This Crispy Tofu Cutlet with Cabbage Slaw recipe had a lot of different inspirations that led to its development, but mostly I wanted a crispy, creamy, vegetable-packed plant-based recipe that would put the cravable chicken cutlet to shame.
This is not here to compete with meat, but if you have a few friends who are skeptical of vegetarian meals, I definitely suggest you have them give this a try. This crispy tofu cutlet is a game-changer.
And this recipe is not just amazing because of the shallow-fried tofu. The creamy, easy, and wholesome slaw on top gives it an extra level of crunch, flavor and contrast. I never knew cabbage had this much in her. This fresh slaw perfectly balances the tofu cutlet, making this an equally fun but healthy meal.
Table of contents
Ingredients you’ll need for this recipe
For the crispy tofu cutlets
- 1 block extra firm tofu, drained and patted dry
- 1/2 cup (58g) panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup (120g) plant-based milk, or your milk of choice
- 1/4 cup (35g) whole wheat flour
- 1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, and Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 cup neutral frying oil, such as vegetable, canola, or avocado
For the cabbage slaw
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or skyr
- 1 lemon, for zest and juice
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated with a microplane
- 1/2 cup (1 oz) mint leaves
- 1/2 cup (1 oz) dill
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 small (1 lb) red cabbage head
- 1/2 large (5 oz) red onion, or 1/2 cup pickled red onions
For toppings
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon honey
How to bread and shallow fry these tofu cutlets
- First, drain the tofu and press out any excess moisture. Slice it into 6 pieces, each about 1-inch thick. Press the pieces gently with a paper towel and set aside.
- Add the panko breadcrumbs to a shallow bowl and season with salt. Add the milk to another bowl. To a third bowl, add 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Coat each piece of tofu in the flour mix first, then dip it in the milk, then toss it in the panko bread crumbs so that it is coated on all sides.
- Place a large pan over medium heat. Add the oil until it’s around 3/4 inch high. Bring the oil up to between 325°F-350°F. Shallow fry the cutlets for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Move them to a paper towel to drain.
How to make the cabbage slaw
To a large bowl, add 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, zest in 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and squeeze in the lemon juice. Grate in 2 garlic cloves, thinly slice 1/2 cup of mint and 1/2 cup of dill and add that in as well. Add in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of coriander, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Whisk until smooth and season to taste.
Thinly slice the red cabbage and add it to the bowl. Add the red onion, but don’t mix yet.
The best way to assemble this recipe
Now it’s time to mix the slaw well, then pile it onto three plates. Top with two pieces of tofu, plus a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and a drizzle of honey. Flaky salt is optional, but great.
Storage tips
These tofu cutlets are best fresh, but you can absolutely prep the components ahead of time if you want to make assembly easier throughout the week.
Store the crispy tofu cutlets and cabbage slaw separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. The slaw will continue to soften slightly as it sits, but the flavors get even better after a few hours in the fridge.
To reheat the tofu, place the cutlets in a 400°F oven for 5-8 minutes, or until warmed through and crispy again. I don’t recommend microwaving if you want to keep the texture crunchy.
Watch the video here:
The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.
Looking for other tofu recipes?
Peanut Ginger Tofu Sandwich
Sticky Tofu & Fairytale Eggplant
Honey Coriander Tofu Chicken Wings
And that’s it for this Crispy Tofu Cutlet with Cabbage Slaw recipe!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
For the crispy tofu cutlets
- 1 block extra firm tofu, drained and patted dry
- 1/2 cup (58g) panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup (120g) plant-based milk, or milk of choice
- 1/4 cup (35g) whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 cup neutral frying oil, such as vegetable, canola, or avocado
For the slaw
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt or skyr
- 1 lemon, for zest and juice
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated
- 1/2 cup (1 oz) mint, sliced
- 1/2 cup (1 oz) dill, sliced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 small (1 lb) red cabbage head
- 1/2 large (5 oz) red onion, or 1/2 cup pickled red onions
For toppings
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- First, prepare the tofu. Drain the block of tofu and press out any excess moisture. Slice it into 6 pieces, each about 1-inch thick. Press the pieces gently with a paper towel and set aside.
