If you love tofu, you’ve got to try my Crispy Honey-Garlic Tofu recipe! It’s deceptively easy to prepare, and everyone will be impressed with the sweet and spicy flavor. Serve this Asian-inspired, high-protein vegetarian meal with rice and veggies for a filling weeknight dinner the whole family will enjoy.
I didn’t purposely plan two garlicky recipes back to back, but with flu season in full swing, it’s not a bad idea to load up on garlic right now! Honey and garlic are great for the immune system and go together well in this recipe. My Crispy Honey-Garlic Tofu is easy to make and perfect for a plant-based weeknight dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Honey-Garlic Tofu
It’s a great way to use tofu – If you think tofu is boring or are just looking for new ways to use it, you’ll love this crispy baked version. This is one of my favorite ways to cook tofu and the perfect vehicle for this sticky honey garlic sauce.
It’s easy to make – Between the homemade sauce and crispy baked tofu, it may look like there’s a lot going on in this recipe, but the truth is, both are super easy and don’t take much time, so don’t be intimidated!
It’s packed with protein – I love using tofu as a main protein in my vegetarian meals because it’s low in calories and carbs but high in protein. This honey-garlic tofu will fill you up and help build muscle.
Why Your Body Will Love This High-Protein Recipe
Cardiovascular Health – Garlic contains allicin, a sulfur-containing compound responsible for its pungent taste and smell. Allicin has vasodilatory effects, helping to relax blood vessels and improve blood flow inside the body. This can lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Protein – Tofu is a complete protein. It contains all nine essential amino acids the body needs to build muscle and repair tissues. Half a cup of tofu contains 10 grams of protein, making it a great plant-based ingredient to incorporate into your diet.
Immune System Support – Honey is known for its antimicrobial, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. These aid in boosting the immune system and help the body fight infections.
Crispy Honey-Garlic Tofu Recipe Ingredients
Tofu – I like to use super-firm, high-protein tofu from either Trader Joe’s or Sprouts. You only need to pat it dry; no pressing is needed. If you can’t find super-firm tofu, you can use extra-firm tofu and make sure to press it for about 15 minutes.
Batter – The batter is made using all-purpose flour, milk (plant-based), and spices. I like to add paprika, granulated garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Panko – I like using panko to make the tofu extra crispy, but regular bread crumbs also work. If you don’t have breadcrumbs, you can also use crushed-up crackers.
Honey Garlic Sauce – The sauce is where it’s at! It’s sweet and savory, and full of honey and garlic. The other ingredients include water, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, chili garlic paste, and cornstarch.
How To Make Crispy Honey-Garlic Tofu
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside until ready to use.
Add the milk, flour, and spices to a large bowl. Whisk together until you have a thick batter. Add the tofu chunks to the bowl and gently mix until the tofu is completely coated in the batter.
Pour the panko over the tofu and carefully mix until the tofu is coated. The panko should stick pretty well to the tofu, but you can also use your fingers to press it on if any parts of the tofu lack batter.
Carefully dump the tofu onto the greased pan. Use your hands to spread it out, making sure it’s in a single layer and not stuck together.
Spray the top of the tofu with more cooking spray and place it in the oven. Bake the tofu until golden brown and crispy, 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Make the honey garlic sauce while the tofu is baking. Add all sauce ingredients to a medium bowl or jar and mix together well. Heat a large pan over medium heat and pour in the sauce. Cook the sauce, stirring regularly, until it’s thick and coats the back of a spoon, 3-5 minutes.
Add the crispy baked tofuto the saucepan and mix until the sauce completely coats the tofu. Turn the heat off and garnish with thinly sliced green onion and toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve with veggies and rice or your choice of grain.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use maple syrup instead of honey? Absolutely! Just use the exact same amount.
Can I use a store-bought stir-fry sauce instead? Yes. Use your favorite kind and add however much you like.
Is this recipe gluten-free? No, I used regular flour and breadcrumbs, but it can easily be made gluten-free if you use GF flour and breadcrumbs.
Is the honey-garlic sauce vegan? No, honey is not a vegan ingredient, but it can easily be substituted with pure maple syrup or agave syrup. If making vegan, be sure to use plant-based milk in the batter.
Can these be made with cauliflower instead of tofu? Yes, I often substitute cauliflower florets in this recipe.
