Vegetarian Tofu Nuggets

Fried tofu nuggets on a plate garnished with parsley next to a small bowl of ketchup.

Vegetarian nuggets made with tofu instead of chicken! Savory, crunchy, and kid approved.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword tofu chicken nuggets, tofu nuggets, vegetarian nuggets

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Pressing the tofu 30

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 407kcal

Author Lindsay Moe

Ingredients

Marinated Tofu

14 ounces extra firm tofu pressed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
½ teaspoon dijon mustard
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Flour Coating

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Buttermilk

¾ cup milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Crumb Coating

1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

For Frying

3 tablespoons olive oil more as needed

Instructions

Cut the block of tofu in half like a book, then rip each half into bite sized pieces.
In a shallow bowl or baking dish, combine the soy sauce, water, dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika.
Add the torn tofu to the marinade and stir gently to coat. Let rest for 15 minutes, or refrigerate up to 2 days until ready to use.
While the tofu is marinating, prepare your batter and crumb coating.
In a shallow bowl, combine flour, milk, cornstarch, apple cider vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
In a glass measuring cup or shallow bowl combine milk and apple cider vinegar.
In another shallow bowl, combine the panko, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
Working a few nuggets at a time, dip the marinated tofu in the flour, then place it in the buttermilk. You may want to use one hand for wet and one for dry to keep things from getting too messy. Repeat this step again, dipping it in the flour and then in the buttermilk.
Next, place it in the crumb coating. Use your dry hand to turn the nugget in the panko, pressing it against the sides and making sure it is completely coated. Transfer the nuggets to a plate or baking sheet until ready to bake.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, add tofu nuggets to the hot oil and fry for 5 minutes, turning occasionally until all sides are golden brown.
Transfer cooked nuggets to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with additional salt if desired. Finish with the remaining nuggets. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

Tips for customizing tofu nuggets

Swap the seasonings with your favorites such as chili powder or cayenne
Make vegan nuggets by using unsweetened, plant based milk such as almond milk instead of cow’s milk
Make gluten-free nuggets by using tamari instead of soy sauce, a gluten-free flour blend, and a gluten-free breadcrumb
Serve with your favorite dipping sauce such as ketchup, hot sauce, sriracha, mayonnaise, or wing sauce

Nutrition