These baked Tofu Nuggets are so delicious, you'll argue over who gets to eat the crumbs. Dip these easy vegan nuggets in ketchup or add them to a buddha bowl. There is no limit to how you can incorporate these little nuggets of joy into your life!
I love tofu! There. I said it. In fact, I love tofu so much that I sometimes forget other people aren't so crazy about it. I also sometimes forget that there was a time in my life when I didn't know how to cook tofu. That said, once I started experimenting with tofu, I realized that not only was it a versatile ingredient, but it was also one of my favorites--especially as these Easy Oil-Free Tofu Nuggets!
Now that I've been cooking tofu longer, I've come to the conclusion that there are two types of tofu, that which is cooked right and eve
Don't fall into the trap! You just need a simple and versatile recipe to get the ball rolling. My family and I love these so much we literally argue over who gets to eat the crumbs. That's how delicious they are! Plus, these are super quick to prepare. We eat them about once a week and never get bored.
You can pair them up with my No-Butter Mashed Potatoes for a traditional-looking American plate. Toss them in Vegan Buffalo Sauce for "boneless wings." Pair them with ketchup or teriyaki sauce. Or add them to a buddha bowl, tacos, or wraps. There is no limit to how you can incorporate these little nuggets of joy into your life.
Jump to:
You'll love these Vegan Tofu Nuggets because they're:
- Baked & Oil-Free
- Simple & Easy
- Vegan / Vegetarian
- Perfect for dipping in your favorite sauce
- Kid-Friendly
- Healthier than store-bought vegan chicken nuggets
- Super versatile
- Absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
- Super firm tofu: Super firm tofu comes vacuum sealed and doesn't need to be pressed. If you can only find extra firm tofu, you'll need to press it first. Wrap the tofu blocks in a paper towel or clean tea towel and stack something heavy (like a cast-iron skillet) on top. Press for 15 to 30 minutes. Here are more tips on how to press tofu.
Paste
- nutritional yeast: If you've never used nutritional yeast, check out my post: 6 Essential Vegan Pantry Staples. Find in the organic or health-food section of your local store or order Nutritional Yeast online.
- soy sauce
- water
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- sweet paprika: You might just call this regular paprika, but want to differentiate it from smoked paprika.
- poultry spice or veggie broth powder
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here are step-by-step instructions with photos.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F or 220°C
- Add the paste ingredients to a bowl and mix to combine. The paste should be thick enough to stick to the tofu but not so thick that it doesn't coat evenly. (Thinner than a pesto but thicker than cream.)
Break the tofu blocks into bite-sized chunks. Try not to crumble the tofu but also don't worry about making the nuggets perfectly uniform. You're going for a kind of nugget shape that's a bit rounded and has nice nooks and crannies for your paste to cling to.
Carefully fold the tofu chunks into the paste, making sure each piece is coated.
Use tongs to transfer the nuggets to a lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until crispy and nicely browned.
Hints: Don't use aluminum foil to line the baking sheet, as this can cause the nuggets to burn. (trust me! I made this mistake once!) Instead, use baking paper.
Also, be sure to transfer the tofu to the baking sheet with tongs or a spoon. This will keep you from getting any excess paste of the sheet (which can also cause burning!)
Variations
One thing I love about this baked tofu nugget recipe is how easy it is to swap out different spices and flavors. Here are some of my favorite variations!
- Chick-fil-A Style Tofu Nuggets Pickle juice and agave give these their signature taste!
- Teriyaki Tofu: Pair with rice and steamed broccoli for a healthy bowl.
- Bake BBQ Tofu This is a classic, kid-friendly dish.
- Sticky Orange Tofu Ginger and orange juice make a flavorful sauce that you'll love.
- Tofu Curry Add these nuggets to your favorite curry dish for a bump of protein!
Freeze/Thaw Method
*I do not recommend using this method with super firm tofu because it just doesn't make enough of a difference. However, it works well with firm or extra firm tofu.*
The freeze/thaw method for cooking tofu is simple. Take a block of tofu (still in the package), freeze it overnight, and move it to your refrigerator to defrost on the morning of the day you want to cook the tofu. Some people also repeat this freezing and thawing a second time.
Why would you do this? The freezing and thawing creates little ice crystals that (when thawed) form pockets of air. This makes for a chewier and more "chicken-like" texture.
If you choose to use this method, be sure to give yourself extra time to press the tofu before you bake it. You will need at least 15 to 30 minutes to remove the excess water. To press, simply wrap the tofu in a clean kitchen towel, place a heavy pot or pile of plates on top, and let it rest until most of the excess water has been "pressed" out.
Can I use an air fryer?
Yes! You can make these tofu nuggets in the air fryer. Just click here for my Air Fry Tofu Nuggets recipe
Equipment
For this recipe you just need a mixing bowl and a baking sheet. Tongs will also be useful for transfering the tofu from the bowl to the baking sheet but you could also use a spoon.
All of my favorite products and kitchen tools can be found in my Amazon shop.
How to serve
Serve these tofu nuggets as a main protein for lunch of dinner. I love to dip them in ketchup, BBQ sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, or Vegan Honey Mustard.
Some side dishes that go with vegan nuggets include mashed potatoes, air fryer broccoli, or vegan pumpkin mac and cheese.
Tofu Nuggets also make a great addition to a salad, buddha bowl, wrap, or even tacos!
Storage
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Reheat in the microwave or oven. You can also serve them cold as a topping for salad. They really take on a nice "cold fried chicken" consistency when you do this!
More tofu recipes
📖 Recipe
Easy Tofu Nuggets
Equipment
Ingredients
- 14 oz super firm tofu (or firm tofu, pressed)
Paste
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon poultry spice or veggie broth powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F or 220°C.
- In a large glass mixing bowl, combine all of the "Paste" ingredients and stir to combine. This should create a thick-ish paste. If the mixture is too thin, add more nutritional yeast. If the mixture is too thick, add water in small increments.
- Unwrap tofu and break into bite-sized chunks over the bowl. As you do this, use your thumb to create craggy, rounded edges. (They're still edible if they're blocky and smooth, but the pieces will hold the paste better and take on a more nugget-like shape if they're rounded and have craggy edges.)
- Lightly fold the chunks into the paste, being careful not to break the tofu too much.
- Scoop tofu onto a lined sheet pan and place in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes or until the tofu is nicely browned on the outside.
Notes
- If you aren't using super-firm tofu, you might need to press to remove excess water. Remove tofu from packaging and wrap in a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Place wrapped tofu on the counter and press with the heel of your hand, applying enough pressure to release some of the water (not so hard that you crush the tofu).
- Interested in trying the freeze/thaw method for getting chewier, more chicken-like texture? Check out the instructions in the blog post above.
- Do *NOT* use silken tofu for this recipe.
- Do *NOT* use aluminum foil to line the baking sheet, as this might cause the nuggets to burn.
- If you want to reduce the sodium, you can use light soy sauce or halve the soy sauce and replace the difference with water.
- Want to use an air fryer? Just click here.
Nutrition
Did you try this recipe? Have a question? Just leave a comment below and I'll get back to you ASAP!
*This recipe was originally inspired by Tofu Bites by It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken. I altered the recipe by adding different spices and eliminating the oil.
Heather says
I had a block of tofu languishing in the fridge and whipped this up. It was great! I used my air fryer to cook it — took about 20 min at 400F. I’ll make this again for sure. 👍
Julianne Lynch says
Awesome! I don't have an air fryer, but I've heard great things. I'll make a note at the end of the recipe for people who want to use one to cook it that way. Thanks!
Tamara says
I have to admit I was skeptical of your nugget recipe, having tried many others and being disappointed each time. But I tried your Sticky Orange Tofu and was shocked how good those nuggets were - even straight out of the oven with no sauce. These nuggets will become a regular on my menu. Thank you so much!
Julianne Lynch says
They are a regular item on our menu, too! I use them in so many recipes. I'm so glad you liked them!
Aneeka says
Amazing!!! Added pickle juice and it tastes just like chick-fil-a 🙂
Julianne Lynch says
Yes! I have another version of this recipe that does just that! So glad you liked them!
Sharan says
This was great! Used half tamari sauce and other tablespoon of water. I cooked 18 minutes in air fryer and it was so great and crispy!!!
Julianne Lynch says
I'm so glad you liked it! Tamari sauce is a great substitute for soy sauce if you're watching your sodium intake.
Susan Barrett says
What kind of an air fryer do you recommend, and why.
Julianne Lynch says
Hi Susan, I don't have an air fryer (yet!) but several readers have told me you can use an air fryer for this recipe. Here is a great guide to the best air fryers of 2020. I hope this helps! https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/appliances/a24630295/best-air-fryers-reviews/ (I'm actually hoping to get an air fryer soon, so I'll be sure to update my reply if I find one I like.)
