Crispy Baked Panko Tofu Nuggets (No eggs, Healthy)

These vegan panko tofu nuggets are SO easy to make and such a perfect finger food. The panko breadcrumbs makes them extra crispy and no need for eggs to bread them. Easy to make gluten-free and also high-in-protein. These are so addictive!

You are going to LOVE these panko tofu nuggets!

Every time I make this recipe, it feels like my whole family hasn't had any food for days. Including my husband. I get a full silence from my 3 and 5 y/o, with the occasional fighting over who gets to have more of them. I would always make double batch, even during testing phase, and they would still disappear within minutes.

I think this recipe is also perfect if you are trying to eat less meat and include more tofu in your diet: the crunchy and savory golden brown panko crust contrasts so well with the soft tofu middle. It is SO satisfying and might even remind you of chicken nuggets (also check out these jackfruit nuggets!). Plus, it is healthier and baked in the oven, so you won't even need to fry them with oil.

Also makes for a great recipe if you cannot eat eggs. The panko breading includes my favorite egg replacement: flax eggs. Just like in these coconut crusted tofu bites, dipping them in flax eggs creates that thick layer to make sure the panko breading sticks nicely to the tofu.

And don't forget to make the quick sweet and savory dipping sauce! I got inspired from this maple dijon tofu burger from crazy vegan kitchen recipe and made a tasty sweet mustard sauce, which worked out so well here. Or, simply serve with ketchup especially if you have mini ketchup monsters like I do.

Why you'll love them

• Extra crispy even if oil-free and oven-baked
• High in plant-based protein
• Fun finger food or appetizer, but can also be served as a full meal with veggies
• Kid-friendly
• Egg-free, dairy-free, healthy and fully vegan
• Quick and easy to make

Ingredients you'll need

For the tofu nuggets:

• Tofu: you will need extra firm tofu so it holds well into the shape of nuggets.
• Soy sauce: used for a quick marinade for the tofu. You can skip this step, but I find it to add extra flavor.
• Flour: I used regular all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour works too.
• Ground flax seeds: used to replace the eggs. Whisking the flax with a little water creates a gel-like texture that acts as a great binder, just like eggs do.
• Panko breadcrumbs: perfect kind for extra crispy nuggets!
• Spices (onion & garlic powder, paprika and nutritional yeast): flavoring ingredients. Can be swapped for other spices/herbs if desired.

Also for the maple-dijon mustard sauce:

• Dijon mustard
• Maple syrup
• Vegan mayonnaise or vegan plain yogurt

How to make them

Marinate the tofu

First, pat dry the block of tofu (use a towel) and slice it into the shape of nuggets. It does not need to be perfect, just aim for chunks of about 1-2 inches thick. I usually don't even press the tofu ahead, which makes it a quicker and easier recipe.

Then, toss the pieces in the soy sauce trying to cover every surface. The tofu might break easily, so be gentle. Set aside until ready to use, about 10 minutes.

Bread the nuggets

Pre-heat the oven to 400º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Then, prepare 3 bowls with the breading ingredients:

1. Flour
2. Ground flax seeds + water (let it sit for a few minutes, it will turn slimy like whisked eggs)
3. Panko + paprika + onion and garlic powder + salt

Then, taking one nugget at the time, cover with the flour, then dip in the flax eggs and then cover with the panko breading, making sure it covers the tofu very well (you should not be able to see the tofu underneath at all).

Place each nuggets on the prepared baking sheet as you go and keep going until you have breaded each nuggets.

Bake in the oven

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minute, then gently flip them and bake for 15 more minutes. They should get nicely golden brown and crispy.

Make the maple-mustard dipping sauce

While the nuggets are baking, make the sauce: simply whisk all ingredients in a bowl until uniform. Taste and adjust the flavors.

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Watch how to make them

Cooking tips

• You will have to press the panko breading over the nuggets so it sticks well. Try to get a layer as thick as you can, this will make them extra crispy.
• Adjust how long you cook them depending on your oven. You are looking for a golden brown crust all over the nuggets.
• Larger and shallow bowls work better to bread the pieces. You might even be able to bread more than one at the time to speed up the process if enough space in your bowl.
• The breading is quite versatile, I love the classic onion and garlic powder with paprika, but also try adding dried herbs, spicy cayenne, chipotle pepper or even cumin powder to change up the flavor depending on how you serve them.

Serving suggestions

These make for a great appetizer or finger food. You can change up the dipping sauce for a chili sauce, spicy orange sauce, teriyaki sauce, avocado ranch or simply a little soy sauce. My kids love them with ketchup, obv.

Serve over marinara pasta (add Italian mix dried herbs to the panko when making the nuggets) or simply add to salads or nourish bowls to boost their protein.

Another delicious way to serve them is to use as a sandwich/burger filling. To do it, slice the tofu in larger squares but keep them the same thickness so they cook properly (you should have 4 pieces per block of tofu). Bread them following the recipe and bake in the oven just the same.

How to make them gluten-free

Here is what you can do to can make them fully gluten-free:

• Use a gluten-free flour like this one from Bob's Red Mill.
• Swap the soy sauce for a gluten-free tamari (or simply omit this step).
• Use a gluten-free panko breadcrumbs like this one from Kikkoman.

Storage

I realize that I actually never ended up with leftovers, we just eat them all, no matter how many I make. I would imagine they can be kept in a covered container in the fridge for a few days, but you probably will lose a lot of the crispiness. I would probably reheat them in a pan on medium-high heat a few minutes on each sides to try get some of their crispy texture back.

FAQ's

More tofu recipes you might like

• Easy sticky tofu
• Marinated smoky tofu
• Creamy tofu cajun pasta
• Tofu bolognese
• Sweet and sour tofu
• Silken tofu scramble
• Tofu tikka masala
• Tofu carrot spread
• Balsamic tofu wraps

I hope you like these vegan tofu nuggets as much as we do! If you try them, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how they were. Your feedback is so helpful!

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