A wallet-friendly, vegetarian take on a German classic
The first time I ate schnitzel was while sitting outside a small café in the German city of Freiberg. The crispy pork cutlet arrived with a cooling cucumber salad, and I practically inhaled both in a matter of minutes. I’ve since made schnitzel at home many times, with both the traditional pork as well as chicken. But with rising meat costs, I’ve recently begun experimenting with tofu to create a vegetarian version. Slathered in a mustardy batter, coated in a crunchy sesame breading, and served with a springy side salad, it’s a definite winner.
Super firm tofu works best here, as it requires little to no pressing to remove excess water. (If you can’t find it, extra firm will work well too, so long as you press it for 10 to 20 minutes.) I like to slice the tofu into large, thin planks to create “cutlets,” which have maximum surface area for crisping up in the frying pan. Before that, though, the planks are dunked in batter, then rolled in a mix of sesame seeds and panko crumbs. The batter is a simple mix of flour, egg, water, spices, and a spoonful of stone-ground mustard, which adds a punch of much-needed savoriness. I find an egg-based batter helps the breading more effectively stick to the tofu, but if you’re looking to keep this recipe vegan, you can simply omit the egg and add enough water to create a loose pancake-batter consistency.
These tofu cutlets are shallow fried, meaning you’ll only need about a quarter inch of oil in the pan. I recommend using an instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature: 350°F is the sweet spot. If your oil is too cool, the tofu will turn out greasy; too hot, and the tofu will burn quickly. If you would rather skip frying, you can absolutely bake the breaded tofu in a 400°F oven. The baked cutlets will turn out just as crispy but a little on the dry side—I recommend brushing them with a bit of melted butter or garlicky olive oil before serving them for extra flavor and moisture.
Schnitzel is often served alongside a fresh salad, and for good reason: crunchy vegetables and a tart dressing help cut through the fried richness of the dish. While a simple green salad or cucumber salad is traditional, I can’t help but throw in some of my favorite spring veggies: radishes, carrots, and snap peas. The dressing is a particularly zingy take on honey mustard with a spoonful of dark miso added for extra savoriness. Be sure to serve the salad on top of (or right next to) the tofu so that some of the dressing soaks into the cutlets. It’s the extra kick of oil and acid that makes this tofu schnitzel a winning dinner for vegetarians and omnivores alike.