May 3, 2021 · Date Modified July 21, 2022

These super crispy air fryer tofu nuggets have the texture of chicken nuggets but are healthy, plant-based, vegetarian, and vegan friendly! This air fried tofu recipe is breaded and seasoned to perfection. Thanks to the dairy-free buttermilk breading, they’re a little bit reminiscent of southern fried tofu or chicken fried tofu too!

why you’ll love these crispy air fryer tofu nuggets

I’ve had a love for tofu for years! It’s one of my go to plant-based protein sources, so naturally, when I recently got an Air Fryer I had to make a tofu recipe with it. Let me tell you- air fryer tofu is a game changer! When you air fry tofu, it creates a crunchy texture on the outside, but keeps the inside moist and tender. If you love air frying as much as I do, then you should also check out my fully loaded air fryer Beyond Burger recipe!

• healthy, easy recipe: since these vegan tofu nuggets are air fried, they contain less oil than deep-fried tofu

• delicious with your favorite dipping sauce: dip these nuggets in ketchup, barbecue sauce, or vegan ranch for a tasty snack or lunch

• firm, meaty texture: the tofu is frozen, then thawed, changing the tofu to have a chewier texture similar to chicken

the main ingredients

These breaded tofu nuggets are quick and easy. They’re ready in under 30 minutes and use easy to find, pantry-friendly ingredients. To make them, you need the following ingredients:

prepping the tofu

A little-known hack in the vegan community is freezing your block of tofu to get a completely different texture than normal tofu has. Freezing and then defrosting your tofu helps remove excess moisture and gives it more layers. This results in a texture similar to “chicken”.

I’ve also put together a complete guide to tofu, if you’d like to learn more about the different types of tofu and how to cook them!

freezing the tofu

I recommend freezing your tofu once for this recipe for at least 8 hours. Drain the tofu block, and place it in a Tupperware or an air-tight container. I like to place my tofu in the freezer overnight.

thawing the tofu

When you’re ready to make this recipe, it’s time to thaw out the tofu!

The easiest and fastest way that I’ve found is to defrost the tofu on low heat in the microwave, stopping every few minutes to press excess water from the tofu with paper towels.

TIP: Be sure to remove as much liquid as possible! You can use a tofu press or use paper towels to remove the extra liquid.

Once it’s thawed, break the tofu block into 1-2” pieces or chunks (bite-sized pieces). You can also cut the block into tofu cubes. Then, set it aside while you prep the breading.

Helpful Equipment

• Air Fryer: to cook the tofu
• Shallow Bowls: to make the breading

step-by-step instructions

*Video tutorial is above the recipe card below*

Make the buttermilk breading

This recipe uses a vegan buttermilk breading to make these tofu nuggets more similar to southern ‘fried’ tofu or ‘chicken’ fried tofu.

vegan buttermilk

STEP 1: To make the vegan buttermilk, all you need to do is mix together the almond milk and the apple cider vinegar in a large shallow bowl. Then, set the mixture aside for 5 minutes so it can curdle slightly.

breading the tofu

STEP 2: In a separate large shallow bowl, mix together the dry ingredients until all the spices are evenly distributed.

Then, dip the tofu chunks into the vegan buttermilk mixture. Let the tofu soak for about 1 minute, so it soaks up some of the ‘buttermilk’ flavors. Once the chunks have soaked, place them in the bread crumb mixture. With your hand, pat or press the breading into all sides of the tofu.

STEP 3: Next, place the tofu back into the wet mixture.

For this step, be sure not to let it soak in the ‘buttermilk’. You should dip the tofu just long enough to make it wet again.

Then, promptly dip it back into the dry mixture for a second time.

TIP: The breading process should look like this– wet > dry > wet > dry.

air frying the tofu

STEP 4: To cook the tofu, place the tofu pieces in a single layer onto the parchment-lined air fryer basket. Then, to make sure they get crispy in the air-fryer, brush them with a bit of neutral oil and spray all the sides with cooking spray.

STEP 5: Air fry the tofu at 400F for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, flip the tofu and reapply cooking spray/oil. Then, cook it for 6 more minutes.

These are honestly the best crispy air fried tofu nuggets! This flavorful tofu is crispy, breaded to perfection, and pairs so well with many different dishes. They’re the best breaded tofu bites and are a great replacement for chicken nuggets if you’re trying to cut out meat.

Pro Tips

tips for air frying tofu

To get a really crispy crust on these breaded tofu nuggets, here are a few important tips:

• Make sure to preheat your air fryer.

• Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper specifically designed for air fryers. The parchment paper I use has holes in it which allows the air to circulate around all the sides of the tofu.

• Use a pastry brush to spread vegetable oil on both sides of the battered tofu.

• I also recommend spraying cooking oil on both sides of the tofu to make sure every part of it is coated in at least a tiny bit of oil.

• Flip the tofu during cooking.

ideas for serving the crispy tofu nuggets

These crispy air fried tofu nuggets are so incredibly versatile. And, they’re perfect as the main star of so many different dishes. Below are just a few ideas about how you could serve them:

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