Oven-Baked Tofu Schnitzel Coated in Quinoa Pops

I've written about this here before, and I'll say it again:

Forget about cooking quinoa in a pot.

Next time you buy quinoa, "pop" it in a pan and create a schnitzel coating that is both gluten-free and a superfood.

It's genuinely fun, easy, and delicious.

I know what you're thinking: "You've destroyed the nutritional value of the quinoa!"

Well, take a deep breath and relax, because a short toast doesn't destroy all the nutrients, and the quinoa remains very nourishing.

The best part about toasting quinoa is the fact that it pops just like popcorn and develops a wonderful toasted, nutty flavor that gives a deep aroma to the tofu.

A bit about the recipe

• I chose tofu simply because it's what I had in the fridge. You can choose anything else you'd like to turn into schnitzel, like tempeh or seitan. The quinoa doesn't mind!
• I'm not sure if the quinoa can be replaced with something else. It's worth trying to pop other things in the pan; maybe millet would work (I haven't tried).
• To make the quinoa stick to the tofu, I used a mixture of chickpea flour and spices — you can replace it with any egg substitute you like or any other flour you have on hand.
• I baked the schnitzel in the oven to save on calories and all that. Honestly, who fries things these days?!
• You can also use red quinoa.

Nutritional Values:

A serving of quinoa-crusted tofu schnitzel weighing 173g contains:

• 298 kcal
• 20g protein
• 23g carbohydrates
• 14g fat

Print

Quinoa-Crusted Tofu Schnitzel

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 15 minutes

Servings 3 servings

Calories 298 kcal

Ingredients

• 300 g tofu
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to a medium heat of 190°C.

2. Pour the quinoa onto a very hot pan and, stirring constantly, toast until the quinoa pops like popcorn.

3. The quinoa is ready when it has a wonderful toasted aroma and a deep amber color.

4. Remove from heat.

5. In a bowl, add the chickpea flour and all the spices: paprika, turmeric, mustard, garlic, and salt.

6. Add the almond milk and mix until you get a smooth, sticky, and liquid batter (like pancake batter).

7. Slice the tofu into pieces.

8. Dip each tofu slice into the flour mixture and then coat with the popped quinoa.

9. Place the tofu slices on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil.

10. Bake the tofu slices for about 15 minutes until further browned.

11. Eat and enjoy!

Recipe Video