Buffalo tofu tacos (air fryer, baked, or pan fried)

Crispy buffalo tofu tacos on plate, topped with pickled red onions and creamy onion & garlic vegan dressing.

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Buffalo tofu tacos (air fryer, baked, or pan fried)

Spicy buffalo tofu tacos are the perfect weeknight dinner. They are topped with crunchy lettuce, briny pickled red onions, and a drizzling of onion and garlic dressing.

Recipe makes 8 tacos. Depending on appetites and side dishes, 2 or 3 tacos per person is usually about right. (Nutrition information listed is per taco.)

Prep Time20

Cook Time13

Total Time33

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: buffalo tofu tacos, tofu tacos, weeknight dinner

Servings: tacos

Calories: 255kcal

Author: Cadry Nelson

Ingredients

For the tofu marinade

16 ounces super firm tofu vacuum-packed
2 Tablespoons tamari low-sodium preferred*
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt

For the breaded coating

¼ cup cornstarch
3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
Avocado oil Oil spray for air fryer or oven; high-heat oil for pan frying

For vegan buffalo sauce

1 Tablespoon vegan butter
3 Tablespoons Frank's RedHot sauce or your preferred hot sauce

Onion and garlic dressing

6 Tablespoons vegan mayonnaise I recommend Vegenaise
¼ teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon onion salt I recommend Trader Joe's brand
½ clove garlic finely grated or pressed
2 teaspoons non-dairy milk

For the tacos

8 corn tortillas warmed
6 romaine lettuce leaves chopped
⅓ cup pickled red onions

Instructions

For the marinated tofu and breaded coating

Remove 16 ounce block of super firm tofu from package, and blot dry with a clean kitchen towel. Get a medium-sized bowl with lid, and use your hands to break the tofu apart into chunks, roughly 1 ½ inches to 2-inches in size.
Season the tofu with 2 Tablespoons tamari, 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Gently use your hands to make sure the tofu gets evenly covered in seasonings.
Across the top of the tofu, sprinkle on ¼ cup cornstarch and 3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast. Then cover the bowl with a lid, and shake to evenly coat all of the tofu pieces.
If you don't have a bowl with a lid, use a big spoon to combine the cornstarch and nutritional yeast with the tofu pieces until no dry cornstarch is visible.
Put all of the tofu pieces into the air fryer basket in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd.** Air fry at 400 degrees for 13 minutes, stopping halfway through to spray generously with oil and shake the basket. Continue cooking, stopping once or twice more to spray again and shake for even browning.
The tofu nuggets are ready when they're perfectly golden and crunchy.
(To pan fry or bake the tofu instead, see instructions in the notes section below.)

For the buffalo sauce

While the tofu is cooking, put 1 Tablespoon vegan butter into a microwave-safe medium bowl. (You can wash and reuse the same bowl from earlier, if you like.) Microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, until it melts. Then add 3 Tablespoons Frank's RedHot sauce (or your preferred hot sauce), and combine.
Remove the tofu from the air fryer, and add it to the buffalo sauce. Stir to combine, so that everything gets evenly coated.

For onion and garlic dressing

In a bowl, combine 6 Tablespoons vegan mayonnaise, ¼ teaspoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon onion salt, half a clove of finely grated garlic, and 2 teaspoons non-dairy milk.
Depending on the brand, mayonnaise varies by thickness. If you'd like your dressing to be thinner, add another splash of non-dairy milk, and stir it in completely.
If you'd like your dressing to be thicker, add another spoonful of vegan mayonnaise, and stir it in completely.
Taste for seasonings, and add more onion salt, if desired.

For buffalo tofu tacos

To warm corn tortillas, heat them one by one in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side. Keep warmed tortillas wrapped in a clean kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.
Alternatively, microwave the stack of tortillas for about 45 seconds, stopping once to flip, until warm and pliable.
Add spoonfuls of buffalo tofu to warmed corn tortillas. Top the tacos with even amounts of chopped lettuce, pickled red onions, and several generous drizzles of onion and garlic dressing.

Notes

*To keep this dish gluten-free, be sure to check the packaging on your tamari and corn tortillas to ensure they're wheat-free.

**If your air fryer is small or if you're doubling the recipe, cook in batches. For perfect crispiness and the best air flow, it's important not to overfill the air fryer basket.

For an even easier buffalo sauce option, the hot sauce and vegan butter can be replaced with ¼ cup of your preferred buffalo sauce. Trader Joe's buffalo sauce or Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce are both vegan options.

Pan-fried method

To pan fry the tofu (instead of air frying), fill a nonstick skillet with a shallow layer of high heat oil, like avocado oil. Bring to a medium or medium high heat. Add the breaded tofu, and fry about 13 minutes, flipping occasionally for even browning.

Once it’s evenly brown, transfer the tofu to a towel-lined plate to drain. Then add to buffalo sauce, combine, and serve.

Oven-baked method

To bake the tofu (instead of air frying), preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (This is very important, because otherwise, the tofu WILL stick.)

Add the breaded tofu, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stopping once halfway through to spray the tofu bites with oil, flip, and spray the other side. You’ll know they’re ready when they’re perfectly browned and crunchy on the outside. Transfer them to the bowl with buffalo sauce, combine, and serve.

Note on nutrition info

Oil isn’t included in the nutrition info since it varies by cooking method (a few spritzes for air frying or baking vs. more for pan frying). Also, spray oils are labeled zero calorie per spray, but the actual amount used can vary.

Nutrition