Crispy buffalo tofu bites (air fryer, baked, or pan fried)

Crispy buffalo tofu bites on platter with celery sticks and dipping sauce.

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Crispy buffalo tofu bites (air fryer, baked, or pan fried)

These saucy, spicy buffalo bites are perfect for game day, parties, and get-togethers. Plus, they are gluten-free and contain 21 grams of protein. Serve with a creamy sauce for dipping to balance the heat. I especially like onion and garlic dipping sauce.

Prep Time16

Cook Time13

Total Time29

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: buffalo tofu, vegan appetizers, vegan buffalo wings

Servings: people

Calories: 247kcal

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

Instructions

Remove 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 tamari, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, and salt. Gently use your hands to make sure the tofu gets evenly covered in seasonings.
If you have the time, let the tofu marinate for about 5 minutes to soak up the flavor. (Though it's not essential since the marinade becomes part of the coating.)
Across the top of the tofu, sprinkle on cornstarch and 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, put the cornstarch and nutritional yeast into a freezer bag instead. Then add the tofu pieces, and shake to coat.
Put all of the tofu pieces into the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 degrees for 13 minutes, stopping halfway through to spray 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.)
While the tofu is cooking, put 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 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.
Transfer to a platter, and serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce like onion and garlic dressing, vegan ranch, or vegan blue cheese dressing.

Notes

*To keep this dish gluten-free, be sure to check the packaging on your tamari to ensure it's wheat-free.

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