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My recipe testers declare this vegan schnitzel recipe is so good it could waltz right into an Austrian beer hall and hold its own. It's crispy AF on the outside, tender and juicy in the middle, and requires zero piggies or poultry to deliver that classic schnitzel experience. Whether you're frying, baking, or air-frying, this is quick, easy, and made with stuff you can actually find at a regular grocery store.
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Schnitzel goes way back-like horse-drawn carriages and powdered wigs back. It's been a crispy favorite in Austrian, German, and even Japanese kitchens (looking at you, tofu katsu). Traditionally, it's made by mercilessly pounding some poor cut of meat, breading it, and frying it to golden oblivion.
But this version swaps the meat for tofu, which, after a little tough love (pressing and freezing, trust the process), delivers that signature crunch without the, uh, ethical dilemma. The result? Juicy, crispy, and 100% dunkable into mushroom gravy, vegan brown gravy, onion gravy, or whatever other vegan sauce recipes makes your heart sing.
If you're into plant-based meats that actually bring the texture and flavor, this one's right up there with my seitan fried chicken and vegan drumsticks-because let's be real, crispy golden things just make life better.
So, what's next? You, in your kitchen, absolutely nailing this recipe. Let's get frying.
My husband loves meat and German food. I was determined to get him to at least tell me it tasted good! Freezing definitely resulted in a meatier texture. And-he was shocked tofu could taste so good! A new fun recipe in our household now.
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🥰 Why you'll adore this vegan schnitzel recipe
✅ Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all my vegan recipes, this schnitzel has been tested by a global squad of hundreds of home cooks at every skill level, ensuring it's easy, foolproof, and totally worth making again and again.
🔬 Freezing & Pressing = Unbeatable Texture: Freezing and pressing transforms soft tofu into a firm, meaty cutlet that fries up crisp and juicy-no mush, no crumble. Same technique I use for vegan karaage. Works every time.
✊ Vegan AF: Like all of my vegan Jewish recipes, this one has no eggs, no dairy, no meat. So you get that crispy, golden, satisfying crunch without harming a single lovable critter.
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🔥 Vegan Schnitzel Ingredients
Soft Tofu
Not to be confused with silken tofu (which would turn this into deep-fried pudding), soft tofu is just regular tofu that hasn't been pressed much during production, making it waterier than firm tofu. That extra moisture is exactly why it works so well here-freezing and pressing it later creates a layered, meaty texture that holds up to breading and frying.
If soft tofu is MIA at your grocery store, firm or extra firm tofu will do the trick-but it will become more spongy than flaky when frozen, which is honestly sorta lame in my opinion.
Mushroom Powder
Mushroom powder is the secret to that deep, umami-packed, why-is-this-so-good flavor-giving the schnitzel a next-level savory boost. It's the same trick I use in my brown gravy and mushroom gravy to build rich, meaty depth without actual meat.
If you don't have mushroom powder on hand, you can make your own by blitzing dried shiitakes and porcini mushrooms in a blender-or just swap poultry seasoning instead.
Breadcrumbs
The final, crispy coating that turns this tofu schnitzel into a golden, crunchy masterpiece. Regular breadcrumbs get the job done, but if you're after that extra crunch factor, panko is the move. Want to keep it gluten-free? Grab some gluten-free panko, and you're all set.
Nutritional Yeast
Not just for flavor, nutritional yeast adds a subtle cheesiness and extra depth to the breading while sneaking in some B vitamins. If you've got leftovers, throw it into vegan nacho cheese, vegan sausage gravy, or vegan parmesan cheese for more savory goodness. You can skip it, but the schnitzel won't have quite the same super-dope flavor.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
📖 How to make vegan schnitzel
Get it crispy, golden, and just right on your first go. Follow the step-by-step instructions with helpful images for a flawless fry, or scroll down for the printable recipe card.
Step One
Press-idential Treatment:
If you have a tofu press, use it to remove excess moisture. Otherwise, drain the tofu and wrap it in paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Set it on a wire rack over a baking pan, place another pan on top, and add something medium-heavy, ensuring it presses without crushing. Let it sit for 60 minutes, then flip and repeat for another 60 minutes.
Step Two
Thaw and Order:
Transfer the pressed tofu to a container and freeze for at least 4 hours (overnight is even better). Once frozen solid, remove it, rewrap it in a fresh kitchen towel, and let it thaw on a wire rack with a weight on it for 4 hours to press out any remaining moisture.
✅ If you are in a rush, some of my readers have significantly decreased this time by microwaving the tofu before pressing for just 30 minutes.
Step Three
Breading A Rainbow:
Set up the breading station. In a shallow dish, whisk the non-dairy milk, Dijon mustard, mushroom powder, and tamari together until fully combined. In a separate bowl, add the cornstarch. In a third bowl, mix the remaining dry ingredients-bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, black pepper, and thyme.
