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Crispy tofu with cucumber with yogurt
youryum.com/recipes/crispy-tofu-with-cucumber-with-yogurt · serves 2

Crisp tofu with cool cucumber yogurt

Keep the yogurt thick and cold, then spoon it beneath the tofu so the crust stays crisp against a cool cucumber salad.

  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten free
  • High protein
Maren Ashby in her kitchen, in a dark apron, looking away from the camera
By Maren Ashby · Writes and tests everything here
Published 20 June 2026
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Crispy tofu cucumber rice and lemon yogurt
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Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Total
30 min
Serves
2
Per serving
562kcal
Effort
Easy

Yogurt is a good landing place for crisp tofu if it is thick enough to stay put. Lemon, cucumber and dill keep it fresh; the tofu brings the hot, salty part. Put the yogurt under the rice and tofu rather than pouring it over the crust.

This is the vegetarian version of a fast bowl: press the tofu, make the cold sauce and use the skillet for the only cooking. The contrast works because the yogurt stays cold while the tofu is served straight from the pan.

Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

Tofu

Yogurt cucumber

To serve

Equipment

  • Large non-stick skillet
  • Tea towel
  • Small bowl

Method

  1. Make thick yogurt

    Stir yogurt with lemon zest, one tablespoon of lemon juice, garlic and dill. Fold in cucumber just before serving; adding it early releases water into the sauce.

  2. Press and coat tofu

    Wrap tofu in a tea towel and press it for ten minutes. Tear it into pieces and toss with cornstarch. The coating should be thin and dry, with no wet clumps.

  3. Brown the tofu

    Heat oil in a wide skillet. Add tofu in one layer, cook for four minutes, turn and cook four minutes more. Add soy sauce for the final 30 seconds. Take the pan off the heat before the sauce can make the coating wet.

    Hands spooning cucumber yogurt beside crisp tofu pieces in a skillet

  4. Warm the rice

    Put the rice in bowls and warm it if it is cold. Add the cucumber yogurt to one side, not all over the grains, so the bowl keeps distinct textures.

  5. Serve immediately

    Arrange the hot tofu over the rice and yogurt. Finish with spring onions and the remaining lemon juice. Eat straight away while the tofu still has a crisp edge.

What's in it

Nutrition, buying and storage notes for the ingredients this recipe leans on.

Greek yogurt 10.2 g protein
Tofu Greek yogurt cucumber lemon dill rice garlic cornstarch and soy sauce
Cold yogurt and cucumber are prepared while the tofu loses its water.

Cucumber belongs at the end

Chopped cucumber carries its own water, and salt or stirring encourages it out. Mix it into yogurt too early and the sauce becomes thin before the tofu is ready. Keep the yogurt seasoned in the bowl and fold in cucumber after the skillet is hot.

If liquid does collect, lift the yogurt with a spoon rather than pouring the watery bottom into the rice.

The yogurt is a barrier

Spoon yogurt beside the rice and tofu, not over the top. It keeps the cold part cold and gives the crisp coating a dry surface to meet. Once stirred together, the contrast is still good, but it disappears faster.

Nutrition

Per serving, for 2 servings. Estimated from ingredient weights — it moves with the brands and cuts you actually use.

NutrientPer serving
Calories 562 kcal
Protein 34 g
Carbohydrate 57 g
Fibre 7 g
Fat 24 g

Source: Estimated from ingredient weights, USDA FoodData Central

Questions

Can I use regular yogurt?
Yes, strain it first so the cucumber does not make the sauce watery. Use about 300 g regular yogurt to finish with 250 g thick yogurt.
Can I use dairy-free yogurt?
Use a thick unsweetened soy yogurt. Coconut yogurt works too but adds sweetness and a different flavour.
Can I bake the tofu?
Yes. Bake the coated tofu with oil at 220°C fan for 25 minutes, turning halfway, then add soy sauce after cooking.
Can I make the yogurt ahead?
Season the yogurt up to two days ahead, but fold in cucumber and dill shortly before serving for the best texture.

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