Vegan Buffalo Tofu Nuggets or Wings Recipe (2024)

by Nicole | 2 Comments

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5 from 6 votes. Leave a review!

Buffalo tofu nuggets are a simple and delicious way to enjoy a classically non-vegan buffalo wing! This recipe is the ultimate spicy vegan appetizer, especially when dipped into a creamy Caesar dressing for ultimate flavor.

Vegan Buffalo Tofu Nuggets or Wings Recipe (1)

Vegan Buffalo Wings: Tofu vs Cauliflower

BBQ cauliflower bites is a very common way to make vegan wings. You can certainly make that recipe and use vegan buffalo sauce instead of BBQ sauce to make a cauliflower buffalo wing.

But for a completely different taste and texture, this buffalo tofu nugget recipe is delicious. The breaded and baked tofu offers a completely different texture compared to battered cauliflower.

Vegan Buffalo Tofu Nuggets or Wings Recipe (2)

Tofu is firmer and the breadcrumb coating offers a much crispier texture. Cauliflower is softer and the baked batter makes for a tasty, but softer texture. The cauliflower batter doesn’t get crispy the same way the breadcrumb coating in this tofu nugget recipe does!

Tofu nuggets also offer more protein and are therefore more filling. This works better if you want to serve these buffalo tofu nuggets as part of a meal rather than appetizer (but they make a great appetizer too!).

Vegan Buffalo Tofu Nuggets or Wings Recipe (3)

How to Make Perfect Buffalo Tofu Nuggets

Great buffalo tofu nuggets start with selecting extra firm tofu. Next, bread and bake the tofu pieces for the ultimate crispy vegan wing!

Breaded and Baked Tofu Nuggets

To make the best vegan buffalo tofu nuggets, you need a delicious breadcrumb coating that will bake to crispy perfection.

Lots of vegans struggle with breading tofu in a way that allows the breadcrumbs to stick. After lots of trial and error, I’ve found the ultimate way to bread tofu nuggets!

The trick is to first coat the tofu in starch, then dip the starch-covered tofu in plant-based milk (soy works best because it’s thicker and creamier). This starch-milk layer is sticky enough to hold the breadcrumbs and is a great replacement to eggs which are often used in non-vegan recipes.

Spray with some cooking oil to allow the nuggets to brown and get extra crispy (not to mention more flavorful).

Vegan Buffalo Tofu Nuggets or Wings Recipe (4)

Do you Need to Press Tofu to Make Nuggets?

Pressing tofu is a common practice and people swear that it makes their tofu taste better and have a better texture.

I’ve honestly never pressed tofu because I like it just the way it is and don’t feel I need to spend the extra effort pressing it. However, if you’re someone who regularly presses tofu, you may want to add that step!

How to Serve Vegan Buffalo Tofu Nuggets

There are two ways you can serve these buffalo tofu nuggets:

  • Toss the nuggets with the buffalo sauce
  • Serve the nuggets with the buffalo sauce on the side

Classic buffalo wings are tossed in sauce, so this is certainly an option. However, this makes for messy eating and the breadcrumbs start to get soggy as they sit in sauce. If you choose this option, toss the nuggets with buffalo sauce just before serving.

If you prefer to dip the nuggets into sauce, this keeps them nice and crispy. It also leaves the option of using different sauces to dip the nuggets into. If you’re not a fan of spicy heat, regular BBQ sauce or ketchup are great options!

It’s also nice to serve the buffalo tofu nuggets with a creamy sauce. This is especially satisfying if the buffalo sauce is spicy because the creamy sauce cuts through the heat.

You can check out my recipe for vegan Caesar salad dressing which works amazingly as a dip. The sour cream sauce in my vegan crab cake recipe is also fantastic!

Vegan Buffalo Tofu Nuggets or Wings Recipe (5)

📖 Recipe

Vegan Buffalo Tofu Nuggets or Wings Recipe (6)

Vegan Buffalo Tofu Nuggets

Create delicious and spicy buffalo tofu nuggets! This vegan hot wings recipe packs in as much or as little heat as you like.

