Lemon Pepper Tofu

Crispy pieces of tofu seasoned with lemon pepper and coated in a sticky and delicious lemon pepper sauce, this lemon pepper tofu recipe is a flavor-packed plant-based recipe perfect for dinner or meal prep!

Pan-fried to perfection, each bite of tofu is delightfully crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside and coated in a bright, flavorful sauce! Inspired by my grilled lemon pepper chicken and honey lemon pepper wings, this lemon pepper tofu is a delicious plant-based version that everyone will love!

 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s very easy to make! You pan-fry the tofu, heat up the sauce, and then combine the two!
• Everything is made in one pan! This recipe pan-fries the tofu and cooks the sauce in the same skillet. There is no need to turn on the oven to make crispy tofu!
• These lemon pepper tofu bites are perfect as an easy weeknight meal but they also keep well, so you can use this recipe as a meal prep and enjoy it throughout the week.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• extra firm tofu — make sure you use extra-firm tofu. I’d even avoid swapping the extra firm tofu for firm tofu as extra firm tofu has less water than firm tofu. Extra firm tofu also holds its shape much better and is excellent for slicing, cubing, baking, frying, etc. Make sure the tofu has been pressed beforehand. I highly recommend not skipping this step as it will help excess moisture to be released. This way, the tofu can get crispier and stay crispy! The linked post will show you how to press your tofu without using a tofu press. I’m using Fontaine Sante Tofu, which is 400 grams per pack.
• lemon pepper seasoning — usually I just go with some homemade lemon zest + black pepper + garlic powder + onion powder combination but I went with lemon pepper seasoning instead, just to make things a little easier. I didn’t want to lose the subtle flavor to the pan while shallow frying the coated tofu!
• cornstarch — this coats the tofu so it’ll get crispy when pan frying in oil. You can also use potato starch!
• oil — I use olive oil but avocado oil or any neutral oil is great!
• homemade lemon pepper sauce — you’ll need vegetable broth (I use low-sodium), cornstarch, fresh lemon juice (skip the bottle!), lemon zest, maple syrup, soy sauce, and pepper.

How to Make Lemon Pepper Tofu

• Add the pressed and cubed tofu to a bowl along with lemon pepper and cornstarch. Toss well to combine.

• Add the vegetable broth and cornstarch to a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
• Add the rest of the sauce ingredients (lemon juice, lemon zest, maple syrup, soy sauce, and ground pepper). Set aside.

• Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large non-stick pan. Add the tofu in a single layer. Pan fry them for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden and crispy.

• Set aside the tofu and wipe off any leftover oil. Add the sauce to the pan (it will bubble immediately), and simmer for a minute, letting the sauce thicken.
• Add the tofu back to the pan and toss well to combine. Finish off with extra pepper and lemon juice if desired.

Recipe Tips and Notes

• You can cube the tofu into whatever size you prefer. Sometimes I like small bite-sized pieces, sometimes I prefer larger pieces, and sometimes I slice them thinly (like I do for my teriyaki tofu). It’s up to you how you’d like to enjoy your lemon pepper tofu! For a meatier texture, you can hand-tear the tofu after pressing.
• You can use less oil if you prefer. I don’t mind using a little extra and then wiping the pan clean afterward.
• Try not to move the tofu cubes until the side being fried has crisped up. Flipping them before they’re ready will make the process longer.
• Feel free to add some sriracha or red pepper flakes to the lemon pepper sauce to add some heat to it.

Make Ahead Tips

• Meal prep: once cooled, store the cooked crispy lemon pepper tofu recipe in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. I pack mine with jasmine rice or brown rice as a meal prep, but this goes well with coconut rice and purple rice as well! I also like to pair this tofu recipe with air fryer broccoli, seasoned spinach, or air fryer asparagus for some added greens.
• To reheat: simply microwave the tofu or add it to a skillet to warm through. If the sticky lemon pepper sauce is a little too thick, add a splash of water to the sauce when reheating.

More Tofu Recipes to Try

• Tofu Bulgogi
• Orange Tofu
• Silken Tofu Recipe with Soy Sesame Sauce
• Crispy Sesame Tofu

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