Step Four
What What in the Cut:
Cut the tofu into halves, creating 4 thin cutlets. If you'd like, use a knife to round off two opposite corners to give them a more natural, traditional schnitzel shape.
Step Five
Bread Zeppelin:
Dredge the tofu slices in the cornstarch, coating all sides evenly. Dip it into the wet mixture, letting the excess drip off, then press it firmly into the breadcrumb mixture to coat completely.
Step Six
The Pan with the Plan:
To pan-fry, heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the schnitzels for 2-3 minutes per side over medium-high heat until they turn golden brown and crisp, then transfer them to a wire rack to drain any excess oil.
Step Seven
Schnitz Happens:
If you'd rather air-fry, preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Lightly coat both sides of the schnitzels with cooking spray, arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket, and cook for 10-12 minutes at 375°F (190°C), flipping halfway through, until crispy and golden brown.
Step Eight
Baking and Entry:
If you prefer to bake your schnitzels, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, lightly spray the schnitzels with cooking oil, and arrange them in a single layer. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 400°F (200°C), flipping halfway through, until the coating is golden and crisp.
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💡 Serving Ideas
This classic German dish is typically served with mustard, a slice of lemon and a side of warm potato salad, vegan chopped liver, or braised red cabbage.
If you're going for the full European nana-approved experience, a bowl of warm and brothy vegan matzo ball soup kicks things off just right. Followed up with vegan potato kugel-because crispy, golden layers of potatoes never hurt anyone. If you need something bright to balance the richness, a ladleful of vegan borscht adds the perfect beety, tangy contrast.
Or, take things in a New York deli direction and plate up your schnitzel with a hearty serving of kasha varnishkes, nutty buckwheat and pasta that's simple but deeply satisfying. A side of vegan pierogies keeps the doughy, crispy, golden theme going. And of course, no proper meal ends without something sweet-vegan sufganiyot, matzo toffee, or vegan rugelach brings the jammy goods.
👉 Top tips
- Press Tofu Thoroughly: Getting rid of extra moisture is key to nailing the right texture. A tofu press makes life easier, but stacking a heavy object on top works too-just make sure it's getting a steady, even press. The thinner and flakier (from pressing and freezing) the tofu, the better the schnitzel.
- Freeze and Thaw for Texture: Freezing tofu and then allowing it to thaw alters its internal structure, creating a chewier, more meat-like consistency. Trust me, it's worth the extra time rather than just making breaded fried tofu.
- Get the Oil Temperature Right: For the crispiest schnitzel, your oil needs to stay around 350°F (177°C)-too cool, and you get sad, greasy schnitzel; too hot, and it burns before it's even cooked through. A frying thermometer keeps things in the crispy sweet spot.
🤷♀️ Recipe FAQs
Schnitzel goes way back-think old-school Austria, fancy mustaches, and way too many buttons on jackets. Traditionally, it's a thinly pounded meat cutlet, breaded and fried until golden and crispy.
But here's the real truth: it was never about the meat. It was always about that crunch. Now, we're doing it plant-based, swapping out the moo for tofu, seitan (aka vital wheat gluten), or even a well-seasoned slice of eggplant-all delivering that signature crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside magic. Same schnitzel vibes, zero farm animals involved.
Yes! But only before cooking. Once breaded, lay them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. When you're ready to cook, fry, bake, or air-fry straight from frozen-just add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
But if you try to freeze already fried schnitzel? Let's just say it'll reheat about as well as soggy cardboard. Eat it fresh or don't do this to yourself.
A classic squeeze of lemon juice is always a winner. But vegan mushroom gravy, mustard sauce, or even a zhoug sauce and tarator will take things to the next level. And if you're leaning full Austrian? Bourbon cranberry sauce is traditional, and trust me, it slaps.
❄️ Refrigerating:
Let your delicious vegan schnitzel cool completely before storing. Place it in an airtight container with a clean kitchen towel or parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
🧊 Freezing:
For longer storage, freeze the breaded but uncooked schnitzels on a parchment-lined tray until solid, then transfer them to an airtight container. Cook them straight from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the cooking time. If freezing cooked schnitzels, allow them to cool first, then freeze in a single layer before stacking in a container. They will keep well for up to 3 months.
🫠 Thawing:
If you've frozen cooked schnitzel, let it thaw in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight before reheating. Uncooked schnitzels can go straight from the freezer to the pan, oven, or air fryer-no thawing needed.
🔥 Stovetop Reheating:
For the crispiest results, heat a skillet over medium heat and add a light layer of oil. Cook the schnitzel for about 3-4 minutes per side over medium heat until heated through and crispy again.
🔥 Oven Reheating:
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the schnitzel on a parchment-lined baking sheet and heat for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crisp and warmed through.
⚡️ Air Fryer Reheating:
Set the air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and place the schnitzel in a single layer in the basket. Cook for 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through, until hot and crispy.
