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These crispy oven-baked Vegan Buffalo Tofu Bites are drenched in a spicy buffalo wing sauce and perfect as an appetizer or dinner protein!
Buffalo Wings are a classic football snack, and these Buffalo Tofu Bites have quickly become my favorite plant-based swap for the delicious game-day appetizer.Imagine crispy seasoned oven-baked tofu gets tossed with a homemade buffalo sauce so every saucy bite is packed with tangy, and perfectly spicy flavor. This recipe is so good I’d be willing to bet you’ll make it more than once!
Table of Contents
Perfectly Crisp (Oven-Baked!) Buffalo Tofu
I’ll never pass up anything buffalo flavored; and while I love cauliflower, I prefer these crispy Buffalo Tofu Bites for a heartier texture and boost of protein. Skip the deep frying and make these oven-baked vegan Buffalo Tofu bites that are crisp, delicious, and come together with pantry-staples.
Whether you enjoy them dunked in ranch as wings or nuggets, or served in a wrap, sandwich or salad, these crispy buffalo bites are sure to impress!
What You Need for Vegan Buffalo Tofu
You only need 10 ingredients to make this Buffalo Tofu, and I’d be willing to bet you already have everything you need in your pantry:
- Extra-Firm Tofu: pressed extra firm tofu has the perfect texture for these hearty buffalo bites. I like to tear my tofu into chunks (rather than cutting into cubes) for a more meat-like texture that also helps the sauce cling to the tofu better.
- Dry Spices: Onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and salt add extra flavor (and a gorgeous color) to our oven-baked tofu nuggests
- Avocado Oil: coats the pressed tofu and makes it extra crispy in the oven.
- Cornstarch: I like to coat my buffalo bites in cornstarch instead of panko for a thinner, batter-like crispy coating. I find the panko breadcrumbs to be a little too dry when baking in the oven.
- Frank’s Red Hot: this buffalo hot sauce is so good, I really good put that sh*t on everything. I always keep a bottle handy for whenever the craving strikes!
- Vegan Butter & Agave: combine with our hot sauce to make a creamy wing sauce
How to Make Buffalo Tofu Nuggets
- Preheat the oven to 420F and press your tofu
- Tear the tofu into bite-sized pieces, then toss with oil, dry spices, and cornstarch
- Bake in the oven until crispy while you prepare the wing sauce
- Toss the tofu with the wing sauce, then serve hot!
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Press Your Tofu Well: the key to crispy tofu is to press it well! I like to use my Tofu Press, but you can also wrap your tofu in paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and firmly press it to drain out any excess moisture. Place a flat and heavy object on top of the tofu and let it sit for at least 15 minutes before using.
- Buffalo Hot Sauce vs. Buffalo Wing Sauce: Most stores carry both buffalo hot sauce and wing sauce, but I prefer to make my own wing sauce. Store-bought buffalo wing sauce has a little bit of oil added to it and is fine in a pinch, but I find the flavor of homemade wing sauce to be much more balanced!
Serving Suggestions
Serve these Buffalo Tofu Wings fresh out of the oven with a side of celery and vegan ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing for the ultimate game day snack. I also like to make skewers with 1-2 pieces of buffalo tofu and a piece of celery for an easy-to-eat appetizer! Dunked in ranch, of course 😉
You can also use this Buffalo Tofu as a protein add-in to any main dish. I love using them in wraps, sandwiches, on top of salads, or even in grain bowls with some rice and roasted vegetables.
If you’re looking for more game-day recipes, you’ll also love my Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip, the Ultimate Vegan Seven Layer Dip, Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip, and my Easy Vegan Chili!
If you have extra buffalo hot sauce you can also use it in my Buffalo Chickpea Salad, Buffalo Cauliflower Pasta Salad, Buffalo Chickpea Casserole, or this One-Pot Buffalo Ranch Pasta.
How to Store Vegan Buffalo Tofu Bites
These Buffalo Tofu Bites are best served fresh, when they are crispy and warm. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I do not recommend freezing these bites.
