During my recent trip to London, I tried 3 different vegan fish and chips dishes. They were all good-ish, but none of them were great. The most interesting vegan fish I tried was made from a banana blossom, but banana blossoms aren't easily available here in Toronto. The other two I tried were both called tofish and chips where the "fish" was made from tofu. These were both only ok. They both used nori (the same seaweed that is used to make sushi rolls) as a kind of fish skin, which was pretty neat. But the tofu itself was way underseasoned and lacked texture.
The good news? I knew I could improve on this greatly to make a tofish and chips that had a ton of flavour and a cool flaky texture. Home cooking for the win!
For the texture, I was inspired my friend The Easy Vegan where he sliced blocks of tofu very thinly to give a flaky-like texture. I took his method and adjusted it slightly to make it my own.
For the flavour, I first pressed the tofu to get as much water out as possible, then I made an umami-packed marinade, letting that soak into the tofu overnight. The thin slices on the tofu had the added benefit of enabling the marinade get deep into the tofu to make for the most flavourful vegan fish and chips.
And to finish it off, just like at the restaurants, I added a piece of nori on top of the tofu before dipping into batter before frying for a kind of skin that has the taste of the sea.
The result: the best tofish and chips I've ever had! Hands down. Hands down to pick up your fork and knife so you can eat more tofish.
Flaky flavourful tofish in a crispy beer batter (the beer is optional). Serve it with some homemade chips, I used my recipe for crispy baked french fries, but I cut the fries a little thicker for that chip vibe. Then serve it with vegan tartar sauce (page 144 in Fuss-Free Vegan), and slices of lemon. Or use whatever your favourite accompaniments are.
To make tofish and chips (vegan fish and chips): drain and press the tofu for 20 minutes or longer. See my guide on how to press tofu for more info.
Once the tofu is pressed, slice the tofu into four slices about 1" thick. To make the flaky texture, take one of the tofu pieces and slice the tofu part way through repeatedly about ¼" apart. It's helpful to use chopsticks on either side of the tofu to stop from cutting all the way through the tofu so the slices remain intact.
I like to cut the slices on a slight angle for that extra fishy texture. This technique not only makes the tofu look like fish, but it provides the flaky texture, and it lets the marinade soak through the tofu for maximum flavour!
Mix together the vegetable broth, lemon juice, white miso paste, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt in a flat dish or resealable bag. Add the tofu slices, being careful to handle them gently so they don't fall apart. Let marinate for a minimum of 1 hour or as long as a few days covered in the fridge. I usually marinate it overnight in the fridge.
To make a fish-like skin I use nori sheets (the same sheets of seaweed you use to roll sushi). Cut rectangles about the same size as the four tofu pieces.
To make the batter, in a medium bowl mix together the flour, paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Add 1 cup of soda water or beer and mix. Add up to ¼ cup more liquid as needed to reach a thick pancake batter consistency.
For frying the tofish, I prefer to do a shallow fry where only a small amount of oil is used. I'm personally not a big fan of deep frying as it can be quite dangerous. But if you are comfortable you are welcome to deep fry this tofish. Either way, always be extra careful when working with hot oil!
To shallow fry, pour enough oil to generously coat the bottom of a heavy skillet or pot. Put over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and ready for frying, take a piece of nori and place it on the side of the tofu that doesn't have cuts. Hold the nori on the tofu and dip the tofu into the batter to coat. Gently place the battered tofu directly into the hot oil, being careful as it may spit. Repeat with the remaining tofu slices. Fry 2 - 3 minutes per side, turning as needed until the batter is golden and crisp all over. 
Drain on paper towel. Serve hot with chips, a squeeze of lemon, and tartar sauce.
Bon appetegan!
Sam.
Tofish and Chips (vegan fish and chips)
Ingredients
For the tofish:
- 1 block (420g) firm tofu, drained and pressed (see step 1)
- ½ cup vegetable broth or water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the batter:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 - 1 ¼ cups soda water or beer
- 1 sheet nori, cut into pieces (see step 4)
- oil for frying
Add ons:
- 1 recipe Crispy Baked French Fries, cut slightly thicker to make a heartier chip
- 1 recipe Vegan Tartar Sauce (Page 144 in Fuss-Free Vegan)
- 1 lemon, sliced into wedges
Instructions
- Prep the tofu: drain and press the tofu for 20 minutes or longer. See my guide on how to press tofu for more info. Once the tofu is pressed, slice the tofu into four slices about 1" thick. To make the flaky texture, take one of the tofu pieces and slice the tofu part way through repeatedly about ¼" apart. It's helpful to use chopsticks on either side of the tofu to stop from cutting all the way through the tofu so the slices remain intact. See the photos in the post for a visual guide.
