Cornmeal Crusted Tofu & Grilled Green Tomatoes

“Fried Green Tomatoes” is my favorite movie (or at least one of them), and this cornmeal crusted tofu recipe with grilled green tomatoes is like my version of that movie, but in recipe form. This is peak comfort food, it just feels like a warm hug. And yes, it does take a bit of effort to make, but that effort just means there is so much love in the recipe. Plus, you can always twist and tweak it a bit to make it a bit more doable on a weekday.

This cornmeal crusted tofu recipe is perfect if you are a vegetarian searching for some comfort food, a person who is overrun with green tomatoes and has no clue what to do with them, or if you are just looking for a new and unique way to use green tomatoes. This recipe fits the bill for all of those needs, and is delightfully (and accidentally!) plant-based. Add a hot tahini sauce on top and you have my favorite version of comfort food in a bowl.

Ingredients you’ll need for this cornmeal crusted tofu recipe

FOR THE CORNMEAL CRUSTED TOFU

• 1 15 ounce block of extra firm tofu
• 2 tbsp flax meal
• 6 tbsp water
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 tsp each of kosher salt, cumin, smoked paprika and chili powder, black pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• Sunflower oil as needed

FOR THE GRILLED GREEN TOMATOES

• Sunflower oil as needed
• 3 medium green tomatoes
• 3 stalks scallions
• 1/2 lemon for juicing
• Kosher salt to taste

FOR THE HOT TAHINI

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tbsp Frank’s Red Hot or your preferred hot sauce
• 1/2 lemon for juicing
• Kosher salt to taste

How to prepare the cornmeal tofu batter

This batter is simple enough, but gives you a really homey, rich, cornmeal flavor. Here is how I suggest prepping the batter:

• Cut the tofu into equal squares or triangles, each of the same size and height. Spread these evenly on a sheet of paper towels, cover with more paper towels and weigh them down with a baking sheet (you can add books or a heavy object on top to weigh it down) to get out any excess moisture.
• While the tofu is pressing, get out three shallow bowls. In one bowl whisk together the flax and water to make a flax egg, in the second bowl mix together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, spices, salt and pepper. If you need this breadcrumb mixture to be a bit finer, feel free to toss it in a blender for a few seconds. In the last bowl add the whole wheat flour.
• Using one hand for wet and one for dry, dip the tofu pieces first in the flour to lightly coat, then in the flax egg, and then in the cornmeal breadcrumbs. Set all the prepared pieces aside.

The best way to fry tofu

There are lots of ways to make tofu, but I love shallow frying it. Think of it as pan searing with just a bit more oil. Here is how I do it for this recipe – Fill a cast iron with 1″ of sunflower oil and let the oil get to 350°F. Shallow fry the tofu in batches, about 2 minutes on each side or until they are golden and crispy. Let them drain on paper towels and set aside.

How to prepare the grilled green tomatoes

This part is the most fun part of the recipe in my opinion – you can use a grill pan, or if you are already grilling, use the whole grill! This imparts a charred flavor on the tomatoes, playing off their natural bitterness and making something really special.

So to do this, cut the tomatoes into quarters or eighths. Lightly oil a grill pan and “grill” then on each side for about 2-3 minutes or until you see char marks.

Mixing together the grilled green tomatoes

Here you just slice the scallions and add them to a bowl. Squeeze in the lemon juice, and then pour in the grilled green tomatoes. Toss to coat and season with salt as needed. Taste and adjust as you like – this part is up to you!

How to make the hot tahini sauce

You know I LIVE for an easy sauce. To make this sauce just whisk together the following ingredients. You want it to be spicy and drizzly:

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tbsp Frank’s red hot or your preferred hot sauce
• 1/2 lemon for juicing
• kosher salt to taste

Serving suggestions for the cornmeal crusted tofu recipe

I really recommend serving this cornmeal crusted tofu with rice. It just feels like peak comfort food with some white rice to balance it all out. This recipe serves four, but could also just be for 2-3 hungry people.

So plate with rice first, then tomatoes, then the tofu and a drizzle of hot tahini. Serve warm!

Looking for other vegetarian protein recipes?

And that’s it for this cornmeal crusted tofu and grilled green tomatoes!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you.