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Sheet-Pan Tofu With Corn and Chiles

Updated Aug. 27, 2024

Sheet-Pan Tofu With Corn and Chiles
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
Total Time
45 to 50 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 to 35 minutes
Rating
5(1,317)
Comments
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This colorful dish is as much about the lively mix of textures as it is the tangy, spicy flavors. On the textural side, cubes of tofu are coated in cornstarch so they become crispy at the edges as they roast, staying soft and pillowy on the inside. Corn kernels lend sweetness and a juicy snap while green chiles, onions and herbs lend freshness and heat. Fresh corn kernels are ideal when in season, but frozen corn works well too, making this a year-round dish with an inherently summery feel.

Featured in: An Easy Vegetarian Dinner That Starts With Corn

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 4 servings
  • 1(14- to 16-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices
  • 1tablespoon cornstarch
  • teaspoons fine sea or table salt, plus more as needed
  • 1teaspoon chili powder, plus more as needed
  • ½teaspoon ground cumin, plus more as needed
  • 3cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (from about 3 large ears)
  • 2jalapeños, halved, seeded if desired and thinly sliced
  • 1red onion, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons
  • 1poblano chile, halved, seeded and thinly sliced (1 cup sliced poblanos)
  • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1lime, halved
  • 1garlic clove, finely grated or minced
  • ½cup chopped fresh cilantro or basil
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

328 calories; 16 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 684 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  2. Step 2

    Arrange tofu slices on a clean kitchen towel or on paper towels. Cover with another kitchen towel (or paper towels), and place a flat cutting board or baking pan on top. If your cutting board is lightweight, stack a few cans or a skillet on top to weigh it down. Let tofu drain for at least 15 minutes and up to 45 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    While tofu drains, in a medium bowl, stir together cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt, chili powder and cumin.

  4. Step 4

    In another bowl, combine corn, about half of the jalapeño slices (save the rest for later), red onion, poblano, 2 tablespoons olive oil and remaining 1¼ teaspoons salt, mixing well.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer drained tofu to a cutting board and cut into 1-inch cubes, patting them dry with paper towels. Add to the bowl with the cornstarch. Toss well to coat the cubes, then drizzle in 1 tablespoon olive oil, tossing gently to coat.

  6. Step 6

    Arrange the tofu on a baking sheet, spacing it out. Roast for 15 minutes, then flip the tofu cubes and nudge them over to one side of the baking sheet. Spoon the corn mixture onto the empty half of the baking sheet. Drizzle tofu and corn with a little more oil. Continue to roast until the tofu is golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes longer, stirring the corn once while roasting.

  7. Step 7

    Meanwhile, squeeze the juice of the lime into a small bowl, and add a pinch each of chili powder, cumin and salt. Stir in the remaining jalapeño slices and garlic.

  8. Step 8

    Just before serving, pour the lime-chile mixture over the corn, tossing well. Top everything with cilantro or basil, and serve.

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,317 user ratings
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Comments

Spring for the under-$20 Tofuture tofu press. Skip the mess and the wasted paper towels and get perfectly drained tofu every time.

This was excellent! I added a can of drained black beans to the corn mixture for extra heft and protein. Textures and flavours are superb - will be filing this away as quick, easy, and healthy supper!

I use a washable kitchen towel. No reason to use a single use towel.

This is so good. Made it as written about a year ago and loved it. This time, doubled the poblanos, cubed and roasted a sweet potato with the same spices, added black beans, and made a crema with Greek yogurt. I roast everything separately (or at least separated on the pan) for better control of textures. Yes, it results in more pans and longer cooking time, but it’s totally worth it for the results.

Wow. It did seem like a lot of work, but the outcome made it all worthwhile. I think I will always use the “coat with cornstarch and roast“ method to cook tofu because it’s so good and also foolproof. For this recipe I added a can of black beans (thanks to all the comments suggesting this) and I used roasted, peeled hatch chiles (I bought eight bags in the fall and roasted, peeled and froze them), rather than poblanos. The corn prep took some time, but I’m inspired to try the Bundt pan method from Perry, above. Next time I may wrap everything in a corn tortilla. Try this recipe!

Oops I meant to credit Bill for the Bundt pan idea.

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