- Next, assemble the slaw. To a large bowl, add 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, the juice from 1 lemon, and 2 grated garlic cloves. Thinly slice 1/2 cup of mint and 1/2 cup of dill and add that in as well. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of coriander, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Whisk until smooth, season to taste.
- Thinly slice 1/2 head of red cabbage and add it to the bowl. Add 1/2 of a red onion and add to the bowl but don’t mix it yet.
- Now it's time to make the tofu cutlets. Add 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs to a shallow bowl and season with salt. Add 1/2 cup of milk to another bowl. And, to a third bowl, add 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour and 1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Coat each piece of tofu in the flour mix first, then dip it in the milk, then lastly toss it in the panko bread crumbs so that it is coated on all sides.
- Place a large pan over medium heat, add 1 cup of oil, or enough until it’s around 3/4 inch high. Bring the oil up to between 325°F-350°F. Shallow fry the cutlets for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Transfer them to a paper towel to drain.
- Mix the slaw well, then pile it onto three plates. Top with two pieces of tofu, plus a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a drizzle of honey. Flaky salt is optional, but great.
Old Version
Below is the single-serving recipe that was first developed in 2022. For the updated recipe, please see the above.
Total cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
For the crispy tofu cutlets
- 1 block extra firm tofu, drained and patted dry
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt
- 1 cup sunflower oil or grapeseed oil, for shallow frying
For the slaw
- 1/2 small red cabbage head
- 1/2 small red onion
- 2 stalks celery
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt or skyr
- 1 lemon for zest and juice
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated with a microplane
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- Fresh cracked black pepper and kosher salt as needed
For toppings
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- Take the extra firm tofu and prop it on its side. Cut it into three long, thin rectangular pieces. Set these on a cutting board and put paper towels on top, place a baking sheet on top and weigh it down to press any liquid out of the tofu. Set this aside for about 10 minutes.
- Next, assemble the slaw. Thinly slice the red cabbage, red onion and celery. Chiffonade cut the mint leaves and roughly tear the parsley.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, zest from the whole lemon, grated garlic cloves, lemon juice, olive oil, coriander, salt and pepper. Whisk and taste, add olive oil, salt and pepper as needed.
- Toss in the mint, parsley, cabbage, onion and celery. Use clean hands to toss until all the vegetables are coated in the dressing. Set this aside.
- Now it’s time to make the tofu cutlets. Use three separate bowls to prep the coating. In one bowl whisk together the flax and water to make a flax egg, in another bowl add the panko bread crumbs, and in the last bowl add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
- Toss each piece of tofu in the flour first, then dip it in the flax egg, lastly toss it in the panko bread crumbs so that it is coated on all sides.
- Put a large pan on medium heat and bring your oil up to 350°F. When the oil is ready, shallow fry each cutlet for 2 minutes on each side, or until it is golden brown. Remove the cutlets with tongs and let them drain any excess oil on paper towels.
- To assemble the cutlets, plate with the tofu first, then add a generous heap of the slaw. Top with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and a drizzle of honey. Enjoy as soon as you can. 🙂
Comments
I love the texture of the tofu! I think it would be nice to soak in salted water for a little more flavor if there is time, Great dish!
ooo I love the idea of brining it! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
This was my first time cooking with tofu and it turned out wonderful! I used one beaten egg in place of the flax meal/water mixture, and left out the mint because I wasn’t brave enough to try it lol. I also realized I didn’t have enough yogurt so I substituted with sour cream. Despite these alterations, it was still delicious! Thanks for introducing me to this new food via a yummy and approachable recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
This was unreal. Low effort high reward recipe. No notes.
Omg I’m so thrilled you liked it – thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
In your tik tok you mentioned having a spicy version to the crispy tofu. Would that just be marinating the tofu in a hot sauce? I’d love to try it.
It’s titled “Nashville Hot Tofu” on this blog! It’s super good 🙂
Saw this on instagram last week and haven’t been able to get it out of my mind… made for dinner last night and it was DELICIOUS!! Big fan. Thank you!
Omg YAY I’m so glad you made it!! Thank you for taking the time to leave a rating and review <3
My husband and I love this recipe and have made it innumerable times. Our favorite way to remix is by swapping the red onion with matchstick cut apple! so yummy
I’m so thrilled you both love it! The apple swap sounds delicious. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
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