Name: Cacio e Pepe Tofu Bites
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6 Servings
Cuisine: American

Cooking with Conks Verified

February 2, 2026

These little bites are crispy, cheesy, peppery, and full of flavor!. They’re a great high-protein, vegetarian snack that even people who claim not to like tofu will love. They’re also impossible to stop eating (we left ours in the kitchen and couldn’t avoid grabbing one every time we walked by!).

From the Cook

1/3

Cacio e Pepe Tofu Bites

Cooking with Conks Verified

Ingredients

WarningMilk and 5 other allergens identified

Instructions

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Wrap the tofu block in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels and place on a flat surface, like a cutting board.

Place another cutting board on top of the wrapped tofu and place something moderately heavy on top of that, leaving it undisturbed for about 20 minutes. The weight of the item(s) on top of the tofu will help press any excess water out.

Cut the tofu block into cubes.

In a shallow bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, Pecorino Romano cheese, 1 tablespoon of cracked black pepper, and ½ tsp sea salt.

In another shallow dish, whisk together the beaten eggs and the cornstarch until fully combined. Season mixture with a pinch of salt and some cracked black pepper.

Spray the parchment paper lined baking sheet with olive oil spray.

Dip each cube of tofu into the egg mixture and then the cheese and breadcrumb mixture, making sure to get all sides of the tofu coated.

Arrange all the breaded tofu cubes onto the sprayed parchment lined sheet, then spray the tops of the breaded tofu.

Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and turn each tofu cube over. Bake another 10 minutes or until golden.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or enjoy by themselves.

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Tofu Moisture Magic 💧
Press tofu for at least 30 minutes before cooking to remove excess moisture, ensuring a crispier and more absorptive texture for the cheese and breadcrumb coating.
Cheese Grating Hack 🧀
Freeze Pecorino Romano for 10-15 minutes before grating to create ultra-fine, fluffy cheese that coats the tofu bites more evenly and melts perfectly.
Cornstarch Coating Technique 🥣
Create a three-stage breading station: first cornstarch, then egg wash, and finally the Pecorino-breadcrumb mixture for maximum crispiness and adherence.
Pepper Intensity Trick 🌶️
Toast whole black peppercorns briefly in a dry skillet before cracking to release their essential oils and amplify the pepper's aromatic complexity.
Baking Rack Elevation 🍽️
Use a wire baking rack on your baking sheet to allow hot air circulation, ensuring all sides of the tofu bites become uniformly crisp and golden.

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About the Cook

Cooking with Conks

We’re Rachel & Emily Conklin (“Conks” for short), sisters, lifelong foodies, and the voices behind Cooking with Conks. We grew up in Southern California, surrounded by bold flavors, big family meals, and the kind of kitchen chaos that turns into inside jokes