Crunchy Tofu Fish Fillets are a healthy vegan recipe that is high in protein, low in fat, and easy to make. Tofu replaces fish for a quick, high-protein meal. Oil-free and easily made gluten-free.
Fish sticks with mac and cheese were a huge part of my childhood. Not wanting to deprive my children of the experience, but spare them the heart disease, I decided to try and recreate a very special memory.
Ladies and gentlemen, CRUNCHY TOFU FISH FILLETS!
Are they exactly like fish? No. Will they fool anyone into thinking they are fish? It’s possible, but I wouldn’t bet my house on it. But, are they close enough to satisfy an old craving? ABSOLUTELY!
The flavor, flaky texture, and crunchy breading of these tofu fillets are so good. And, the seaweed gives them a hint of fish flavor. It’s possible you might even think you are eating fish again.
Whip up a batch of my easy vegan tartar sauce and vegan mac and cheese and you’ve got a meal any kid will love!
Bonus? No frying in hot oil and no animal products!
Vegan fish and chips anyone? Let’s do it!
Ingredients and substitutions
A single block of tofu, some seaweed, and a few spices are all you need to make these crunchy tofu fish fillets.
- Tofu: firm or extra firm tofu are best for getting a fish texture. And, the fillets won’t fall apart. You could even use super firm protein. DO NOT use silken tofu.
- Nori: roasted seaweed ground up and mixed with the bread crumbs gives the filets that “fishy” flavor. Kelp granules are also an excellent option and require no chopping.
- Flour Mixture: cornstarch, Old Bay Seasoning, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and onion powder. You could also add other spices to the like dill and paprika. I opted for cornstarch over flour because I feel it helps things to crispen up a little better. But, you could use organic unbleached all purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour.
- Vegan Buttermilk: a mixture of unsweetened non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar. The only milk that won’t work is oat milk.
- Breading: Panko breadcrumbs are perfect because they’re super crunchy. So, there’s no need to deep fry. If you need this recipe to be gluten-free use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
How To Make Crunchy Vegan Tofu Fish Fillets
Tofu isn’t just for stir-fries. Watch it transform into a crunchy fish fillet right before your eyes. This recipe is healthy, delicious, and makes a terrific, hearty snack.
NOTE: This recipe is simple but does require a process. And, it’s important that you follow the process in the order I show you.
- First things first, go ahead and preheat your oven to 425˚F.
- Now, open the package of tofu and drain the excess water and you’re going to press it. You don’t need some fancy tofu press. But, they are nice 😉
- Place the tofu block on a flat surface like a cutting board lined with paper towels or a clean dishtowel. Cover it with another layer of paper towels, set a baking sheet or plate on top, and something heavy, like a large book, canned vegetables, or cast-iron skillet. Let it sit like this for 10 minutes.
Set out three bowls and follow the procedure listed below in each photograph. You got this!
First Bowl.
Add the cornstarch, Old Bay Seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and nutritional yeast. And, you may also add salt and pepper if you wish. Whisk everything together.
Second bowl.
Pour 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into the second bowl.
Whisk the milk until bubbles start to form like the photo above. Then, let it sit for 5 minutes – vegan buttermilk!
Third bowl.
Finally, add the panko breadcrumbs and ground-up nori sheets to the third bowl and mix together.
Now, the fun begins!
Slice The Tofu, Assemble, and Bake
- Turn the tofu block on its side and cut down the middle lengthwise, then slice those pieces down the middle so you end up with 4 equal tofu slices.
- Take each tofu slice and coat in the flour, then the buttermilk, and finally coat in the panko bread crumbs. Place each breaded tofu slice onto the prepared baking sheet and repeat until finished.
- Place the in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the tofu fish fillets are golden brown. Feel free to bake them a little longer if you wish just don't burn them.
How To Serve Crunchy Vegan Tofu Fish Fillets
Vegan fish fillets are a delicious and easy weeknight dinner for adults or kids. Enjoy them as you would regular fillets.
- Sprinkle with some malt vinegar then dip them in my easy vegan tartar sauce for an absolute taste explosion.
- Bake up some of oil-free crispy Cajun fries and enjoy the best vegan fish and chips!
- Serve them over brown rice with a side of steamed vegetables
- Cook up some pasta, place the tofu fish fillets on top, and sprinkle with some lemon juice.
- Make it simple: enjoy these fillets with a side of easy roasted asparagus.
Tips and Notes
Gluten-free: use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs or cornmeal to make these vegan tofu fish fillets completely gluten-free.
Storage: These fillets are best enjoyed fresh. You can store leftovers in the fridge but they won’t be crunchy once you reheat them. They are not freezer-friendly.
More Healthy Tofu Recipes
I hope you enjoy these Crunchy Tofu Fish Fillets. Please leave a comment below with a star rating. And, be sure and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #shaneandsimple. I want to see your work. Enjoy!
Crunchy Tofu Fish Fillets (Healthy, High Protein)
Crunchy Tofu Fish Fillets are a healthy vegan recipe that is high in protein, low in fat, and easy to make. Tofu replaces fish for a quick, high-protein meal.
- Prep Time: 15 mins.
- Cook Time: 25 mins.
