Have you been looking for the perfect tofu nugget recipe? Look no further! These crispy air fryer tofu nuggets are the best and so easy to make.
Tofu is one of my favorite versatile vegetarian proteins, but texture is very important.
It is naturally very soft, so you have to cook it right to be able to get that firm and meaty texture instead of a soft and mushy one.
These air fryer nuggets are insanely crispy, and are the best meat like texture nugget that I have ever made.
The inside is very similar to the texture of store bought vegetarian chicken nuggets!
Why should I freeze tofu?
This recipe has one different, but very important step: freezing the tofu.
Never heard of freezing tofu? Me neither until recently!
When I read that freezing tofu resulted in a much more meaty texture that did not fall apart, I just knew I had to try it!
As Food52 explains, “When the tofu freezes, its water turns to ice crystals, which create small, sponge-like holes that remain once the tofu is thawed and the ice turns into water.”
The result? Firmer and chewier tofu that soaks up sauces and dips like a dream!
How to freeze tofu
Drain a block of extra firm tofu and wrap it in a dish towel.
Place something heavy, such as a cast iron skillet on top and press for 10 minutes to remove some of the liquid.
Place the tofu in a container or ziploc bag and freeze until solid.
How to make air fryer tofu nuggets
Ok, so now you have frozen your tofu, what is next?
Remove your tofu from the freezer and place on a plate. Microwave for 3 – 5 minutes, until thawed.
Place the tofu in a dish towel again and press out the remaining liquid, this should only take around 30 seconds thanks to freezing the tofu!
Next, tear your block of tofu into bite sized pieces.
The breading for these air fryer tofu nuggets will be panko bread crumbs.
To make the batter for dipping, in a bowl you will combine the flour, water, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and nutritional yeast.
Dip each tofu nugget in the batter, shake off any excess, then dip in the panko bread crumbs to coat.
Spray your air fryer basket with olive oil spray.
Place the breaded tofu bites into the air fryer basket.
How long you will air fry will depend on your air fryer model.
I did 5 minutes at 400 degrees, then shook the tofu around before air frying an additional 3 – 5 minutes and they were super crispy!
I just can’t get over how incredible the texture was! These nuggets are super crispy on the outside, and incredibly “meaty” on the inside.
These would be divine dipped in my homemade chick fil a sauce!
More tofu recipes you might like
Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu frozen (see instructions)
For the batter
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
For the breading
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Drain a block of tofu and place on a dish towel, then place something heavy on it such as a cast iron skillet, for 10 minutes
- Place the tofu in a container or bag and freeze until solid.
- Once frozen, remove the tofu block from the freezer and microwave for 3 – 5 minutes, until thawed.
- Place the tofu block on a towel and press out the remaining water using your hands or something heavy. This should only take 30 seconds since the tofu has been frozen.
- Mix the flour, water, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and nutritional yeast in a medium sized bowl
- Place the panko bread crumbs in a separate bowl
- Tear the tofu into bite sized pieces
- Dip each piece of tofu in the batter, shake off any excess, then roll in the panko bread crumbs
- Spray your air fryer basket with olive oil spray, then place the breaded tofu bites into the basket
- Repeat batter and breading until all tofu is coated and placed in the air fryer
- Air fry the tofu nuggets at 400 degrees for 5 minutes, then shake and flip the tofu
- Air fry an additional 3 – 8 minutes until browned and crispy.
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce!
Lisa
Friday 6th of January 2023
Hi! Do you think I could use the oven to make these? I don't have an air fryer.
Joy Shull
Friday 5th of May 2023
Sure! You could bake them at 450 and flip every 5 minutes until crispy.
Shannon
Thursday 27th of October 2022
This recipe is perfect. I’ve always been kind of ho-hum on tofu and I’m realizing it’s because I clearly haven’t been preparing it correctly. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Joy Shull
Wednesday 16th of November 2022
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Theresa Thomas
Monday 18th of July 2022
Great recipe. Nice and crunchy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. Thank you for sharing!