Crispy Pizza Tofu Nuggets — Kid Approved! — Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes « Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes (2024)

By Sarah 27 Comments

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All the flavors of pizza in a bite of tofu! These homemade crispy Pizza Tofu nuggets are sure to be a hit with your kids!

Crispy Pizza Tofu Nuggets — Kid Approved! — Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes « Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes (1)

I didn’t plan to post two tofu recipes back to back, but I made this yesterday and it was so good—I had to share. In fact, I did share the picture on What Fat Vegans Eat and the picture received over 100 likes! I figured I’d switch up the order and share the recipe today. I’ll give you the ‘Smores Cookie recipe later this week!

Crispy Pizza Tofu Nuggets

Years ago, before I was on Pinterest, I saw a recipe for some pizza tofu and I copied and pasted the recipe into a word doc. Old school. Yesterday I was in the mood for some tofu to go with a pasta dinner and I remembered that old recipe. Of course, I didn’t actually use the recipe, because I never do things like follow directions. I just sort of set out on my own path of experimentation to see what would happen.

^^^ Just look at that crispy texture!

I marinaded the tofu for about 2 hours, then I breaded it and baked it. It came out perfectly crispy and devourable. That’s a word, right? By the time Irving walked in the door for dinner I had finished several slices! So good. The texture reminds me of our very favorite “Chicken Fried Tofu” from Whole Foods, but the flavor is just like a pizza/Italian sausage/pepperoni/marinara sauce. I was pleasantly surprised at how crispy it got without frying it!

So many serving options!

This delicious Pizza Tofu would be great served with pasta, on it’s own in lieu of veggie nuggets (dip in marinara sauce!), in a sandwich—ooh….an Italian “Meatball” sub—, or even sliced up on an actual pizza. I’m looking forward to making this again….and again…and again!

Crispy Pizza Tofu Nuggets — Kid Approved! — Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes « Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes (5)

I hope you have a chance to try these for your next Friday night dinner/football watching/happy hour/kid sleepover! They are likely to be a hit with everyone! I’d love for you to follow me onInstagram, and tagphotos you post of my recipes with#frieddandelionsso that I can see! I love to see what you’re cooking!

Crispy Pizza Tofu Nuggets — Kid Approved! — Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes « Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes (6)

Crispy Pizza Tofu Nuggets — Kid Approved! — Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes « Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes (7)

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Pizza Tofu

All the flavors of pizza in a crispy bite of tofu! These homemade nuggets are sure to be a hit with your kids!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Course: Tofu

Author: Sarah De la Cruz

Ingredients

  • 2 blocks firm tofu preferably organic

Marinade:

  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon no-chicken stock concentrate I like Better Than Boullion No-Chicken, or use veggie bullion cube)
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds whole or ground is fine
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 2 Tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 Tablespoon agave

Breading:

  • 2/3 - 3/4 cup rice flour you can sub regular all purpose flour if you don't need to be gluten free
  • 2 T corn starch to help the rice flour to stick better, you can omit if you use all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
  • Marinara sauce for dipping if desired

Instructions

  • Press your tofu to release as much water as possible. Set aside. Mix together the soy sauce, water, spices, boullion, tomato paste and agave. Slice the tofu into whatever size you want—I sliced each block into 8 pieces for easy cooking/flipping in the oven. Marinate the tofu for at least 1 hour, but you could do up to 3 or 4.

  • Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

  • Remove the tofu from the marinade and use your hands to wipe off the excess marinade. Set aside. (Trust me, do this first, all at one time rather than for each dip—it gets messy).

  • Mix rice flour with 2 T cornstarch and 1 t salt. In separate bowl pour 1/2 c of unsweetened milk (I just blended 1/2 c water with 2 T hemp seeds and did not strain—I was out of milk). Dip tofu into flour mix, lightly coating all sides, give it a slight shake, then dip quickly into the milk, then back to the flour to coat again. Shake once again to remove excess dry flour. Place on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. (If you have dry spots of flour on the tofu you can give it a quick spritz with a spray cooking oil (I have spray olive oil) and that will help the dry flour to crisp up as well!)

  • Bake for 30 minutes. Flip all tofu carefully and return to the oven for 15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and serve right away. Enjoy!

Notes

Cook time includes time to marinate the tofu.

Want more great Tofu Recipes?

Baked Tofu Feta

Teriyaki Tofu

Baked Tofu


Fajita Tofu Scramble

Din Tai Fung Tofu

Triangle Sweet & Sour Tofu


Previous Post: « Din Tai Fung Tofu

Next Post: S’mores Chip Cookies »

Crispy Pizza Tofu Nuggets — Kid Approved! — Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes « Fried Dandelions — Plant Based Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is crispy tofu made of? ›

3) Toss your tofu in oil, soy sauce and starch.

Now, you just need to toss your tofu in a little oil (just 1 tablespoon for the full batch), tamari or soy sauce (for some flavor) and cornstarch or arrowroot starch. The starch makes the edges extra crispy and irresistible (I got this idea from The Kitchn).

Can you use flour instead of cornstarch for crispy tofu? ›

Substitutions: If you prefer not to cook with cornstarch, you can substitute in an equal volume of all-purpose flour or potato starch. Tofu: This recipe can also be made with medium-firm tofu, but you'll need to be a bit more gentle while pressing and coating it.

How unhealthy is fried tofu? ›

Frying tofu can give it a crispy texture, but comes at a cost – it can be high in calories, up to three times more than baked or air-fried tofu. This is because frying requires added oil as a heat conductor, which cooks the tofu evenly but also makes it absorb more oil, resulting in more fat and calories.

Is fried tofu healthier than meat? ›

Other studies show that regularly eating tofu can provide lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, so while you might need to eat more of it to equal the same amount of protein consumed by eating chicken (about 290 grams of tofu to 150 grams of lean meat), the anti-inflammatory agents and bone-strengthening ...

Can cornstarch replace flour when frying? ›

Cornstarch for Fried Dishes

You can use cornstarch instead of flour as a coating for fried chicken, fried fish, or other fried dishes. Cornstarch will create a crisper coating that will hold up to sauces better and will absorb less of the frying oil (leading to a lower-fat meal).

Is tofu healthy? ›

Tofu also contains all the essential amino acids your body needs and is rich in minerals and vitamins, including calcium, manganese, iron and vitamin A. Tofu and other soy foods also are primary source of isoflavones. Those are flavonoids – plant-created chemicals that are associated with a variety of health benefits.

What flour makes things crispy? ›

Rice flour and cornstarch work particularly well because they fry up crispier than wheat flour. They also absorb less moisture and fat during the frying process, making the products less greasy. This is why rice flour is often used when making tempura because it produces a very thin and crispy, dry crust.

What is tofu made out of? ›

Tofu is made from dried soybeans that are soaked in water, crushed, and boiled. The mixture is separated into solid pulp (okara) and soy “milk.” Salt coagulants, such as calcium and magnesium chlorides and sulfates, are added to the soy milk to separate the curds from the whey.

What is tofu chicken made of? ›

It is generally made from ingredients like vital wheat gluten, vegetable protein, and soy protein. It's usually fashioned into patties, nuggets, or roasts. Vegan chicken differs from the traditional chicken because it is lower in calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

Is tofu a meat or vegetable? ›

Tofu is vegetarian because it is derived from soy proteins. These proteins are made from pressed soybean curds in a process similar to cheesemaking. This also means that, because only plant-based products are used in its creation, tofu is vegan.

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