After a solid 6 months, I’m finally sharing this crispy baked tofu nuggets recipe – and it’s perfect! Think crispy and crunchy (perfectly spiced) tofu nuggets with just the right amount of butter, dipped in a honey mustard sauce. Did I mention they’re baked, not fried? Yeah, I’m obsessed!!
I’ve been batching these tofu tenders on the weekend (or impulsively making them when the craving strikes). These store great in the fridge throughout the week and couldn’t be easier to make. And don’t let these tofu nuggets fool you: they’re super nutritious (high-protein, a good amount of fiber, calcium, etc.).
Note: this recipe makes a lot of nuggets!
Ingredients for these Tofu Nuggets
Outlining everything you’ll need for these crispy and crunchy breaded tofu nuggets!
- Creamy milk, like almond milk
- All-purpose flour
- High-protein tofu or extra firm tofu: I love Hodo Foods extra firm tofu – I use it for everything!
- Breadcrumbs: I like to use a mix of both regular breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs. That said, feel free to use all regular breadcrumbs if that’s easier.
- Nutritional yeast: Don’t skip this – the nooch adds so much flavor to these tofu nuggets and gives them a nice umami note.
- Spices: Including onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried parsley, ground yellow mustard, cayenne pepper, and cumin powder.
- Kosher salt
- Avocado oil/butter: Full transparency, I cook these tofu nuggets in avocado oil and then toss the finished nuggets in some melted butter for added flavor. It might seem like overkill, but the flavor is amazing!!
And here’s what you’ll need for the honey mustard sauce, along with ingredient swaps.
- Mayonnaise or yogurt: I’m not the biggest fan of mayo, so I typically use a greek-style almond milk yogurt. But regular greek yogurt would work well too.
- Dijon mustard
- Honey: If you’re vegan, feel free to use agave or maple syrup.
- Pickle juice or lemon juice: Highly recommend using pickle juice (the flavor is amazing), but lemon juice or any vinegar will work as a sub.
- Cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt
Few Notes
- Use your hands to squish/squeeze the tofu to ensure the breadcrumbs adhere.
- Bake the nuggets directly on the pan, they crisp up better as opposed to lining the pan with parchment paper.
- If you can, I highly recommend air frying these tofu nuggets instead of baking them. I use my toaster oven to cook these nuggets in batches and use the air-fry setting – they turn out a bit better than just using a the oven.
- Don’t be shy with the oil/butter. Full transparency, I cook these tofu nuggets in avocado oil, and then toss the finished nuggets in some melted butter for added flavor. It might seem like overkill, but the flavor is amazing!!
Serving, Storing, Reheating
I like to serve these tofu nuggets alongside a fun salad – like this citrusy shaved fennel salad or this grated beet salad. And don’t forget to serve them with the spicy honey mustard sauce!!
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to one week. Reheat the nuggets on a parchment-lined tray at 350°F for 6-8 minutes.
That’s all for these tofu tenders – I can’t wait for you to make them! Don’t forget to leave a starred review and rating.
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Crispy Tofu Nuggets
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 35 nuggets 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: American
Description
Crispy and crunchy (perfectly spiced) tofu nuggets with just the right amount of butter, dipped in a honey mustard sauce. Did I mention they’re baked, not fried? Yeah, I’m obsessed!!
Ingredients
Batter
- 1 cup (220 g) creamy milk, such as cashew milk or almond milk
- 2 tbsp (15 g) all-purpose flour
Breadcrumbs
- 1 1/4 cups (160 g) plain breadcrumbs
- 3/4 cup (65 g) panko breadcrumbs*
- 3 tbsp (15 g) nutritional yeast
- 2–3 teaspoon kosher salt, adjust as needed
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp ground yellow mustard
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
Other Ingredients
- 2 packs (10 oz / 568 g) high-protein tofu or extra-firm tofu
- Avocado oil/melted butter**
Honey Mustard Sauce
- 1/4 cup (80 g) mayo or greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp (45 g) dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp (20 g) honey
- 2 tsp (8g) pickle juice or lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and get out a large sheet pan. Alternatively you can use an air fryer (I use my toaster oven that has an air fryer setting).
- Prep the batter and breadcrumbs. In a medium bowl, pour in the plant milk and flour and whisk well until homogeneous. In a separate bowl, add in the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, salt, and spices. Whisk well and set aside.
- Prep the tofu. Using your hands, gently tear the tofu into small bite-sized nuggets (smaller nuggets will bake a lot crispier). Quick note, tearing the tofu creates more nooks for the breadcrumbs to nestle in, which makes the nuggets a lot crispier, as opposed to cutting the tofu.
- Batter and bread the tofu. Once your tofu is prepped, dip each piece into the batter, before transferring to the breadcrumbs. Roll and toss the tofu in the breadcrumbs, making sure it’s thoroughly coated before transferring it to the prepared baking sheet, spaced evenly apart. Quick tip, use your hand to gently squeeze each tofu piece in the breadcrumbs, it’ll help the breadcrumbs stick better.
- Bake and serve. Generously drizzle the tops of the tempeh nuggets with avocado oil/melted butter, and bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Finish the nuggets with a sprinkle of flaky salt before serving with honey mustard sauce or ketchup.
- Make the sauce while the tofu bakes. Add all the honey mustard sauce ingredients to a bowl and whisk together well. Taste and adjust the honey and salt to preference.
Notes
*Feel free to use all regular breadcrumbs – use a total of 2 cups.
**Full transparency, I cook these tofu nuggets in avocado oil, and then toss the finished nuggets in some melted butter for added flavor. Yeah, it might seem like overkill, but the flavor is amazing!!
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