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4.96 from 41 votes

Vegan Tofu Fillets (vegan fish)

Just 10 ingredients to make this vegan fish recipe! Tofu is sliced thinly part way through to make an amazing flaky texture. Then the tofu is coated in a marinade made with nori seaweed which gives a taste of the sea. The perfect vegetarian seafood alternative.
Adapted from my Tofish & Chips recipe.
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 2 large tofu fillets
Author: Sam Turnbull

Ingredients

  • 1 block (12 oz) extra-firm tofu drained, pressed, and sliced (see step 1)

For the marinade:

To serve the tofu fillets:

  • 1 tablespoon vegan butter or light oil, for frying
  • lemon slices
  • chopped parsley and black pepper (for garnish, optional)

Instructions

  • Prep the tofu: Prepare the tofu by draining it, and then pressing it for 15 to 30 minutes. I love using my Tofuture tofu press, but you can also follow these instructions for a DIY tofu pressing method. Pressing the tofu squeezes excess water out so that the tofu can suck up more of the marinade and become more flavourful. Cut the tofu in half horizontally into two large slices. Take one of the tofu pieces and place a chop stick on either side of the tofu to stop from cutting all the way through so the slices remain intact. Slice the tofu part way through repeatedly about ⅛" apart to give the tofu a flaky texture. Repeat with the other tofu slice.
  • Make the marinade: add the nori, vegetable broth, lemon juice, miso paste, Old Bay, garlic powder, and salt to a blender. Blend until smooth. If you don't have a blender you can chop the nori very finely then whisk everything together in a large bowl. This will make a very ugly greenish-brown marinade. Place the tofu in a resealable bag or dish and cover with the marinade. Let marinated in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes or as long as overnight.
  • Cook the tofu fillets: In a large skillet or non-stick frying pan, heat the oil or butter. When hot add the tofu fillets to the pan, discarding any leftover marinade. Fry for 3 - 5 minutes per side until the tofu is golden brown and heated through. Be very careful when flipping the tofu as it's very tender. Serve the hot tofu fillets with parsley and black pepper and a generous squeeze of fresh lemon.

Notes

Tofu: I love the firm flaky texture of extra-firm tofu in this recipe, but for a more tender tofu fillet you can use firm tofu. When using firm tofu, slice the tofu flakes thicker, about ¼", and be extra gentle when handling it.
Oil-free: To make oil-free use a good non-stick pan and use water or vegetable broth instead of the light oil to fry the tofu.
Crispy skin: if you want a crispy skin on the tofu, dredge the marinated tofu in cornstarch just before frying and fry until evenly browned all over. This will make a thin crispy skin.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 tofu fillet (recipe makes 2 tofu fillets) | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1425mg | Potassium: 318mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 609IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 5mg

Find it online:

https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/vegan-tofu-fillets-vegan-fish/