5 from 6 votes. Leave a review!

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 302 kcal

Cuisine American-inspired, Vegan

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 °F.

  • Slice the tofu into nugget-sized pieces. You can cut them into whatever shape or size you like. I prefer to make triangles that are ¼ the thickness of the tofu block (but this depends on the brand of tofu you use).

    350 grams extra firm tofu

  • Ready a baking tray by covering it in parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and spray with a cooking/ oil spray. I use an avocado oil spray.

  • Set up 2 small plates and 1 small bowl to bread the tofu. On one plate, spread half the starch (start with 3 tablespoons). Add plant-based milk to the bowl. On the second plate, toss together panko breadcrumbs, ground flaxseed, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, Old Bay, salt and black pepper.

    ¼ cup plant-based milk, 3-5 tablespoons starch, ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, ¼ teaspoon salt, black pepper

  • Bread each piece of tofu by coating it with starch (brush off excess starch; you want it covered but not a super thick layer) then dipping into the plant-based milk. Place the piece of tofu into the bread crumbs and lightly press onto all sides of the tofu. Place breaded tofu onto the prepared baking tray. Repeat for all tofu pieces.

  • Spray the tofu nuggets with cooking/ oil spray then bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the nuggets are browned and crispy (browning may be difficult to see if the breadcrumb coating is made with whole wheat panko).

    oil spray

  • To prepare the buffalo tofu nuggets, place baked nuggets into a large bowl and toss them around with buffalo sauce. Alternatively, you can dip the nuggets into buffalo sauce; this way the nuggets stay crispy.

    vegan buffalo sauce

  • Serve with a creamy sauce or dip!

Notes

Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Serving (¼ of recipe)Calories: 302 kcalCarbohydrates: 21 gProtein: 14 gFat: 19 gSaturated Fat: 4 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7 gMonounsaturated Fat: 7 gSodium: 937 mgPotassium: 225 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 1 gVitamin A: 911 IUCalcium: 353 mgIron: 3 mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Vegan Appetizer Recipes

Like this recipe? You should also try:

  • Vegan Cucumber Sandwich Recipe (Lemon Herb Spread)
  • Vegan Cucumber Roll Ups (Avocado + Pistachio Filling)
  • Vegan Cauliflower Wings (with BBQ Sauce)
Vegan Buffalo Tofu Nuggets or Wings Recipe (10)

About Nicole Stevens

Nicole is a long-time vegan with a Masters of Science in Food and Nutrition.

She helps people thrive on a vegan diet with balanced recipes.

Vegan Buffalo Tofu Nuggets or Wings Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are vegan buffalo wings made of? ›

Most vegan chicken wings are made from soy protein or seitan. Seitan is a high-protein vegan meat substitute made from vital wheat gluten. Vital wheat gluten is the natural protein found in wheat. While you can make wings using tofu alone, the seitan is what provides the most meat-like texture and chewiness.

What is the vegan version of wings? ›

Vegan wings can be made from a variety of different ingredients, including vital wheat gluten (seitan). Cauliflower wings are a popular, lighter option. Soy-based ingredients like tempeh and tofu also make great meatless wings. This recipe uses seitan, tofu, and jackfruit for the most authentic mock chicken texture.

Is Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing sauce vegan? ›

Frank's RedHot Buffalo Sauce: This product contains natural butter type flavor but the brand has confirmed that it is vegan friendly and the butter flavor is not made of animal products. This is a good option if you're looking to purchase one instead of making it yourself because it can be found in most grocery stores.

Why is buffalo sauce not vegan? ›

Unfortunately, in most cases, the answer to that question is yes. Most hot sauces are perfect for a vegan diet, composed of cayenne pepper, vinegar, and many other plant-based ingredients. Buffalo sauce, however, is a cayenne-based hot sauce with an extra special ingredient, that being equal parts butter.

