This Baked BBQ Tofu is a flavorful and delicious dish the whole family will love. Made with simple ingredients, this dish is healthy and oil-free! Serve as your vegan main with sides or add it to a salad, sandwich, or wrap.
If you were a fan of BBQ chicken, then this veganized version of the dish is for you. The trick to making this BBQ Tofu is to use super firm tofu, broken into chunks and baked until crispy. Then slather on your favorite BBQ Sauce and pop it back into the oven for a few more minutes. Delicious!
One thing I love about this dish is how simple it is. You just need a few minutes of prep work before popping the tofu into the oven. While it's baking you'll have more than enough time to make your favorite side dishes. And since you're using a lined baking sheet, clean-up will be a snap!
This dish is not only kid-friendly and nostalgic, but it's also versatile. Use whatever style of BBQ sauce you like (I'm personally a fan of my homemade BBQ Sauce). This is sure to become your new family favorite!
Jump to:
You'll love this recipe because it's:
- Quick & Easy
- Vegan / Vegetarian
- Kid-friendly
- Easy to make WFPB
- Simple & Delicious!
Can this be gluten-free?
To make this gluten-free, just be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce and gluten-free BBQ sauce.
Can I make it in the air fryer?
Yes! To make Air Fryer BBQ Tofu, just follow the directions to prep the tofu as they are written. Preheat the air fryer to 400F or 200C and cook the tofu for 12 to 15 minutes. Take the tofu out of the air fryer and toss it with the BBQ Sauce. Add a liner to the air fryer (baking paper cut to size with holes poked through will work), and cook for another 3 to 7 minutes. For more air fryer tips, check out this recipe for Air Fryer Tofu.
Ingredients
Paste
- nutritional yeast: This is the base of the paste. It adds earthiness and helps coat the tofu.
- cornstarch: This helps the tofu to get crispy. You can also use arrowroot powder.
- water: Just to thin out the paste a bit.
- soy sauce: For a little seasoning and color.
- granulated garlic and onion powder: For extra seasoning.
Other
- super firm tofu: This is the firmest kind of tofu. It's already quite dense and doesn't need to be pressed. You can also use extra firm tofu, but you will need to press it for 15 to 30 minutes before preparing the dish.
- BBQ sauce: You can use whatever type of BBQ sauce you like. I prefer my own homemade version, but any kind will do.
*See recipe card for quantities.
Variations
- Instead of using traditional BBQ sauce, you could switch things up and use Korean BBQ Sauce. Or if you like things spicy, try this delicious Gochujang Sauce.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F or 200C.
- Add all of the paste ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine.
- Break the tofu into nugget-sized chunks over the bowl. Gently fold the tofu chunks with the paste until the tofu is fully coated. (See photos below.)
- Transfer the tofu to a lined baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the tofu from the oven. (They should be crispy and almost done at this point). In a separate bowl, toss the tofu chunks with the BBQ sauce. Use tongs to return the tofu to the baking sheet. (This will help so that you don't end up with too much liquid on the baking sheet, which would make the nuggets soggy).
- Bake the tofu for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve right away with additional BBQ Sauce. Enjoy!
Troubleshooting
- Why did my tofu fall apart? For this recipe, I recommend using super firm tofu or extra firm tofu that has been pressed. Softer tofu will just fall apart when you mix it with the paste.
How to serve
I love to serve these delicious BBQ Tofu bites as the main course with a couple of traditional sides. For veggie sides, try air fryer green beans or air fryer broccoli. For starchy sides, check out these oil-free oven fries, vegan potato salad, or vegan pumpkin mac and cheese.
BBQ Tofu also works great as the protein in tacos, wraps, salads, sandwiches, and more!
Can I make it ahead?
If you want to serve them warm, these BBQ Tofu nuggets are best right out of the oven. But you could make them ahead and reheat them just before serving. BBQ Tofu also tastes good cold and can be meal prepped and stored in the fridge so you can add them to sandwiches, salads, and wraps throughout the week.
