Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets

Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and SO addicting! They're easy to make and ready in less than 30 minutes!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Vegan

Keyword air fryer, nut free, spring, summer, tofu, vegan nuggets, winter

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 248kcal

Author Sherri Hall

Equipment

Ingredients

14 oz extra firm tofu, pressed
⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon mild chili powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoon olive oil (or a neutral oil of choice)
⅔ cup unsweetened soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
⅔ cup corn starch (or use all-purpose flour)
non-aerosol, propellant-free olive oil spray (or avocado oil spray)

Instructions

Press the tofu using a tofu press for 45-50 minutes. If you don't have a tofu press, wrap the tofu block in a clean kitchen towel. Place a few heavy objects on top (books, jars, etc.) and press for 1 hour. Then, using your hands, tear the tofu into chunks.
Get three bowls. In the first one, mix the soy milk, and apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice), and let it rest for 5 minutes, or until the mixture curdles. In the second bowl, add the corn starch. In the third bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, smoked paprika, nutritional yeast, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and oil. Make sure to mix it well enough, until the spices stick to the breadcrumbs.
Get a piece of tofu and roll it in the corn starch on all sides, then dip it in the buttermilk and let any excess liquid drip off. Roll it in the corn starch again, and dip it in the buttermilk for the second time. Then, add the battered piece into the bowl with the breadcrumbs and coat it on all sides. Set it aside and repeat with the rest of the tofu chunk, until all are coated.
Preheat the air fryer to 350ºF (180ºC). Add the tofu nuggets to the air fryer basket and spray with olive oil spray. Air fry for 8-9 minutes, flipping halfway through. They're ready when they're golden brown on the outside. Serve right away!

Notes

Use extra-firm tofu. The firmness of the tofu is really important for the texture of the nuggets. If you can't find extra-firm tofu, you can use firm tofu, but you'll need to press it for longer in order to get rid of the excess water.
Press the tofu. This is an important step of the recipe, and it makes a big difference. Just 30 minutes is better than not pressing the tofu at all.
Use soy milk. In order to make vegan buttermilk, you need high-protein milk so the proteins can react with the acid (in our case, it's the apple cider vinegar). Don't substitute it with almond milk, oat milk, or another dairy-free milk, because the result won't be the same!
Serve right away! These tofu nuggets are best when served fresh. As with most crispy food, they lose their crunch as they cool and become firmer.
To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free breadcrumbs.

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Nutrition