Buff sauce lovers, rejoice!
Fried tofu is near-perfect on its own; tossed in buffalo sauce, it’s absurdly amazing. Here I’m pairing it with crunchy iceberg lettuce wedges and a homemade blue cheese dressing for a sensational salad you’ll want to eat all summer long.
To ensure crispy fried tofu, removing the tofu’s excess moisture before breading and frying is key. Pressing the tofu by wrapping it in paper towels and leaving it under a heavy object is a common method (see my Avocado Toast with Southwestern Tofu Crumbles!) but for fried tofu specifically, I prefer to draw out the moisture by soaking the cubed tofu in boiling salted water. The boiling water actually causes the tofu proteins to contract, squeezing out the extra water that’s inside. At the same time, the salt in the water infuses the tofu with flavor—seasoning it to a degree that’s hard to achieve by simply salting the surface of the tofu before frying. It’s a little extra work, but it’s totally worth it.
(Side note: if it’s been one of those days and you just CAN’T be bothered to do the boiling water method, just slice the tofu into pieces, arrange them on a paper towel-lined baking sheet, top them with another baking sheet, add a couple of heavy cans to the top, and leave it sit for 20 minutes. Your tofu won’t be quite as delicious as it would have been otherwise, but it will be dry.
Blue cheese dressing is only as good as the blue cheese you put in it. (This is why storebought blue cheese dressing is always sh*t.) I recommend buying an actual block of cheese and crumbling it yourself, rather than buying the pre-crumbled stuff. The block cheese always tastes better—and because it doesn’t have that layer of starch around the individual crumbles, it’ll blend into the dressing better, too.
These tofu nuggets are best the day they’re fried; their breading will soften overnight and the texture will dramatically decline. The blue cheese dressing and buffalo sauce, however, will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you have extra of either sauce (unlikely, but let’s pretend), the buffalo sauce is fantastic drizzled on scrambled eggs, roasted vegetables, or beans. The blue cheese is amazing on basically anything.
Enjoy!
Buffalo Tofu Wedge Salad
(Serves 4-8)
For the tofu
1 (14-oz.) pkg. extra-firm tofu
2 tbsp. plus ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
¼ c. cornstarch
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ c. vegetable oil, for frying
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2/3 cup buffalo hot sauce
1 tbsp. honey
Equipment: 8x8 baking pan, two baking sheets, wire rack, paper towels, large metal pan
Instructions
Drain tofu and slice block horizontally in half to yield 2 thinner blocks. Slice each block into 12 even pieces and arrange in the bottom of an 8” x 8” heat-safe baking pan. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp. kosher salt, then pour boiling water to cover tofu. Let sit 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together cornstarch, garlic powder, and remaining ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Line a second baking sheet with a wire rack or parchment paper.
Working one at a time, remove tofu cubes from the seasoned water, pat dry with paper towels, and place on lined baking sheet. When all tofu is transferred, blot once again with paper towels, then, working two or three at a time, roll in cornstarch mixture. Place on wire rack or parchment-lined baking sheet.
In a large metal pan over medium-high heat, heat oil to 350 degrees (a speck of cornstarch should sizzle when it hits the pan). Add tofu to the pan in a single layer, being careful not to crowd. (If the pan is not big enough for all the tofu, fry in two batches.)
Pan-fry tofu until crispy and pale golden on all sides, turning occasionally, 5-6 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack to drain. Season lightly with salt. Pour out oil and wipe down the pan.
In clean pan over low heat, melt butter. Add buffalo sauce and honey and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
When ready to serve, whisk to reincorporate sauce (if separated). Add tofu to sauce and toss to coat.
For the blue cheese dressing and assembly:
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled, divided, plus more for serving as desired
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tbsp. whole milk, plus more as needed
¼ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for serving as desired
1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into 8 wedges
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
In a small bowl, stir together garlic, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Let sit 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, smash half (about 2 oz.) of blue cheese to a smooth paste. Add mayo, sour cream, 2 tablespoons milk, black pepper, and lemon juice mixture and stir until smooth.
Stir in remaining blue cheese crumbles, then taste and season with additional salt as needed. Dressing should be a thick, pourable consistency; if it’s too thick, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
To serve, arrange iceberg wedges on a platter and drizzle with blue cheese dressing. Top with crispy buffalo tofu and sprinkle with green onions, additional blue cheese, and black pepper.
Originally posted June 2, 2024.