How to store
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Related recipes
📖 Recipe
Baked BBQ Tofu (Vegan + Oil-Free)
Equipment
Ingredients
Paste
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Other
- 14 oz super firm tofu
- ½ cup BBQ sauce plus more for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F or 200C.
- Add all of the paste ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine.
- Break the tofu into chunks over the bowl. Gently fold the tofu chunks with the paste until the tofu is fully coated.
- Transfer the tofu to a lined baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the tofu from the oven. In a separate bowl, toss the tofu chunks with the BBQ sauce. Use tongs to return the tofu to the baking sheet.
- Bake the tofu for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy right away!
Notes
- Use the linked recipe for homemade BBQ sauce or use your favorite store-bought brand.
- If you don't have super firm tofu, you can use extra firm tofu. Press for 15 to 30 minutes to remove the water before beginning the recipe.
Nutrition
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Did you try this recipe? Have a question? Just leave a comment below and I'll get back to you ASAP!
Didi says
This is now my absolute favorite baked tofu recipe! I have made this twice now, once with bbq sauce and once with homemade buffalo sauce. This came out perfect and delicious both times! Thank you!
Julianne Lynch says
Thank you so much!! I'm so glad you enjoyed them.
Deb says
I baked one pkg of tofu with paste only and the other pkg I added the bbq sauce. I LOVE the paste only tofu. It tastes like crunchy fried chicken to me. Of course my hubby prefers the bbq tofu. 🙂 Excellent seasoning combo.
Julianne Lynch says
Awesome! I'm so glad you were able to find a way to suit both of your tastes!
Paula says
Hi
How long does this baked tofu keep in the refrigerator? I’m the only one who eats it in our household.
Thank you
Julianne Lynch says
5 to 7 days, but you could also freeze it.
Nikole says
I am making this. The paste I sticking all together; I’m unsure how it’s going to stick to the tofu instead of just itself 🙁
Julianne Lynch says
If the paste seems too thick then try adding a little water to thin it out.
Lia says
Can this be made ahead and eaten throughout the week? Would love to meal prep them for my Buddha bowls.
Julianne Lynch says
Sure! You might want to toss them with a little extra BBQ sauce right before serving, but otherwise it should be easy to do.
Vera says
This was so delicious that I ate the entire block of tofu! I will be adding this to my routine set of meals. I did add an extra tablespoon of water to help the paste fully coat all pieces. Thanks for the share!
Julianne Lynch says
Awesome! I'm so glad you liked them!
Lisa says
I absolutely love these! I should note I always make these in the air fryer.
I buy several blocks of (extra-firm) tofu at a time; I always freeze it and, after defrosting, I press it to within an inch of its life (usually for a couple of hours under some rather heavy reading material). I find that this provides the best texture -- for my enjoyment, but also for any omnis (since this most closely approximates the texture of meat). I suspect that my prolonged pressing is what makes the tofu absorb so much liquid, although that also supposedly comes hand-in-hand with freezing the tofu first. Anyway, the tofu blocks are also 18oz. So, for one 18 oz block of tofu I double the paste and also double the BBQ sauce, and it's fantastic.
I do find that the paste is *extremely* thick, so I need more of it to cover the tofu in any event, even with the addition of extra water. (I've tried using less corn starch, being very liberal with my measurements of any liquid and being a little bit light-handed with the nooch, but those approaches don't help, or help little enough that it doesn't make nearly enough difference.)
Anyway, it's fantastic. I've made it maybe half a dozen times. It's so hot today I refuse to use my oven, and I saw that I had some leftover WFPB cheese sauce and a block of tofu I'd put in the refrigerator to defrost earlier this week....so I made some pasta and made a "Mac and cheese" with some of the BBQ tofu on top. May sound gross but it was so good!
Someone else mentioned making ahead for buddha bowls -- I highly recommend that!
Julianne Lynch says
Awesome! Thank you for the comment and I'm so glad you liked them!