This post is sponsored by Primal Kitchen. All opinions are my own.
Looking for a tasty lunch or dinner recipe packed with tons of flavor? Try these delicious Buffalo Tofu Nuggets. Crispy on the outside but soft and tender on the inside. Baked instead of fried, and tossed in Primal Kitchen’s Buffalo Sauce. Pair with fresh cut veggies and your favorite dipping sauce. These nuggets are not only vegan but also gluten-free.
PRESSING YOUR TOFU
For this recipe it is very important that you use pressed tofu. In order to get these nice and crispy on the outside you don’t want a ton of moisture in your tofu.
To press my tofu I simply removed it from the package and drained the water. I placed a clean kitchen towel or a couple paper towels down on a large plate. I then put something heavy on top of the tofu, I like to stack 2-3 ceramic bowls on top of one another. Just make sure not to put too much weight on the tofu, otherwise it will crack. I let the bowls sit on the tofu for 15-20 minutes letting the tofu release all of the extra moisture. You will be surprised at how much liquid will actually come out of the tofu.
I then cut my Tofu into 3 equal sections, see photo above. You can simply cut your tofu block in half making 2 sections instead of 3. I have just found that the tofu wont get as crispy if the pieces are thicker.
Next, tear your tofu into nuggets about 1 ½ inch by 1 ½ inch. I have found tearing your tofu instead of cutting it will allow the breadcrumbs to stick to the tofu sides better. I wanted to make my nuggets large enough that I can pick one up and dunk it into my favorite sauce. However, if you would rather have smaller or larger pieces they still will taste delicious whatever size you want.
Not only is the recipe adult approved but also kid approved! You can be extra creative and use small cookie cutters to cut the tofu into fun kid approved shapes. Some examples include, dinosaurs, hearts, flowers, and stars. If your little one is sensitive to heat, just skip adding the buffalo sauce.
BREADING YOUR TOFU
You will need 3 different bowls to bread your tofu.
I will admit, your hands will get pretty sticky in the process. But if you are like me, you will think it is super fun!
FLOUR + CORNSTARCH– Combine gluten-free flour and cornstarch together. For the gluten-flour I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour. Also adding the cornstarch with this flour will make the tofu extra crispy when baking.
MILK– It is important to use unsweetened dairy-free milk. Since this is a savory dish using any type of sweetened flavored milk like vanilla will make it taste odd. I recommend using soy, almond, or oat milk for this recipe.
BREADCRUMBS– I used plain gluten-free breadcrumbs for this recipe. If you are not gluten-free use regular breadcrumbs instead. I just would not recommend using panko bread crumbs for this recipe.
After breading your Tofu Nuggets you will want to arrange the tofu evenly on a greased sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes at 425 degree Fahrenheit (218 C) . Then take them out, flip nuggets, and bake again for an additional 15 minutes.
If you want extra crispy tofu nuggets, pop them in your air fryer for 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 C). Just be sure not to put too many in at once otherwise they won’t get very crispy. I recommend cooking your nuggets in multiple batches. In the photo above I popped them in the airfryer after breading them, tossed them in sauce, and cooked them again in the airfryer.
TOSSING YOUR NUGGETS
Toss your nuggets in a large bowl or large plastic bag. Not a fan of a lot of sauce? Pour the buffalo sauce in a small bowl and dip each nugget individually. I have tested all three ways and was not disappointed!
I tossed these Buffalo Tofu Nuggets in Primal Kitchens Buffalo Sauce. Not only is this sauce packed with flavor but is Keto certified, certified Paleo, and Whole30-Approved, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan! To find Primal Kitchens Buffalo Sauce near you click here. To get 10% off your next purchase with Primal Kitchen use the code ITSALLGOODVEGAN. If purchased using this affiliate link or code I will earn a small commission.
If you make these Buffalo Tofu Nuggets I would love it if you would snap a photo of your food and share it with me on instagram @itsallgoodvegan.com. I can’t wait to see how you like it!
These Buffalo Tofu Nuggets are:
Crunchy
Crispy
Tender
Bursting with FlavorProtein Packed
Buffalo Tofu Nuggets
Tofu Nuggets
- 2 tsp oil, this is to grease your baking pan.
- 1 (14 ounce) package of tofu, pressed
- 1/2 cup unsweetened dairy-free milk, I used soy milk
- 1 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
Flour Mixture
- ½ cup gluten-free flour
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Sauce
- ⅔ cup of Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce, add additional sauce if needed.
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 C). Spray or drizzle a large sheet pan with oil and set aside.
- Cut your pressed tofu vertically into 3 sections. Your tofu should be the same size as when you got it from the packages but separated into 3 sections.
- Using your hands tear the tofu into cubes, around 1 ½ inch by 1 ½ inch pieces. It is okay if they are misshapen.
- In a medium bowl add the flour mixture ingredients together and mix. In another bowl combine the breadcrumbs and in a smaller bowl and the milk in a separate bowl. Line all your bowls next to one another, along with your oiled baking pan.
- First, cover your tofu nugget in the flour mixture covering the piece of tofu. Second, dunk the nugget in the milk. Lastly, while the tofu is wet bread the nugget with the breadcrumb mixture covering the entire nugget. Place the nugget on the baking pan and repeat until all your nuggets are breaded.
- Arrange the breaded nuggets evenly on the oiled sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes, take out, flip, and bake for an additional 15 minutes. To get extra crispy Tofu Nuggets cook them in the airfryer.
- In a large bowl or plastic bag add the tofu nuggets. Add half of the buffalo sauce and toss. Pour the rest of the sauce and toss once more until the nuggets are covered with sauce. For a saucier nugget add additional sauce.
- This recipe will make 20-24 nuggets depending on how big or small you tear your tofu.
- Want extra crispy Tofu Nuggets? Use the airfryer instead of the oven. You will just have to cook them in multiple batches.
- I used Primal Kitchen Buffalo Sauce to toss the tofu nuggets.
Thank you to Primal Kitchen for sponsoring this post! I love working with brands that I recommend and love. I appreciate your support!
These look so delicious! I usually make cauliflower Buffalo nuggets, but these look delightful as well.
Can’t wait to try this!