Tofu Cutlets with Avocado & Citrus Sprout Salad

There are times when you are just craving a crispy, salty tofu cutlet – it’s a vegetarian right of passage, and the perfect vehicle for piling on even more delicious, plant-based things. Which you see here, with this beyond perfect avocado salad. It’s my little tofu dream come true.

This cutlet was made on a day where I was feeling a particular craving for either avocado toast or a cutlet, and the cutlet won out tenfold. It might be a little extra work, but when topped with lemony, citrusy sprouts, just the right amount of avocado and my favorite olive oil, it was one of my next-best ways to make crispy tofu. Plus, it might seem like a lot of work, but if you set up your breading station just right, you can churn out a crispy, salty, breaded cutlet in no time. This blog post will show you how!

Now, this cutlet is more on the spring/summer side, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have other seasonal cutlet options. I love this one that I made in the fall (and then repeated in the winter, because cold weather goes great with cabbage and fried food).

And like all things, if you aren’t feeling the tofu part, you can mix-and-match this salad with anything else your heart desires! Even if that is just putting it on top of your standard avocado toast.

First, let’s talk about some updates I made to these tofu cutlets

I got some valid feedback on my previous tofu cutlets that they were lacking a bit of flavor in the actual tofu, and that I completely understand, and in this case, agree with! I’ve made some updates to this recipe that inject flavor into the tofu, while still keeping it easy to bread, fry and get crispy.

The updates I made are simple, we press the tofu like always, but then right after the press, I quickly brush on an equal mixture of soy sauce and rice vinegar. The tofu at this point is eager to absorb both sauces, and a thin brush of both soaks right into the tofu steak. After this, they are still dry enough to bread and fry, but have a whole second layer of flavor to them.

Ingredients for the tofu cutlet

Now that you saw how we make this fried tofu flavorful, here is everything you need to make the cutlets nice and crispy:

• 1 14 oz. block of extra firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup plant-based milk of choice
• 2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• Grapeseed or avocado oil

How to bread and fry the tofu

The tofu making is a process, but if you work clean and all keep it to one corner of your kitchen, it really isn’t too much trouble at all.

First drain the tofu and cut it lengthwise into 3 large rectangular pieces. Lightly press out moisture in the tofu for 10-15 minutes, but no longer than that. While the tofu is pressing, whisk together the soy sauce and vinegar in a small dish.

Prepare 3 shallow bowls, one with the whole wheat flour, one with the milk and one with the panko breadcrumbs. Season the flour and breadcrumbs with a pinch of salt each.

When the tofu has been pressed for 15 minutes or so, uncover. Use a brush to dab the soy sauce mixture onto each side of the tofu. The pieces should absorb this mixture like a sponge, leaving them only slightly damp.
Carefully dip each piece of tofu in the whole wheat flour first, fully coating the surface area. Transfer to the plant based milk for a quick dunk, then carefully transfer to the panko, flipping the tofu to fully coat it. Set these cutlets aside.

In a high-sided sauté pan, add the grapeseed or avocado oil until it comes about 3/4 of an inch up the side of the pan. Put the heat on medium and let the oil come up to 325°F-350°F.

Fry the cutlets one at a time for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Make sure to prep everything else while the tofu is pressing, and then this recipe is a breeze.

Let’s talk about za’atar

Za’atar is one of my absolute favorite spice mixes. It varies from region to region, but consists of a family of Middle Eastern herbs. Most za’atars will typically include oregano, basil, thyme, sumac, sesame seeds and salt. It’s best made and eaten fresh, but some store-bought brands make pretty fantastic versions, too. My favorite being this blend from my friends at Edy’s Grocer.

Ingredients for this citrus sprout salad

While za’atar is a healthy portion of this salad (za’atar mixed with olive oil is a classic Lebanese condiment, and pretty divine), there are many other components that make it zesty, unique and filled with flavor. Here is everything you’ll want to put on top of your tofu cutlet:

• 1 tablespoon fresh za’atar
• 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon high quality extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly torn parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill
• Zest from 1/3 of an orange
• 1 lemon for zest and juice
• 1/2 pint alfalfa sprouts
• 1 large avocado
• 2 tablespoons ricotta salata

How to make this citrus salad

Whisk together the za’atar, Aleppo, olive oil and salt in a large bowl. Add in the parsley, dill, orange zest, lemon zest and lemon juice. Toss to combine, taste and season with more salt as needed. Add in the sprouts and crumble in the ricotta. Toss to combine.

Please note that this is HIGHLY adaptable, if you don’t have one ingredient, swap it out. If you aren’t feeling orange zest? Use extra lemon. Play around with the herbs and greens and swap in your favorite. It’s just a cutlet, it’s not that serious 😉

Looking for similar recipes?

Here are a few of my favorite tofu recipes from the blog!

And that’s it for this tofu cutlet recipe!

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.