Tofish and Chips – Vegan and Gluten-Free
Vegan Tofish and Chips.
A couple years ago I went to By Chloe’s London location and was instantly addicted to their fish and chips. My version is air fried rather than deep fried, but has the same crunch and fishy flavor thanks to the seaweed coating. Whether you’re vegan or not, this recipe is a must try!
Tofish = Tofu Fish
Tofu is a vegan staple. It’s both a great source of protein and can morph into virtually anything you want it to. There are vegan fish alternatives out there, but for the most part I try to steer away from animal product alternatives. Though I do recommend them if you’re newly transitioning to veganism or are just trying to overall reduce your consumption of animal products. Animal product alternatives are mostly made with processed ingredients and chemicals which is why I don’t recommend them long term, but again if you’re looking to reduce your consumption or are missing the taste of fish, they really come in handy. A few of the healthiest companies out there that make fish alternatives include:
I used a high protein tofu (super firm tofu) because it has little water making it chewier like authentic fish. It also has a much higher protein content than regular soft tofu.
Seaweed is a MUST in this recipe – without it you won’t have the seafood flavors. I use seaweed snacks because they’re more flavorful than traditional nori.
The bread crumbs are what make this tofish unique from traditional fish and chips recipes. Typically, the fish are deep fried. Deep fried foods lead to health issues, so we try our best to avoid them. Instead, you’ll be coating the tofu in a light oat flour based batter then rolling it in bread crumbs. I used Longeve’s plain breadless crumbs below, but cauli crunch is a great option too.
Miso, Tamari, & Lemon Marinade
The most important part of this recipe is the marinade – it’s what will keep your dish from being bland. I personally let mine marinate for an hour or two to really absorb the flavors. You can have them marinate for as quick as 30 minutes though if you’re in a rush.
Cajun Chips / Fries
What is tofish without the chips?? I absolutely love fries, and this baked version with cajun seasoning is my personal favorite. If you don’t have cajun seasoning, you can sub it with paprika, garlic, whatever you’d like!
{Related Recipes: If you like this recipe you’ll love my LEMON PEPPER TOFU and my DECONSTRUCTED BAKED POTATO BOWL.}
Tofish and Chips
Ingredients
- 1 block super firm tofu
- 1 lemon, juice from
- 2 tsp miso paste
- 2 tsp tamari, soy sauce, or coconut aminos
- 2 packages mini nori sheets, see blog post for product links
- ¼ cup oat flour
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup gluten-free bread crumbs, see blog post for product links
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1-2 tbsp cajun seasoning
- vegan ranch, see blog post for product links
Instructions
- Wash tofu then pat dry. Chop into strips and cut a few horizontal lines into each tofu strip making sure not to accidentally cut all the way through. This will help to make it “flaky.” Lay tofu strips evenly in a shallow dish.
- In a small dish combine the miso paste, tamari, and lemon juice. Pour over the tofu and make sure each strip is evenly coated from the top to bottom. Let marinate in the fridge for at LEAST 30 minutes – the longer it marinates the better.
- When the tofu is nearly done marinating, preheat your air fryer or oven to 400 degrees.
- Create your batter by combining the oat flour, nutritional yeast, water, and salt in a shallow dish. Make sure to mix well to avoid any clumps. In a separate shallow dish, add your breadcrumbs. Cut your nori sheets to fix the exact size of the tofu strips.
- Add a sheet of nori onto each tofu strip. To make it taste even fishier, don’t hesitate to add a second sheet. If it’s not sticking well, wet your fingers a bit to help it stick.
- Dip your tofu into the batter then coat with the breadcrumbs. Add to your air fryer (or parchment lined baking tray if you don’t have an air fryer) and repeat. Bake for 20 minutes flipping once halfway through.
- For the fries, peel the potatoes and chop into wedges. Add to a mixing bowl with the avocado oil and cajun seasoning. The more seasoning you use, the spicier the fries. If you don’t have cajun seasoning, you can season however you’d like – a go-to seasoning for me is paprika. Bake fries for 25-30 minutes flipping once halway through.
- Serve the tofish and chips with vegan ranch dressing and additional lemon wedges.
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