- Mix the marinade: mix together the vegetable broth, lemon juice, white miso paste, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt in a flat dish or resealable bag. Add the tofu slices, being careful to handle them gently so they don't fall apart. Let marinate for a minimum of 1 hour or as long as a few days covered in the fridge. I usually marinate it overnight in the fridge.
- Make the batter: in a medium bowl mix together the flour, paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Add 1 cup of soda water or beer and mix. Add up to ¼ cup more liquid as needed to reach a thick pancake batter consistency.
- Cut the nori: to make a fish-like skin I use nori sheets (the same sheets of seaweed you use to roll sushi). Cut 4 rectangles that are about the same size as the four tofu pieces. Set aside.
- Fry the tofish: pour enough oil to generously coat the bottom of a heavy skillet or pot. Put over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot and ready for frying, take a piece of nori and place it on the side of the tofu that doesn't have cuts. Hold the nori on the tofu and dip the tofu into the batter to coat. Gently place the battered tofu directly into the hot oil, being careful as it may spit. Repeat with the remaining tofu slices. Fry 2 - 3 minutes per side, turning as needed until the batter is golden and crisp all over. Drain on paper towel. Serve hot with chips, a squeeze of lemon, and tartar sauce.
Nutrition
Louise says
Hi Sam! Thank you so much for this fantastic recipe! It looked tasted and had the same texture as fish. A triumph!! I have pictures - so great. We didn’t ever think we would ever get out fish and chips craving satisfied. You’ve done it! Thank you
Marina says
This was super delicious! The recipe was easy to follow, the amounts in the recipe are on point, and the taste was really good and a bit like ocean or fish. Slicing the tofu is a very nice detail, it makes the tofish look like real fish when you cut it on your plate. Will definitely make again!
Samantha says
This recipe looks fantastic! However, I’m trying to watch my oil intake. Would it be possible to bake this in the oven instead of fry??? Perhaps with a slightly reduced amount of soda water/beer?
Sam Turnbull says
I would recommend my tofu fillets recipe instead 🙂
Robert Pennington says
Made it in the oven this evening and we both loved it!
Slightly modified "batter", less wet as you suggested, cornflour instead fo flour, plus a little lemon juice and a tiny amount of oil, but otherwise same spicing.
210°C for 20 minutes.
Af says
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Lawrence says
Great recipe! Question- when I went to flip the tofu in the pan, all the batter just fell right off and so I had tofu w crispy batter prices on the side. Is there a trick to getting it to stick? Did I not fry long enough? Any tips appreciated!
Sam Turnbull says
You just have to be very delicate with it and use a very good non stick pan. My favourite to cook with is a good cast iron skillet. Hope that helps! 🙂
COURTNEY BROWN says
Sounds like the panand oil weren't hot enough....
Cassidy says
Sam, another absolutely killer recipe!! I made this last weekend and I currently have another round marinating in the fridge! This really nailed my need for fish and chips. Thank you for your consistent rad creations!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing!! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much, Cassidy 🙂
Jane says
I haven’t tried this recipe yet but had a question before I do. I have no interest whatsoever in having anything that resembles fish skin in my food. . Has anyone ever tried putting fish sauce in the marinade. If so how much and how was it ?
Troy says
Jane. Do you mean vegan fish sauce?
Tate says
This is an A+ recipe! It tastes and feels almost exactly like fish. The diagonal slices are what make it look just like a filet! The process was easy, but used enough techniques and the outcome was so impressive that it really made me feel like I was a fancy chef, haha. I didn’t have potatoes so I made this fried fish and put it over rice with a spicy sweet Asian sauce and green onions. Before I was vegan I loved fish n chips, so next week (if I can wait that long) I am going to get some malt vinegar, make a tartar sauce and your chips and have a proper plate again! Thank you for your genius and generosity in sharing this rad recipe.
Laura Dinges says
Made this tonight and it was really good! The fried batter and tartar sauce definitely "made" the recipe and kind of helped fool you into thinking hey this is kind of like fish! As well as the sliced marinated tofu mimics the texture well (no chance of dry overcooked fish with tofu lol).
