Go Back

Blackberry Glazed Tofu with Black Pepper & Chili

5 from 23 reader reviews
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 2 -4
Print Recipe Pin On Pinterest Leave Review

Ingredients

Tofu

  • 1 block (14 oz/397 grams) firm tofu
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
  • sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch

Blackberry Glaze

  • 1 cup (heaped) fresh blackberries
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon chili flakes or ground chillies (I used Diaspora Co's ground Guntur Sannam chillies)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • salt, to taste
  • 1-2 tablespoons water, if necessary

Instructions

  • Press the tofu for 10-15 minutes to get out excess moisture. Towel it off to dry and then cut into 1-inch cubes.

To Air Fry Tofu:

  • In a medium bowl, toss the tofu cubes with the olive oil, coconut aminos, salt, and pepper. Once coated, sprinkle the arrowroot starch and keep tossing until you can't see any white, powdery bits anymore.
  • Transfer the coated cubes of tofu to your air fryer, arranging the pieces so that each cube has a bit of space. Set your air fryer to 375°F and the timer for 15 minutes. Give the air fryer basket a little shake every 5 minutes to evenly brown and crisp up the tofu pieces. The tofu is done when it's evenly golden brown and super crispy.

To Pan Fry Tofu:

  • In a medium bowl, toss the tofu cubes with the coconut aminos, salt, and pepper. Once coated, sprinkle the arrowroot starch and keep tossing until you can't see any white, powdery bits anymore.
  • Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan (or cast iron skillet) over medium heat. Once it's good and hot, add the tofu to the pan. Avoid adding any excess liquid pooled at the bottom of the bowl. Let the tofu sit until one side is deep golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Stir and flip the pieces and keep cooking until all sides are golden brown and crisp. Drizzle more olive oil into the pan if you notice the tofu sticking a bit.

Make the Blackberry Glaze:

  • In a small-medium sauté pan over medium heat, combine the blackberries, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, black pepper, chili, ground ginger, and salt. Once the liquid starts simmering and the blackberries are softening, about 3-4 minutes, start smushing the berries down with a spatula.
  • Keep smushing and stirring until you have a rustic, jammy texture. Give the glaze a taste and see if you'd like more pepper, more chili etc. At this point the mixture should be fluid enough to coat the tofu cubes. If it isn't, simply add a couple tablespoons of water and stir.
  • Toss the crispy tofu cubes in the blackberry glaze and serve immediately. I like to garnish mine with some fresh herbs and extra black pepper.

Equipment

  • Air Fryer (optional)

Recipe Notes

  • I press firm/extra firm tofu before starting basically any tofu dish! The simple technique extracts excess water and it helps to achieve that crispy texture that I love.
  • Ideally you'll finish making the blackberry sauce/glaze right before the tofu is done cooking so that it's nice and fluid.
This crispy and sticky glazed tofu with blackberries, balsamic, black pepper, and ground chillies is flavourful, unique, and super satisfying. Ready in 30 minutes with 10 key ingredients.