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 fillets 1x
- Category: Vegan Main Dish
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 package (14-ounce) of Extra Firm Tofu
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 2 cups vegan buttermilk
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (may sub whole wheat breadcrumbs or cornmeal)
- 2 nori sheets, finely chopped or ground-up in blender (or sub 2 tablespoons of kelp granules)
Instructions
- First things first, go ahead and preheat your oven to 425˚F.
- Now, open the package of tofu, drain the excess water and press it. Place the tofu block on a flat surface like a cutting board lined with paper towels or a clean dishtowel. Cover it with another layer of paper towels, set a baking sheet or plate on top, and something heavy, like a large book, canned vegetables, or cast-iron skillet. Let it sit like this for 10 minutes.
- Set out three bowls: To the first bowl add the cornstarch, Old Bay Seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and nutritional yeast. You may also add salt and pepper if you wish. Whisk everything together. To the second bowl add 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and whisk until bubbles start to form on top. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Finally, to the third bowl add the panko breadcrumbs with ground-up nori sheets and mix together.
- Once the tofu is finished being pressed, turn the tofu block on its side and slice it down the middle lengthwise, then slice those pieces in half so you end up with 4 equal tofu slices.
- Take each tofu slice and coat in the flour, then the buttermilk, and finally coat in the panko bread crumbs. Place each breaded tofu slice onto the prepared baking sheet and repeat until finished.
- Place the in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the tofu fish fillets are golden brown. Feel free to bake them a little longer if you wish just don't burn them.
- Enjoy with easy vegan tartar, garlic basil vegan aioli, or other favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
Gluten-free: use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs or cornmeal to make these vegan tofu fish fillets completely gluten-free.
Storage: these fillets are best enjoyed fresh. You can store leftovers in the fridge but they won’t be crunchy once you reheat them. They are not freezer-friendly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 fillet
- Calories: 273
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 138.7 mg
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.7 g
- Fiber: 2.3 g
- Protein: 8.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
These are crispy , have a fishy taste and we really enjoyed them! Next time, I will cut them into fish sticks so there is more coating around each one. I only made 1/2 of the ingredients for the 3 bowls and had plenty, I could have used even less of the milk and cornstarch. Will definitely have them again!
It came out great. I don’t see see as many
Vegan fish tasting recipes, so I was happy to come across this.
I added some lemon, and dipped them in vegan mayo sauce with chipotle sauce.
I didn’t have old bay seasoning, so I improvised with paprika. I ate them cold the second day, they were just as good.
Next time I realize, I need less of the ingredients in the three bowls, breadcrumbs, milk and cornstarch. Also,next time I’ll try frying them for comparison. Thank you.
Hi, Shane,
Thanks for this recipe, it looks wonderful. I haven’t tried it as yet, however I wanted to ask if I can use Arrowroot Starch or Wholemeal Flour instead of Cornstarch?
Thank you,
Yes. It should be fine.
Do you think it would work if I prepared them the night before (not baking them though) and bake them the next day at lunch?
I’m not sure the breadcrumbs would stay crunchy. But, if you mean cook them and then bake again that would work.
…and the next morning, you cut leftover fillets into two or three pieces, each the same length and width as the original but half or one-third the thickness. Warm and recrisp them in an oven, air fryer, or skillet, then let a thick slice of avocado soften a minute or two into the fillet. Great breakfast!
Oh, yes!
We loved these. We didn’t have noori or kelp in the house so I made without. We topped with garlic lemon hummus. We really liked the crunch these have.
Shane, I just made your recipe for crunchy fish filet. It was delicious but…..the measurements for the cornstarch flour, soy milk, and breadcrumbs are off. I had double the amount for what I needed. It seems like something ch a waste. This is the first time I’ve been disappointed and ve made a lot of your recipes.
Hi, Judith! I’m sorry to hear that. When I develop the recipes they’re based on my habits and what I use and how I use the ingredients. I’m not the neatest cook so it’s possible I tend to overuse ingredients. I would suggest simply cutting back next by at least half and if you need more then mix up another batch. Hope this helps. ~Shane
My daughter can’t have any type of corn…can I use a substitute for the corn starch?
Any other flour will work.
Hey Shane in your photo of the third bowl it looks like you added something else to the pinko and the nori. Just curious as to what it is, my guess is some spice to give it a little kick cuz that is what I would do.
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but love the ones I have made.
Thanks, Nancy
Hi, Nancy! It’s the Old Bay seasoning. I liked the way it looked with the colors so I just added it for the photography. Sorry for any confusion:) Blessings.
Would these work with an air fryer?
Absolutely!!!
Instead of nori sheets or kelp granules can I used black salt? If so how much would I use? Thank you
Hi, John!
Yes, if that is your preference but you definitely will not get a “fishy” taste. You only want to use about a teaspoon or so because it’s very strong. And, I would wait and just sprinkle it on after everything has cooked. The flavor of black salt seems to disappear as it cooks.
Shane
Crunchy Tofu Fish Fillets are a healthy vegan recipe that is high in protein, low in fat, and easy to make. Tofu replaces fish for a quick, high-protein meal. Oil-free and easily made gluten-free.
Hi, Mary! If you look down at the bottom of the post in the recipe card I have a couple of links for panko that are whole wheat and a gluten-free brand as well. That being said, cornmeal or regular whole wheat breadcrumbs would work. But, you’re not going to get the extra crunchiness that comes from panko. Good luck!