These crispy vegan tofu nuggets are a plant-based take on your favorite chicken nuggets! They’re so easy to make, gluten-free friendly, packed with delicious flavor and perfect with any of your favorite dipping sauces.
I love a good old fashioned chicken nugget as much as the next person, and I was a bit skeptical about vegan tofu nuggets, I’ll admit. But wow, these vegan tofu chicken nuggets are next level good.
They’re crispy, have a delicious and classic flavor and even the texture resembles chicken when done correctly.
They’re also gluten free if you need them to be (or not if you don’t!) and can be made in either the air fryer or baked in the oven.
It’s easy to buy vegan nuggets from the store like Impossible or Beyond, but making them scratch is much more fun and often healthier!
This recipe is perfect for both kids and adults and can be prepped in advance and stored in the freezer for quick meals throughout the week! If you love this recipe, try my chickpea burgers or tofu fajitas next!
Key ingredients
Vegan nuggets can be made out of a variety of things, but store bought ones are going to be different than this homemade version. Some are healthy, some not so much, but this recipe is made with very simple and accessible ingredients.
Tofu. You need extra firm tofu for this recipe. Please don’t make any subs as this is key for the overall texture of the tofu nuggets!
Marinade. Marinating tofu isn’t always necessary, but for this recipe it truly adds so much amazing flavor.
The marinade is just soy sauce or tamari mixed with vegetable broth and onion and garlic powder. It’s super simple but takes the recipe to the next level.
Batter. We’ll be dunking each piece of tofu in a simple batter made with flour, non-dairy milk and a bunch of spices. This will help give it that classic chicken nugget texture!
Breading. Arguably the most important part! The breading is made from (gluten free) breadcrumbs and spices.
One of the most important spices in the mix (in my opinion) is the old bay seasoning. I think it really creates that classic chicken nugget flavor that is just so good.
How to make tofu chicken nuggets
Press tofu. Remove the tofu from the package and drain off excess liquid. Wrap in a towel and place a heavy object such as a cast iron pan, tea kettle or books. Press for 30 minutes.
Marinate. Meanwhile, whisk together the ingredients for the marinade.
Once the tofu has pressed, use your hands to rip into about 1 inch pieces. You can cut it if you prefer, but I think it looks more realistic if you rip it.
Add to the marinade and toss to coat. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425 if baking, or the air fryer to 400 if air frying.
Batter and bread, Meanwhile, whisk together the ingredients for the batter in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine all ingredients for the breading.
Once the tofu is done marinading, take one piece and dip in the batter, then dip in the breadcrumbs until well coated.
Repeat with all pieces and add to your air fryer basket or to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring no pieces are touching. Spray the tops with an oil spray.
Cook and serve. Air fry for 15 minutes, or bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway. Serve with ketchup, honey mustard or your favorite sauce!
Do you need to press tofu?
Not always, but for this recipe, yes! Please, please, please do not skip the step of pressing your tofu!
It’s truly so essential to get all that extra water out for the best texture. A lot of tofu nugget recipes suggest freezing your tofu, but to be honest I haven’t found that to make too much of a difference.
I suggest pressing it for at least 30 minutes, but longer if you feel like it! You do not need to use an actual tofu press to press tofu, just a heavy object like a cast iron pan, tea kettle or stack of books will do.
Frequently asked questions
Do they keep?
Once prepared, you want to eat these vegan tofu nuggets right away. They will maintain their delicious flavor, but the crispy texture doesn’t hold up well.
If you have extra, you can keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days, then reheat in your air fryer or oven to try to get some crisp back.
Can they be frozen?
If you want to prep these in advance, freezing is your best bet! You want to cook them fully as directed, let cool, then store in the freezer in a freezer safe bag for up to 2 months.
Reheat them from frozen in the oven or air fryer until warm through the center.
Do you need to marinate tofu?
Depends on the recipe! Sometimes I recommend it, sometimes I don’t, but for these vegan chicken nuggets, just a 15 minute marinade goes a long way in adding a lot of flavor.
More tofu recipes you’ll love!
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Crispy Vegan Tofu Nuggets
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 16 ounce block extra firm tofu
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- ¼ cup vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Batter
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- ¾ cup gluten free all purpose flour regular works too
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Breading
- 2 cups plain gluten free panko breadcrumbs can sub regular
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Remove the tofu from the package and drain off excess liquid.
- Wrap in a towel and place a heavy object such as a cast iron pan, tea kettle or books.
- Press for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the ingredients for the marinade.
- Once the tofu has pressed, use your hands to rip into about 1 inch pieces. You can cut it if you prefer, but I think it looks more realistic if you rip it.
- Add to the marinade and toss to coat. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425 if baking, or the air fryer to 400 if air frying.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the ingredients for the batter in a medium bowl.
- In another bowl, combine all ingredients for the breading.
- Once the tofu is done marinading, take one piece and dip in the batter, then dip in the breadcrumbs until well coated.
- Repeat with all pieces and add to your air fryer basket or to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring no pieces are touching. Spray the tops with an oil spray.
- Air fry for 15 minutes, or bake for 25 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Serve with ketchup, honey mustard or your favorite sauce!
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