Vegan Tofu Schnitzel

This is a super easy but very delicious tofu schnitzel recipe with an amazing, crispy coating on flavorful, marinated tofu, is a perfect weeknight meal! The key is double coating! Nutfree, with gluten-free and soyfree options

Table of Contents

We press the tofu and then make a flavorful marinade. Then, we make a quick, one bowl batter. We put the marinated tofu in the batter, and then coat it with breadcrumbs and repeat for another coating then pan fry. 

The results are so super crispy, you are going to just love it.

You can also bake this tofu schnitzel and then serve it with some lemon slices and a sauce of choice, or with some gravy like my simple one pan gravy or my mushroom gravy.  Or serve over salad or over creamy pasta. It is super versatile! You can also make them into sandwiches by using bread or burger buns and layering them with greens or lettuce, vegan mayo, and other toppings of choice.

The key to the crust sticking to the tofu and staying crisp is doubling the coating! The batter sticks really well and makes a really delicious, crispy crust. It basically tastes like a crispy fried chicken patty!!

Why You’ll Love Tofu Schnitzel

• ultra crispy, double-breaded tofu with no deep frying needed!
• one-bowl, flavorful marinade
• nut-free with easy gluten-free and soy-free options

More Crispy Tofu Recipes

Recipe Card

Ingredients and Substitutions

• tofu – Use extra firm tofu, and be sure to press well so it’s super firm before you use it. You can use chickpea or pumpkin seed tofu for a soy-free option.
• marinade ingredients – The marinade is simply water, garlic powder, soy sauce, and poultry seasoning. So easy!
• batter ingredients – The batter is also super simple, made from non-dairy milk, flour, soy sauce, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, and salt. You can use gluten-free flour and tamari to make this gluten-free.
• breadcrumbs – The breadcrumb mixture is just breadcrumbs or panko mixed with salt and pepper. Use gluten-free breadcrumbs for a gluten-free option.
• oil – To pan fry the tofu schnitzel.

Tips

• While the tofu presses and marinates, mix up the batter and breadcrumbs, so you’re ready to go. You can also use this pressing/marinating time to make the gravy or any other sides you want to serve.
• Mix the flour into the batter really well – it won’t want to mix in right away, but don’t give up! To thicken the batter more, add another teaspoon or two of extra flour. You want it to reach a thickness that will adhere really well to the tofu and hold onto the breading.
• After browning the tofu on the tops and bottoms, brown the sides by pushing the tofu schnitzel to the hot sides of the pan.

How to Make Vegan Tofu Schnitzel

First, prep and marinate the tofu.

Press the tofu if you haven’t already. Then, slice it into 3 slices that are each 1⁄4” thick. I usually also remove some from the edges, so that it resembles something like a chicken breast shape. 

Make your marinade by mixing all of the marinade ingredients together in a shallow bowl until well combined. 

Add the tofu cutlets to the marinade, and coat both sides. Let this sit while you prepare your batter and the breadcrumb mixture. 

Add all of the batter ingredients to another shallow bowl, and mix really well. It’ll take a minute for the flour to mix in. If the mixture is too thin, you can mix in another 1 to 2 teaspoons of flour. You want the batter to be thick enough that it can coat the tofu cutlets and not completely fall off. 

For the breading, combine the breadcrumbs, salt, and black pepper in a shallow bowl and set aside. 

Now, you’re ready to bread and fry the tofu.

Make your breading station by arranging your three bowls so you can easily transfer the tofu from the marinade bowl to the batter bowl and then to the breadcrumb mixture. 

Use a fork to transfer each tofu cutlet into the batter from the marinade and then flip to coat well with the batter. Use a different fork to transfer the tofu cutlet to the breadcrumb bowl, and using a spoon, sprinkle breadcrumbs all over, so that the breadcrumbs stick all over the tofu cutlet. 

Transfer this tofu cutlet back to the batter to coat it again, and use a spoon to drizzle some of the batter all over the tofu. Then, transfer back to the breadcrumb mixture to coat it with more of the breadcrumbs.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet, and then transfer the breaded tofu cutlet to the skillet. 

Repeat the double breading process for the remaining tofu cutlets, and add them to the skillet, as well. Cook until the cutlets are golden on one side. Then, use a spatula to flip them and continue to cook until they’re golden on the other side, as well. This will take anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes, depending on your skillet and the pan and the stove. 

Once the cutlets are cooked and golden on both sides, you also want to move the cutlets around to the edges of the pan, so that they can get golden on the shorter edges, as well,

Remove the cutlets from the pan, and put them on a cooling rack, so that they don’t sweat and soften that nice, crispy breading. Serve these immediately with sliced lemon and gravy or a sauce or dip of your choice. You can also serve this over salad or with mashed potatoes and gravy. 

Frequently Asked Questions