Can this tofu dish be reheated? If you want the tofu to stay crispy, I recommend reheating it in the oven rather than the microwave.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP!
If you love tofu, you’ve got to try my Crispy Honey Garlic Tofu recipe! It’s deceptively easy to prepare and everyone will be impressed with the sweet and spicy flavor. Serve this Asian inspired high protein, vegetarian meal, with rice and veggies for a filling weeknight dinner the whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
1 (16 oz) package super firm, or extra firm tofu
1/3 cup plain plant based milk, or regular milk
1/3 cup all purpose flour, or gluten free all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Thinly sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Rice for serving
Honey Garlic Sauce
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup tamari, or soy sauce (I like to use low sodium)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1–2 teaspoons chili garlic paste, if you want some heat
2–3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F and spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside until ready to use.
Add the milk, flour, and spices to a large bowl. Whisk together until you have a thick batter. Add the tofu chunks to the bowl and gently mix until the tofu is completely coated in the batter.
Pour the panko over the tofu and carefully mix until the tofu is coated with panko. The panko should stick pretty well to the tofu, but you can also use your fingers to press it on if there are any parts of the tofu lacking in the batter.
Carefully dump the tofu onto the greased pan. Use your hands to spread out the tofu, making sure it’s in a single layer and not stuck together. Spray the top of the tofu with more cooking spray and place in the oven. Bake tofu golden brown and crispy, 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Make the honey garlic sauce while the tofu is baking. Add all sauce ingredients to a medium bowl, or jar, and mix together well. Heat a large pan over medium heat and pour in the sauce. Cook sauce, stirring regularly, until thickened and can coat the back of a spoon, 3-5 minutes.
Add in the crispy baked tofu into the pan with the sauce and mix together with the sauce, until tofu is completely coated. Turn the heat off and garnish with thinly sliced green onion and toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve with veggies and rice, or grain of choice.
Complete List of Fruits that Start with the Letter U (#1 is so ugly!)
Ok, fruits beginning with U is a tricky one. But don’t let that stop you. Read on for the full list!
It’s a strange list, this one, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much I did putting it together! It also contains my favourite fruit of all time.
Let’s see what fruit begins with the letter U and how you can use it if it’s up for grabs in your area.
Unveil the most popular fruits that start with U!
What’s a fruit that starts with U? The type of fruit I’m going for is considered culinary fruit, either by tradition or by scientific definition.
Ugli
The ugli fruit (such a mean name!), also known as Jamaican tangelo and uniq fruit, is a hybrid of grapefruit, tangerine, and Seville orange. Its distinctive look and taste were developed in Jamaica.
The citrus fruit has rough, wrinkled skin ranging in color from yellowish-green to orange. The fruit is bigger than a grapefruit and relatively simple to peel.
The ugli fruit taste suits many cocktails, smoothies, sweets, and sauces. If you don’t like grapefruit, you might want to give this one a try because it’s much less acidic.
You can also tell people you’ve made an ‘ugli cocktail!’.
The botanical name of the ugli fruit tree is Citrus reticulata × paradisi.
Ugni
Only one letter different, ugni, commonly known as Chilean guava or Ugni molinae, is a fruit-bearing shrub from Chile and Argentina.
This U fruit is round or oval and approximately the size of a blueberry (or a tiny grape). Fresh berries are deep red in colour and have white flesh.
Taste-wise, ugni berries fall in between the sweetness of strawberries and the tartness of cranberries and kiwis. They’re used to make jams, jellies, sauces, sweets, and drinks.
Umari fruit, technically known as Poraqueiba sericea, is a tropical fruit from the Amazon jungle in South America. Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador are its main locations.
Umari fruit is usually 2 to 4 cm in diameter. It has smooth and glossy skin that has a green or yellow color when unripe and turns a brilliant orange or red when completely ripe.
This unique fruit has a very creamy texture and buttery flavor. In fact, locals use it like butter to put over their bread. How cool is that?
Umbu
Spondias tuberosa, known as imbu, umbu, or Brazil plum is a Brazilian tropical fruit. It’s popular in the northeast of Brazil for its refreshing taste.
The round or oval Umbu fruit has thin and smooth green-to-yellow skin. Its sweet and tangy flesh combines pineapple, mango, and citrus burst of flavor.
