Crispy Buffalo Tofu
This Crispy Buffalo Tofu recipe is a delicious vegetarian and vegan-friendly meal that is tangy, spicy and packed with flavour! This tofu can be made in the oven or in an airfryer.
What is buffalo tofu?
Buffalo tofu is a vegetarian and vegan friendl spin on the classic “buffalo wings.” (Usually made with chicken, but can also be made with cauliflower wings.)
The tofu is cubed, breaded, baked until crispy and then tossed in a spicy and tangy buffalo sauce to create a crispy tofu dish that you won’t be able to stop eating!
Buffalo tofu can be seved as an appetizer with a ranch dipping sauce, or served as a main dish and can be made directly in the oven or as air fryer tofu.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Crispy tofu bites. Whether you make this recipe in the oven or in an airfryer, the tofu bites come out super crispy and delicious!
- Spicy and tangy. Buffalo sauce is the perfect combination of savoury, tangy and spicy that will have you reaching for more of this dish!
- Easy to make. While there are a few steps to making buffalo tofu, it’s an easy dish that you can make at home that takes better than a restaurant!
Buffalo tofu ingredients and substitutions
- Tofu: make sure to use firm or extra firm tofu in this recipe so the tofu comes out nice and crispy!
- Cornstarch: this is used to lightly coat the tofu before dipping it into the almond milk and will help make it crispy. You can substitut with tapioca or arrowroot starch. If you don’t have any of these, you can also use all-purpose flour.
- Almond milk: you can substitute with any type of plant-based or dairy milk.
- Panko: this is a type of japanese breadcrumb that becomes nice and crispy when baked! You can use any type of breadcrumbs you love.
- Franks red hot sauce: you can substitute with another similar milk hot sauce. (Just make sure not to use a very spicy hot sauce!)
- Vegan butter: or dairy butter.
- Paprika: for some seasoning and to give the tofu a bright red colour.
How to make buffalo tofu
Step 1
Drain the tofu and pat dry between paper towels. Then cut the tofu into cubes and dip each cube into the cornstarch until all the cubes are evenly coated.
Step 2
Next take each cube of tofu and dip into a bowl of almond milk, followed immediatlely by dipping into a plate of panko breadcrumbs.
Step 3
Spread each piece of tofu onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the oven at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, flipping the tofu cubes halfway through.
Step 4
Prepare the buffalo sauce by mixing the melted butter, Frank’s red hot sauce and paprika together. Then toss the tofu with with buffalo sauce.
Step 5
Next spread the tofu back onto the baking sheet and bake in the oven for another 10 minutes until crispy. Serve immeidately.
How to make buffalo tofu in an airfryer
To make this recipe in an air fryer, follow the same directions for preparation. Then to bake:
- Spray the airfryer with cooking spray
- Cook the tofu at 400 degees F for 10 minutes
- Once the tofu is coated with the buffalo sauce, cook again in the air fryer for 5-6 minutes until crispy.
How to store and reheat leftovers
Store any leftovers of this air fryer tofu in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the tofu in the oven at 400 degrees F for 5-8 minutes, or in the airfryer at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
You can also reheat this tofu in the microwave, however it will not be crispy if you heat it up this way.
What to serve with buffalo tofu
Buffalo tofu is delicious on it’s own as an appetizer, but can also be served in so many differnt ways! Here are some of my favourite ways to eat this tofu.
- With ranch dipping sauce
- In buffalo tacos
- On top of a buddha bowl
- With a side salad
Expert tips for making this recipe
- Use firm or exta-firm tofu. It’s important to use a firm tofu in order for the tofu to become crispy when baked.
- Press the tofu firmly in the panko. This will ensure that the panko or breadcrumbs stick to each cube of tofu.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan or airfryer. When baking the tofu, make sure that there is some space between each cube to ensure that they all become crispy.
- Flip the tofu when baking. Flipping the tofu halway through baking is another way to ensure that the tofu comes out to be nice and crispy on all sides.
- Serve immediatey. This dish is best enjoyed straight from the oven.
Frequently asked questions
Each serving of this buffalo tofu has 170 calories and 8 grams of protein.
After the tofu sits out for a while or is stored in the fridge it will lose its crispiness. However if reheated in the oven or air fryer it will become crispy again!
Yes! Just make sure to use gluten-free breadcrumbs in the recipe.
More tofu recipes to try
- Grilled BBQ Tofu
- Vegetarian Mapo Tofu
- Pan-Fried Sesame Tofu
- Kung Pao Tofu
- Easy Tofu Stir Fry
- Baked Peanut Butter Tofu
If you tried this Crispy Buffalo Tofu or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!
PrintCrispy Buffalo Tofu
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This buffalo tofu is crispy and can be made in the oven or air fryer!
Ingredients
Crispy tofu
- 1 block firm or extra-firm tofu
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (can sub arrowroot starch)
- 1/2 cup of milk of choice
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Buffalo sauce
- 1/2 cup Franks red hot sauce
- 3 tbsp butter (regular or vegan)
- 1/2 tsp paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the tofu from the package and squeeze out as much water as possible between a few sheets of paper towel.
- Cut the tofu into cubes, then dip the cubes of tofu in the cornstarch, then the milk, and then into the panko breadcrumbs. (Make sure to press the tofu firmly into the panko on all sides so it sticks.)
- Spread the tofu evenly onto the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping the cubes halfway through.
- While the tofu bakes, prepare the buffalo sauce by mixing the hot sauce, butter and paprika in a bowl.
- Remove the tofu from the oven and toss it in a bowl with the buffalo sauce. Then place the tofu back on the baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes until the tofu is crispy.
- Serve as is or with your favourite ranch sauce.
Notes
Use firm or extra-firm tofu for best results.
You can make this recipe in the air fryer. Directions are listed in the blog post.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 170
- Sugar: 2g
- Fat: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 8g
Denise
Perfection!! My husband, who has never been interested in tofu, tried these and now requests them as a side dish! I tweaked it by adding plain breadcrumbs to the panko & an egg to the milk. Tossed them in *G Hughes sugar-free Thai Chili wing sauce* SO GOOD! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Omg this was seriously amazing!! We devoured the entire batch in one sitting. Will definitely be making again!