These crispy Buffalo Tofu Bites make a fun appetizer or snack, perfect for sharing with friends or to scarf on game day while you watch your favorite football team!
My love for all things Buffalo knows no bounds!
I’ve Buffalo sauced everything from chickpeas to spaghetti squash to veggie burgers! I even have some pretty rockin’ buffalo zucchini chips on the blog too with no signs of stopping.
Buffalo sauce is so crazy versatile it can be used on beans, shrimp, chicken, veggies, and now… TOFU!
Cue cayenne pepper shaped confetti.
MAN this recipe was fun to create!
While testing this recipe I had quite a few batches of Buffalo Tofu to eat! I wound up snacking on quite a bit while photographing the recipe (def a perk of the job!) and saved the rest for later.
I was excited to find that they actually reheated pretty well! The following day, I spread leftover Buffalo Bites on a parchment paper line baking sheet and baked at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes until nice and hot. Before serving, I tossed them in a little more buffalo sauce (when you cook them with the sauce they soak quite a bit up) and dove in face-first.
At some point during recipe testing I even tried dipping the plain crispy salt and pepper pan-fried tofu in buffalo sauce and called it a day. It’s really quite a fun recipe to snack on both ways!
BUFFALO TOFU BITES
Serve these baller buffalo tofu bites with crunchy celery sticks and your favorite Ranch for dipping! You can use your go-to homemade ranch or simply grab a store-bought brand that rocks your socks.
Looking for a homemade dairy-free Ranch dressing? This speedy Ranch Dressing is one of my favorites!
Buffalo Tofu Bites
Ingredients
- 14 oz package extra firm tofu
- 3 TBSP cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper to taste (I added a pinch of each)
- 2 TBSP coconut oil
- 3 TBSP butter, melted
- 4-5 TBSP "Frank's Red Hot" sauce
Instructions
- Advance prep: Drain and remove tofu from package. Slice the block of tofu into two 1/2 inch thin planks and place on a stack of 4-5 folded paper towels, placing an additional stack of paper towels on top. Set something heavyish on top (I use a cast iron skillet) to make a make-shift tofu press for water removal. Allow to sit. I usually start my tofu about 30 minutes before I want to start cooking.
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut each tofu plank into 8 bite-sized cubes, for 16 pieces total.
- Mix cornstarch with garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the tofu and gently toss until evenly coated and no powdery spots remain.
- Bring a pan or cast iron skillet to medium-high heat, then add 2 TBSP oil once hot. Tilt and swirl pan so oil is evenly distributed.
- Once the oil has evenly heated, add your tofu, spaced, so that no sides touch. Let the first side sear for about 6 minutes so a nice even crust forms. You can shake the pan occasionally so they don't stick but keep them on the first side. Once perfectly golden, flip each tofu nugget to the other side and sear for about 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to drain on a paper towel.
- While the tofu is cooking, mix together melted butter and hot sauce (I always use Frank's - my favorite!) and whisk well.
- In a medium bowl combine crispy tofu with 3/4 of the buffalo sauce and toss gently to coat.
- Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake the tofu for 15-20 minutes, flipping tofu halfway to crisp both sides.
- Toss tofu in remaining buffalo sauce and dive in right away! Serve with celery sticks and homemade or store-bought ranch dressing for dunking.
Notes
Nutrition
Buffalo Sauce FTW! If you get a chance to try these tasty buffalo tofu bites, let me know! Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation!
hungry for more?
- Buffalo Shrimp Lettuce Wrap Tacos
- Buffalo Ranch Football Cheese Ball
- Buffalo Shrimp Spaghetti Squash with Paleo Ranch Dressing
I make this now at least once a week; it comes out so crispy and delicious every time, thank you so much for sharing!
That’s awesome Naya, thank you!! I’m glad you are enjoying the tofu bites!
Do these taste good the next day?
Hey Jackie! They actually reheated pretty well when I tried it. The following day, I spaced out the leftover Buffalo Bites on a parchment paper line baking sheet and baked at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes until nice and hot. They’re not as crispy as when made fresh but still crisp up a bit and I found them super tasty! Before serving, I tossed them in a little more buffalo sauce before serving since when you cook them already sauced they soak quite a bit up.
SO AMAZING!!! Will make this very often. The tofu was so crispy and it was so quick and easy for a weeknight!
Yay!!! So happy you enjoyed the tofu bites, Shayna! Thank you!
Did this with my High School Culinary Classes and they loved it!
It is not vegan or vegetarian to add adobo seasoning, but we did and it added SO MUCH to the recipe. It was a good introduction to vegan/vegetarian diets that was student friendly and easy to make! THANK YOU
Gahhhh! So so excited to hear it Susie! I’m beyond honored y’all made it in class and he adobo seasoning sounds like an amazing addition!
These are so good! They crisped up perfectly. Great recipe, thanks!
Thank you Chelsea! So happy you’re enjoying the tofu bites! xoxo
Can I use firm tofu instead of extra firm?
Hi Hannah! It miiiight try to break apart on you. I usually use firm for my tofu scrambles because of how easy it likes to crumble.
Oooo! Buffalo Chicken is my favorite!! I bet this is amazing too!!! I can’t wait to try it!
So stoked for you to try it Kasey – thanks!!
I’ve never cooked tofu before but your recipe looks straightforward and the resulting crispy bites look hard to resist. I may just surprise my best friend, who is vegetarian, with these. I think she’ll be impressed.
Yayyy!!! Thanks Jane!