Fresh umbu fruit is eaten by peeling the skin and eating the flesh or squeezing out the juice. Various drinks, ice cream, and pastries employ the juice.
Umbu jams and jellies can be smeared on toast or eaten as a topping or dip.
Umbra
Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands are home to the fruit-bearing tree Umbra (Spondias dulcis). You can also come across the names ambarella, June plum, and golden apple.
Umbra fruits are round, like little mangoes or apricots. Their ripe skin is smooth, yellow or golden, and somewhat fuzzy.
This U fruit tastes like a fusion of mango, pineapple, and citrus. It’s eaten raw or added to salads, sweets, and chutneys. Some cultures pickle young, immature fruit as a condiment.
Ume
Ume fruit also goes by the names Chinese plum, Japanese plum, and Japanese apricot. It’s a tree species native to East Asia and popular in Japanese dishes.
Its thin, fuzzy skin is green to yellow when unripe and crimson to orange when ripe. It has luscious, acidic flesh.
Ume fruit is culturally significant in Japanese cuisine and is used to produce umeboshi, a traditional condiment.
Umeboshi are pickled ume fruits preserved in salt and occasionally scented with shiso leaves. These sour, salty pickled fruits are consumed as a side dish or in rice balls (onigiri).
Umeshu, a Japanese liqueur, is also made from ume. It’s a sweet and fragrant drink created by soaking the fruits in alcohol, usually shochu or sake, and sugar.
Ume has potential health benefits in addition to its culinary usage. It may improve digestion, promote liver function, and supply antioxidants and vitamins.
This species is a member of the Prunus genus which includes plums, peaches, and cherries. It goes by the scientific name Prunus mume.
Usakhelauri grape
Usakhelauri, a rare Georgian grape variety (Vitis vinifera), makes excellent red wines. It’s mostly grown in Lechkhumi and Racha in western Georgia. Every year for my birthday I have red wine and cheese, and this one is my next plan. Roll on summer!
Usakhelauri grapes are dark purple or black and tiny. Their flavor profile and high sugar content create sweet and fragrant wines.
Usakhelauri grapes are notoriously low-yielding, making them a difficult variety to grow. Grapes are normally harvested with the utmost care and hand-picked.
Wines made from this grape are highly sought after by connoisseurs because of their rarity and high quality.
Uva Rara grape
Uva Rara is a red Italian wine grape varietal grown in Lombardy. Italian “Uva Rara” means “rare grape” due to its rarity compared to other grape varieties.
Uva Rara is typically blended with other red grapes to provide richness and depth to wines. It can include red berry, flowery, and spice notes.
Uva Rara grapes can also be developed into varietal wines. These medium-bodied wines with mild tannins include red fruit, herb, and earthy characteristics.
Uva Rara is also known as Bonarda Novarese.
Uva Tosca grape
Uva Tosca is a red wine grape produced in Emilia-Romagna, east-central Italy. It contributes to local wine production in Forlì-Cesena.
This type of grape was one of the few red wine grapes that could regularly mature in the foothills of the Apennines.
Uvalino grape
Uvalino is a red wine grape produced in Piedmont, northwest Italy. It contributes to Piedmont wine production despite its lesser fame.
Due to its high antioxidant resveratrol content, Uvalino has garnered notice in recent years for its health advantages.
As we’re starting to learn, many grapes start with U!
Uvilla
Uvilla (Physalis peruviana) is a fruit-bearing shrub endemic to Chile and Peru. It’s also commonly referred to as “Peruvian groundcherry,” “Cape gooseberry,” or simply “golden berry.”
Uvilla looks like a yellowish-green miniature tomato inside a husk, similar to a paper lantern, which turns from green to a golden or orange hue when the fruit is fully ripe.
The fruit has a nice sweetness-acidity balance. It’s frequently juiced, jammed, jellied, baked, or eaten fresh.
This is my favourite fruit of all time. I love the sweet bite with just hint of a sour behind it. In Germany, where I live, they are called Physalis and are relatively popular. In English-speaking countries they have various names, including cape gooseberry.
11 Surprising Fruits That Start With U: 2025 Edition!
Discover a world of extraordinary fruits that start with U. Explore their flavors, origins, and culinary possibilities in this captivating fruit guide.
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