I know nuggets have been living in meme-land for quite some time but honestly, they’re a perfect food. Plus anything that can be a vessel for sauce gets extra points in my book. That all being said, vegan nuggets are mediocre at best and holy cannoli the price point is insane. The amount of nuggets I want to eat vs my nugget budget is extremely skewed. So I started making my own tofu nuggets and haven’t looked back.
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The really important part of working with tofu is to get all of that packing water out. We’re using extra-firm tofu in this recipe so investing in tofu press is a good idea. If you don’t want to pay, you can always stack a pot with some cans inside on top of your tofu but I’ve never had much luck with this method. I usually find that my tofu breaks on the sides. I’ve also seen where people freeze their tofu and then defrost to get the water out but I’ve never tried it myself and therefore don’t want to recommend it. The best solution to all tofu issues is if you can find the vacuum-sealed firm tofu instead of the plastic box tofu. This type usually has less water which means less pressing and it’ll hold its shape better.
Once the tofu is pressed, it’s time to cut it into whatever shape you like. I like the triangles, cutting a slice and then cutting that diagonally, but you could also just do slices, cubes, whatever shape you like. Heck, you could use a cookie cutter and make little dino nuggets if you like.
Once they’re cut you can add a little more flavor if you like. Marinate the tofu in a little soy sauce or pickle juice before breading. Just don’t get too crazy or they won’t crisp up quite as nice.
As with most recipes on this website, live your life and eat your tofu nuggets however you want. You are the captain of your own belly.
Breading these nuggets is so necessary. You get a nice crunch on the exterior with the soft tofu inside but it also absorbs the buffalo sauce nicely if you let them sit. They don’t stay quite as crunchy but to be fair, anything not deep fried can’t be sauced and stay crispy. If you like that crunch, just dip as you go along. Preference is preference.
As far as sauce goes, I’m a huge Frank’s Redhot fan. It has that classic buffalo taste, especially when you melt a little butter in. But there’s also no shame in eating it straight. If you don’t like Frank, any hot sauce you like would also be lovely. Heck, any sauce with these is lovely. Throw a little homemade vegan ranch on the side and you’re good to go.
- 1 lb extra firm tofu, pressed
- 1/4 cup corn starch or tapioca starch
- 1/4 cup plant milk, unsweetened and unflavored
- 3/4 cup vegan breadcrumbs or panko
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tbsp oil, divided
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 1/4 cup vegan butter, melted
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with foil and grease with half the oil.
- Cut pressed tofu into 6 slabs. Cut each slab diagonally.
- Create a dredging station. In one bowl, place starch. Next is plant milk. Final bowl is breadcrumbs, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, nutritional yeast and parsley. Mix to combine.
- One tofu chunk at a time, cover in starch and shake off excess. Dip into the milk on both sides and coat with breadcrumbs. Place on baking sheet and continue until all tofu is breaded.
- Drizzle or spray the top of the wings with remaining oil. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until crispy, flipping halfway.
- In a large bowl, combine hot sauce, butter and a pinch of salt. Immediately before serving, toss wings in hot sauce. Serve warm.
You can prep these ahead of time and wait to bake. Once sauced, the breading will absorb and become soggy if left out too long.
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