Can this be baked instead of pan-fried?

Yes! Prepare your baking tray by spraying or spreading some oil on the bottom of your pan. After dredging your tofu, place on the pan and make sure to spray both sides of the tofu with enough oil to properly coat before cooking in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, flip and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden.

How do I make this gluten-free?

The only ingredient to be mindful of is the tamari. While tamari should be gluten-free, some brands still use wheat. Just make sure to check the ingredients to ensure you are using a 100% gluten-free tamari.

Do I need to freeze my tofu before marinating?

You can! Freezing tofu will make the tofu more spongy in texture, which will also help the tofu absorb more flavor as it sits. Do take into account that you will need to allot enough time to freeze and thaw your tofu before starting this recipe.

Can this be made in advance?

I recommend making and enjoying this recipe fresh when possible. You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. To help improve its texture, try reheating your tofu in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400F to properly heat it through.

Lemongrass Tofu Cutlets - Plant Based RD

Description

These lemongrass tofu cutlets are packed with protein and have the best bright and refreshing taste. Served with a citrusy veggie slaw to create the ultimate satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Scale

1, 14 oz block of extra firm tofu, pressed and drained
4 tbsp tamari
2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and dry outer layers removed
1 lime, zested and cut in half
1/4 cup cornstarch or potato starch
2 tbsp nutritional yeast, optional
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dry thyme
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 shallot, diced
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp vegetable broth or water

For the Bowls

6 oz vermicelli, cooked according to package instructions
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp maple syrup
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup cilantro, minced (optional)

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Instructions

To a medium sized bowl add the cabbage, carrots, cilantro, juice of 1/2 a lime, sesame oil, maple syrup and a pinch of salt. With clean hands massage the ingredients together and place in the fridge to set.
Place your tofu on it’s side on a cutting board and cut it into 3-4 equal slabs. This step is optional, but I like to diagonally score the top surface of the tofu, only scoring it about a 1/3 of the way through.
Place the tofu into a shallow dish and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of tamari. Smash the stalks of lemongrass with the flat of your blade a few times then mince. Add 1 minced stalk of lemongrass on top of the tofu then squeeze the juice of half a lime on top. Allow that to marinade for about 10-15 minutes.
In a separate shallow dish, whisk together the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, zest of half a lime, garlic and thyme together. Take the tofu slabs and dredge in the cornstarch mixture and set aside.
Heat a large non-stick skillet with your oil over medium heat. When hot, place the tofu slabs in the pan score side down and sear for 5 minutes. Flip the tofu and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until both sides are golden.
As the tofu cooks, whisk together 2 tablespoons of tamari, the maple syrup, and vegetable broth in a small bowl then set aside.
Remove the tofu from the pan, then add the shallots and sauté for a minute. Add the remaining minced lemongrass and garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Lower the heat to low, then return the tofu cutlets to the pan and pour the sauce over the tofu. Allow the sauce to bubble in the pan. Flip the tofu in the pan to coat in the sauce then remove the pan from the stovetop.
To assemble, portion the noodles and cabbage slaw between three bowls. Cut the tofu cutlet into strips then serve overtop the noodles. If you’d like more sauce to serve overtop, deglaze the pan with the lemongrass with 2-3 tbsp of water and stir well, then spoon that over the tofu.

Notes

Score the top of your tofu. I like to diagonally score the tofu slabs a 1/3 of the way through to allow more of the teriyaki sauce to adhere to the tofu. More ridges more places for the flavorful sauce to stick to.

Save time with the slaw by using pre-shredded veggies. This means less chopping for you and you can dump them straight to a bowl to begin the slaw making process right away.