Name: Buffalo Tofu Nuggets
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 lb firm tofu ((a 14-oz package is fine too)); ⅓ cup + 3 tablespoons cornstarch (divided (pay attention to the steps below, the cornstarch is split into 3 different bowls!)); ¼ cup any unsweetened unflavored non-dairy milk; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (use gluten-free panko, if needed); Olive oil spray ((use 100% olive oil spray, not cooking spray)); ½ cup vegan butter (melted); ½ cup hot sauce (such as Frank's); 2 tablespoon white vinegar; 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon salt

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If you love Buffalo sauce, you are going to LOVE these Buffalo Tofu Nuggets!! These little nuggets are baked (not fried) and are super crispy and delicious. These vegan nuggets are amazing for game day, on top of salad, in tacos, or simply for snacking whenever the craving hits!

Go ahead and try to eat just a couple! They are so crispy, tasty, and addicting.

Baked tofu nuggets

Firm tofu is amazing for making vegan nuggets, and it really couldn't be easier to make nuggets from tofu! Just pat it dry with a paper towel, and then either slice it into cubes or break it into more irregular "nugget" shapes.

To make the nuggets crispy, I coat the nuggets in cornstarch (though you can use tapioca starch or rice or wheat starch for a corn-free nugget recipe), the dip them into a vegan milk mixture seasoned with a few spices, and finally coat them in panko breadcrumbs to get them extra crispy.

I spray the nuggets with oil spray before baking them, to help get a gorgeous golden brown color and to make them extra crispy. Overall, these are MUCH lighter than deep-fried nuggets because only a little bit of oil gets sprayed onto the nuggets.

Related recipe: Vegan Tofu BLT

Vegan buffalo sauce

Buffalo sauce is typically made with hot sauce and butter, and for this veganized version I simply use vegan butter substitute to get that amazing buttery spicy sauce. I also add a few other ingredients (vegan Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and salt) to give the sauce an even more amazing flavor instead of simply tasting like hot sauce.

Related recipe: Vegan Jerky (a reader favorite!!)

Ingredients

For the tofu nuggets:

1 lb firm tofu (14 oz is OK too, if your tofu is sold in 14-oz packages)
⅓ cup + 3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided (pay attention to the steps below, the cornstarch is split into 3 different parts!)
¼ cup any unsweetened unflavored non-dairy milk
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup panko breadcrumbs (use gluten-free panko, if needed)
Olive oil spray (I strongly prefer 100% olive oil sprays over cooking spray like PAM)

For the vegan buffalo sauce:

½ cup vegan butter, melted
½ cup hot sauce (Frank's is a classic, and it's vegan!)
2 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (Wizard's and Annie's are my go-to brands, but you can skip it if you don't have it)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

This recipe might seem like a lot of steps, but trust me that it is EASY once you make it once.

Make the nuggets:

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a baking tray with oil or line it with parchment paper.

Step 2: Pat the tofu dry with a paper towel. Chop / break the tofu into irregular-shaped bite-sized pieces to resemble nugget shapes. Or you can chop it into cubes - that's definitely easier!

Step 3: Prepare three separate bowls:

Bowl 1: ⅓ cup cornstarch

Bowl 2: ¼ cup non-dairy milk + 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 1 teaspoon paprika + 1 teaspoon garlic powder + ½ teaspoon salt. Whisk together to dissolve the cornstarch.

Bowl 3: 1 cup panko breadcrumbs + 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Mix well.

Adding plant milk to spice mixture for dipping tofu nuggets.

This is Bowl 2: the milk + spices mixture.

Step 4: Coat each piece of tofu with cornstarch, then with the milk mixture, and finally with the panko mixture. Make sure to cover tofu evenly in each layer to get crispy nuggets!

Step 5: Place the coated nuggets on the prepared baking tray. Spray them with oil - this will help get the nuggets nice and golden as they bake.

Step 6: Bake the nuggets at 400F for about 20 minutes, or until they get golden and crispy. You can flip the nuggets halfway, if you want to, but I don't find it necessary.

Make the Buffalo sauce while the nuggets are baking:

Step 1: In a medium-large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Step 2: Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and stir to combine.

Step 3: When the nuggets are baked, place them in a large bowl and toss them with the vegan buffalo sauce. Or simply dip the baked nuggets into the buffalo sauce to serve!

What to serve with vegan buffalo nuggets

These nuggets are amazing finger food when served with a dip: I find that a creamy sauce goes perfectly with the spicy nuggets, so I like to mix together vegan mayo + vegan ketchup to use as a dip. A vegan ranch dressing would also be amazing for these nuggets. Sometimes, just dipping the nuggets into the buffalo sauce is all I need.

These nuggets are great for tacos or on vegan pizza, or make a great main dish next to some roasted potato wedges or baked cauliflower.

They also make a great high-protein topping for salads. I still prefer a creamy dressing, such as a vegan ranch, when eating these tofu nuggets as part of a salad.

Related: 13 Vegan Salad Dressings

Recipe variations and tips

→ You can use tapioca starch, wheat starch, or rice starch in place of cornstarch, if you prefer.

→ To make this recipe gluten-free, you can replace panko flour with almond flour or with gluten-free panko breadcrumbs. The nuggets won't be as crispy if you use almond flour, but they will still be delicious!

→ If you want the buffalo sauce to be spicier, you can use less butter and more hot sauce, or simply add a few pinches of cayenne pepper to the sauce if you prefer to keep the same buttery-ness but just want more heat.

→ For a richer buffalo flavor, you can make the buffalo sauce before making the nuggets, and dip the cornstarch-coated nuggets into buffalo sauce instead of the milk mixture. You just need to get the nuggets wet so the panko breadcrumbs will stick to them! For extra spice, you can dip the nuggets into straight-up hot sauce.

→ You can pan-fry or deep fry the nuggets if you prefer, instead of baking.

Related recipe: Vegan Street Tacos

More awesome vegan appetizers to try:

Or check out these vegan charcuterie board ideas or these vegan dips and spreads!

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