The best way to reheat any leftovers is by using the oven or air fryer at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes; the tofu will crisp up again, but you may want to serve it with extra wing sauce. You can also reheat this buffalo tofu in the microwave or on the stovetop, but it won’t be crispy.
Recipe FAQs
If your tofu is still soft after the recommended baking time you probably did not press it enough. It’s important to drain out all of that excess moisture! That being said, your tofu should still crisp up if you put it under the broiler for a few minutes.
Baking the tofu with the buffalo sauce can cause it to get soggy, so I like to crisp the tofu up in the oven first, then quickly toss it in wing sauce.
Franks Red Hot is the most popular buffalo hot sauce. To make wing sauce you usually add butter and a little sweetener to it.
Enjoy! If you make this buffalo tofu recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Vegan Buffalo Tofu
Ingredients
For the Buffalo Bites:
- 2 14-16 ounce blocks of extra firm tofu pressed
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil or another high-heat cooking oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup cornstarch or sub arrowroot powder
- Celery sticks for serving (optional)
- Ranch for serving* (optional)
For the Buffalo Sauce:
- 1/2 cup Franks Red Hot
- 3 tablespoons unsalted dairy-free butter
- 2 teaspoons agave
Instructions
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Prep: Preheat the oven to 420F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
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Season the Tofu: In a medium bowl whisk the oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt together until evenly combined. Tear the tofu into bite-sized chunks for a more meat-like shape and texture, or cut into small cubes. Add the tofu to the bowl and gently toss with a spatula until evenly coated. Sprinkle the cornstarch on top and toss again.
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Bake: Transfer to the baking sheet,spreading out the tofu pieces so they aren’t touching. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 30-35 minutes, flipping the tofu halfway through.
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Wing Sauce: In the meantime add the buffalo sauce and agave to a small pot or saucepan and mix well. Warm over medium heat, then turn the heat off once the sauce begins to gently steam. Add the dairy-free butter and stir until fully dissolved. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
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Coat the Tofu: Once the tofu is golden brown and crisp, transfer it to a large bowl. Add only 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the buffalo sauce and mix well with a spatula. You can add the remaining sauce if you wish, or serve it on the side as a condiment.
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Serve: Serve the buffalo tofu as desired. I like to serve it with a side of celery and ranch dip (see notes for my recipe) as an appetizer, or over rice with veggies as a main. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Leftovers are best reheated in the oven or air fryer if you want the tofu to get crispy again.
Recipe Notes
- Vegan Ranch Dip: For a quick and easy dip, combine 3/4 cup of thick unsweetened coconut yogurt with 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tbsp each chopped fresh dill and parsley (or 1/2 tsp each dried). Mix well and let sit for 10-15 min before serving to allow all flavors to combine!
- Gluten-Free: This recipe is gluten-free as written.
This ACTUALLY SLAPS! My brain could not comprehend that I was not eating boneless chicken wings!! And I’m a Buffalo NY girly so you know I know.
That’s awesome to hear! The Vegan Buffalo Tofu sounds like a flavor-packed alternative to traditional buffalo wings. It’s great that you found it so satisfying, especially being from Buffalo, NY!
So, so good!! I love your recipes and this one is now up there as a favorite! My husband and I had it for dinner last night and leftovers were equally as delicious today. Will add this into our meal rotation!
Thanks, Caitlin! Love your name too 😉
This is my new favorite quick and easy lunch after the gym or when I’m in a hurry! I use super firm tofu so I don’t have to press it. I also pair it with a vegetable and sometimes rice for a full meal. I do only use 1 block of tofu though since that’s plenty, although doing that I don’t half the sauce portion since I like it saucy!
Thank you for sharing your review, Madison! Glad you loved the recipe.
This was so good! I used Franks as well. My meat eating boyfriend even gave it 5 stars and said it is a keeper!!
So glad you both enjoyed them!