this recipe combines two of my favorite things buffalo sauce and crispy air fried tofu. the little pieces of tofu are covered in cornstarch, flour, and seasonings, then air fried into perfection, and finally covered in a dreamy buffalo sauce.
If you think tofu is bland and boring then you need to give this recipe a try! It is so flavorful. The buffalo sauce makes gives it heat, acidity, and saltiness. This easy air fryer buffalo tofu is great to enjoy on its own as a snack/appetizer or throw it into a bowl, wraps, salads, anything you like!
the ingredients
- Super Firm Tofu: I like super firm tofu the best for this recipe because it cooks up the best. Super firm tofu has the least amount of water which also makes it higher in protein. If you want to use extra firm tofu, you can but you will want to press it beforehand.
- All Purpose Flour: used in the coating of the tofu to make a breading on the outside. If you are gluten free you can just gluten free all purpose flour or just do all cornstarch.
- Cornstarch: used in conjunction with all purpose flour this will create a crispy outer coating for the tofu.
- Seasonings: in the breading of the tofu you will use paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. This helps to add flavor to the tofu. You do not need to use salt as the buffalo sauce is very salty.
- Buffalo Sauce: many creamy buffalo sauces are not vegan friendly. So, for this recipe I like to use Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce as it is great base since it is vegan friendly.
- Vegan Butter: this will add creaminess to the buffalo sauce. It will also help to mellow out the buffalo sauce.
- Non-Dairy Milk: this will add creaminess to the buffalo sauce. It also helps to tone down a bit of the acidity.
- Nutritional Yeast: I like to add this into the sauce to help add umami and of course some B vitamins.
tofu prep
The great part about this recipe is there is very little prep ahead of time! I love using super firm tofu for this reason. The super firm tofu is already pressed, so you do not need to press it. I typically buy the Nasoya brand, however, you can use any brand you find or like. If you need to use extra firm tofu just be sure to press it before. All you need to do is open the package of super firm tofu and cut it into cubes. You can make these as big or as little as you like depending on how many cubes you want.
coating the tofu
The next step after cutting the tofu into cubes will be to coat the tofu. I like to take cornstarch, all purpose flour, and seasonings and place it on a large plate. I find it easiest to be able to roll the tofu around in the flour coating. Because the tofu is wet the flour coating will stick right to it, there is no need for any sort of dipping it in liquid. Press the breading onto the tofu well to evenly coat it. You may have extra flour coating leftover you can either just make more tofu cubes for the recipe or you can save them it in a bag.
the sauce
While the crispy tofu is of course delicious the buffalo sauce is where the magic happens. It is so easy to make. Just combine all the ingredients into a microwave safe bowl or mug. Then you will microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. After whisk it vigorously to help it emulsify. After all of that you will have a delicious, creamy buffalo sauce.
air frying the tofu
I truly love my air fryer. While I will never say you have to buy an air fryer if you are on the fence about buying one you definitely should. I especially love the air fryer for the summer so I don’t need to heat the house up with an oven. It comes out perfectly crispy and delicious. Everyones air fryers do work a little bit differently so don’t worry if you need to adjust the time and temperature.
more tofu recipes
easy air fryer buffalo tofu faq
- Is this recipe soy free? No, the main ingredient is tofu. If you wanted to swap in oyster mushrooms or seitan that could be a good replacement.
- Is this recipe nut free? Yes.
- Is this recipe gluten free? No, but you can swap the all purpose flour for gluten free all purpose flour or just use all cornstarch.
- How long does this recipe last? Up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Can I freeze it? I woudn’t.
- What can I do with the leftover flour breading and buffalo sauce? You can store the flour breading in a bag in your pantry and the buffalo sauce in the fridge for up to 1 week.
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Easy Air Fryer Buffalo Tofu
Equipment
Ingredients
Crispy Tofu
- ½ block (8 ounces) super firm tofu, cubed
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Spray oil
Sauce
- ⅓ cup buffalo sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- ¼ cup non-dairy milk unsweetened
- ½ teaspoon nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Cut the tofu in cubes about 1 inch by 1 inch.
- In a plate combine the all purpose flour, cornstarch, and seasonings. Place the tofu cubes into the flour breading and toss to coat evenly. You may have extra flour breading leftover don’t worry.
- Coat the tofu in a spray oil if desired or you can skip if you like.
- Air fry at 375°F for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden crispy. Everyones air fryer works differently so you may need to adjust cooking times based on your air fryer.
- Meanwhile, in a mug or bow combine all the buffalo sauce ingredients. Mix to combine and then microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute to melt the vegan butter. Whisk vigorously for 30 seconds to 1 minute to emulsify.
- Once the tofu is done coat in the buffalo sauce, again you may not need all of it. Garnish with dried parsley flakes if desired and serve with your favorite dip or veggies!
Video
Notes
- Nutrition facts are based on my gram measurements put into Cronometer. Yours may vary, they are to help you get an idea. This also does not include the full usage of the flour breading and buffalo sauce as not all of it was needed to cover the 8 ounces of tofu.
- Baking instructions: follow all the instructions but bake at 400°F for 2o to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. They should be crispy and golden. If you need to cook for longer or less time depending on your oven that is okay.
- You will have leftover buffalo sauce and breading. Store the breading in your pantry and the buffalo sauce in your fridge. Please review the FAQ for further info.
Nutrition
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