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    Home » Recipes » Tofu

    Published: Jan 12, 2022 by Julia · This post may contain affiliate links · 16 Comments

    Crispy Baked Tofu Nuggets (Vegan)

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Baked tofu nuggets are deliciously crispy and healthy bites of protein that pair great with a Sriracha mayo sauce. Make these in the oven or in an air fryer for easy clean up!

    Jump to:
    • What tofu should I use for baking or air frying?
    • How do I prepare my tofu for baking or air frying?
    • What is panko?
    • What can I serve baked tofu nuggets with?
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-step instructions
    • Looking for more easy vegetarian / vegan recipes?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews
    baked tofu nuggets with scallions

    These little tofu nugget bites are great when served straight out of the oven and paired with a delicious sauce. The tofu is marinated in some simple seasonings, coated in panko, and baked in the oven for 30 minutes. This recipe is vegan and vegetarian friendly and a great side dish or snack-- something everyone can share!

    There are a couple key steps to ensure that your tofu is a delicious, chewy texture and has a crispy coating on the outside. We don't want to serve any soggy tofu!

    What tofu should I use for baking or air frying?

    For any recipes that require you to crisp up or fry tofu, it's important to get firm or extra firm tofu. Both these types of tofu have a lower percentage of water content, so they'll work quite nicely when baked, pan-fried, deep-fried, or even stir-fried!

    How do I prepare my tofu for baking or air frying?

    It's important to remove as much moisture as you can when you're preparing tofu for baking, pan-frying or air-frying. The tofu won't crisp up if you don't prepare it properly. These are my two go-to methods for prepping my tofu. One can be done day-of the recipe, while the other requires overnight preparation, but I believe makes for a spongier texture (which is better!).

    Method 1: Tofu Press (Day Of Preparation)

    1. Remove and drain tofu from package
    2. Wrap tofu in a paper towel and place between two flat plates (one on the bottom, one on the top)
    3. On the top plate, place a heavy object like a cast iron pan or a can of beans
    4. After 15 minutes, replace the paper towel with a new one and continue to press for another 15 minutes.
    5. Use in recipe

    Or lieu of doing the makeshift method, you can also invest in a tofu press if you're making tofu at home often!

    Method 2: Freeze Tofu (Overnight Preparation)

    1. Remove and drain tofu from package
    2. Place tofu in a freezer-safe container and place in freezer overnight
    3. The next day, remove and let defrost on counter if you are making the recipe immediately
    4. You can squeeze the tofu with your hands to remove more of the moisture without breaking it!
    5. Use in recipe

    What is panko?

    Panko are Japanese-style bread crumbs and are different from the ones used in most Western recipes. For example, we used panko to make this Japanese-inspired tofu katsu recipe. Panko is made from bread without the crust, so it maintains a much lighter and crispier texture because it absorbs less oil when used for frying. When it crisps up, the crunch is delicious!

    You can find panko at any grocery store these days in the Asian aisle.

    baked tofu nugget in dipping sauce

    What can I serve baked tofu nuggets with?

    A delicious sauce to serve this with is a mix of Sriracha (which is a popular chili sauce, most commonly used in pho) and Kewpie mayo (a Japanese brand of mayo that is sweeter than US mayo). I like to mix 2 servings of Sriracha with 1 serving of mayo, and so might do 2 tablespoons of Sriracha mixed with 1 tablespoon of Kewpie mayo to make a creamy, delicious dipping sauce.

    You can also just lightly drizzle the Kewpie mayo over the tofu and serve it like Japanese fried chicken (karaage).

    Ingredients

    • Firm or extra firm tofu: As noted above, it's important to use firm or extra firm tofu and NOT silken or soft tofu for this recipe.
    • Garlic powder
    • Onion powder
    • Black pepper
    • Soy sauce
    • All-purpose flour
    • Plant-based milk: You can use an unsweetened almond milk or oat milk. I prefer plain almond milk.
    • Panko: Panko is a Japanese breadcrumb and can be found in any grocery store with an Asian foods section or any Asian grocery store. If you can't find any near you, you can try to sub with regular breadcrumbs.
    • Sriracha
    • Kewpie mayo

    Step-by-step instructions

    1. Prep tofu with either of the two methods outlined above.
    2. Pre-heat oven to 400° F.
    3. Slice tofu into 1 inch cubes.
    4. Season with black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and soy sauce. Mix well and let sit for 10 minutes.marinate tofu
    5. Mix plant-based milk and flour in one bowl and Panko in a separate bowl. The milk/flour mixture should be thicker than liquid, but still have a wet consistency similar to a paste.
    6. Dip each tofu piece in the milk/flour mixture (cover all sides) and then cover with Panko. Ensure that each piece is well-coated to maximize crispiness!panko coated tofu
    7. Place tofu on a baking sheet sprayed with some oil to prevent sticking.
    8. Bake tofu for 15 minutes, flip tofu pieces and bake for another 15 minutes.

