The Perfect Garlic Vegan "Ribs"

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5 from 2 votes

The Perfect Garlic Vegan "Ribs"

Tofu "ribs" marinated and cooked in a delicious Asian inspired sauce topped with a whole head of fried garlic!

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Servings:

Calories: 191kcal

Author: Lauren Boehme

Ingredients

1 Block(15oz) Extra firm tofu, frozen and thawed, then pressed*
4 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce, vegan, divided
1 Tablespoon Soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Ginger, grated
1 teaspoon Organic cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
Pinch of Salt
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1 head of Garlic, chopped
Veggie oil for frying
Scallions for serving
Chili crisp oil, I used Laoganma Spicy Chili Crisp

Instructions

After you have prepped the block of tofu(see notes), turn the block of tofu onto its side and cut the block of tofu in half. Lay it back down flat and then cut into about 1/2-1 inch "ribs". Set aside.
In a large ziploc bag or a container with a top, combine 2 tablespoons of hoisin, soy sauce, sherry, ginger, sugar, garlic powder, pepper and pinch of salt in the bag. Close the bag and mix around with your hands.
Put the tofu into the bag, gently toss around and make sure the tofu is coated and then let marinate for at least an hour, but longer is fine!
When you are ready to make the "ribs" preheat the oven to 425 degrees(F).
Open the ziploc bag and sprinkle the cornstarch into the bag. Seal the bag again and toss to coat the tofu in the cornstarch.
Place each piece of tofu onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or lined with a silicone mat(I highly recommend this, so the tofu doesn't stick).
Now, brush each tofu rib on the top and sides with the olive oil, flip the rib and brush with more oil on the other side. Making sure there are no dry spots of cornstarch left.
Bake for 15 minutes, flip and bake for about 15 more minutes or until crispy on the outside and firm inside.
While the tofu bakes, make the fried garlic. Heat about an inch of oil in a small sauce pan on medium high until small bubbles form.
Add the chopped garlic to the oil and fry, reducing heat as needed, until the garlic is golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Remove the garlic from the oil and set aside.
Once the tofu is done, brush the ribs with the remaining 2 tablespoons of hoisin. Then serve them topped with the fried garlic, scallions and chili crisp if desired.

Video

Notes

*Freeze the block of tofu whole, then let it thaw, drain it and then press the whole block of tofu either using a tofu press or you can check out more information about pressing tofu HERE!

Nutrition