Crispy Coconut & Hemp Crusted Tofu

Disclosure: This post was created in partnership with Manitoba Harvest. We were provided with free samples to try, however, all opinions are entirely our own and we have not been paid to publish positive comments.

We have been longtime fans of hempseeds. The little powerhouse seeds are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, plant based protein, and a variety of vitamins and minerals that support healthy growth and development. We don’t like to throw out the term “superfood” but this little guy really packs a nutritional punch. Hempseeds are the perfect addition to oats, toast, and smoothies, but we wanted to get a little more creative to see just how far these seeds could go in the kitchen. Hence, our Crispy Coconut & Hemp Crusted Tofu was born! Crispy, crunchy, and full of toasted coconutty flavor, these bites will be the best dinnertime addition or holiday party app. 

While “flax eggs” are nothing new to us (just check out our Dark Chocolate Black Bean Brownies) we wanted to see if we could apply them in a breading application. To our happy surprise, it worked so well we can’t wait to try it out on fish, chicken, and more! That’s where we start with today’s recipe prep. First we whip together our “flax eggs”. After sitting, the mixture should become thick and viscous:

Next, drain, dry, and cube tofu. 

Now, it’s time to line up our breading stations:

Start by dusting tofu in coconut flour.

Next, dredge cubes in flax eggs.

Lastly, add panko/coconut breading.

Place onto a sheet pan,

and roast until crispy and golden.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

14 oz. firm or extra firm tofu

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup shelled hempseeds

1/8 tsp salt

3 tbsp ground flaxseeds

9 tbsp warm water

3/4 cup coconut flour, for breading

Dry seasonings of choice*

*we purposefully left these with minimal seasonal because we were using a flavorful sauce. If enjoying sans sauce, we recommend lime zest, pinches of cayenne, smoked paprika, or any of your favorite seasonings to give these bites an extra pop of flavor.

Quick Dipping Sauce:

2 tbsp coconut aminos (can sub with liquid aminos or soy sauce)

1 tbsp chili garlic sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together ground  flaxseeds and warm water. Over the course of about 10-15 minutes this mixture will become viscous and serve as “flax eggs”. If mixture is still runny after sitting for 15 minutes, add a little more flax and let sit again until thickened; set aside. In another bowl, combine shredded coconut, panko, hempseeds, and salt. In a third bowl, add coconut flour. 

Drain water from tofu packaging. Place tofu block on a cutting board lined with paper towels or dry cheesecloth. Place several more layers of paper towels or another cloth on top of tofu and press down firmly to remove excess water. Repeat several times to remove most water. Cube tofu into 1″ squares. 

Line up your “breading” station in the order of 1) coconut flour, 2) flax “eggs”, and 3) panko/coconut. Begin tossing tofu cubes in coconut flour. Lightly shake to remove excess flour and dredge in flax egg mixture. Lastly, cover in panko/coconut breading and place onto an unlined sheet pan. Repeat until all pieces are breaded. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until breading is golden and crispy.