Crispy Cornflake-Crusted Tofu Nuggets (Vegan)
Okay, I’m REALLY excited about this one.
We got an air fryer for Christmas (!!!) and I am OBSESSED. I feel like I’m the last person to finally get one, but I understand the hype now. Not only does it make your food SO crispy (which is my fave), but something no one told me about is that it also cooks your food so quickly! Which is amazing if you’re super hungry for dinner but don’t want to wait 45 minutes for your veggies to roast (me, all the time). This sounds like an ad for air fryers now lol but I just love it.
Anyway, finally getting an air fryer led me to the idea for these super crispy cornflake-crusted tofu nuggets. I’m not sure why this idea came to my head, but as an avid crispy tofu fan, I decided that I wanted to try coating them in cornflakes for a chicken nugget-like texture. I never eat cornflakes or have them around, but I went out and bought them for this recipe and I’m so glad I did.
These cornflake-crusted tofu nuggets are delightful made in the air fryer, but I think you could also bake them in the oven at 400 coated in a little oil for slightly longer (maybe 30 minutes) to get the crispiness. These tofu nuggets require a couple of dipping steps but they’re honestly very easy and fun to make, and it’s SO worth it. They legitimately taste like vegan chicken nuggets. I’ve made them 3 times in the past week - they’re that good. A few tips below!
Use the firmest tofu you can find, and make sure to press it for at least 15 minutes to remove excess moisture (less moisture = crispier)
SALT at every step! This is very important! Since tofu is relatively flavourless, you have to make sure to add a bit of salt at every step of prep/dipping to ensure you end up with flavourful nuggets. Trust me on this!
Don’t overcrowd your air fryer bin (or baking sheet if using the oven) to ensure they get extra crispy
Serve with a delicious sauce for dipping, or throw these cornflake-crusted tofu nuggets on top of a bowl or salad!
Crispy Cornflake-Crusted Tofu Nuggets (Vegan)
Ingredients
1 package extra-firm tofu, pressed for at least 15 minutes to remove excess moisture
⅓ cup cornstarch, arrowroot starch or gluten-free flour blend
¾ tsp garlic powder
¾ tsp onion powder
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp sea salt
1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice (I used almond milk)
1 ½ cups gluten-free cornflakes, crushed into fine crumbs (you can place them in a ziploc bag and crush with the back of a glass or another flat surface, or quickly blitz them in a blender/food processor. You want fine crumbs with a few large pieces)
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional, for a slightly “cheesy” flavour)
Salt + fresh black pepper
Olive or avocado oil for greasing pan
Method
Rip your pressed tofu into 1-inch chunks. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and fresh black pepper and set aside.
Prepare 3 bowls: in bowl #1, whisk together your starch/flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, sea salt and some fresh pepper. In bowl #2, add your unsweetened non-dairy milk with a big pinch of salt and some fresh pepper. In bowl #3, mix together your crushed cornflakes, sesame seeds, nutritional yeast if using and a big pinch of salt and fresh pepper.
Take a few chunks of tofu and dip them first into the starch/spice mixture until evenly coated, tapping off excess. Next, dip them into the milk mixture until coated, and then into the cornflake mixture, making sure to gently press the cornflake coating into each piece of tofu. Lightly spray or brush your air fryer basket/pan with oil and place tofu nuggets onto the basket. Repeat the dipping process with all remaining tofu and make sure to spread them evenly out on your air fryer basket to ensure they get super crispy.
Place tofu nuggets into your air fryer at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until nuggets have browned slightly on the outside. Remove and let cool for a few minutes to continue crisping up.
Serve crispy cornflake-crusted tofu nuggets with dipping sauce and sides of choice and enjoy!
Makes 4 servings
