Looking for a simple tofu recipe that gives it great texture and tons of flavor? This Honey Garlic Tofu has the best crispy texture with a super flavorful salty-sweet and subtly spicy sticky sauce.
Plus, this crispy tofu with sauce is versatile, bringing tons of flavor, texture, protein, and nutrients to rice, stir fry, ramen, noodles… the list goes on! All with less than ten ingredients and about 35 minutes!
In this recipe, you will learn how to cube tofu, bake it to crispy perfection, and thicken a sauce with cornstarch to make it nice and sticky.
As an environmental scientist, I’m always looking for delicious meat alternatives to help me improve my ecological footprint, and this Honey Garlic Tofu is a great source of protein in lieu of meat.
Tofu is a protein-rich food made from condensing soy milk. It’s a great addition to any meal because of its ability to readily take on any flavor.
Green tip: Industrial meat production has a huge impact on the environment, especially because of the amount of land it takes to sustain and its high amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing your meat consumption is one great way to improve your ecological footprint.
Honey Garlic Tofu Ingredients
Here’s everything you need for the crispy tofu:
- Extra-firm Tofu. Extra-firm is best in this recipe as opposed to firm or silken.
- Olive Oil and cornstarch. To toss the tofu in before baking to get the best texture.
Here’s everything you need for the Honey Garlic sauce:
- Garlic. Fresh minced garlic goes a long way in this recipe.
- Cornstarch and water. You will mix the cornstarch into the water to make a slurry that will act as a thickening agent for the sauce.
- Honey. For a fruity, floral taste and sweetness.
- Soy sauce. To bring the salt and umami.
- Sriracha. For spice.
Garlic Honey Tofu Tips and Tricks
How to Press Your Tofu for the Best Texture
Spongy tofu happens. But don’t fear! This tofu pressing method will help to dry out your tofu enough to avoid that soggy mess.
If you cook tofu often, it may be worth the small investment of a tofu press.
However, if you’re not a gadget person or have limited storage in your kitchen (like me!), you can get creative and press your tofu with hoeshold items.
Green tip: Organic farms rely on biodiversity to generate rich soil, avoiding the use of pesticides and fertilizers, which means no toxic runoff. Consider organic tofu for this recipe.
Drain the liquid that your tofu is suspended in and place it between two clean kitchen towels. Then, grab something heavy to place on top. I usually use a stack of cookbooks! Let it sit for at least 5 minutes to allow the towels to absorb the excess liquid from the tofu.
How to Uniformly Cube Tofu
Once the tofu is pressed, it’s time to cut it into bite-sized cubes. While they do not need to be perfectly equal in size, the closer you can get, the better! The size of the tofu pieces effects the baking time, so we want them close to equal in order to cook evenly.
We’re aiming for roughly one cubic inch in size, so we will first want to halve the thickness of the tofu. Stand the tofu up on the smallest side and carefully slice it in half, so you are left with two thinner blocks of tofu.
From there, you can slice the tofu into 8 thin strips as pictured below. Finally, cut the strips into small cubes, so that you are left with 24 roughly equal-sized cubes of tofu.
The Key to Crispy Baked Tofu
The key to getting crispy tofu is coating it in a layer of olive oil and cornstarch. The cornstarch absorbs any excess liquid left behind, allowing it to work with the olive oil to get golden-brown crispy edges.
Add your cubed tofu to a large mixing bowl with the olive oil and cornstarch. Then, toss to coat the tofu in the oil and cornstarch.
The cornstarch does not have to be evenly coated on the tofu, but you do want each cube to have some cornstarch on it. So, don’t worry too much about this tossing process.
How to Bake Tofu to Perfection
Once you’ve tossed your tofu in olive oil and cornstarch, turn the tofu out onto a large baking sheet. Spread the tofu out so you have some space in between each piece. This will ensure they don’t stick together and allow for easier access when you go to flip them.
Bake the tofu on the top rack at 400°F for 15 minutes. Then, remove from the oven, flip each piece, and bake again for an additional 10 minutes until both sides are crispy and golden brown.
How to Mince Garlic for Sauce
While your tofu is getting crispy in the oven, it’s time to get going on your sauce. Start by mixing your cornstarch and water together to make a slurry. Set that aside while your mince your garlic.
In order to mince the garlic, you’ll have to peel it first. My favorite way to peel the garlic easily is by crushing the outer layer. I just use the flat end of my knife and my bodyweight to push down on the garlic until I hear it crunch.