The biggest issue I ran into was slicing the tofu into 1" thick pieces- I couldn't figure out a good way to do that using my block of tofu. I'm not sure where exactly you're located, but if outside the USA maybe the tofu format is different? Including pics of how you cut the block would be helpful! Anyways what ended up happening is my pieces were about 1.5" thick, and then plumped up even more after soaking up marinade, which resulted in biting into a pretty thick chunk of tofu, which I think less tofu to more batter ratio probably tastes better. So next time I might make like 8 3/4" pieces, which would work as I had lots of extra batter. Thank you!
Kate says
Hi there,
This looks great. Do you think it could be prepped and frozen post-marinade or better yet post-batter and then cooked when required? Thanks so much!
Sam Turnbull says
I don't recommend freezing this dish as freezing tofu dramatically changes the texture. 🙂
cazzie says
Made this as a birthday dinner for my ommi partner it was a big hit he said the flavors were all their. I marinated the tofu for 24 hours and sprinkled norri flakes in the batter instead of using a sheet of norri. will defiantly make this again.
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Dinah says
I just made this recipe and there's a HUGE problem with it... The plate is empty and I want more XD
Sam Turnbull says
Bahaha! I love it.
Kamielle Strong says
This recipe inspired me to try making unbreaded tofish fillets, which turned out delicious!
I used the same technique to make it flaky. In my marinade, I subbed Bragg's liquid soy aminos for the miso (no miso currently on hand). Instead of cooking nori onto the tofu, I crumbled roasted seaweed into my marinade. I let the tofu marinate for just over 24 hours. Then, I salted and peppered it, slathered it in a (vegan) lemon garlic butter that I whisked up, and baked it at 425 for about 14 minutes.
I'm enjoying this delicacy as I type this. I paired it with brown rice and roasted veggies. Thank you for the inspiration! You always remind me that being vegan doesn't mean skipping certain dishes, just means getting creative.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that's wonderful, Kamielle! I will have to try your version sometime 🙂
Beata says
This looks like an absolute winner, and I am totally looking forward to making it and sharing with my SO! Well, maybe - if I don't devour it all before he has a chance to try it, hahahaha.
Just got my tofu press and the miso will arrive on Monday (didn't find miso in my local stores so had to order online). Can't wait! I do have a question however. the ingredients list says firm tofu, but in one of the comments I read you said you used extra firm tofu. Which is recommended the most for this recipe?
THANK YOU!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Frim tofu for the most fish-like texture. Probably a typo in the comments. SOrry about that! Enjoy!
Beata says
Fantastic - thank you so much for confirming! 🙂
Samara says
The first block I fried stuck to the pan. I switched to a rock pan, still with oil and it worked perfectly. However, when taking it out of the marinade (24 hours) it smelled fermented. After cooking it tastes fermented too. I realize now I forgot the miso ♀️. Do you think it went bad in the marinade or is that just how it would taste without the miso? Thanks!
Beata says
HI Samara! I've marinated my tofu well over 24 hours at least several times and I've never had a fermented taste, honestly... did you keep the tofu in the fridge while it was marinating?
carolina bootsma says
hi there, i like to meal prep and i was just wondering how many days i can keep these in my fridge for, or if they should only be served immediately ... thanks a ton!
Sam Turnbull says
They can marinate in the fridge for 3 - 4 days. Once fried you will want to serve them right away. Enjoy!
Lea says
This looks delicious (as so many of your recipes do). Thank you. I've pinned this.
Sam Turnbull says
Enjoy!
Meowmeow says
I need to try a variation of this for something I used to enjoy when I lived in Alaska - we always just called it "lunch lady halibut". Basically, it was broiled halibut that was covered in crushed Ritz crackers and consistently basted with butter. I can imagine leaving out the batter here and using crushed organic "Golden Rounds" from Whole foods, Miyoko's butter, and only adding a little nori flakes into the marinade to duplicate that simple dish, then serving with a side of mashed root veggies?
I always get so inspired when I see your recipes and think of new ways that they could be made! Thank, Sam! Will definitely have to try this as-is as well as the "lunch lady halibut" route!
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome!! Sounds like so much fun, I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Anastasia says
Hello from Ukraine! Your blog is awesome! Thank you for your warm, friendliness and ubbelievable recipes!
Sam Turnbull says
Hello Anastasia 🙂 Thank you so much! Hello from Canada!
Chris says
Gosh! This Tofish is superb. And I was not expecting it to be so easy to make. Thanks for this Sam, I got lots of compliments at dinner time. Greetings from Australia.
Sam Turnbull says
Greetings from Canada! So happy you enjoyed it, Chris 🙂
Nikki nunn says
Hands down, THE BEST vegan fish and chips I’ve ever made! AND it was toddler approved by my picky 2 1/2 year old! Totally can’t wait to make again!
