Air Fryer Buffalo Vegan Chicken Nuggets
These crispy buffalo vegan chicken nuggets are made with extra-firm tofu that gets boiled in a smoky, savory marinade, coated in a seasoned wet batter and panko breading, air fried until crisp, and tossed in buffalo sauce.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- 1 air fryer Oven instructions are below as well if you don't own an air fryer!
Ingredients
Boiling Marinade
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tsp vegetable bouillon paste
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 block extra-firm tofu drained and torn into nugget-sized pieces
Dry Batter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri mirch
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Batter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp water
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri mirch
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
For Air Frying and Serving
- spray oil as needed
- buffalo sauce as needed, for coating
- ranch or vegan ranch for serving
Instructions
- Make the Boiling Marinade: Add the water, soy sauce, vegetable bouillon paste, and liquid smoke to a pot. Whisk everything together until the bouillon paste dissolves.
- Boil the Tofu: Add the extra-firm tofu pieces to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, let the tofu boil for 7 minutes so it can soak up the savory, smoky flavor.
- Drain and Cool: Drain the tofu carefully, then let it cool for about 10 minutes. This helps the tofu firm back up slightly and makes it easier to coat without the batter sliding off.
- Prepare the Dry Batter: In a shallow bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, panko breadcrumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, Kashmiri mirch, smoked paprika, and salt until evenly combined.
- Prepare the Wet Batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, water, onion powder, garlic powder, Kashmiri mirch, smoked paprika, and salt until smooth. The batter should be thick enough to coat the tofu, but still loose enough to dip.
- Coat the Tofu: Dip each tofu piece into the wet batter, letting any excess drip off. Then transfer it to the dry batter and coat it fully on all sides, making sure to press the batter in firmly. Repeat until all the tofu pieces are breaded.
- Air Fry: Place the coated tofu nuggets in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray generously with oil until all sides are coated. Air fry at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crispy.
- Sauce and Serve: Toss the crispy nuggets in buffalo sauce right before serving. Serve immediately with ranch or vegan ranch for dipping.
Notes
Oven Instructions
Bake the Nuggets: Place the coated tofu nuggets on a lined baking sheet and spray generously with oil. Bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp. Toss with buffalo sauce right before serving.
Other Notes
For Vegan Buffalo Sauce: Mix Frank’s RedHot with melted vegan butter for an easy vegan buffalo sauce.
For the Crispiest Nuggets: Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. Cook in batches if needed so the nuggets crisp instead of steam.
For Best Texture: Toss the nuggets in buffalo sauce right before serving. If they sit in the sauce too long, the coating will soften.
For Gluten-Free Nuggets: Use tamari instead of soy sauce, gluten-free panko, and a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Double-check that your bouillon paste and buffalo sauce are gluten-free too.
Nutrition
Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 1608mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 4mg
