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    Panko Crusted Tofu Bites

    May 6, 2022 · 37 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Today we’re preparing Panko Crusted Tofu Bites, which we’ll be frying to crisped perfection, while maintaining a decadently moist and airy interior. We’ll be pairing these fried tofu bites with a chili-honey dipping sauce, and platting them over sauteed veggies and rice.

    Why To Try Today’s Recipe

    1) Meatless Satisfaction. One of the big ‘problems’ with many meatless meal ideas is that they tend to be low on the ‘satisfaction’ side. Today’s tofu bites leave you ‘feeling like you eaten,’ while being meatless from start to finish.

    2) It keeps. Today’s recipe keeps in the fridge for a couple of days, and heats up nicely. Just heat up a pan with some olive oil, toss the tofu and rice for about five minutes, and you’re good to go.

    Ingredient Notes, Tips, and Substitutions

    1) Panko vs Breadcrumbs. Here in the West, Panko has come a long way over the last two to three decades from being confined to specialty stores and ‘ethnic markets,’ to now being displayed in great quantity in any decently stocked supermarket. We’re all familiar with the ‘light yet crunchy’ coating that Panko produces, and the generally ‘substantial’ crust that these breadcrumbs give to all manner of fried foods. However, ‘what’ are they? And are they ‘really’ any different from ‘non-Panko’ breadcrumbs? To start, Panko is produced solely from crustless white bread, which is processed into flakes and ‘then’ dried. This process, generally, results in a dryer and flakier consistency than ‘non-Panko’ breadcrumbs, which in turn producers a ‘lighter yet crunchier’ consistency for the food it’s used to coat. By contrast, ‘non-Panko’ breadcrumbs can be made from any sort of bread – though higher end “Italian Breadcrumbs” will be made from Italian loaves. They are also typically ground into finer, more uniform crumbs, and due to the various oils that are used to prepare them, they tend to be ‘less dry’ than their Panko counterparts.

    Differences in Using Panko vs ‘Regular’ Breadcrumbs. Generally, Panko is for breading and topping, but only in instances where you want a ‘substantial’ crunch and texturing, and where the ‘uniformity’ of that crunch and texture is ‘not’ important. By contrast, ‘non-Panko’ breadcrumbs work excellently in ‘every other instance,’ including in things like stuffing, binding meatloaf or burgers, and – naturally – as breading, where you might not want the substantial crunch and texturing that Panko provides.

    Substitution: Regular breadcrumbs will work just fine in today’s recipe if that’s all you have on hand, or if you simply prefer regular breadcrumbs.

    2) The Vinegar. We’re using rice vinegar, since it’s milder and sweeter than other types of vinegar, particularly wine vinegars. However, apple cider vinegar will also work just fine, as the faint apple notes play quite well with the chili paste. You’ll want to steer clear of red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or ‘champagne vinegar’ for today’s dipping sauce, as these will simply be overpowering, and much too acidic.

    3) The Tofu. I went over my word count a bit on this one, so see the brief primer below.

    The Basics of Tofu – A Primer

    1) What is Tofu, really? Tofu is simply condensed soybean curd. Since soybeans are virtually tasteless, tofu is considered one of the most ‘flavor neutral’ foods available. For this reason, tofu is a great ‘carrier’ of flavors, since when cooking with tofu you needn’t account for the taste of the tofu itself in the recipe, and can instead rely on the tofu to simply ‘carry’ or ‘take on’ the flavors that it is being prepared with – such as today’s dipping sauce.

    2) Be Health-Minded in Selecting Your Tofu. It’s easy to think that you’re ‘being healthy’ simply by virtue of opting for tofu. Sadly, this is not the case as not all tofu is created, or sourced, equally. Today, most of the world’s soybeans are grown in the US, and well over ninety-percent (!) of those soybeans are produced using GMO methods. As such, when buying tofu, you do need to pay attention to the label – as with anything else.

    2) Can I freeze it? Yes, tofu can keep for up to three months in the freezer. If you purchase tofu packed in water, ‘do’ drain the water first, then wrap the tofu in plastic, or place it in an airtight container or freezer bag before freezing. Do remember, however, that frozen tofu becomes ‘firmer’ after freezing. It will also be somewhat ‘dryer,’ and may lose its signature ‘spongy’ texture.

    3) Preparing Water Packed Tofu. As I explain below, you need to ‘press’ the tofu between two sheets of paper towels if using water-packed tofu. I do this by wrapping my tofu in a paper towel, and then placing it on a tray beneath a small cast iron pan. This drains the tofu of water, and as a result if you skip this part, the tofu will instead drain all of its excess water during cooking, and possibly break apart in the process. Not fun.

