Vegan Nashville Hot Tofu

Step 1

Freeze and thaw the tofuPlace the whole unopened package or packages of tofu in the freezer and freeze until solid (about 6 hours to overnight). Thaw completely. I do this quickly and safely by thawing on the counter until mostly thawed but still cold (about 4 hours) then letting it thaw the rest of the way in the fridge. Once you believe the tofu is completely thawed, freeze it solid again. Then, take it out of the freezer at least 5 hours before you want to start making your vegan chicken. You can hasten the last thaw by defrosting in the microwave like I did in this video or use another fast-thaw method. Then drain, and let the tofu sit on clean kitchen towels. Tofu that has been thawed the second time should be consumed within one or two days.

Step 3

Prep thawed tofuRip the tofu into bite-sized pieces. Place them on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking liner or parchment paper. Place in your cold oven and turn the heat to 425°F. There's no need to preheat.

Step 5

Bake for 20 minutes or until the tofu turns yellow-ish and is dry looking on the top. Afterwards, flip the tofu pieces and bake for another 10 minutes or until the tofu is almost completely dry. Meanwhile prepare the marinade.

Step 7

Prepare the marinadeWhisk together all the marinade ingredients. Taste and adjust to your preference. Make sure the marinade is liquid. If you're using coconut oil or vegan butter and it's too cold, it may get thick. Thin it out by heating up the whole bowl. The oil should liquefy again.

Step 9

FinishRemove the tofu from the baking sheet and toss with the marinade. Make sure each piece gets nicely saturated. You can use a spoon to press into some of the pieces so the tofu really soaks up the marinade.

Step 11

Return the tofu to the baking sheet, spread out the pieces and spray them with oil. Bake for another 10 minutes or until the edges of the tofu get crispy and a little brown.

Step 13

Serve on a couple slices of soft white bread and a few dill pickles. Enjoy!