Baked Vegan Tofu Nuggets (with copycat Chick-fil-A sauce)
Vegan Tofu Nuggets! If you like Chick-fil-A nuggets, then you’ve gotta try this vegan version. Baked crispy tofu nuggets that are perfect for kid and adults!
What kind of predominantly plant-based mom would I be if I didn’t have a recipe for killer tofu nuggets? Both my kids go nuts for nuggets, especially when served with plenty of ketchup and this copycat Chick-fil-A sauce for dipping. If you have toddlers, you know how much they love to dip their food!
These tofu nuggets are better than any chicken option out there. While many nugget recipes are triple-coated and then deep-fried, I wanted to keep these light enough that my kids could eat them on a regular basis.
Lightly coating them and then baking (or air-frying! Directions for that are below) makes for crispy tofu nuggets that the whole family can enjoy.
These are the nuggets that everyone, vegetarian or not, will love. I’ve now made these over a dozen times and have served to as many friends and kids. Obviously, people knew it wasn’t chicken because I was serving it to them, but I promise that most of them said these vegan nuggets tasted like chicken nuggets.
Everything You Need for this Tofu Nugget Recipe:
Ingredient Notes for Tofu Chicken Nuggets
- Extra-firm tofu: Firm or other softer tofu will not work for this recipe. Super firm tofu that you can find in some grocery stores will also work. You’ll need to drain and press the tofu first to remove the excess water for the best texture.
- Spices: The combination of garlic powder, onion powder, salt and paprika is what gives these baked tofu nuggets maximum flavor. I don’t recommend removing one as it won’t taste the same.
- Potato Starch: Compared to cornstarch, potato starch makes for very crispy tofu without a starchy aftertaste. Cornstarch can work, but you’ll need to really make sure you shake off any excess starch. Tapioca or arrowroot starch will also work.
To make these gluten-free, I recommend using a gluten-free flour mix, like Bob’s Red Mill or another 1:1 substitute. Rice flour will also work, or, just omit the flour and use only the starch. I don’t recommend another alternative flour like almond flour. The texture won’t be the same.
How to Make These Tofu Nuggets
Prep your baking sheet
Place a rimmed cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray.
Drain, Press and Tear the tofu
Press the tofu first to get rid of excess moisture, then tear into nugget size pieces. This is key to the success of this recipe. Regular chicken nuggets are not square cubes, they have a craggy edge to them for texture. Tearing the tofu gives it the same appearance.
Toss tofu with spices and olive oil
Toss with the olive oil and some of the onion powder, garlic powder and salt. This ensures that your entire nugget is coated with flavor before you add the flour. Whisk together the dry ingredients, then add to the nuggets and toss, coating the nuggets as much as possible.
Remove excess starch
You’ll need to shake off as much of the flour mixture as possible before placing on the baking sheet. Too much flour or cornstarch on these nuggets will not work. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake
Spray generously with a cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil. This helps to give them a crispy, golden texture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. For extra crispy tofu nuggets, you can pan fry them or air-fry them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you air fry these tofu nuggets?
Yes! These nuggets are great in the air fryer, especially if you prefer extra crispy tofu nuggets. I highly recommend spraying the coated nuggets with olive oil before cooking to achieve the typical golden exterior of fried foods. To air-fry, cook at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes, checking halfway through until hot and golden brown.
Can I use frozen tofu for better texture?
If you really want a similar texture to chicken, then you’ll want to use frozen tofu. You need advance prep for this, which is why I don’t call for this in the recipe (who has time to anticipate tofu nuggets two days in advance with kids!?) but it really does make for ‘I can’t believe this isn’t chicken’ taste. To do so, freeze the tofu, remove from the container, rinse then place in the freezer. Remove, let thaw and press. Then refreeze, thaw and press again. Then tear the tofu and continue with the rest of the recipe directions.
Can you freeze these crispy baked tofu nuggets?
I don’t recommend freezing these nuggets after making them. The batter can fall off with freezing. You can make them ahead of time and keep them in the fridge, but they will lose their crisp after making them.
The secret for perfect vegan chicken nuggets
Wanna make perfect nuggets? Here’s the secret. After draining and pressing the block of tofu, tear the nuggets instead of cubing them. Tearing the tofu creates chewy, jagged edges that makes them more fun to eat. I made these once by cutting the tofu into strips and it just didn’t taste the same.
Consider regular chicken nuggets, they aren’t perfect cubes– they have texture on all sides and tearing them creates the same sort of texture. Tear, don’t cut.
You’ll also want to use extra-firm tofu that is well-pressed. I use a tofu press (affiliate), but you don’t have to. My how to cook tofu tutorial goes into this in more detail.
I love these paired with the sauce below, but you can also add them to any sauce you’d like. I do a similar tofu nugget in my tofu Thai red curry bowls and they are so good.
Pair with Creamy Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce
Way back in the day, we used to eat at Chick-fil-A fairly often. Our schools always partnered with them for discount nights, which is odd to think about now. We were encouraged to eat at Chick-fil-A (and Pizza Hut!) in order to get funds for the school.
Anyways, I could care less about the nuggets themselves but I loved Chick-fil-A’s dipping sauce. That creamy sauce that’s a mix between tangy BBQ sauce and honey mustard. Oh my, I could literally drink it. Here’s how to make a vegan version.
For a vegan mayo, my favorite brands are Just Mayo, Hellman’s Vegan & Vegenaise. You’ll also need a liquid sweetener like honey, agave and maple syrup. I do like honey for this and but for a completely vegan version, then use agave or maple syrup.
I used honey in this, which is technically not vegan, but you could substitute any liquid sweetener instead. I’m not going to pretend that there are any redeeming health benefits to this sauce, but to me nuggets aren’t nuggets unless their served this way. Of course, you can dip with regular ketchup or BBQ sauce.
More Kid-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes
- Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup
- Instant Pot Lentil Tacos
- Baby-Led Weaning Pancakes
- Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
- One Pot Vegan Chili Mac
- Vegan Queso Dip
- Air fryer tofu
Promise you’ll make these soon, then come back and tell me what you think! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts. This recipe was first posted in 2018 and updated in 2024.
Video
Vegan Baked Tofu Nuggets
Equipment
Ingredients
For the tofu nuggets:
- 1 15 ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, divided
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup potato starch or arrowroot starch*
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
Copycat Chick-Fil-A Nugget Sauce:
- 1/4 cup mayo, I love Just Mayo, Hellman’s Vegan & Vegenaise
- 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons honey, I like honey for this, but vegan version use agave/maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons BBQ sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a rimmed cooling rack, then lightly spray the rack with oil and set aside.
- Tear the tofu into bite-sized nugget pieces and place in a bowl; toss with oil, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- In a separate bowl, toss together the flour, potato starch, remaining onion powder and garlic powder, baking soda, paprika and remaining salt.
- Dredge the tofu in the flour mixture and shake off as much excess flour as possible. Place on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining nuggets. Spray with more oil or drizzle with more olive oil– again, this will give you the color and texture in the photos.
- Cook for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through so they cook evenly. Remove and serve with the sauce!
- To make the sauce, whisk together all ingredients. Season to taste, as needed and eat. So good!