Air fryer tofu nuggets
Crunchy panko nuggets with a soft, savory middle, made in the air fryer and served with ketchup and BBQ sauce for dunking, the easiest tofu dinner to love.
- 55 min total
- 30 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 4
- About $1.82 a serving
- 460 calories
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Read the steps once before you start. Everything goes smoother after that.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 2 packages extra-firm tofu, drained
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup bbq sauce
- 2 cups baby carrots
From your pantry
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Each serving has about 460 calories, 28 g protein, 45 g carbs and 20 g fat, and costs about $1.82 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No extra-firm tofu? Firm tofu works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Wrap both blocks of tofu in a clean towel, side by side, and press them under something heavy for 15 minutes.
Timer: 15 min
Dolly’s tip: Dry tofu grips the breading. Wet tofu makes the crumbs slide off.Cut each block into 12 nugget-size pieces, about 1 by 2 inches, and them in a bowl with the soy sauce.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
the flour and water in a shallow bowl into a thin batter, like pancake batter.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
Stir the panko, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and salt together in a second shallow bowl. in the oil and rub it through the crumbs with your fingers.
Drizzle. Drizzling means pouring a thin, slow stream over the top of something. A thin stream spreads a little flavor a long way.
How you’ll know: You see thin lines across the food, not a puddle collecting underneath.
Dolly’s tip: Oiling the crumbs is what turns them golden in the air fryer.Dip each piece in the batter, let the extra drip off, then press it into the crumbs on all sides. Set them on a plate.
Dolly’s tip: Use one hand for the batter and the other for the crumbs, so your fingers don’t get breaded too.Air fry at 400°F in a single layer for 12 to 14 minutes, turning once halfway, until deep and crunchy. Cook in batches if they don’t all fit.
Golden brown. Golden brown is the color of good toast, somewhere between yellow and light brown. It means the outside is cooked and crisp but not burnt.
How you’ll know: It looks like toast and smells toasty; dark brown with a bitter smell means it went too far.
Timer: 13 min
Food safety: Tofu is safe to eat straight from the package; cooking is only for texture and flavor.
Serve hot with ketchup and BBQ sauce for dipping and baby carrots on the side.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
