These Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets are incredibly juicy with a crispy breading that’s full of flavor! Eat these seasoned little bites with your favorite dipping sauce and call it a hearty meal! They are easy to make, kid-friendly, and totally vegan!
This is a great recipe to cook when you want a filling and savory dish to feed the family. Munching on these crunchy nuggets with your favorite dipping sauce such as ketchup, vegan ranch, or Cherry Tomato Sauce will certainly take you down memory lane.
All you need is a block of tofu and a few other simple ingredients to make these!
Simply toss the tofu in the freezer whenever you get home from the grocery store or whenever you know you’re making this recipe. Even if it’s just an hour before. Doing this freeze-thaw method helps to give the inside of the tofu a meaty texture.
After marinating the tofu pieces, they are breaded in a lovely layer of crunch with nutritional yeast and breadcrumbs. You can make them even crispier, like we do, with panko-style breadcrumbs.
These delicious homemade bites will certainly make you want to skip the store-bought vegan chicken nuggets!
If you've been wanting to buy an air fryer and need a recommendation, I love my Cosori Pro that I bought from Amazon!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tofu - Use a block of firm or extra firm tofu.
- Soy Sauce - Low-sodium soy sauce, aminos, or tamari adds so much flavor.
- Water - Regular tap water thins the marinade.
- Garlic Powder - I find powdered garlic to work best in this marinade recipe.
- Plant Milk - Any kind of plant-based milk turns the batter into a slurry.
- Flour - All-purpose or gluten-free works.
- Cornstarch - Arrowroot powder works as a good substitute if needed.
- Onion Powder - Gives an irresistible flavor.
- Bread Crumbs - Use any vegan breadcrumbs or Panko if you want extra crispy nuggets.
- Nutritional Yeast - Adds a flavorful layer of flakes with a hint of cheesiness.
- Paprika - Adds a wonderful smoky flavor.
- Poultry Seasoning - A vegan seasoning that really brings out a Chick-Fil-A essence here.
- Salt & Pepper - feel free to adjust the amount according to your preferences.
- Cooking Spray - Use a thin layer of cooking spray such as olive oil or avocado oil. It's best to use a spray that relies on air pressure, and is chemical and propellant free.
- Garnish - Serve with optional herbs such as parsley or basil as garnish.
How to Make Tofu Nuggets in the Air Fryer
Here are some quick visual steps. The full recipe with exact measurements can be found on the recipe card below.
Freeze the tofu block overnight if you can, or for at least an hour. There is no need to press the block before freezing it and keep it in the original packaging. You can skip this step if you’re short on time but freezing the tofu prior to cooking it helps to make it chewy, dense, and juicy.
Place the frozen tofu on a plate and thaw it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
Drain the excess liquid and then press the tofu for 10 minutes. You can use a tofu press if you have one. I wrap the block in a kitchen towel and place a heavy cast iron skillet on top of it.
Meanwhile, mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
Slice the tofu into ½ inch thick strips, then tear or cut them into 1-inch pieces.
Place the pieces in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over them. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Combine the dry breading ingredients in a shallow bowl or plate. Then, mix the wet batter ingredients in a separate wide-mouthed bowl.
Heat the air fryer to 375°F and spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
Dip the tofu pieces in the wet batter then gently toss each piece in the dry mixture until fully coated.
Place the breaded nuggets in a single layer in the basket with some space in-between each one. Spray the nuggets with a thin layer of cooking spray.
Bake them for 8-10 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Give the tray a good shake halfway through the cooking time.
Prepare the next batch while one is air-frying. Repeat this breading and frying process until all of the nuggets are cooked.
Sprinkle parsley, and more salt and pepper over the tofu nuggets. Enjoy them with your favorite dipping sauce.
Oven Baking Instructions
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake these breaded tofu nuggets in the oven. Place them on a greased or lined baking sheet and cook them at 415°F for 30 minutes. Flip the nuggets halfway through.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover nuggets in the refrigerator in a covered dish for 3 days. Reheat them in the air fryer or oven. They won’t be as crispy as they were when freshly made, but still just as tasty.
Related Vegan Recipes
I hope you loved these Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets! Please leave a star rating and comment below.
Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets
Ingredients
- 14-16 ounce extra firm tofu
Marinade
- ¼ cup soy sauce, low-sodium
- ¼ cup water
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
Wet Batter
- ⅔ cup plant milk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
Dry Breading
- 1 cup bread crumbs, plain, Italian, Panko, etc.
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- cooking spray, avocado, oil, etc.
Garnish
- parsley, salt, & pepper
Instructions
- Freeze the tofu block overnight if you can, or for at least an hour. No need to press the block before freezing it and simply keep it in the original packaging. You can skip this step if you’re short on time but freezing the tofu prior to cooking it helps to make it chewy, dense, and juicy.
- Place the frozen tofu on a plate and thaw it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Drain the excess liquid and then press the tofu for 10 minutes. You can use a tofu press if you have one. I wrap the block in a kitchen towel and place a heavy cast iron skillet on top of it.
- Mix the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Slice the tofu into ½ inch thick strips, then tear or cut them into 1-inch pieces. Place the pieces in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over them. Let it marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Combine the dry breading ingredients in a shallow bowl or plate. Then, mix the wet batter ingredients in a separate wide-mouthed bowl. Heat the air fryer to 375°F and spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray.
- Dip the tofu pieces in the wet batter then gently toss each piece in the dry mixture until fully coated. Place the breaded nuggets in a single layer in the basket with some space in-between each one. Spray the nuggets with a thin layer of cooking spray.
- Bake them for 8-10 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Give the tray a good shake halfway through the cooking time. Prepare the next batch while one is air-frying. Repeat this breading and frying process until all of the nuggets are cooked. Sprinkle parsley and more salt and pepper over the tofu nuggets. Enjoy them with your favorite dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is estimated and can vary depending on brands and measurements used.
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