    4) Types of Tofu. Tofu comes in several varieties, with the most popular and widely available being extra firm, firm, and silken, in addition to super firm and regular. Some outlets and producers have their own labeled varieties, but most fall roughly into those categories, or are variations thereof. Super firm is the densest form of tofu, and as such is also the least absorbent, meaning it’s primarily used either to prepare dried tofu, or in roasted and deep-fried dishes. Generally speaking, super firm tofu is only rarely commercially available, except via specialty outlets. On the opposite end of the popularity spectrum is ‘extra firm’ tofu, one notch down in firmness from ‘super firm.’ When you encounter cooked, pan-fried, or marinated tofu of any kind, you’re almost always encountering ‘extra firm’ tofu. Firm tofu is the next most popular variety, being great for marinating and then eating ‘raw’ in sandwiches, wraps, or as the ‘meat’ in lightly cooked stir-fry or light soups. Silken tofu, as the name implies, has a silky and moist texture, usually such that it defies being handled without falling to pieces. For this reason, it’s used for preparing things like smoothies, dips, or as a replacement for cheese in various recipes, in particular cream cheese and ricotta.

    5) Protein Content. Tofu has been recognized as a valuable source of protein for some two thousand years. In fact, tofu was spread across Asia from China chiefly by traveling Buddhist monks who favored it as a staple protein in their wholly vegetarian diets. Roughly eight percent of tofu’s total mass is protein, alongside high levels of folate, vitamin K, and assorted minerals, making it a nutrient dense food, and at less two-hundred calories per cup.

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    Panko Crusted Tofu Bites


    ★★★★★

    5 from 12 reviews

    • Author: Living the Gourmet
    • Total Time: 50 minutes
    • Yield: 6 servings 1x
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    For the Tofu:

    • 16 oz. block of firm tofu
    • Flour for dredging
    • Egg wash
    • Panko bread crumbs
    • Vegetable oil for frying
    • Olive oil for sautéing

    For the Veggies & Rice:

    • 2 lbs. of fresh string beans
    • 5 oz. container of fresh Arugula
    • 3 cups of uncooked short grain rice
    • 8 - 10 cloves of garlic - crushed
    • Salt
    • 2 cups short grain rice

    For the Dipping Sauce:

    • 3 tbs. red chili paste
    • 1 tbs. apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
    • 1 tbs. honey

    Instructions

    For the Tofu:

    • Place the tofu on a plate over doubled piece of paper towel.  Place another doubled paper towel on top of the tofu and place a heavy plate on top.  This is done to extract the excess water from the tofu.  Let the tofu sit like this for about 30 – 40 minutes.
    • Slice the drained tofu into desired size.
    • Set up three shallow bowls one with flour, one with the egg wash and finally one with the panko crumbs.
    • Dredge each piece first in the flour, then the egg wash and finally in the panko crumbs.
    • Heat a large cast iron frying pan with 3 – 4 tbs. of cooking oil.
    • Place the prepared tofu in the pan and allow one side to get nice and golden, then turn over and allow the other side to get nice and golden.  This should take 3 – 4 minutes per side.
    • Place the cooked tofu on a platter prepared with paper towels to absorb and excess oil.

    For the Veggies & Rice:

    • Cook the rice in a rice cooker or as directed.
    • Remove the tips from the string beans.
    • Steam the string beans to a desired tenderness.  They should still have some nice green color.  Do not overcook them.
    • Heat the pan that you cooked the tofu in.  Add a one tbs. of the olive oil to the pan and place 4 – 5 crushed garlic in the pan.
    • Add the steamed string beans and sauté until the string beans get a nice char.  Dust with salt remove and set aside.
    • Heat the pan that you cooked the string beans in add 4 – 5 cloves of crushed garlic and a tbs. of olive oil.
    • Allow the garlic to get a slight golden color.  Turn the heat off and add the arugula, a dusting of salt and toss with the garlic.
    • Toss the arugula and garlic with the rice.
    For the Dipping Sauce:
    • Combine the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a small bowl and stir. 
    • Taste for desired heat and sweetness.
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 40 minutes
    • Category: Vegetarian
    • Cuisine: Asian

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 971
    • Sugar: 4.2 g
    • Sodium: 1021.2 mg
    • Fat: 11.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 183.8 g
    • Protein: 31 g
    • Cholesterol: 31 mg

    Keywords: tofu, vegetarian, rice, vegetables

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @LTGfood on Instagram and hashtag it #LTGfood

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Heather says

      May 06, 2022 at 5:30 pm

      It has been years since I used tofu. I will have to try this recipe, it looks so good!

      Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:27 pm

        Dear Heather,, I hope that you enjoy this recipe if you give it a try. Please let me know how you like it. xo

        Reply
    2. Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says

      May 07, 2022 at 3:52 am

      This sounds wonderful! So crunchy and flavorful. You'd know this was tofu!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:26 pm

        Thank you Cynthia. I hope that you enjoy the recipe if you give it a try. Thank you always for visiting and taking the time to write. xo

        Reply
    3. Victoria says

      May 07, 2022 at 4:19 am

      Tofu is one of those things I didn’t think that I would like but once I tried it, I realized that I was wrong! I will definitely be trying this recipe!

      Reply
    4. Rhian Westbury says

      May 07, 2022 at 9:24 am

      I've had tofu a few times but really found that it's quite tasteless. But putting panko crusting would definitely help with the texture x

      Reply
      • marie dodd says

        May 07, 2022 at 11:59 am

        I don’t eat tofu, but this is something I will definitely try, looks sooooo good!!

