Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets (2024)

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Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets are a super easy snack or main for dinner! You just rip apart a block of tofu, cover it in wet ingredients, shake them in a bag with breading, and then air fry them. These vegan tofu nuggets taste just like chicken nuggets and are a great source of plant-based protein.

Hey Internet, get out your favorite dipping sauce because we have another meaty vegan recipe for you. Paul loves to have vegan chicken nuggets, but our freezer is often way too full. We've got it stuffed with lots of frozen fruits and veggies that we like to make easy breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. We both like to have frozen veg on hand because you can throw them in the microwave or an air fryer with out much effort. Basically, they're the healthiest fast food there is!

Back to the nuggets, while we can't fit additional store-bought ones in our freezer (and lets be honest, they are a bit expensive), we do have a lot of tofu blocks available. We have a lot of them around right now because Paul has been developing a bunch of great recipes with them. Just recently, they made these flavorful and tender Tofu Meatballs which were then used to make decedent Vegan Meatball Subs. There was also that great Spicy Tofu that was paired with some rice for an easy dinner, or Hoisin Tofu if spicy isn't your thing. They even used silken tofu to make a Chocolate Protein Smoothie for post-workout recovery.

So in a quest for vegan nuggets, Paul grabbed another super firm tofu (you can use extra-firm tofu but you may need to press it) and started to tear it up into chunks. They then took our Crispy Tofu recipe and modified it to have a chicken-like flavor. What came out of the air fryer was awe-inspiring; it tasted just like chicken. So much flavor and a nice crispy crust to it. And with that tofu it comes to about 15 grams of protein per serving. It can't be beat!

And even if you don't have an air fryer, it's still the easiest recipe using a oven. We'll give you both instructions below.

You have got to try these amazing tofu nuggets!

Why You'll Love These Crispy Tofu Nuggets

• Easy Tofu Nuggets:It only takes about 15 minutes to transform block tofu into crispy nuggets!
• Tons of Flavor:With a spice blend that will make your tofu taste like a chicken nugget, you won't believe its vegan.
• Crisp Crunch:These golden brown air fryer tofu nuggets have a nice light crunch when you bite into them.

Ingredients

Pick up these simple ingredients the next time you're at a grocery store. See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredients, instructions, and accurate nutritional information (to the best of my ability; please consult your physician or healthcare professional if you have specific dietary needs). I give substitutions for the ingredients in the section below this one, so most people can still make this recipe!

• 1 Block Super-Firm Tofu:I’m talking about the kind in the vacuum-sealed plastic, not a tub full of water. I can usually find it in my local supermarket, Trader Joe’s, Asian market and I've even seen it at Costco sometimes (depends on the location).
• 2 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 2 Tablespoon Neutral Oil:Grapeseed Oil and Avocado Oil are great choices for this recipe. You want to avoid low smoke point oils, since we will be cooking this at 350 F (190 C) in an air fryer.
• ¼ Cup Arrowroot Powder
• ¼ Cup Nutritional Yeast
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Paprika
• 0.5 Teaspoon Poultry Seasoning:This is what gives it that chicken flavor! It's totally vegan; it's just a spice blend that non-vegan people put on poultry. But there's nothing wrong with using it on our tofu!
• ⅛ Teaspoon Salt (or to Taste):Add more if you like, but we've been reducing the salt in our diet and found we don't need as much anymore! Plus, depending on what you're dipping your crispy air fryer tofu nuggets in (such as our vegan garlic aioli, ketchup, vegan bbq sauce, nut-free vegan ranch, or spicy almond butter sauce), you might not need any salt.
• Pepper to Taste

Substitutions

• Super Firm Tofu:You can turn firm tofu and extra firm tofu into super firm by pressing the water out them. This can be done most effectively with a tofu press, but you could use towels and books if you don't have one. There is also chickpea tofu, fava bean tofu, or pumpkin seed tofu that you might be able to find if you're looking to avoid soy all together.
• Poultry Seasoning:You can make your own, but in addition to thyme, sage, nutmeg, and rosemary, you'll need marjoram, which isn't too common in everyone's spice cabinet. If you still want chicken flavor in your crispy air fryer tofu nuggets, you could reduce the amount of oil and soy sauce and then add a vegan chicken broth mixture to it. We use Better than Bullion No Chicken Paste to make ours.
• Arrowroot Powder:Cornstarch will work just as well in place of arrowroot powder.
• Soy Sauce:This recipe can be made gluten-free by switching to gluten-free tamari. It's that easy!

How to Make Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets

1. Rip Up the Tofu:Tear the block into tofu pieces. You want medium to large chunks.
2. Cover in Wet Batter:Add the soy sauce and the oil to a large bowl. Mix them together. Then add the tofu chunks and gently mix it in.
3. Shake Them in the Dry Batter:Pour the arrowroot powder, nutritional yeast, and the spice mix into a sealable plastic bag. Shake them together. Add the tofu to the bag and then shake until the tofu is fully covered.
4. Add to Air Fryer:Add the tofu to the basket of your air fryer on a single layer. Set the temperature to 350 F (190 C) and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the tofu has a crisp coating.
5. Oven Instructions:Preheat you oven to 425F (220 C). Place tofu nuggets on a baking sheet with parchment paper (I recommend this over a silicone baking mat for this recipe because the tofu gets crispier on parchment paper). Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Serve:Remove your tofu from your air fryer (or oven) and enjoy with your favorite sauce!

Storage Instructions

Add your nuggets to an airtight container and place them in your refrigerator. Store for up to three days. You can microwave them, but to get that crispy texture back you should consider reheating them in your air fryer basket.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Vegan Chicken Recipes

• Vegan Chicken and Stars Soup
• Vegan Cordon Bleu
• Vegan Chicken Salad
• Vegan Cream of Chicken Soup
• Vegan Drumsticks
• Vegan Chicken Teriyaki
• Vegan Chicken and Dumplings
• Vegan BBQ Chicken
• Vegan General Tso’s Chicken
• Vegan Honey Mustard Chicken Wraps
• Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip

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