Southern Style BBQ Tofu is crispy, saucy and loaded with flavour! If you’ve never tried tofu, this recipe will make you fall in love with it!
BBQ Tofu
The first time I tried BBQ Tofu while I was in the South, I knew I had to step up my tofu game to include it in my arsenal. Southern Style BBQ Sauce is my favourite, and along with flavours of smoky and sweet, the tangy/vinegar-y notes made the entire experience so memorable. This is a dish that you will for sure want to make, love and enjoy!
Notes on Ingredients
extra firm tofu – Use 1 16-ounce block of tofu, pressed for at least 30 minutes, and chopped into cubes or triangles.
soy sauce – this adds a wet marinade to soak into the inside of the tofu too, and lots of flavour.
sea salt – my preferred salt. Do not use a lot as you’re also adding soy sauce in the seasoning as well as in the sauce.
black pepper – for seasoning the tofu.
cornstarch – to coat the tofu to help with the crisping up of it. Cornstarch draws out excess liquid too, so I wouldn’t skip it.
oil – a neutral oil would be best, such as peanut oil.
barbecue sauce – I prefer a more vinegar-y barbecue sauce, so using a store-bought Southern brand should work great that’s also vegan (such as Stubb’s).
How to Make BBQ Tofu
Marinate the Tofu: In a medium-sized bowl place the pressed and torn tofu. Add in the soy sauce and toss to coat. Add in the sea salt, black pepper, and cornstarch, and toss to thoroughly combine.
Cook the Tofu: Heat a pan or wok over medium-high heat, and add the oil. When hot, add the tofu and toss to crisp up on all sides until the tofu is cooked and crisped on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat briefly to add the bbq sauce.
Add the Barbecue Sauce: Add the barbecue sauce over the top of the tofu. Stir together completely. Reduce heat to low and let it cook until nice and sticky, about 5 full minutes.
Tips for the Tofu
- Adjusting the flavour. Once the sauce is done (and has cooled a bit), give it a taste and see if you want to add more sweetener or tangy element.
- Press the tofu. When you press the tofu first, it’s better able to absorb the flavors you add to it. It will also cook up crispier! Learn more: How To Cook Tofu
- Don’t crowd it. If you have to make the tofu in two batches, it’s better to do that than to crowd your air fryer. Crowded tofu won’t get crispy!
- If you have a very thick bbq sauce that can spread, definitely thin it out a bit with some water.
Related Recipes
BBQ Tofu (Southern Style)
Ingredients
- 1 lb block extra firm tofu pressed for at least 30 minutes and torn into 1 inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 1/2 cups bbq sauce barbecue sauce store bought (like Stubb's) or try my homemade recipe
Instructions
For the Crispy Tofu
- In a medium-sized bowl place the pressed and torn tofu. Add in the soy sauce and toss to coat. Add in the sea salt, black pepper, and cornstarch, and toss to thoroughly combine.
- Heat a pan or wok over medium-high heat, and add the oil. When hot, add the tofu and toss to crisp up on all sides until the tofu is cooked and crisped on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat briefly to add the bbq sauce.
Add on the BBQ Sauce
- Add the barbecue sauce over the top of the tofu. Stir together completely. Reduce heat to low and let it cook until nice and sticky, about 5 full minutes.