Easy Baked Tofu Nuggets are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, easy to make and make a delicious meal that grown ups and kids love! Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and some Oven Roasted Potato Wedges.
Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, these bite sized tofu nuggets are easy to make and certain to please all the kids (and grown-ups!) in your life. You won’t believe how crispy they get in the oven.
Serve with Oven Roasted Potato Wedges, and maybe add a green vegetable like green beans or salad, and you’ve got a kid-friendly, protein packed dinner.
They also make a great appetizer at any party or get together, served with a variety of dipping sauces, such as ketchup, Vegan Ranch or BBQ Sauce.
How to make them
You will need two bowls for dipping. In the first bowl, add the almond milk, cornstarch, flaxseeds and salt. Whisk very well, and set aside.
(SEE RECIPE CARD AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE.)
In the second bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs, smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt. Stir to combine. You could use regular breadcrumbs, or gluten free if needed, but panko gives the nuggets the crispiest coating. Kikkoman brand is vegan, and you can find them at most grocery stores or on Amazon.
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Slice your pressed tofu in half lengthwise, then slice into bite sized cubes. Dip each piece first in the wet bowl, then the dry, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, flip and bake 15 more minutes until crispy.
Do you have to press your tofu?
Yes, you need to press your tofu for this recipe, but only for about 20 minutes. I do this by wrapping the block of tofu in paper towels or a clean tea towel, and then setting a cast iron pan on top.
You can skip pressing if you use the super firm variety in a vacuum packed container. It’s more expensive, but sometimes worth it if you’re short on time!
Can you double the recipe?
Yes, you can easily double or triple the recipe. I always double it for my family of 5. The recipe as written only serves about 3 people, so adjust accordingly.
Can they be made gluten free?
Yes, simply use gluten free breadcrumbs in place of the panko ones. You can even use cornmeal if needed, but breadcrumbs work the best.
Want more kid-friendly recipes?
- The Best Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Ultimate Fully Loaded Vegan Nachos
- Vegan Pepperoni
- Spaghetti and Easy Vegan Meatballs
Easy Baked Tofu Nuggets
Ingredients
- 16 ounce block extra-firm tofu
Wet ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1.5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1.5 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Breadcrumb mixture:
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Press the tofu: Wrap the block of tofu in paper towels. Place a plate or pan on top of the wrapped tofu, and put a couple of heavy books on top of that. Let the tofu press for 20 minutes. (You can skip this step if you get the super firm variety)
- In a small bowl, add the almond milk, cornstarch, ground flaxseeds and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk well to combine, then set aside until the tofu is ready.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In another small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Slice the pressed tofu in half lengthwise, then into equal sized cubes.
- Whisk the wet ingredients one more time. Coat each tofu cube in the wet ingredients, then into the breadcrumb mixture. Pat with the breadcrumb mixture to get as much as possible on the tofu. Place on the prepared baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the pieces and bake for 15 more minutes, until golden and crispy. Serve immediately with dipping sauce of choice, and enjoy!
Notes
- You can skip pressing the tofu if you buy the super firm variety that is NOT packed in water, such as Trader Joe's High Protein Super Firm Tofu.
- For gluten free, use gluten free breadcrumbs.
- Any unsweetened non-dairy milk will work here, but make sure it is not vanilla flavored or sweetened at all or it will ruin the nuggets.
Nutrition
Recipe last updated June 23rd, 2019. Originally posted in 2017.
Very simple and tasty!
It’s important to note that ALL of our paper products may be carcinogenic (cancer causing), so please use cloth towels to drain your tofu.
Good Health all,
My kids absolutely love these and ask for them regularly. Healthy and delicious.
I’m happy to hear the kids enjoyed these, thank you!
Easy and delisious!
Thank you Camille!
I’ve been trying to get my 11 year old to eat tofu, and no recipe I tried was successful…until I made this recipe! Tonight she loved these nuggets – thank you!
That is wonderful to hear! My kids also love this recipe. 🙂
Thank you very much. You gave me a good help.i was putting the tofu box in the fridge and every time i open the fridge ,l felt a failure.now l am so happy with these nice recipies . Thank you again.
These were great! Do you think they would freeze well, either before baking or after?
I think they probably would freeze quite well, but I haven’t tried it myself. I would probably say after baking.