        Reply
        • Catherine Pappas says

          May 11, 2022 at 5:22 pm

          Thank you Dear Marie. Thank you for writing and letting me know you will be giving this recipe a try. Please let me know how you enjoy it. xo

          Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:25 pm

        Dear Rhian, I agree, tofu can be quite tasteless but the panko does give it a nice crunch and definitely adds to the taste level. I hope that you enjoy this recipe if you give it a try. Please let me know. Thank you for visiting.

        Reply
    5. interior design says

      May 07, 2022 at 1:54 pm

      Panko tofu omg this is very creative and looks delicious! I can't wait to make your recipe, can't wait.

      Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:21 pm

        I hope that you enjoy this recipe if you give it a try. Thank you always for visiting and for your kind comments.

        Reply
    6. Jennifer Passmore says

      May 07, 2022 at 2:12 pm

      I haven't had tofu in a while, but this sounds like something that I would enjoy eating. I will have to try this recipe out.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:20 pm

        Dear Jennifer, Thank you for visiting. I hope that you enjoy this tofu recipe if you decide to give it a try. Please let me know how you enjoyed it. xo

        Reply
    7. DAVID J MYERS says

      May 07, 2022 at 4:06 pm

      Catherine, I'm just not into tofu but with all the flavor highlights you've used with this recipe and dipping sauce, I'd give this one a try...as an appetizer. I'll always be a carnivore though... Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

      Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:19 pm

        Oh Dave, I am happy that you would enjoy it as an appetizer. That makes me happy. Give my best to Laurie and please stay well.

        Reply
    8. Lavanda Michelle says

      May 07, 2022 at 6:13 pm

      This looks so very good. I can't wait to try it and let you know how my family enjoys it.

      Reply
    9. Lily says

      May 09, 2022 at 6:45 am

      This post is making me hungry. Simply delicious!

      Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:18 pm

        Thank you Lily. I am so happy that you liked it and thank you for taking the time to let me know. It makes me so happy. xo

        Reply
    10. Peter says

      May 09, 2022 at 2:35 pm

      Using Panko crumbs made it super crunchy, perfect. Loved the easy red chili dipping sauce, definitely making this again!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:17 pm

        Thank you Peter. I am so happy that you enjoyed this recipe and took the time to let me know. It definitely warms my heart to know.

        Reply
    11. Sean says

      May 09, 2022 at 5:34 pm

      A great way to get that lovely crunch with tofu. The inside was still light and soft.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:16 pm

        I am so glad that you liked it Sean. I like the tofu with a nice crunch too. Thank you for letting me know and taking the time.

        Reply
    12. Andrea says

      May 09, 2022 at 6:13 pm

      Yum! The dipping sauce is so good on this. Loved the spicy kick!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:15 pm

        Thank you Andrea. I like this dipping sauce too. It goes so well with almost everything. Thank you for trying the recipe and letting me know that you enjoyed it. It warms my heart. xo

        Reply
    13. Paula Richie says

      May 09, 2022 at 6:27 pm

      I just recently began searching for new, creative ways to serve tofu as our meatless meals.

      Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:14 pm

        I hope that you enjoy this recipe Paula if you give it a try. Thank you always for visiting and writing. xo

        Reply
    14. Bernice says

      May 09, 2022 at 8:27 pm

      What a comforting dish. This panko crusted tofu had all the flavours and textures I love. It's a keeper!

      Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:12 pm

        thank you Bernice for letting me know that you tried the recipe and liked it. It always pleases my heart to know that someone enjoyed my recipe. xo

        Reply
    15. Natalie says

      May 10, 2022 at 8:50 am

      My husband loves tofu, so I made this dish yesterday. I must say that he was thrilled and kept asking for more, thanks!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:11 pm

        Dear Natalie, Thank you for letting me know that your husband enjoyed the recipe. It makes me happy to know that my recipes are enjoyed. xo

        Reply
    16. Savita says

      May 10, 2022 at 6:40 pm

      These tofu bites look so crispy and flavourful. It's definitely a must-try for meatless meals.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Catherine Pappas says

        May 11, 2022 at 5:13 pm

        Thank you Savita. I hope that you enjoy the recipe if you give it a try. Thank you for visiting.

        Reply
    17. Jenny says

      May 12, 2022 at 12:25 pm

      Thanks for introducing me to breadcrumbs made from crustless white bread (panko). That dipping sauce has got my attention. I can’t wait to try this yummy tofu recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    18. Dennis says

      May 12, 2022 at 12:44 pm

      This recipe is pure brilliance! The tofu was soooo delicious and everyone raved about it. Thanks for your sharing this delicious recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    19. Kathryn says

      May 13, 2022 at 1:58 pm

      This was such a delicious way to enjoy tofu. I loved the panko crust and the crunch in each bite. I'll be making tofu more now with this recipe so thank you!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    20. Leslie says

      May 14, 2022 at 1:32 pm

      This may be my new favorite way to eat tofu! I LOVE the bread crumbs added, it truly perfects this recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    21. Ann says

      May 15, 2022 at 3:01 pm

      I have never thought about breading tofu! What a great idea! Excited to give it a try!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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