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Tofu chicken nuggets on serving plate served with a side of ketchup.
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5 from 4 votes

Crispy Baked Tofu Chicken Nuggets

These kid-friendly crispy baked tofu chicken nuggets are easy to make with simple ingredients. The tofu is marinated, then breaded in panko breadcrumbs and baked until crispy on all sides. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce!
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 241kcal
Author: Alison Corey

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 block extra-firm tofu pressed

Marinade

  • 3 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari (gluten-free)
  • 3 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced

Flour Dip

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free 1:1 flour
  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch

Vegan Buttermilk

  • ½ cup unsweetened plain soy milk
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Panko Breading

  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs or gluten-free panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Press the tofu for 20 minutes. Remove the tofu from the container. Add the block to a tofu press, or wrap the tofu in a paper towel and place a large, heavy pan on top.
  • While your tofu is pressing. Whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and sesame oil in a small bowl.
  • Tear the block into 1-inch pieces once the tofu is pressed.
  • Top the tofu pieces with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • While the tofu marinates, prepare the three bowls for dipping the nuggets. In the first bowl, combine the flour and cornstarch. In the second bowl, combine the soy milk and the apple cider vinegar (allow to sit for 10 minutes). Combine the panko breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in the third bowl.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the tofu has had time to marinate, please remove it from the refrigerator. Using a fork, place one tofu nugget at a time in the flour mixture covering all sides, then in the vegan buttermilk, and last in the panko breadcrumbs. Place the nuggets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. If using foil, spray with cooking spray to keep the nuggets from sticking. Repeat with each tofu nugget until all have been breaded.
  • Place the baking sheet on the middle rack in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, turning them over at the 10-minute mark to bake evenly and crisp on all sides.

Notes

Tips for Making Crispy Baked Tofu Chicken Nuggets
    • Make these tofu nuggets gluten-free by making a few substitutions. Substitute the soy sauce in the marinade for tamari or coconut aminos. Then substitute the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Lastly, you'll need to replace the panko breadcrumbs with gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
    • You can also make these in the air fryer. Set your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 10 minutes, rotating at the 5-minute mark.
    • Add a teaspoon of paprika to the panko mix for a smoky flavor.
    • If using aluminum foil on the baking dish, spray with cooking spray to keep the nuggets from sticking. However, parchment paper has a waxy texture, and there is no need to spray that with cooking spray if you use it to line your baking sheet.
    • Serve with ketchup, BBQ sauce, or your favorite dipping sauce. When I make these for the kids, I serve them with roasted broccoli and air fryer french fries.

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1219mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg