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    Home » Appetizer Recipes

    Vegan Tofu Nuggets

    Published: Aug 8, 2022 by Richa 38 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    These Vegan Tofu Nuggets are baked and not fried and taste just like Southern fried chikin with my secret marinade & spice mix! Nutfree Glutenfree. Your whole family will love these!

    vegan baked tofu nuggets on a white plate with two different dips

    Stop what you’re doing and go marinate some tofu NOW because you don’t want to miss out on these Crispy Baked Vegan Tofu Nuggets! They are my new favorite vegan party snack – well, along with my Baked General Tso Cauliflower!

    I use the spices used for southern fried chicken and add them to the coating and the marinade. Together they add so much amazing flavor. These are perfectly crispy on the outside and wonderfully meaty on the inside – seriously the best texture and flavor thanks to some key tips and a delicious tofu marinade. Seriously, if you know someone who dislikes tofu, give them these Tofu Nuggets and their minds will be changed forever.

    vegan baked tofu nuggets served with two different dips

    Now there are two things that are super important for making the perfect Tofu Nuggets.

    Number one: you need to press your tofu! For most of my tofu recipes, I recommend pressing your tofu, and this is no exception. Squeeze all that excess water out of your tofu. This will give you much better tofu and will prepare it for my tofu nuggets. Use extra firm tofu so that you don’t end up with squishy bites.

    tip #2 Marinate your tofu.  Let the pressed tofu sit in the marinade a minimum of 5 minutes. We really want the marinade to soak up into the insides of the tofu, making the texture even better. You can marinate your tofu for 30 minutes, or even overnight.

    More vegan party food:

    Bbq Cauliflower Wings

    Vegan Mediterranean Nachos

    Baked Popcorn Okra

    Crispy tofu strips 

    Mango Sriracha cauliflower 

    Spinach pinwheels

    Everything Bagel seasoning Tofu 

    Print Recipe
    5 from 14 votes

    Baked Tofu Nuggets

    These Vegan Tofu Nuggets are baked and not fried and taste just like Southern fried chikin with my secret marinade & spice mix! Nutfree Glutenfree
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time25 mins
    Total Time35 mins
    Course: Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: tofu nuggets
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 132kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    Ingredients

    • 14 ounce (400 g) extra firm tofu pressed for at least 20 minutes

    For the marinade:

    • 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
    • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
    • 2 teaspoons oil

    For spice coating

    • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon Ground sage
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon celery seeds or use ½ teaspoon celery salt and use only ¼ salt earlier
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
    • A generous pinch each of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice
    • 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning or mix of 1/8 teaspoons each of sage, thyme, rosemary
    • 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch or tapioca starch

    To serve

    • vegan barbeque or vegan ranch or hot sauce or dips of choice
    • Garnish cilantro or green onion

    Instructions

    • Press the tofu if you haven’t already, then break into bite size pieces using your hands. Keep them at least 1 inch in size, add to a bowl.
    • Marinate: Then add the marinade ingredients to the bowl and toss well to coat, let the tofu sit for 5 minutes(or longer in the fridge till ready to bake)
    • Spice coating: In another small bowl add all of the coating ingredients and 1 ½ tablespoons of corn starch and mix really well.
    • The marinade should have gotten absorbed in the tofu, there shouldn’t be any liquid left. Sprinkle all of the spice coating mixture over the tofu and toss well to coat. If the tofu is too wet then add some more cornstarch, 1 teaspoon at a time. Then spread this tofu on parchment lined baking sheet and keep at least ½ inch distance between all the pieces.
    • Bake at 400F(205c) for 20-25 minutes or until the tofu is crisp to preference
    • Depending on the brand of tofu, if it’s a good extra firm tofu then the coating will get crisp around 23-24 minutes and if the tofu is a bit softer then the outside will get crisp, but tofu might be somewhat soft in the middle.
    • Remove the baking sheet from the oven then let it cool for a few minutes before plating it and serving it with dips of choice. You can also use this tofu to add to wraps or tacos or serve it as a side.

    Notes

    • Tear your tofu instead of slicing it into cubes. Tearing your tofu means there are more rough edges for not only the marinade to soak into, but for the cornstarch spice mix to coat the tofu.
    • For extra crispy tofu: use 1/4 -1/3 cup breadcrumbs instead of cornstarch 
    • To make this soy free, use 12-14 oz seitan or use cauliflower florets.  Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce 
    • Variation: use (6-7 oz)dry soycurls, then rehydrate in warm stock, squeeze out excess stock and proceed. 
    • To make this without onion garlic, omit them and add 1/8 teaspoon asafetida(hing) or 1/8 teaspoon fenugreek powder. If you don’t have these, add a teaspoon of miso to the marinade and add 1/2 teaspoon a oregano to the spice mix 

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Baked Tofu Nuggets
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 132 Calories from Fat 63
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 7g11%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Sodium 698mg30%
    Potassium 78mg2%
    Carbohydrates 7g2%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 0.4g0%
    Protein 10g20%
    Vitamin A 257IU5%
    Vitamin C 3mg4%
    Calcium 134mg13%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    a platter with baked cripsy tofu nuggets

     

    Ingredients:

    • for this recipe, we need extra firm tofu pressed for at least 20 minutes
    • For the spicy marinade, we blend soy sauce with hot sauce and a small amount of oil
    • for the spice coating, we blend nutritional yeast with salt, onion powder, garlic powder,  black pepper,  sage, paprika,  celery seeds, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice
    • cornstarch is used as a coating to crisp up

    Tips:

    • Tear your tofu instead of slicing it into cubes. Tearing your tofu means there are more rough edges for not only the marinade to soak into, but for the cornstarch spice mix to coat the tofu.
    • After adding the spiced mixture to the marinated tofu, you should go with your gut. If the tofu still feels a bit too wet then add some more cornstarch, 1 teaspoon at a time.
    • Depending on the brand of tofu, you might have slightly different textures.  I recommend you invest in a good extra firm tofu
    • Instead of the celery salt, you can use ½ teaspoon celery salt and use only ¼ salt earlier

     

    ingredients needed for making tofu nuggets

    How to make Crispy Baked Tofu Nuggets

    torn tofu chunks in a white bowl

    Press the tofu if you haven’t already, then break into bite-size pieces using your hands. Keep them at least 1 inch in size, add to a bowl.


    marinade being added to torn tofu chunks in a white bowl

    Then add the marinade ingredients and toss well to coat, let the tofu sit for 5 minutes.

    marinated tofu chunks in a white bowl

    spice mix in a small glass bowl

    In another small bowl add all of the coating ingredients and 1 ½ tablespoons of corn starch and mix really well.

    marinated tofu chunks in a white bowl

    The marinade should have gotten absorbed in the tofu, there shouldn’t be any liquid left.

    Sprinkle all of the spiced coating mixture over the tofu and toss well to coat. After adding the spiced mixture, if the tofu is too wet then add some more cornstarch, 1 teaspoon at a time.

    then spread this tofu on a parchment line baking sheet and keep at least ½ inch distance between all the pieces.

    marinated tofu chunks in a white bowl

    marinated tofu chunks on a sheet pan

    Then bake at 400F (205c) for 20-25 minutes or until the tofu is crisp to preference

    baked tofu nuggets on a sheet pan

    Depending on the brand of tofu, if it’s good extra firm tofu then the coating will get crisp around 23-24 minutes and if the tofu is a bit softer then the outside will get crisp, but tofu might be somewhat soft in the middle.

    Remove the baking sheet from the oven then let it cool for a few minutes before plating it and serving it!.

    a plate with vegan baked tofu nuggets with ranch and bbq dip

    Serve

    Serve these immediately with dips of choice. These are best served right out of the oven. The pieces will tend to soften after sitting for an hour or so. They will still taste amazing though!

    You can also use this tofu to add it to lettuce or tortilla wraps or tacos! You can also serve it as a side.

     

     

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    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online! I love hearing from you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Rahzihan

      December 07, 2022 at 5:56 pm

      5 stars
      Nice recipe!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        December 12, 2022 at 3:30 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    2. Jess

      November 03, 2022 at 4:46 pm

      I have a guest who is very sensitive to spiciness. Can you recommend a non-spicy sub for the hot sauce?

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        November 07, 2022 at 10:39 am

        Frank’s RedHot does have a Mild sauce variety. For a completely non-spiced dish I would recommend leaving out entirely, or subbing with a ketchup or BBQ sauce. Note that the flavor will be very different from this recipe.

        Reply
    3. Monica

      September 03, 2022 at 1:01 pm

      5 stars
      These were very tasty! Thank You!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        September 03, 2022 at 2:25 pm

        Yay!

        Reply
    4. Trin

      August 31, 2022 at 8:46 am

      5 stars
      I made these this morning, a double batch. I know they are best right from the oven, I just like having extras for another meal. These are so amazing and flavorful! I can’t stop sneaking a one, just one more, another one and that’s it. 😏 I will make a noodle bowl and if there is enough will make a salad for another meal. I am sure I’ll have to make another batch if I want that salad.
      Thank you,
      Trina

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        August 31, 2022 at 3:19 pm

        If there’s enough left 😆

        Reply
    5. fenice

      August 16, 2022 at 8:09 am

      5 stars
      Such a delicious crunch and magnificent dipped into some ranch dressing (I used your seasoning mix, which is also fab). We had these tofu nuggets, ranch dip, corn on the cob and a big green salad for a great meal. Thank you for all the awesome recipes you share with your readers!

      Reply
      • Richa

        August 16, 2022 at 12:03 pm

        Awesome

        Reply
    6. Bert

      August 15, 2022 at 11:29 pm

      Don’t have a tofu press? Throw it in the microwave for a few minutes! Works like a charm, they’re designed for evaporation by exciting water molecules. Also, when marinating tofu, toss it all in the freezer. That extra bit of cold will cause more of the marinade to be absorbed and give tofu a much ‘meatier’ texture.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        August 22, 2022 at 12:55 pm

        interesting!

        Reply
    7. Sue

      August 12, 2022 at 7:19 am

      5 stars
      Looks outstanding! I’ve shared this with gf friends. Thanks Richa.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        August 14, 2022 at 8:32 pm

        share the love

        Reply
    8. Huong nguyenL

      August 11, 2022 at 8:59 am

      5 stars
      Thank you Richa,
      I like the recipe

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        August 14, 2022 at 8:26 pm

        thank youu so muuch

        Reply
    9. Jennifer

      August 10, 2022 at 8:13 pm

      5 stars
      Another hit! The Flavor and texture is addicting!!! Served it with potatoes and green beans. Mine were shaped a bit more fillets, than nuggets and therefor, needed to double the recipe for the marinade.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        August 14, 2022 at 8:25 pm

        ouuunds great

        Reply
    10. in2insight

      August 09, 2022 at 12:26 pm

      5 stars
      These were so very good!
      Easy to make and even easier to work down… 🙂
      Great spice blend.

      Thank you for offering a onion/garlic free option!

      Reply
      • in2insight

        August 09, 2022 at 12:27 pm

        Wolf down… not work down, but perhaps both work with this delish dish.

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          August 14, 2022 at 8:13 pm

          aha!

          Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        August 14, 2022 at 8:12 pm

        glad you appreciated that

        Reply
    11. Gary Cooper

      August 09, 2022 at 9:18 am

      5 stars
      I reckon next time I’m going to save some, crumble it up for a sandwich filling, lovely

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        August 14, 2022 at 8:12 pm

        sounds like a plan

        Reply
    12. Chico

      August 08, 2022 at 9:39 pm

      You are the best

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        August 14, 2022 at 8:09 pm

        😆

        Reply
    13. Kelly

      August 08, 2022 at 5:22 pm

      5 stars
      This is delicious tofu! We put it on top of a green salad and really enjoyed it. Thank you, Vegan Richa! 😍

      Reply
      • Richa

        August 08, 2022 at 5:58 pm

        Yay!!

        Reply
    14. Ruchama B

      August 08, 2022 at 9:58 am

      We have access to super firm tofu and I like to use it rather than press extra firm. Will this work, or will super firm not absorb the marinade as well as extra firm pressed?

      Reply
      • Richa

        August 08, 2022 at 10:35 am

        It should work just fine. Add another tsp cornstarch if the coating feels sticky and wet

        Reply
    15. Robin Fradkin

      August 08, 2022 at 9:33 am

      Do you have any suggestions about making this in an airfryer?

      Reply
      • Richa

        August 08, 2022 at 10:34 am

        I haven’t tried it but it should work. I’d say keep moving them every 10 mins and check at the 20 mins mark if done

        Reply
    16. Nonnie

      August 08, 2022 at 6:54 am

      Looks amazing! I think you have a typo, though. Where you say “To make this soy free, use (6-7 oz)rehydrated soycurls, or 12-14 oz seitan and proceed. Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce,” I am pretty sure that soycurls aren’t soy free. Was that meant to go underneath its own entry as an alternative?

      Reply
      • Richa

        August 08, 2022 at 7:15 am

        Yes it should under tofu free 🙂

        Reply
        • Loree

          August 08, 2022 at 3:29 pm

          Sounds delish. What is the hot sauce used in the marinade? Thankyou

          Reply
          • Richa

            August 08, 2022 at 6:00 pm

            I use franks . You can use any. Tabasco sriracha or other vinegar based hot sauce

            Reply
    17. Tracy Ross

      August 08, 2022 at 6:04 am

      ‘To make this soy free, use (6-7 oz)rehydrated soycurls’. How does that make any sense?

      Reply
      • Richa

        August 08, 2022 at 7:15 am

        Oops. Updated

        Reply

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