Crispy Thai Basil Tofu
Golden, craggy-edged baked tofu tossed in a sticky garlic-chilli glaze with fresh peppery Thai basil.
Forget bland, spongy tofu! The secret to restaurant-quality tofu at home comes down to two things: texture and big, bold flavour. By crumbling pressed firm tofu instead of neatly cubing it, you create craggy, jagged edges that turn shatteringly crispy when baked. Those golden crannies then soak up a sticky, umami-packed garlic and chilli glaze, perfectly balanced by the peppery warmth of fresh Thai basil. Fast, fiery, and high in protein—this recipe will completely transform the way you cook tofu!
Before you start
Get your mise en place ready so nothing catches you out mid-cook.
Method
- 1
Prep & Choose Your Crisping Method
Crumble the pressed 200 g firm tofu into rough, bite-sized pieces and toss with 1 tbsp sesame oil. Cook using your preferred method below:
- 2
Option 1: Oven Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread tofu in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 200°C for 20–25 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden and crispy around the edges.
⏱ 20 min200°C - 3
Option 2: Air Fryer Method
Transfer tofu to the air fryer basket in a single layer (cook in batches if needed). Air fry at 200°C for 12–15 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes until extra crunchy and golden.
⏱ 15 min200°C
The rest of this recipe
There’s 4 more ingredients and 5 more steps to go.
Start 7 days free and the rest of Crispy Thai Basil Tofu opens in full.
- Every recipe in full, this one included
- One shopping list across everything you’re cooking
- Servings that scale, and cups instead of grams
- Ask Chef Ivana Sanshia a question on any recipe
A payment method is collected at checkout. Your 7 days are free; cancel before they’re up and you’re not charged. After that your plan renews automatically until you cancel, which takes two clicks in your account.
Ivana Sanshia’s note
Air-frying gets you the crunchiest result in the shortest time, but crumbling the tofu (rather than cubing) is the key across all three methods to ensure maximum crispy surface area!
Pressing your tofu beforehand is non-negotiable! Drawing out the excess moisture ensures the tofu absorbs the sesame oil and crisps up instead of steaming.
Club
Ask Chef Ivana Sanshia
If you have any questions, ask, and Ivana Sanshia replies to you personally. No Bots, No AI.
Sent to Chef Ivana Sanshia
She reads every question herself and replies by email, usually within a day or two.
Filed under
Picked by Ivana Sanshia
Other dishes you might like
All recipes →Hand-picked to round out the meal, or simply to cook next.
