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Crispy Tofu Buffalo Wings Recipe

a plate of tofu buffalo wings sprinkled with parsley and served with ranch dressing and celery sticks.
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Tofu buffalo wings are the perfect appetizer, game day snack, or addition to a balanced meal! The breaded tofu is cooked in the air fryer until golden brown and then tossed in spicy buffalo sauce.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the tofu:

  • 1-14oz package extra-firm tofu
  • 3/4 cup (68g) panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (or cayenne or paprika)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup (39g) cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup (60g) milk of choice

For the buffalo sauce:

  • 1/2 cup (140g) buffalo sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon honey

Instructions

For the tofu:

  1. Preheat air fryer to 425 degrees and spray air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Line a plate with paper towels and place the tofu on top. Add another few layers of paper towels and place a heavy object (like a cast iron skillet or textbook resting on a baking sheet) on top to drain excess liquid.
  3. Whisk breadcrumbs and seasonings in a shallow dish. Set aside.
  4. Slice the tofu block into 1/2" strips (~4" long).
  5. Toss the tofu strips into cornstarch, then dip into the milk, followed by the breadcrumbs.
  6. Toss the tofu in the breadcrumbs until it's evenly coated.
  7. Place strips on prepared air fryer basket in a single, even layer.
  8. Air fry for 15 minutes, flip the pieces over, then air fry another 10 minutes.

For the buffalo sauce:

  1. While the tofu is air frying, combine the sauce ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Stir until combined.
  3. Once the tofu is golden brown and crispy, add to the sauce.
  4. Toss until the tofu strips are evenly coated.
  5. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Serving

  • If serving these "vegan chicken wings" as a main dish, I love sprinkling the tofu buffalo wings with fresh parsley and serving them with a small bowl of ranch dressing!
  • The tofu hot wings also go so well with homemade 2-ingredient ranch dip too (if you want even more protein and some probiotics!).
  • In addition to serving these as they are with a ranch dip of some sort, I love putting them on a salad with romaine, mixed greens, diced cucumbers, shredded carrots, banana peppers, and drizzling ranch dressing on top!
  • I also like making a buffalo tofu sandwich or buffalo tofu wrap with this recipe! I put the tofu, romaine lettuce, sliced cucumbers, and carrot sticks on whole grain bread or a whole wheat wrap. You can drizzle ranch dressing onto the sandwich or wrap itself or serve it on the side. You can even whip up a side of air fryer butternut squash fries to serve with it!

Storing

  • Store these buffalo tofu wings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • Freezing the tofu may result in a strange texture once thawed so I don't recommend freezing leftovers! (Trust me, I don't think you'll have enough leftovers to freeze!).

Reheating

  • If you have any leftover buffalo tofu, I highly recommend reheating it in the air fryer to crisp it back up again.
  • You can toss the reheated tofu strips in a little bit of extra buffalo sauce as well!

 

  • If you like buttery buffalo wings, you can substitute melted butter (I'd recommend unsalted since the buffalo sauce is fairly salty) for olive oil in the buffalo sauce mixture.
  • I haven't tried using cauliflower instead of tofu in this recipe yet, but let me know in the comments if you give buffalo cauliflower wings a shot!
  • You can use regular breadcrumbs instead of panko. The tofu may not get as crispy but it will still taste great!
  • Feel free to add/swap seasonings to your liking. Onion powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika would all be really good additions to the breading!
  • You can cut the extra firm tofu block on a cutting board before wrapping in paper towels, but I find it more efficient to cut it right on the plate you're going to press it on.
  • If you have a tofu press, that's a great way to absorb excess water from the tofu, but not completely necessary!

Nutrition

Find it online: https://the-perfect-pear.com/crispy-buffalo-tofu-bites/