    Looking for more easy vegetarian / vegan recipes?

    • Miso Soy King Oyster Mushroom
    • Scallion Oil Noodles
    • Creamy Kimchi Pasta with Mushroom
    • Peanut Sesame Cold Noodles
    baked tofu nuggets

    📖 Recipe

    baked tofu nuggets
    Print Pin
    5 from 64 votes

    Baked Tofu Nuggets

    Baked tofu nuggets are deliciously crispy and healthy bites of protein that pair great with a sriracha mayo sauce. Make these in the oven or in an air fryer for easy clean up!
    Course Dinner, Lunch, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine Chinese, Taiwanese
    Diet Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time 50 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
    Author Julia

    Ingredients

    • 14 oz firm tofu
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 2 tablespoon soy sauce
    • ½ cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup plant-based milk (unsweetened)
    • 2 cups Panko (more if necessary)

    Dipping Sauce

    • 1 tablespoon Sriracha
    • 2 tablespoon Kewpie mayo

    Instructions

    • Prep tofu by pressing or freezing overnight.
    • Slice tofu into 1 inch cubes.
    • Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
    • Toss tofu in garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and soy sauce. Let sit for 10 minutes.
    • Mix flour and plant-based milk in one bowl. It should make a slurry similar to a wet paste.
    • Pour Panko in a separate bowl.
    • Dip each tofu block in the flour/milk mixture, and then roll in Panko to cover each side.
    • Place on a baking tray sprayed with oil to prevent sticking.
    • Bake tofu pieces for 15 minutes, remove from oven and flip each piece, and then bake for another 15 minutes.
    • Serve with dipping sauce.
    « Tofu Katsu with Curry (Vegan)
    Braised Eggplant with Minced Pork »
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gloria says

      January 12, 2022 at 6:13 am

      5 stars
      I am not a fan of tofu, but this recipe just might swing me over. This looks super crispy, and that is right up my alley. I will have to give this a try on the weekend.

      Reply
    2. Jerika says

      January 12, 2022 at 6:41 am

      I have never tried Baked tofu nuggets , this will be my first time baking tofu.:) Looks awesome! can't wait to prepare this on the weekend. Thanks!:)

      Reply
    3. Kayla DiMaggio says

      January 12, 2022 at 6:42 am

      5 stars
      Yum! These tofu nuggets are delicious! I love how cripsy they were!

      Reply
    4. Linda says

      January 12, 2022 at 7:48 am

      5 stars
      This recipe sounds like the perfect way to enjoy tofu. I'm looking for additional ways to incorporate it into my diet and the fact that it's breaded will help the little one accept it. I bet I could cut a few into fun shapes for him!

      Reply
    5. Natalie says

      January 12, 2022 at 10:06 am

      5 stars
      Yum, what a delicious healthy tofu. I'm going to make this tomorrow. Can't wait.

      Reply
    6. Marcellina says

      January 12, 2022 at 1:24 pm

      5 stars
      This is exactly the perfect recipe for converting non tofu eaters! I want to love tofu but the soggy stuff is not pleasant. Instead I love the crispy coating on these nuggets and the chewy interior paired with that simple but delicious sauce! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    7. Sue says

      January 14, 2022 at 8:08 am

      5 stars
      Perfect!

      Reply
    8. Kristina says

      January 14, 2022 at 8:21 am

      5 stars
      Delicious recipe!

      Reply
    9. Audrey says

      January 14, 2022 at 8:28 am

      5 stars
      These were so easy to make and delish!

      Reply
    10. Bernice says

      January 14, 2022 at 8:32 am

      5 stars
      Yum! This is the only way I'll eat tofu. Gotta be super crispy.

      Reply
    11. Debra says

      January 14, 2022 at 8:35 am

      5 stars
      Thanks for the tips...they came out crispy, just the way we like tofu.

      Reply
    12. Serena says

      January 14, 2022 at 10:33 am

      5 stars
      Super crispy! Great way to serve tofu!

      Reply
    13. Raquel says

      January 14, 2022 at 2:06 pm

      5 stars
      These were tasty and super easy to make!

      Reply
    14. Linda says

      January 14, 2022 at 11:01 pm

      5 stars
      These are rich in flavors and so good!

      Reply
    15. Swathi says

      January 15, 2022 at 1:31 pm

      5 stars
      Baked tofu nuggets looks yum.

      Reply
    16. Brianna May says

      January 17, 2022 at 7:48 am

      5 stars
      This looks delish!!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm J! I'm a marketer by day, food photographer and recipe-tester by any other time available. The Floured Camera was born from my need to make quick, delicious, and (sometimes) healthy dishes for when I'm craving my favorite Asian childhood dishes!

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