Spicy Keto Tofu

If you like tofu or just want to try something new on a low carb diet, try this easy spicy keto tofu recipe. Marinated in a sweet and spicy Asian sauce and baked until crispy, these tasty bites are full of flavor and plant protein! It’s nice change of pace very delicious! Each serving has 158 calories, 0.4 grams net carbs and 11 grams of protein!

You might also like these keto Asian salmon bites in the air fryer.

I’ve always like crispy tofu when I was in a mood for something different when at a Chinese restuarant. They seem to make it so tasty and when I tried it at home a few times I couldn’t quite get it right. Until today.

This spicy keto tofu recipe is uses a spicy and sweet marinade with Asian flavors and then it’s baked until crispy. It is perfect for making a bowl using cauliflower rice and colorful vegetables for a healthy and tasty dinner.

Best of all for those on a keto diet, it has just 0.4 grams of carbs and 11 grams of protein!

Is tofu keto friendly?

Tofu is often used as a meat substitute which is not necessarily needed when you are on a keto diet because meat has no carbohydrates. But tofu it self has very little carbs and in that respect it is keto friendly. So it’s perfect for those on a keto vegetarian or vegan diet and also for people like me who just like the taste of it!

One 14 ounce container of extra firm tofu has just 360 calories, 18 grams of fat, 9 grams carbs, 9 grams of fiber and 36 grams of protein. So it has 0 net carbs and plenty of protein. So if you like this food or just want to try it, it shouldn’t be too hard to work in your macros.

What is tofu and what can you do with it?

Tofu comes from soybeans, specifically it’s condensed soy milk that they press together to make it into a firm block. It is used a lot in Asian cooking and it is very nutrient dense.

It comes in different varieties and ranges from silken tofu to extra firm which is what we are using today. While it is high in protein and has all the necessary amino acids it also has anti-nutrients. Also some people are allergic to soy products. Learn more here.

While today I am using it in a stir fry, you can also make things like pudding with the silken tofu. You can also marinate and grill it like a steak, use it in soups and salads, crumble it like scrambled eggs and you can even bread it and fry it.

To me it looks like a block of feta cheese, is spongy in texture and has a neutral flavor so it’s good for using with a flavorful marinade.

Recipe ingredients I used and substitutions.

The ingredients I used for this recipe is tofu, brown sugar sweetener, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger and chili garlic oil.

Tofu
You want to buy extra firm tofu and not silken or regular. This is the type that is most meat like and works with this recipe.

Swerve Brown Sugar Sweetener
Swerve brown is my favorite brown sugar substitute but you can use whatever brand you like. However if you use brown sweetener it would taste better than granulated sweetener. Though in a pinch you can use regular. And if you don’t care about carbs you can use regular brown sugar.

Chili Garlic Oil
Chili garlic oil brings the heat and some delicious garlic flavor. I bought these jar of chili garlic oil in Target and you can also buy it on Amazon. It’s very good for this recipe and I use it a lot in Asian cooking so I highly suggest it. You could also use chili garlic sauce but this is better.

You probably can also find it in the International or Asian section of a bigger grocery store or Asian market.

Soy Sauce and Rice Vinegar
You can find soy sauce everywhere and the rice vinegar is usually in the Asian section of bigger grocery stories.

Ginger Paste
I buy this ginger paste at Aldi and love it because it’s so convenient and last a long time in the refrigerator. However you can also use fresh ginger root and grate it too. Aldi usually sells that as well. However I would not use the dried ginger spice as it won’t give enough flavor.

How to make spicy keto tofu bites.

Step 1: Drain the excess liquid and moisture from the tofu container. Use a bunch of paper towels on top and below the block and place on a plate. You can also use a clean kitchen towel.

Place a heavy skillet on the tofu block to squeeze the excess water out. You can even put a few heavy cans in the skillet. Let it sit for 30 minutes to get out more water. You could also use a few heavy plates.

Step 2: In a small bowl whisk together the marinade ingredients. Cut the pressed tofu into bite size pieces like those below. Place it in a large mixing bowl or ziplock bag and pour the marinade over top. Gently mix together so the marinade is on all of the tofu pieces. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 3: When ready to eat, preheat oven to 400°F. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then take out the marinated tofu cubes and place on the parchment paper. Make sure to space them out so you and easily flip them during the baking time.

Step 4: Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Then take it out and carefully flip the pieces over and bake for another 15 minutes.

Step 5: When it’s golden brown and crispy take out the tofu and place in a serving bowl. Store leftover in an airtight container. Please scroll down to view the printable recipe card.

What to eat with this marinated tofu.

Below you can see that I made this into an Asian bowl. The base is cauliflower rice and added some edamame, grated carrots, a squeeze of lime and fresh cilantro. It was very tasty to me.

You can eat it just as it is with some keto fried rice or regular white rice if you don’t eat carbs. You can double the marinade and use half of it with some vegetables and stir fry them too. Below are some keto Asian side dishes that would go well with this dish.

• keto spinach stir fry or cabbage stir fry
• low carb spicy green beans
• lemon ginger cucumber noodles
• keto simple fried rice
• low carb lo mein using vegetable noodles

I really loved this spicy keto tofu recipe and eat it for lunch and dinner. Aldi seems to be carrying the extra firm tofu recently and I keep buying to make this dish. I hope you like it as much as I did. It makes for a nice change of pace for me. Enjoy!

The nutritional information for 1 serving is 158 calories / 10.5g fat / 2.7g carbs / 2.3g fiber / 11g protein = 0.4g net carbs