Baked Crispy Tofu Nugget

The most amazing vegetarian nuggets are baked to crispy perfection. They’re so good that you might finish a few servings in one sitting! {Vegan, Vegetarian}

I’m not a huge sports fan but I get super excited about football season every year, because it is the time that friends gather to have fun and enjoy party food. Recently I noticed that I’m getting more and more requests for vegetarian snacks. That’s why I developed these vegan crispy tofu nuggets that taste even better than chicken nuggets!

These tofu nuggets are perfect for your next game day party, because they are fussless to prepare, extra yummy, and even taste great when cold. I developed a batter that not only makes the tofu extra flavorful without marinating, but also is more adhesive than the average egg wash and can easily coat the tofu with more breadcrumbs. That equals extra crunchiness.

The recipe works great for baked tofu or fried tofu. If you want your tofu nuggets to have that beautiful, even, golden color, you need to deep-fry them. However I always opt to bake them. They might not look as perfect, but believe me, nobody will notice because they’ll be gone in a few seconds.

To make great tofu nuggets that hold together, here are a few things to note:

1. Make sure you use firm tofu. Extra firm tofu works even better.
2. Squeeze the water out of the tofu and dry it thoroughly, so your nuggets won’t turn out soggy.
3. Cut the tofu into even chunks that are about 1/3 of an inch thick, so they will come out crunchy and be cooked thoroughly.

To serve these tofu nuggets, there are a few options such as the classic ranch or ketchup. However my favorite dipping sauce is Thai sweet chili sauce. My other favorite sauce is this homemade vegan Sriracha mayo.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that you can prepare the tofu in advance, bring it to the party, and reheat it in the oven or serve it cold. The breadcrumbs will stay crunchy and crispy no matter what.

Definitely try out these crispy tofu nuggets for your next game day party. Even if you’re not a football fan, make some for movie night and I’m sure everybody will love them!

More vegetarian party food

• Crispy Tofu with Garlic Sauce (without Deep-Frying)
• Low Sugar Kettle Corn (Better Than Caramel Corn)
• Szechuan Spicy Peanuts (Huang Fei Hong Spicy Peanuts)
• Crispy Hoisin Tofu Tacos with Creamy Sriracha Sauce

Baked Crispy Tofu Nugget

By Maggie Zhu

5 from 10 votes

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

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The most amazing vegetarian nuggets are baked to crispy perfection. They’re the perfect appetizer for your next game day party.

Ingredients 

• 1 (14 oz/ 396 g) House Foods extra firm tofu (or firm tofu)

Batter

• 1/2 cup soy milk (or other plant-based milk)
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons parsley , dried (or Italian seasoning blend)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Coating

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup cornmeal

Serving options

• Thai sweet chili sauce, ketchup, Sriracha sauce, or mayonnaise

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Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degree F (200 C). Spray a thin layer of oil onto a baking tray.
• Carefully press the tofu with your hands. Wrap a few layers of kitchen paper towels (or cheesecloth) around it to absorb the extra liquid. Cut tofu into squares that are about 1/3 inch (1 cm) thick and 2 inches (4 cm) long.
• Mix the batter in a large bowl. Mix the panko and cornmeal in another bowl.
• Set up your workstation by placing the batter, plate of panko mixture, and the baking tray all in a row.
• Pick up a piece of tofu with your hand and dunk it into the batter. Then place it into the panko bowl, flip to coat the other side, then transfer it onto the baking tray. Repeat the process with the remaining tofu.
• Spray tofu with a thin layer of oil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once in between, until both surfaces turn golden.
• Serve hot or cold with homemade sweet chili sauce, ketchup, Sriracha sauce, or mayonnaise.

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 245kcal, Carbohydrates: 33.9g, Protein: 14.2g, Fat: 6.6g, Saturated Fat: 1.3g, Sodium: 507mg, Fiber: 3.3g, Sugar: 3.5g

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