Crispy Baked Tofu Nuggets

As someone who is still obsessed with chicken nuggets, I can safely say that these crispy tofu nuggets taste just as good, if not better! 

Think of these as the adult vegan version of your favorite chicken nuggets. Mainly because they are so much more flavorful, crunchy and crispy. Not only that, these baked tofu nuggets are grain-free, gluten-free and secretly nutritious! 

Ok ok, I know it sounds strange that something breaded could be grain-free, but these vegan tofu chicken nuggets seriously are grain-free. The secret is to use almond flour crackers from Simple Mills as the breadcrumb base. 

You won’t even taste the difference in these homemade breadcrumbs as opposed to regular breadcrumbs — I was eating the breadcrumbs on their own. It was so good lol. 

So for all my girlies who don’t feel their best eating gluten / wheat, these crispy tofu chicken nuggets are for you! They really are the best vegan chicken nuggets! 

Also, I like to pair these nuggets with my Everyday Salad so it makes this a complete, healthy and balanced dinner.

Crispy Tofu Nuggets Ingredients 

Here’s your grocery list for these oven baked tofu nuggets: 

• Simple Mills almond flour crackers  – just as an fyi, you’ll need two boxes of these crackers
• Extra firm tofu – extra firm tofu is a must if you want to replicate that “chicken texture”
• Arrowroot starch – this functions similar to cornstarch, but it’s better for you! 
• Nutritional yeast 
• Italian herb seasoning 
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder 
• Cumin powder
• Cayenne pepper
• Salt 

How to Make these Vegan Tofu Nuggets

Ok, so the full recipe for these with measurements and directions is in the recipe card below, but I wanted to just briefly outline how to make these vegan and gluten-free chicken nuggets. 

Because they’re soooo easy! 

1. Start by making the breadcrumb in either a food processor or blender Full disclosure, I used my spice grinder because it’s easier to clean and I feel like it made the breadcrumb texture more ‘fine’. So you have three options. From here, all you need to do is whisk the breadcrumbs together with all the spices.
2. Take the tofu out of the packaging, and using your hands break the tofu into large bite-sized pieces. I recommend using your hands to break the tofu into nuggets, rather than cutting it. Because “tearing” the tofu with your hands will leave more nooks for the breadcrumbs to stick to.
3. Roll each tofu piece in the breadcrumbs, making sure it’s thoroughly coated before transferring it to the prepared baking pan.
4. Drizzle the tofu with avocado oil or spray it generously with cooking spray. Bake the tofu nuggets in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until golden brown.
5. Let the nuggets cool for 5 minutes before plating with a sprinkle of flaky salt and a bowl of ketchup or garlic aioli.

How to Make Grain-Free Homemade Breadcrumbs 

In my opinion, the reason that these tofu nuggets are addictingly good is because of the breadcrumbs. By making breadcrumbs at home, you get to control the amount of spice and flavor. 

And when it comes to these tofu nuggets, most of the flavor comes from the breadcrumbs. So yeah, they’re really important. 

Here’s exactly how to make these homemade breadcrumbs. Which you can absolutely prep ahead of time! 

1. Add both boxes of the Simple Mills almond flour crackers into a blender or food processor. Full disclosure, I used my spice grinder because it’s easier to clean and I feel like it made the breadcrumb texture more “fine”. So you have three options. 
2. Pulse the crackers in the blender a few times, to break them into smaller pieces, then let them blend for 30-40 seconds on high; stop the blender to scrap down the sides. Stop blending when the cracker have reached a ‘sand-like’ texture.
3. Pour the cracker breadcrumbs into a mixing bowl, along with arrowroot starch, nutritional yeast, salt and spices. Whisk everything together well. 
4. At this point I like to taste test the breadcrumbs for spices and add more nutritional yeast or anything else I think it needs. 
5. At this point you can use the breadcrumbs, or store them in an airtight bag / tupperware for whenever you’re ready to use it. You can store the breadcrumbs in the pantry, but for longer shelf life I’d actually freeze it so it locks in all of the flavor!

Frequently Asked Questions 

• Can I meal-prep these crispy tofu nuggets? Absolutely! Simply follow the recipe from start to finish and then pop the nuggets in a glass tupperware. Store the nuggets in the fridge if you’re planning on eating them over the next few days. Or you can freeze them if you want a more ‘I’m too exhausted to cook’ dinner option haha. 
• Is it possible to air fry these tofu chicken nuggets? I haven’t tried this myself, but I’m certain that it should work. I would air fry them at 400°F for 8 minutes and then see what they look like. Air fry them for an additional few minutes if you want them extra crisp! 
• Can I use any grain-free crackers? Again, I haven’t tried using any crackers by the Simple Mills almond flour ones (mainly because they’re bomb and I love them) but imagine this breadcrumb hack should work with most crackers. Just make sure you’re using crackers with minimal whole-food ingredients. 
• How long do these baked tofu chicken nuggets last in the fridge? About 3-4 days! 
• How should I store these vegan tofu nuggets? I like putting them in a glass tupperware and keeping them in the fridge. You can also freeze an extra chicken nuggets and reheat them in the oven at 400°F for 10-12 minutes (essentially you’d have your own homemade frozen tofu nuggets).

Are These Crispy Tofu Nuggets Actually Healthy?

Ok, I’m sure you’re asking this question because chicken nuggets, vegan or not, aren’t really seen as a health food lol. 

But these are actually super healthy and equally nutritious! 

I put a brief overview of the main ingredients in these nuggets along with their benefits so you can see just how nutritious these tofu nuggets are. I do want to note that this is just a very very brief overview, I could dedicate an entire article to each of these ingredients alone lol. 

Ingredient Health Benefits

• Tofu: Soy is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids needed by our bodies. Soy foods (including tofu) contain primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which are the healthy types of fats you need to proper brain function. Additionally, some soy foods have a type of phytoestrogen with antioxidant properties, which may be beneficial in fighting cancer. This means there are estrogen-like plant-based compounds in soy products that have a similar shape to real estrogen and can act as a protective substance.
• Almonds: Have a host of vitamins and minerals, with high concentrations of Vitamin E. Just 1 ounce of almonds provides 37% of the RDI. Several studies have linked Vitamin E intake with lower risk of heart disease, cancer and Alzheimers. They are also a great source of healthy fats, manganese and magnesium, which are all great for reducing blood pressure levels. 
• Nutritional yeast: The main point I want to cover on nutritional yeast is that it is chock full of B vitamins, folate and iron. And if you’re vegan, this can be a great source to get in all your B vitamins.  It also contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein like those found in animal products. 
• Avocado oil: Is packed with fatty acids, but it predominantly made up of a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid; which is ant-inflammatory. Additionally, avocado oil contains modest amounts of vitamins E and K which are great for skin and eye health. Oh and if you’re wondering if it’s safe to cook with avocado oil, monounsaturated fats (which olive oil primarily is) are quite resistant to high heat and won’t burn. 

Overall, these tofu nuggets are a proper balance of complex carbs, proteins and healthy fats (not to mention packed with micronutrients).

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