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 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 nuggets 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 nuggs 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 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 recipe easily doubles. Serve with lots of dipping sauce: ketchup, honey mustard, ranch, or any condiment your heart desires.
What you’ll need
Rimmed Baking Sheet
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Kitchen Towels
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French Wire Whisk
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Medium Bowl
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Recipe information
Total Time
40 minutes
Yield
2 servings
Ingredients
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.
Recipe notes
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