This Crispy Buffalo Tofu recipe is mouthwateringly delicious, super simple and a crowd-pleaser. Best of all, it's vegan and gluten-free, so just about all allergies or dietary restrictions are covered, but even meat eaters will love these crispy and saucy tofu nuggets.
We love a good crispy tofu, especially when it's coated in a luscious sauce, like our Sweet and Sour Tofu. And this recipe hits those marks! The sauce is spicy, tangy and rich while the tofu has a bit of peppery flavor with a crispy exterior and tender interior.
There are also a couple variations for cooking the tofu. You can either bake the tofu in a hot oven until crispy, or cook in an air fryer for ultimate crispiness. Either way, the end result is like a boneless buffalo chicken wing!
Jump to:
Ingredients that Matter
This recipe features standard ingredients and we'll give you options based on your personal preferences. Here are the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe:
- Extra-Firm Tofu. For the crispiest final product, start with extra-firm tofu. In a pinch you can use firm tofu, but skip silken tofu as it won't hold together during cooking.
- Hot Sauce. You can use your favorite hot sauce, but we always recommend making buffalo sauce with Frank's RedHot, which is the traditional hot sauce used in buffalo wings (the version that originated in Buffalo, NY). We love it in our Romaine Wedges with Buffalo Blue Cheese Dressing recipe!
- Cornstarch. We use cornstarch twice in this recipe. First, we mix it with a bit of water and some of the hot sauce to soak the tofu pieces. This creates a sticky coating on the tofu. Then we toss the soaked tofu in cornstarch to create the crispy exterior. You can swap in other starches like arrowroot.
- Coconut Oil. Buffalo sauce is frequently made by mixing together hot sauce and melted butter. Instead of using melted butter, we use melted coconut oil. This will give the sauce a mild coconut flavor. We like using coconut oil because, like butter, it's a solid at room temperature and creates a thick, rich sauce. Feel free to swap in melted vegan butter or a light olive or vegetable oil.
- Garlic Powder. We add garlic powder to the buffalo sauce, plus we add it directly to the tofu dredge. This ensure there's plenty of garlic flavor throughout the recipe.
- Lemon. A little lemon juice is added to the sauce to brighten the flavor and cut through the richness.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This recipe comes together quite easily and can be ready in as little as 25 minutes. Here's how to make it (below you'll see cooking variations, as well).
Start by wrapping the block of extra-firm tofu in a clean kitchen towel then place between two small plates. Add a weight to the top plate (like a can of beans) to press down on the tofu. Press the tofu for at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes. Then tear, don't cut, the tofu block into small pieces, about 1-inch thick. You want them to be a little irregular to create nooks and crannies.
In two separate bowls, mix together the wet batter and the dredge. Whisk together cornstarch, water and some hot sauce to one bowl (this is the wet batter) then cornstarch and garlic powder to the other bowl. You can also add the dredge (the cornstarch and garlic powder) to a large zip-top bag, instead. Add the tofu to the wet batter and toss well to coat. Let it soak for at least 1 minute, or up to 10 minutes. Then remove the pieces of tofu and toss in the cornstarch mixture, or add to the zip-top bag, if using. Toss well to coat.
If baking the tofu, preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place tofu pieces in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and spray with cooking spray or brush lightly with some of the coconut oil. Bake until crispy, 30-40 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.
If air-frying the tofu, preheat an air-fryer to 375F. Add tofu to the air fryer basket and spray with cooking spray or brush lightly with some of the coconut oil. Air fry until crispy, 12-15 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.
While the tofu cooks, whisk together the hot sauce, melted coconut oil, garlic powder and lemon juice until smooth.
Give the sauce a final whisk just before using. While the tofu is hot out of the oven or air fryer, add to the sauce and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Hint: The tofu will stay crispy even tossed in the sauce, but over time it'll become soggy. Therefore it's best to serve the tofu right after tossing in the sauce. It should stay crispy for 10-20 minutes after tossing in the sauce.
Substitutions
This recipe is gluten-free and vegan, but that doesn't mean there aren't some simple substitutions you can make based on your preferences or dietary needs.
- Oil-Free - If you are on an oil-free diet, you could make this recipe simply by omitting the coconut oil. The sauce won't be quite the same, and the tofu won't be quite as crispy, but it'll still be satisfying and delicious.
- Coconut-Free - If you are allergic or sensitive to coconut, simply swap in vegan butter or a vegetable or olive oil.
- Soy-Free - This recipe is made with tofu, which is a fermented soy bean curd. If you are looking for a soy-free option, you'll have to skip this recipe.
How to Serve the Tofu
Crispy buffalo tofu is delicious served at a party with some toothpicks and a dipping sauce, like blue cheese or even our Easy Sour Cream and Chive Dip (though note it's not vegan). It's a perfect gameday recipe and can easily be doubled to serve a bigger crowd. Seriously, we think it's so delicious that even your meat loving friends will enjoy it!