These don’t taste like anything without dip, very bland. If I make these again I will add a lot more flavor and spices. Panko has zero flavor and needs a lot of spice. My grandson who’s 3, didn’t like them.
Could see where variations could be used. Very creative possibilities!!
These were super fun! Even the omnivores I live with liked them. I cut my pieces a little unevenly haha but it worked fine. Just for future reference, about how many tofu cubes do you get from the block?
I probably get about 12 cubes. So glad you enjoyed them!
Yum! Easy dinner and my kid loved it.
That’s so great! My kids love these too!
They took a little bit longer to bake but I think that’s because I cut my pieces a little too big, but these nuggets tasted amazing!! Thanks for the amazing dinner recipe!
You’re welcome!
Is it possible to omit the flaxseeds? I don’t have any on hand.
Sure, I think it will still be okay to just leave them out.
Any suggestions for something else to use instead of the ground flaxseed? I don’t have any! Thanks!
If needed, just leave them out. It will still work!
Hi there!!
Can you tell me, will ‘Firm’ tofu work for this recipe?
Yes, firm tofu will be fine as long as you press it first.
Would these be something that would be good to reheat the next day for lunch?
Yes, but they are best warmed in the oven (or an air fryer, if you have one), so they get crispy again. They will be soft if heated in the microwave.
Could you cook these in an air fryer rather than the oven? If so at what temp and for how long please?
I am sure you could, yes. I would try 400 degrees for 15-25 minutes until crispy.
These look amazing and I am sure they are delicious as all of your recipes are but I am wondering what can be used in place of Panko breads crumbs? I am allergic to sugar and most sweeteners and haven’t been able to find any that don’t have it. Thank you for sharing all of your awesome recipes!
You are so welcome! Panko breadcrumbs really make these crispy and delicious, but you might be able to make your own breadcrumbs that have no added sugar. Almond flour could possibly work, or a mix of flour and cornmeal. It would take some testing, and I can’t be sure those will work the same, but it’s some ideas I have. Thank you!
I love this recipe, as I am trying to get my daughter to eat tofu different ways. This was a good intro version. I am just having the hardest time getting the panko to stick well to the tofu. The milk/flax batter doesn’t seem to be making it sticky enough for me. Any thoughts?
Make sure to mix the milk-flax batter well before dipping the tofu in, and make sure your tofu is quite firm and dry (pressed well). You still might feel like not a ton of breadcrumbs are getting stuck on there, but when you bake them up they will get nice and crispy and it should be enough. Hope that helps!
These turned out great! I really love that they’re oil free and you don’t miss any oil at all! I used gluten free Panko and also added a heaping tablespoon of nutritional yeast to the dry mix (because nooch goes in everything lol!). Thanks for the great recipe! Next time I’m going to make big pieces of tofu then toss them in franks hot sauce to make a crispy buffalo tofu sandwich!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the nuggets! I love your idea of buffalo sauce, yum.
So good! Thanks for an amazing, quick recipe 🙂
Thank you Amy!
I love this recipe! I have made it half a dozen times for my one year old. I use rolled oats instead of breadcrumbs simply because the first time I made it I didn’t have breadcrumbs and it turned out great with oats! Thanks for the recipe!
How long do these keep for in the fridge? Would you recommend them for lunch boxes? x
They keep in the fridge for 2-3 days I would say, but to reheat you want to use the oven (or air fryer if you have one). If not, they will be mushy instead of crispy. So unfortunately this doesn’t make them a great choice for lunchboxes! My marinated tofu, however, is a great lunchbox option and kids usually love it. Thanks!
wondering your thoughts on switching up the almond milk with cashew milk and arrowroot starch instead of corn starch? love your recipes!
I think both of those switches would be totally fine! Thank you!
Brilliant recipe, thank you so much. This is first tofu my 8yr old has even wanted to try, he yummed it up and wanted seconds. We didn’t have panko so used home made breadcrumbs instead, seemed to work well.
I’m so glad to hear they were a hit!
Great recipe! So easy and delicious. Thank you!
Very good! We are tofu lovers and this one is super crispy, my 3yo and my boyfriend loved it. Never had tofu this way since we went oil-free. Thanks ?
Great recipe.