Frozen chicken nuggets were a staple of my childhood. Warm and toasty, with a supercharged flavor, they still elicit a sharp pang of nostalgia, just like the Zoo Pals plates my mom served them on. These days I eat less meat, so you won’t find them in my kitchen anymore, but you will find something even better: these thrillingly easy baked tofu nuggets.
Firm or medium-firm tofu both work here; just try to avoid extra-firm tofu, which has a drier texture. No need to press the block—you want the baked tofu to maintain some moisture. Instead of cutting the tofu into neat cubes, tear apart the block into generous hunks with your hands. Those nooks and crannies add lots of texture and spots for the seasoning to stick.
Consider this recipe a flexible formula: equal parts flour, starch, and nutritional yeast, plus some seasoning. I’ve made these nuggets with all-purpose flour or rice flour (which makes them gluten-free), plus cornstarch or potato starch. Any combo works, so feel free to use what you’ve got in the cabinet. And no need to flip mid-bake—leaving them be lets the tofu nuggets get extra crisp on the bottom, just like the ones you used to heat up in the toaster oven.
If you’re feeding a larger family, this crispy baked tofu recipe easily doubles. Serve with lots of dipping sauce: ketchup, honey mustard, ranch, or any condiment your heart desires.
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What you’ll need
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$32 At Amazon
Kitchen Towels
$16 At Amazon
French Wire Whisk
$18 At Amazon
Medium Bowl
$17 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
40 minutes
Yield
2 servings
Ingredients
2
2
2
2
1
1
1½
14–16
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare a rack in the upper third of oven and preheat to 425°. Oil a baking sheet; set aside. Whisk together 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour or rice flour, 2 Tbsp. cornstarch or potato starch, 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast, 1 Tbsp. garlic powder, 1 Tbsp. onion powder, and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl. Set seasoning mixture aside.
Step 2
Pat 14–16-oz. block firm tofu, drained, dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Using your hands, break into craggy, nugget-size pieces (about 1"). Place pieces in another medium bowl and pat dry again.
Step 3
Drizzle 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil over tofu and, using your hands, gently toss to coat. Sprinkle reserved seasoning mixture over tofu and gently toss to coat. Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and toss again. Spread tofu nuggets out on prepared baking sheet (giving them direct contact with the pan helps them get crispy).
Step 4
Bake tofu nuggets, reducing oven temperature to 400° halfway through if browning too quickly, until outside of nuggets is golden brown and crisp, 30–35 minutes. Season with salt if desired and serve with your condiment of choice.
Leave a Review
Reviews (4)
Back to TopI love this recipe. I use it as a template and never season them the same way twice. This way, I can tailor the nuggets to a variety of cuisines. Absolutely 5 stars. Thank you!
Rowan
Eugene, OR
7/22/2024
A tablespoon of vinegar before breading takes these to a five-star level. The acid gives it an extra kiss of buttermilk-fried perfection.
Anonymous
New Haven, CT
5/16/2024
Love these! I’ve tried tweaking things in the recipe before (extra firm tofu, pressing it beforehand, different seasonings, etc) but I’ve found they’re best just by following the recipe. Super delicious, even addictive! Gonna make some more tonight!
Emily
Kansas City, MO
4/15/2024
These came out very crispy and tasty - I did press my tofu for 20 minutes prior then followed the directions.
Melissa Scala
Syracuse, New York
1/30/2024
i went in skeptical, as i find baked tofu never crisps up like fried? but oooh I am making this again when i need an easy comfort snack. i turned on the broiler for the last few minutes to crisp up the top as well -- i think this is vital for the right crunch, but definitely keep an eye on it.
Anonymous
portland, or
1/15/2024
These are so, so good. I have been cooking tofu forever and was a strong believer in pressing it, so I was skeptical, but this really worked. They were so crispy and craggly, and perfect substitute for frozen nuggets. Our kids loved them, too.
Juliana
10/12/2023
I’ve definitely made better crispy tofu. I wanted to love it because I love nutritional yeast but came out bland. Tofu is definitely better fried :(
Gabby
Decatur, ga
10/9/2023