✌️ You'll love these vegan meat recipes too:
Learn the secrets to perfect falafel in this fun cooking class with Chef Adam Sobel!
Vegan Schnitzel Recipe (Made With Tofu)
Equipment
- Air Fryer optional
Ingredients
- 2 14 oz. soft tofu
- ½ cup unsweetened plant based milk
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon mushroom powder
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs or gluten free breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 1 cup cooking oil canola or cooking spray if air-frying
Instructions
- If available, use a tofu press, otherwise, drain the tofu and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel. Place the wrapped tofu on a wire rack over a baking pan. Set a second baking pan on top and add a medium-weight object to press gently without crushing. Let drain for 60 minutes, then flip and press for another 60 minutes.
- Transfer the pressed tofu to a container and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight. Once frozen, remove from the container, rewrap in a fresh kitchen towel, and press again on a wire rack for 2 hours as it thaws.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the plant-based milk, Dijon mustard, mushroom powder, and tamari until smooth. In a separate bowl, add the cornstarch. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, black pepper, and thyme.
- Cut the tofu in halves forming 4 thin cutlets. If desired, you can use the tip of a knife to round out two opposing corners of the tofu to give it a more natural breast-like shape.
- Dredge each tofu slice in the cornstarch, making sure to thoroughly coat all sides. Dip into the curdled milk mixture, allowing any excess to drip off. Coat thoroughly with the breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to help it adhere.
- To pan-fry, heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the schnitzels for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack to drip dry.
Alternately you can bake or air fry your vegan schnitzel.
- For air-frying, preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Lightly coat both sides of the schnitzels with cooking spray. Arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp.
- For baking, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat the schnitzels with cooking spray. Arrange them on the sheet in a single layer and bake for 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crisp and golden brown.
Notes
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Maggie says
Fantastic recipe! I made the airfryer version. It was easy and everyone loved the end product!
Josie says
I absolutely love this recipe. My son asked for schnitzel for his birthday dinner and I knew I had to see if Adam had a recipe. Sure enough! It was a hit with everyone. I had heard of freezing the tofu before, but never had tried it. It's amazing and I look forward to doing this again in other recipes.
Jackie R. says
Made this for dinner tonight. I only had access to firm tofu, but it was still delish! I have a tofu press and pressed the heck out of both blocks for a few hours, both before freezing and after (it makes a huge difference). I am astounded by the breading. I can never get breading to stick to tofu, but this was perfect! I'm going to try to round up some soft tofu and make it properly, but I will definitely make this again. I don't think I ever had non-vegan schnitzel before going vegan, but I am definitely a schnitzel fan now.
Meg says
Another great staple to add to the list to convert that meat eaters. The sloppy stuff, the crumb….oh yes! So tasty. Crispy and the hit of lemon squeezed on…perfect. I used firm tofu that was in the freezer, put it in the tofu press all day, no water in it…
Followed your great instructions….thank you Chef Adam.
Jeff says
I'm the process of trying this recipe right now and very excited. One note, it's been 4 hours including 1 outside where it's 80+ degrees and my tofu still hasn't thawed all the way. Just to warn others to get it out early.
Adam Sobel says
Oof sorry it's taking forever to thaw for you Jeff. Please lemme know how it comes out for you when this is finished though!
Jamal says
A much quicker way to thaw is to put the frozen tofu in a sealed ziploc bag. Submerge the sealed, ziploc bag in above-warm water (putting a weight, like another bowl, on top of the tofu-in-bag to keep it submerged is ideal).
This cuts down the thawing time drastically.
Jeff says
Oops, I typed out a reply later that night but I guess I didn't post it. So the extra thawing time was fine as I had thankfully pulled the tofu out about 5 hours before I needed to cook it, so it ended up fine, but just an FYI for others that it could be lengthier.
The schnitzel was really yummy, especially the texture of the tofu and the crunch of the crust. I ate mine with sauerkraut on the side and Dijon to dip with. When I make it again I may make up a vegan honey mustard as I think it will go perfectly (can't remember if that was from you or someone else).
My only critique or recommendation would maybe be to add some salt into the coating or to add a little right after frying. The flavors were there but a little muted.
Anyway, thanks so much for sharing this and so many other delicious recipes!
Linda says
My husband loves meat and German food. I was determined to get him to at least tell me it tasted good! Freezing definitely resulted in a meatier texture. And—he was shocked tofu could taste so good! A new fun recipe in our household now.
Adam Sobel says
So psyched he (and you) loved it, Linda!
Alexandra Grossman says
this was awesome! I didn't even bother pressing my firm tofu, I just blotted it dry and it still came out so delicious, crispy outside and juicy in the inside. I salted my filets once they were done frying. I also created a raspberry syrup with 1 cup frozen raspberries, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and some fresh lime juice and it was so freaking good with this schnitzel and a bit of tartar sauce 🤤