Once the outer layer is cracked, it makes it very easy to peel. Once peeled, lay your garlic cloves down on your chopping board and use a sharp knife to chop and chop, until your garlic is minced and in small pieces.
How to Use Cornstarch to Thicken Sauce
Once your garlic is minced, add it to a small pot or saucepan with the cornstarch slurry, honey, soy sauce, and sriracha. I’ve called for 2 teaspoons of sriracha in this recipe which gives it a little kick. I would call it mildly spicy.
Of course, everyone’s spice tolerance is different! If you’re sensitive to spice, maybe start with 1 teaspoon and taste test it! If you love spice, you can add up to 1 tablespoon of sriracha to this sauce without the sriracha completely overpowering the other flavors.
Once you’ve added all your sauce ingredients to the pot, heat it over medium, whisking occasionally, until it bubbles and thickens.
The cornstarch will start to thicken the sauce once it reaches 295°F, so just keep heating and stirring until you get that thick and sticky consistency.
How to Evenly Coat Tofu in Sauce
Once your tofu is baked, add it to a mixing bowl and pour the sauce over top. The best way to toss the tofu with the sauce until it is evenly coated is by using two serving spoons, as if you were tossing a salad.
The longer the tofu sits in the sauce, the more likely it is to start to lose its crispy finish and start to get soggy. I recommend tossing the tofu in the sauce when you’re ready to serve it.
I love serving this over coconut rice (as pictured), with these Spicy Garlic Noodles, or over this Mushroom Fried Rice.
How to Properly Store and Reheat Leftover Honey Garlic Tofu
This Crispy Tofu with Garlic Sauce will last up to one week in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
To reheat, preheat your oven to 350°F and place the honey-garlic-glazed tofu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a reusable baking mat (use a reusable mat to reduce your waste!) for about 10-15 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
You can also air fry it at 375°F for 3-5 minutes to make sure it gets nice and crispy.
Green tip: Did you know that 50% of food waste happens at home? Reduce your contribution to food waste by properly storing and reheating your leftovers to enjoy!
Honey Garlic Tofu Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to get crispy tofu?
You can get crispy tofu in the oven, air fryer, or even in a frying pan. The key to crispy tofu is sprinkling it with some cornstarch to help absorb excess liquid to get that crispy finish.
What is honey garlic sauce made of?
The two main ingredients in honey garlic sauce are honey and garlic! This sticky honey garlic sauce also contains a bit of soy sauce for saltiness, sriracha for a bit of spice, and a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
Why You Should Make this Crispy Honey Garlic Tofu
- It’s so flavorful! The perfect balance between salty, sweet, and spicy, with notes of garlic.
- It’s easy. It takes less than ten ingredients and just over 30 minutes to whip this up!
- The texture. Perfectly crispy tofu bites with a delicious sticky sauce.
If you’re loving this Crispy Honey Garlic Tofu and want more tofu recipes, check out these Buffalo Tofu Strips and these Tofu Fajitas.
Crispy Honey Garlic Tofu
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEEquipment
- Tofu Press (optional)
Ingredients
Crispy Baked Tofu
- 14 ounces extra-firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Sticky Honey Garlic Sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 3 teaspoons water
- 4 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 stalk scallions (green onion), chopped (optional for garnish)
Instructions
Crispy Baked Tofu
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and drain and press your tofu. Either use a tofu press or place the tofu between two clean kitchen towels and place something heavy (I use a stack of cookbooks) on top to weight it down and press it for at least 5 minutes.
- Cut your tofu into bite-sized cubes by halving the thickness of the tofu by cutting it in half lengthwise, then slicing the two blocks of tofu into 1-inch cubes.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the pressed and cubed tofu, olive oil, and cornstarch. Toss to coat the tofu in the oil and cornstarch.
- Turn the tofu out onto a large baking sheet, leaving space in between each cube so the tofu doesn't stick together as it bakes.
- Bake for 25 minutes, flipping the tofu after 15 minutes, until it is crispy and golden brown on both sides.
Honey Garlic Sauce
- To a small bowl or ramekin, mix together the cornstarch and water and set aside to form a cornstarch slurry.
- Peel and mince the garlic.
- Add the garlic, honey, soy sauce, sriracha, and cornstarch slurry to a small pot or saucepan, and heat over medium until sauce starts to thicken (cornstarch will start to thicken sauce once it reaches 295°F).
- Once your tofu is crispy and sauce is thick and sticky, add the tofu and the sauce to a bowl and toss to coat. Garnish with scallions (optional). Serve immediately for the best texture on the tofu. Try it with this coconut rice (as pictured).
