Easy Breaded Tofu (Not) Chicken Nuggets Recipe (2024)

Dinner
Vegetarian Mains
American Food
American Mains

Jolinda Hackett

Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.

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Updated on 10/7/21

Ingredients

1 block tofu, firmor extra-firm,well pressed
1/3 cup soy milk,or anothernondairy milk substitute
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley, or Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons high-heat vegetable oil, orcoconut oil

Steps to Make It

Press the Tofu

Gather the ingredients.
Remove the tofu from its package.
Pat the block of tofu dry and place it in between two layers of paper towels.
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Place a small cutting board (or flat-surfaced item) and a weight—like a pot or a brick—on top of the tofu.
Let the tofu sit for 30 minutes, replacing the paper towels when they become saturated.

Prepthe Tofu

Once your tofu is pressed, slice itinto 1-inch cubes or nuggets (about the size of a frozen chicken nugget).
In a wide, shallow bowl,whisk together the soy milk, mustard, nutritional yeast, onion and garlic powders, dried parsley, salt, and pepper until smooth.
Place thepankobreadcrumbs in a separate bowl.

Pan-Fry the Tofu

Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat.
Take one piece of tofu and dip it in the liquid mixture. Then carefully dip it in the breadcrumbs until well coated.
Add it to the pan and repeat the process.
Fry the pieces of tofu, turning them often, until golden brown on all sides.
Serve and enjoy!

Bake the Tofu

For a low-fat alternative cooking method, bake your tofu nuggets on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper.
Preheat your oven to 350 Fand then bake the tofu for 25 minutes, turning once, until golden brown.
Serve your vegetarian tofu nuggets with ketchup, barbecue sauce, or Sriracha hot sauce and enjoy.

Variations

If you don't have nutritional yeast or don't want to use it, feel free to substitute equal amounts of Parmesan cheese. It won't be vegan anymore, but it will be delicious.
Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the herbs and spice mix.
Use regular milk instead of nondairy choices.
Use coarsely crushed crackers, breadcrumbs, or cornflakes instead of panko.

How to Store and Freeze Breaded Tofu Nuggets

You can keep leftover tofu nuggets in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in a low oven on a baking sheet, or in a pan with oil over medium heat.

You can also make these nuggets and freeze any leftovers. Simply reheat in the oven for best texture and taste.

You may also use frozen tofu in this recipe. (Yes, you can freeze tofu!) Defrost, press out the extra moisture as you normally would, and proceed as directed.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
263	Calories
18g	Fat
14g	Carbs
15g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	263
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g	23%
Saturated Fat 2g	10%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 465mg	20%
Total Carbohydrate 14g	5%
Dietary Fiber 3g	10%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 15g
Vitamin C 0mg	2%
Calcium 382mg	29%
Iron 3mg	19%
Potassium 250mg	5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

Tofu
entree
american
back to school

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