Are Buffalo Wild wings cauliflower wings vegan? ›

Are the cauliflower wings at Buffalo Wild Wings vegan? No. The cauliflower wings, and all of BWW's fried items, are fried in beef shortening and therefore not vegan. Is the black bean burger vegan at Buffalo Wild Wings?

How unhealthy is fried tofu? ›

Frying tofu can give it a crispy texture, but comes at a cost – it can be high in calories, up to three times more than baked or air-fried tofu. This is because frying requires added oil as a heat conductor, which cooks the tofu evenly but also makes it absorb more oil, resulting in more fat and calories.

Why is tofu healthier than chicken? ›

There's a reason why vegetarians keep tofu on hand. It's high in calcium, iron and a number of other vitamins and minerals, and it's low in saturated fat and cholesterol—something chicken and other poultry options can't say.

What is the crispy tofu called? ›

Agedashi dōfu (揚げ出し豆腐, "lightly deep-fried tofu") is a Japanese hot tofu dish. Soft or medium-firm silken tofu (kinugoshi) is cut into cubes, before being lightly dusted with potato starch or cornstarch and then deep fried until golden brown.

What is the best vegan alternative to chicken? ›

Vegan Chicken: Delicious vegetarian and vegan-friendly chicken substitutes
  • Tofu. Tofu is one of the most well-known and versatile vegan and vegetarian-friendly foods out there. ...
  • Soy curls. ...
  • Jackfruit. ...
  • Potato. ...
  • Seitan. ...
  • Tempeh. ...
  • Cauliflower.
May 18, 2023

What is vegan fake meat called? ›

Plant- and fungus-based substitutes are frequently made with soy (e.g. tofu, tempeh, and textured vegetable protein), but may also be made from wheat gluten as in seitan, pea protein as in the Beyond Burger, or mycoprotein as in Quorn.

What is most vegan chicken made of? ›

Vegan chicken is more sustainable, and healthier, and it's made primarily from plant-based products. These include vital wheat gluten, soy protein, pea protein, tofu, and jackfruit, which are rich in protein, calcium, fiber, and sodium—making the substitutes a perfect supplement for real meat.

Is Chick Fil Buffalo Sauce vegan? ›

Zesty Buffalo Sauce

This item contains dairy, egg. View all Chick-fil-A® allergen information here.

Is Sweet Baby Ray's hot sauce vegan? ›

You've likely come across Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce at the grocery store. So, you'll be happy to know that the majority of this budget-friendly condiment's flavors are vegan. We're talking Original, Sweet Golden Mustard, No Sugar Added, Hickory and Brown Sugar, and more. Just keep an eye out for honey.

Is Worcestershire sauce vegetarian? ›

The only issue is that regular Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies or fish sauce, so it's not vegan. And while you can buy ready made vegan Worcestershire sauce, it's not necessarily all that widely available across the world. Which is why making your own is a great idea.

What are vegan wings made of on hot ones? ›

“Hot Ones” is an interview web series hosted by Sean Evans. Evans asks his celebrity guests questions while they eat wings, which are usually made from chicken. The wings are coated in a hot sauce that gets hotter for each round. Rudd chose to eat vegan cauliflower wings for his segment.

What is vegan chicken made of? ›

Although components vary, certain materials are commonly used in meat and meat-free chicken products. These include water, wheat flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and other spices. The main difference is that plant-based chicken is usually made from soy protein and wheat gluten instead of animal flesh.

What is seitan made of? ›

Seitan is a plant-based meat substitute made entirely out of hydrated and cooked vital wheat gluten flour. Gluten is a mixture of the proteins prolamin and glutelin found in wheat and similar grains, such as barley and rye.

Are vegan wings healthy? ›

The inner vegan meat, made of Jackfruit, wheat flour, soy flour, vinegar and canola and soybean oil, may not be as healthy as making your own cauliflower wings at home, but with just 140 calories and 16 grams of carbs for 3 wings and 1 gram of saturated fat, you could also do a whole lot worse.

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