spicy, juicy (what!), and tastes amazing. It has become one of those “on rotation” meals at my house, especially since it reheats so well in the air fryer and even tastes good cold!
It can be cooked in the air fryer (my preferred method) or in the oven, with the latter being helpful when doubling or tripling the recipe. The air fryer cuts the baking time in half and leaves a very crispy and juicy tofu patty, while also reducing the need to turn on the oven and heat up the house. The best part about this recipe is that you don’t need to dabble in the dangerous art of deep frying.
I need to definitely credit The Curious Chickpea, because her genius method of putting oil in the breading mixture has changed my entire breading game. It makes the breading super crisp and delicious, removing the need for spraying oil on the outside of the patties. I had to reduce the amount because I found it too oily, but the method is genius!
This recipe has also been adapted from Skinnytaste, who developed a baked chicken sandwich recipe in her cookbook “One and Done” that I love, but now have adapted to make it vegan.
How to make the Crispy Baked Tofu:
To make these amazing sandwiches, take your tofu out of the fridge, remove it from the container and pat it dry. Cut it in half to make two large flat patties, then cut them in half again to make flat squares. Wrap it in a kitchen towel or paper towel and leave a heavy pot or object over top to press. Alternatively, use a tofu press.
After a few hours (or 30 minutes in a pinch), remove the tofu from the paper towel/kitchen towel. Preheat the oven (to 450F) or air fryer (to 360F).
Prepare the breading by combining the panko, oil, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and flaky sea salt (kosher salt). Mix well to combine. In another dish, whisk together the “egg” mixture (or use an egg if vegetarian) by combining the gram flour, water, and flaky salt.
When ready to bake, coat the tofu in the “egg” mixture, shaking off the excess. Add to the breading mixture and coat well, pressing the tofu into the breading to help it stick. Set them aside on a plate (if air frying) or on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Lightly spray the basket if using the air fryer and air fry for 10 – 12 minutes or until beginning to brown, OR bake for 20 – 22 minutes in the oven on the parchment lined baking sheet.
Meanwhile, prepare the slaw. Thinly slice the cabbage, red onion, and jalapeno. Add to a medium bowl while you whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon, parsley, black pepper, and salt. Add to the slaw and set aside. Get the buns and mayo ready.
To assemble: cut the bun in half and add mayo to the top and bottom (or just top). Add the patty then top with 1/4 – 1/2 cup of slaw. Press the top of the bun down gently to keep the sandwich together.
Crispy Baked Tofu Sandwiches with Jalapeño Slaw
Ingredients
Crispy Tofu
- 1 (350 g) block of organic extra-firm tofu cut into 4 thin square patties and pressed
- ¾ cup panko
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼-½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp flaky sea salt or kosher salt
“Egg”
- 3 tbsp gram flour chickpea flour
- 3 tbsp water
- ½ tsp flaky sea salt or kosher salt
Spicy Jalapeño Slaw
- 1 ½ cup green cabbage shredded
- 1 jalapeño thinly sliced
- ¼ cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 ½ tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ¼ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- ¼ tsp kosher salt or to taste
Sandwich
- 4 medium sandwich buns
- 4 tbsp vegan mayo
Directions
Crispy Tofu
- Cut the tofu in half lengthwise to make 2 large flat patties. Cut again to make them into flat square patty shapes. Then press the tofu, the longer the better to remove excess water. Wrap them in a towel and leave under a heavy pot or in a tofu press for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven (450°F) or air fryer (360°F).
- In a small bowl, mix together the panko, oil, paprika, cayenne, garlic, and salt. Mix well to evenly distribute the oil and spices within the panko.
- Whisk together the “egg” ingredients and set aside.
- One by one, coat the tofu patties in the egg mixture, shaking off the excess before pressing it into the panko mixture. Flip it over and press again, using your hands or a fork to scoop the panko on top of the patty and pressing again to ensure as much of the coating sticks as possible. Set aside on a plate or tray until ready to bake.
Baking Instructions
- Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 360°F. Once preheated, spray the bottom of the basket and add the breaded tofu. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes, flipping after 8 minutes, until golden brown on both sides.
- Oven: Bake for 20 – 22 minutes in a preheated oven at 450°F, flipping halfway, until golden brown on both sides.
Spicy Jalapeño Slaw
- While the tofu patties cook, thinly slice your onion, cabbage, and jalapeno. Add to a medium bowl.
- In a small container or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add to the slaw mixture and toss well.
Sandwich Assembly
- Cut the bun in half and add mayo to the top and bottom (or just top). Add the patty then top with 1/4 – 1/2 cup of slaw. Press the top of the bun down gently to keep the sandwich together.
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