Monika says
Best recipe for tofu ever. I use it in everything. Whole family loves it and its quick and simple. <3 thanks so much.
Julianne Lynch says
Wow!! Thank you for such an awesome compliment! I'm so glad you all liked it.
Montauk6 says
Didn't work at all for me; I set it to 400/convection-bake (allegedly conv ovens are just big air fryers anyway but I'm getting more skeptical). Virtually, no change at the 7-min mark when I shook the basket per the instructions. At the end , after cooling down, it was like they never cooked at all. Not sure what I did wrong but clearly 12-15 mins is not enough time.
Julianne Lynch says
I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. I've never used a convection oven, and so I have no idea what the right cook time or temperature would be. I make this recipe in a Ninja Foodi Grill & Air Fryer, and it takes 12 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the chunks and whether or not I pressed the tofu. (In the regular oven it takes 30 to 35 minutes.) Did you try cooking it for longer than 15 minutes? The problem might just be that you need to cook these for longer when using a convection oven. I'd love to get a little more info in case other readers want to try it this way.
Fernanda Martínez says
Hello 🙂 I am not making this yet (planning to do so on the weekend. my question is the following, can I leave the tofu with the marinade for an hour or so? Or should i cook it right away?
Julianne Lynch says
Hi Fernanda, I don't marinate the tofu in this recipe. This is more of a paste, so it won't get absorbed into the tofu so much as add a flavorful coating to the outside. So to answer your question: I always cook the tofu right away. However, I'm curious now. So maybe next time I make it, I'll give it a try just to see if there's any improvement.
Linda says
The recipe asks for poultry spice. Is this the herb mixture (sage, thyme, rosemary with no added salt) or is this something else? I have Trader Joe’s Vegan Chicken-less Seasoning Salt, but I’m afraid that would make this dish too salty. Thanks for your help!
Julianne Lynch says
Hi Linda,
Thanks for the question. It's possible that the Chicken-less salt would be too salty (since there is already soy sauce in the recipe). But the Broth powder that I use when I make the recipe has salt in it and I think it works fine. The Trader Joe's Seasoning seems to be missing some of the other flavor profiles though. If you want to try making your own I would try a recipe like this one: https://thishealthykitchen.com/bouillion-powder/
I hope that helps!!
Selma H. says
This was easy to make and so tasty!
Julianne Lynch says
Thanks! I'm so glad you liked it!
Cori says
Simply awesome! I baked in my oven on convection roast for 30 minutes. Then mixed with your buffalo sauce recipe. Both recipes are game changers and forever keepers. And I love the tearing of the tofu rather than cutting.
Julianne Lynch says
Thanks! I'm so glad you liked it. I also love them with Buffalo sauce!
Ellen says
What can I use instead of nutritional yeast, whose flavor I just cannot like?
Julianne Lynch says
Hi Ellen, In the recipe, the flavor of the nutritional yeast is not very strong once the dish is cooked, so you might not even notice it. If you don't want to use it, you can also try adding cornstarch instead, but you might not need as much. Start with 2 tablespoons and add more if needed.
KarenG says
Hi, is there an alternative I could use for agave? I'm pre-diabetic, and agave can make insulin resistance worse, from my understanding. Thanks!
Julianne Lynch says
Hi Karen, There is no agave in this tofu nugget recipe, so maybe this is a better alternative for you. (I think you're probably thinking of the Chick-fil-A tofu nuggets: https://nosweatvegan.com/vegan-chick-fil-a-style-nuggets-with-vegan-honey-mustard-dipping-sauce-oil-free/ )
For that you could substitute maple syrup. But to avoid extra sugar altogether, I recommend the basic tofu nugget recipe).
Suzanne says
We really enjoyed these!
Would it work to add cornstarch to the sauce to make them a little crispier?
Julianne Lynch says
Yes! you could just reduce the nutritional yeast a tad.
Jamie H. says
Super crunchy with great texture and flavor! This recipe is a keeper. We'll try dunking these in your Buffalo sauce!!! 😀
Julianne Lynch says
Excellent! I'm so glad you like them!
Bethany Kimes says
Ooof, what did I do wrong?? I didn’t have poultry spice/broth powder, so I used Lawrey’s Seasoned Salt, which I typically use on chicken, but wow, they were inedible. Everything else I followed… was Lawrey’s my mistake?
Julianne Lynch says
I would assume that's where you went wrong. I don't use that seasoning, but I'm guessing it made the nuggets super salty. I'm sorry that adaptation didn't work out.