You can also serve it in corn tortillas with shredded lettuce or cabbage for tasty buffalo tofu taco dinner. While the tofu will lose it's crunch after stored in the refrigerator, we still love the bits of tofu on a salad for a simple lunch option.
Of course you can eat these tofu nuggets wings style, on a plate with more buffalo sauce, a ranch or blue cheese dipping sauce and some celery to tame that heat.
Equipment
We have two air fryers we like to recommend. The first is the Cuisinart Air Fryer + Convection Toaster Oven. We love it for its versatility. You can literally bake, toast and roast, plus it has the ability to air fry! Our other favorite air fryer is the Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer Oven. This model is a traditional basket-style air fryer that heats quickly and is easy to clean, plus it's very easy to operate.
Storage and Make Ahead
These crispy buffalo tofu bites may be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, but note they will loose their crispiness the longer they sit. We still love them right out of the fridge, even if the texture is different, but we have a work around for making these tofu bites ahead.
To make this recipe ahead, you can cook the tofu (air fryer or oven method), cool at room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to eat. When ready, simply reheat in the air fryer or oven until crispy then toss in the sauce and serve. The sauce may be made up to 3 days ahead of time as well.
FAQ
Coat nuggets of tofu in a wet batter (like a bit of cornstarch and water) then in a cornstarch. Dust off excess cornstarch. Spray with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil. Baking in a 425F oven for about 40 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, will create a crispy exterior. For faster cook time, and a crispier exterior, cook in an air fryer at 375 for 12-15 minutes.
Use extra-firm tofu to get the crispiest exterior and nuggets that will hold together during cooking. You can use firm tofu but don't use silken as it will fall apart.
Buffalo sauce is made by whisking together hot sauce with fat and seasoning. Authentic buffalo sauce is often made with equal parts Frank's RedHot sauce and melted butter. You can make a vegan option by using melted coconut oil, vegan butter or a vegetable oil instead of butter.
Related
Looking for other appetizer recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Crispy Buffalo Tofu
- Total Time: 35 min.
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
Description
This Crispy Buffalo Tofu recipe is mouthwateringly delicious, super simple and a crowd-pleaser. Best of all, it's vegan and gluten-free, so just about all allergies or dietary restrictions are covered, but even meat eaters will love these crispy and saucy tofu nuggets
Ingredients
- 1 (14-16 oz.) block extra-firm tofu
- 8 Tbsp. cornstarch, divided
- 2 Tbsp. water
- 6 Tbsp. hot sauce, divided (more as desired)
- 1 tsp. garlic powder, divided
- 4 Tbsp. melted coconut oil
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- celery sticks, as desired
Instructions
- To bake in the oven, preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To air fry, preheat an air fryer to 375°F.
- Wrap tofu block in a clean kitchen towel and place between two plates. Add a small weight, like a can of beans, to the top plate to press the tofu. Press the tofu for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes. Then tear the tofu into small pieces, about 1-inch thick. You want to have uneven tofu nuggets to create nooks and crannies.
- Place 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch in a medium bowl and whisk in the water and 1 tablespoon of the hot sauce. In a separate bowl (or zip top bag) add remaining 6 tablespoons cornstarch and ½ teaspoon of the garlic powder. Toss well to combine. Add the tofu to the cornstarch and water mixture and toss until well coated. Soak in the mixture for 1 minute or up to 10 minutes. Then carefully remove the tofu nuggets and transfer to the bowl or bag with remaining cornstarch. Toss well to combine, ensuring the tofu pieces don't stick together.
- Transfer the tofu to the prepared baking sheet or the air fryer basket. Lightly coat with cooking spry or brush with a bit of the melted coconut oil. Bake until crispy, about 40 minutes, flipping halfway through. Or air fry for 12-15 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- While the tofu cooks, make the sauce by whisking together in a large mixing bowl the remaining 5 tablespoons hot sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder and the coconut oil and lemon juice. When the tofu is finished cooking, whisk the sauce one final time and add the tofu to the bowl with the sauce. Toss to coat the tofu in the sauce. Serve immediately with a side of blue cheese or ranch dressing, or our Easy Sour Cream and Chive Dip. Serve with celery and hot sauce, as desired.
Notes
- Store leftover buffalo tofu in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The tofu will no longer be crispy but will still taste great.
- You can make the recipe ahead by cooking the tofu but not tossing in the sauce. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat before tossing in the sauce.
- Serve crispy tofu nuggets with a sauce and celery for authentic buffalo wing flavors, or add to corn tortilla and shredded lettuce for a delicious taco.
- Prep Time: 20 min.
- Cook Time: 15 min.
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baking/Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
Leave a Reply