Sam Turnbull says
Oh yay!!!! Thrilled you loved it so much 😀
Yulca says
Made it today - yum! Added another nori sheet on top of the tofu while marinating (and took it out before the batter step). Thanks once again for the great job you are doing!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Yulca! So happy you are enjoying so many of my recipes 🙂
Yulca says
That's because they are awesome!!!
When I tell omni hubby "There's this new thing I'd like to try for dinner...", he's like: "Ah. Mhm. Ok. You think that's any good?", me: "It's one of Sam's recipes.", him: "Oh, cool, great, they are always yummy!"... and then we both happily devour every last bit & print out the recipe to add it to our rotation :).
Bottom line: You totally rock (and I sound like an obsessive stalker)!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Really!? That's so awesome! THank you 🙂
Carolyn says
Do you have a recommendation for which oil to use?
Sam Turnbull says
A light oil such as canola or vegetable would be great. Enjoy!
Bob says
I am making this for tonight.
I have nori flakes which I’ll spread on top of the tofu. Hopefully, that will work. Have any idea how many flakes equals one cut piece?
As the tofu marinates, will it soak up all of the marinade?
Thanks
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Bob, there will be leftover marinade. I would just try and pat as a nice coating of flakes onto one side of the tofu and you should be good to go. Enjoy!
Sonya Davidson says
What brand tofu do you use for this recipe please?
Sam Turnbull says
I used Sunrise extra-firm tofu 🙂
Bev says
WOW! Saw this recipe this morning, and immediately started pressing the tofu...in fact, two blocks! It is pure genius that you cut the tofu on the diagonal. Looks just like flaky fish in the end. Absolutely delicious! I have tried other "tofish" recipes, and have been left wanting something else. Not this time! Because I can never leave well-enough alone, I added 1/2 tsp ground wakame (seaweed) to the marinade, to lend more fishy flavor. And the kind of tofu most readily available where we live in the US comes in the plastic tubs. I ended up cutting it into 4 sticks the long way, then turning it on its side to make the diagonal cuts. Nice, long pieces of tofish. Everything else according to your detailed and clear directions. Oh yum! Glad I doubled the recipe, because even with just the two of us, we ate almost all of this delish tofish!
As for an air fryer...well, folks who have one should try it out. To my way of thinking...er, eating...there is no good substitute for a crispy, fried-in-oil batter. You just have to splurge now and then.
Thank you, Sammy for another genius recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww you're most welcome, Bev!!! So very thrilled you loved it so much and enjoyed my method! And I agree, crispy fried batter is a rare, but amazing treat for me 🙂
Moe says
I wonder if it would taste great if you crumbled the nori sheets into the batter. I’m not sure how you got the Nori sheets to stay on so well!
Tips please!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Moe! You could try that but it would of course add speckles to your batter. It's very easy to stick the nori to the tofu. Simple press it on the tofu and hold it in place while you dip it into the batter, then drop the whole thing directly into the hot pan. The batter will crisp up and hold it into place.
Bob Bush says
I'd love to know if you've tried either the oven or air fryer too! I sure don't like the dangers of deep frying either! This definitely calls for a stout!
Sam Turnbull says
I tried backed as an experiment but I'm the batter mostly falls off the tofish and doesn't really crisp up with this method. I plan on making a baked version soon tho, so stay tuned 🙂
Texheel says
hopefully wishing for a Youtube video so I can hear your faux limey accent doing fish and chips...lol..you kill me delightfully with your vlog!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Hopefully soon 🙂
Marna says
I am wondering about the air fryer too! 🙂
Kate says
I as well....
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Marna, I'm afraid the batter is a little too thin and it would just fall through the basket before it had a chance to "fry". I plan on making a baked version soon tho, so stay tuned 🙂
Barbara Hacha says
Just wondering if you could fry these pieces in an air fryer? Maybe just spray them with a little oil first. That would cut back a lot on the total oil.
Sam Turnbull says
I'm afraid the batter is a little too thin and it would just fall through the basket before it had a chance to "fry". I plan on making a baked version soon tho, so stay tuned 🙂
TofuAnnie says
I haven't made these yet, but I've been on the lookout for a really great unfish recipe and this is it! I don't often get hungry for that flavor, but I guess we can all understand that it's the seasonings our taste buds crave and not the meat underneath. Eww!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all or your efforts to bring us really wonderful and flavorful recipes.
Sam Turnbull says
Aww you're most welcome! I hope you love the tofish when you try it 🙂