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Aburaage Recipe: How to Prepare Japanese Deep-Fried Tofu

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Oct 14, 2024 • 2 min read

Aburaage is sold premade in Japanese grocery stores, but it's easy to make this twice-fried tofu at home.

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What Is Aburaage?

Aburaage, also known as usu-age, is a type of Japanese deep-fried tofu (bean curd). To make aburaage, thin slices of momen-dofu (firm tofu) are deep-fried until they expand, creating a hollow space inside the tofu. The tofu is then deep-fried a second time at a higher temperature to form a golden-brown crust.

3 Types of Deep-Fried Tofu

There are different types of deep-fried soybean curd in Japanese cuisine:

  1. 1. Aburaage: Aburaage is more sturdy and flexible than firm tofu, and it can be opened up like a pita and wrapped around rice or other fillings. It's easy to pick up with chopsticks, and its porous texture readily absorbs the flavors of soups and stews. Aburaage is oily, so you might want to blot off excess oil with a paper towel or rinse it in hot water before serving.
  2. 2. Inari age: Inari age is aburaage that has been simmered in a mix of dashi (a kombu-based stock), soy sauce, mirin, and sugar.
  3. 3. Atsu-age: Atsu-age is a thick deep-fried tofu block. You can eat it like a steak or serve it cubed in miso soup and salads. You can also serve atsu-age as a grilled wedge, resembling a toasted slice of brie.

5 Ways to Use Aburaage in Your Cooking

Aburaage and inari age are used in a variety of Japanese appetizers, soups, and stews.

  1. 1. Kitsune udon: Kitsune udon is an udon noodle soup topped with inari age.
  2. 2. Inarizushi (inari sushi): These deep-fried tofu pouches filled with sushi rice (vinegared rice) are a bento box staple.
  3. 3. Miso soup: Use aburaage in place of or in addition to regular tofu in miso soup for textural contrast.
  4. 4. Hijiki seaweed salad: This vegetable-forward side dish often includes some hearty strips of fried tofu.
  5. 5. Oden: Oden is a Japanese stew that typically features deep-fried tofu pouches filled with mochi and vegetables.

Homemade Japanese Aburaage Recipe

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126 Ratings | Rate Now

makes

About 8 pieces

prep time

1 hr

total time

1 hr 30 min

cook time

30 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    Wrap tofu block in a towel and place between two cutting boards. Let sit at room temperature for about 1 hour to drain excess moisture.

  2. 2

    Cut tofu into ½-inch slices.

  3. 3

    Fill a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with 3 inches of oil.

  4. 4

    Heat oil to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

  5. 5

    Fry the tofu in batches so as not to crowd the pan, flipping constantly until puffy and expanded, about 6 minutes.

  6. 6

    Drain the tofu on a wire rack.

  7. 7

    Once all the tofu has been fried and drained, increase the heat of the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

  8. 8

    Working in batches, deep-fry until golden brown, about 5 more minutes.

  9. 9

    To remove excess oil, briefly submerge aburaage slices in boiling water (optional).

  10. 10

    Serve immediately, or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for later use.

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