Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, nut-free and egg-free.
I cannot remember if I have ever had a regular schnitzel but I do love things coated in breadcrumbs. For me, texture plays a large part in food enjoyment and there is something about biting into a flavourful crunchy crumb.
In the past I have made tofu Kiev, southern tofu fried nuggets and tofu Katsu curry, which I loved. I saw an image of a schnitzel and the idea of making a vegan one started to form in my head.
I was so pleased with the way this recipe turned out, they were
- Crispy
- Delicious
- Flavourful
- Succulent
- Versatile
These make a delicious meal served with a salad, savoury rice, potato wedges or a selection of vegetables.
This easy meat alternative is quick and comes together to make this lovely vegan recipe which is rich in protein.
Schnitzel is a German/Austrian dish that means simply a thin slice. It usually consists of a slice of meat pounded with a meat mallet. The trick with this was to cut the tofu quite thin.
Can They be Frozen ?
Yes they can be frozen once they are fully made. Wrap individually in eco clingfilm and frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost fully before cooking. They can also be stored in the fridge fully wrapped for 3-4 days.
What other ways can it be cooked?
Arguably the method of shallow frying does produce the best-looking schnitzel as the oil produces the lovely golden crumb. Other ways they can be baked is
- Air Fryer Place each breaded fillet into your air fryer basket, leaving a little room around them for air circulation. Spray all over liberally with rapeseed/avocado or vegetable oil and cook at 200C for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking and spraying the other side.
- Oven Method Lay your fillets on a baking tray lined with baking parchment, and spray all over with oil the same as above. Cook for around 20-25 minutes at 190C, again turning halfway through cooking.
Ingredients Used
Tofu
For this recipe you need to use a firm to extra firm tofu. This is for several reasons. Firstly because it holds its shape well and slices easily. Also when it comes to handling the tofu and pressing it into the coating it does not fall apart.
You need tofu which comes ideally in a rectangular block with fairly straight sides such as
- Dragonfly
- Cauldron
- Sainsbury’s own
- Wicked
The Batter
The batter has to be thick enough to coat your tofu slices and to form a barrier which enables the coating to stick to the tofu. You also want to load the batter with flavour. It is of packing in the flavour. Instead of using milk in the batter, you could also use carbonated water or tonic water instead.
The Breadcrumb Coating
This is your last chance to pack the flavour in. You can play around with it and add seasonings of your choice
%20Schnitzel)
Vegan (Tofu) Schnitzel
Ingredients
The Batter
The Breadcrumb Coating
To Serve
Instructions
- Firstly you have to squeeze the excess water from the tofu, you can do this either using a tofu press or by wrapping it in kitchen paper and popping some heavy books on top. This can take from 30 minutes to an hour. You do not want it bone dry.
- This step can be left out if you wish, in my opinion, though the more flavour you add to tofu the better. Cut the pressed tofu into 4 large, thin pieces. place in a shallow dish and pour over the sweet chilli sauce and leave for 30 minutes at least.
- While that is marinading, make up the breadcrumb coating and place on a large deep plate. When you remove the tofu from the chilli sauce, sprinkle them all over with the cornflour. When you are ready to make up the schnitzels then combine the batter ingredients and pour into a wide bowl.
- Take each slice of tofu and dip it into the batter, making sure it is coated all over. Next, press it into the breadcrumbs and bring them up over the top of the tofu. All sides have to be coated in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the other few slices.
- To cook at they are made, pour into shallow frying pan some rapeseed/vegetable oil and a knob of dairy-free butter so it lightly covers the bottom of the pan. Place on a medium heat and once hot add the tofu steaks to the pan. Cook on either side for 7 minutes. Turn the heat down if they are starting to darken too quickly. Once cooked served straight away. Before eating squeeze the lemon wedge over the top of the schnitzel.
- Roasted Fresh Tomato Sauce
- We all Scream for Ice Cream
- Vegan (Tofu) Schnitzel
- “Cheese” and Tomato Tartlets
- Coffee & Walnut Cupcakes
If you make this, don’t forget to tag me on Twitter as @veganalchemist1 or on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thegfveganalchemist I love seeing your versions of the recipes. I would love to hear your comments too.
This looks amazing 😍
Thank you so much
Super recipe, so CRUNCHY and tasty. Will definitely be making this again soon. Cooked in my air fryer. Thankyou for an amazing, easy recipe. Would it be ok to cook from frozen? Maybe not as hot, but for longer?
In theory this should work. I usually take mine out of the freezer even if it is just for half an hour.
This plate looks healthy