These vegan tofu wings show you how amazing tofu can be!
We are deep into what I call “official comfort food season.” I used to love getting buffalo wings when I wanted to chow down on something super comforting. So, today, I have the ultimate wing post for you! These vegan tofu wings are EPIC! Two different sauces, two different cooking methods (baked and fried) and a step-by-step to ensure you get the most amazing texture of tofu. You may actually be able to fool some people with this one. I do promise no one can tell these wings are made from tofu.
So, How Do We Make These The Most Awesome Texture?
- Press
- Freeze
- Press
Yup, it’s that simple. By pressing and freezing, you make the tofu firm and porous. It takes on a very convincing “chicken-like” texture that is total perfection! It also absorbs flavors really well. I decided to keep this recipe gluten-free for all my peeps that can’t eat seitan wings. This one uses cornstarch for the breading and is perfect for frying and baking.
Let’s Talk Sauce:
- I decided on a classic, perfect vegan buffalo sauce
- And….a Pad Thai sauce, yup something a little different and sooooo good!
So, the actual active time making these vegan tofu wings is only about 20-30 minutes. They are super quick once prepped. I just press and freeze the day before and then thaw and press again right before I make them. All you actively need to do is break the tofu into pieces, let them soak up a bit of marinade for a few minutes. Toss them in cornstarch, bake or fry. Toss in sauce of choice! They stay really firm and crispy for hours, so you can take them to a party!
You will be completely flabbergasted by how delicious and perfect these vegan tofu wings are! My husband says he thinks about them while he’s at work and craves them all the time. For all the people who ask me if they can freeze tofu, dear lord, yes! Freeze some tofu and get started on these wings!
The best tofu wings ever! Two sauce options, baked and fried option and totally gluten-free!
- 1 Block(15oz.) Extra firm tofu
- 1/2 Cup Vegetable broth
- 1 Tablespoon Soy sauce or Tamari for GF option
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1/2 Cup Corn starch
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- Oil for frying or non-stick spray for baking
- 2/3 Cup Hot sauce, I used Franks
- 1/2 Cup Vegan butter, I used Earth Balance
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon Tamarind paste
- 1/4 Cup Vegetable broth
- 3 Tablespoons Soy sauce or Tamari for GF option
- 1 teaspoon Chili sauce, I used Asian Chili Garlic sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Brown sugar or coconut sugar
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First, press the block of tofu. Place the tofu on top of some paper towels or a kitchen towel and then on a plate or flat surface. Place another towel on top, then place something flat and heavy on top of that. I like to put a pan with cans on top to weigh it down.
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Press this first time for about 30 minutes.
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Now put your block of tofu into the freezer. Freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight. I do the first press and the freezing the day before I plan to make the wings.
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Then defrost the tofu, you can defrost in the microwave, or let sit on the counter until completely thawed.
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Then, press the tofu again, using the same process you used the first time. Press for about an hour, making sure as much liquid is out as possible. The tofu should be firm and spongy.
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Now, in a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the vegetable broth, the soy sauce or tamari and the garlic powder.
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Next, break the whole block of tofu into large irregular chunks and put them in the bowl with the liquid marinade you just mixed.
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Toss to coat all the tofu in the marinade and let the tofu sit for about 10 minutes.
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Mix the cornstarch and salt in a large mixing bowl, then add all the tofu and toss to coat thoroughly.
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If you are frying, heat about 1/2 an inch of oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium high to about 350 degrees(F), you should see tiny bubbles.
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If you are baking, preheat the oven to 450 degrees(F).
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To fry: once the oil is hot, fry the tofu chunks on each side for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
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To bake: spray a sheet pan with non-stick spray and place the tofu chunks on the sheet pan. Spray the tops of the tofu with more non-stick spray and bake for 10 minutes, flip and bake 5-10 minutes or until golden brown.
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Now you have your choice of sauce, for the buffalo sauce, heat the hot sauce, vegan butter and garlic powder on medium low in a small sauce pan, whisk to combine once the butter has melted. Then bring to simmer. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, then pour as much buffalo sauce over the tofu as you would like.
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For the Pad Thai sauce, whisk together the tamarind paste, vegetable broth, soy sauce or tamari, chili sauce and brown sugar in a small sauce pan. Heat on medium low, bring to a simmer. Simmer for 2-3 minutes to melt the brown sugar and thicken slightly. Then pour the sauce over the tofu.
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Serve the wings! They do reheat well and stay firm and crispy for a few hours without reheating!
Have you tried using the microwave to “press” the tofu? I saw it on another blog & the method is really simple: layer tofu pieces w paper towels & nuke for 4 minutes, then use. I tried it w frozen/ thawed tofu & it was ah-MAZE-ing. Super crunchy w/out breading.
I haven’t tried that. I actually don’t own a microwave, I know that’s weird:) Thank for the info though, that is really awesome to know! I’m sure a bunch of readers could use that tip!!
I don’t own a microwave either!!!! I’m glad to hear you don’t either!!!
Lauren, these look absolutely insane! I cannot wait to try them.
I have never had tofu wings before. I usually make cauliflower wings, but I didn’t have any cauliflower around. I always have pressed tofu blocks waiting in my freezer though. So I made this recipe tonight (thawed in microwave and pressed again) and cooked in the air fryer and it was amazing. I should have done this sooner. I did the hot sauce version and it hit the spot. I’m going to try the pad Thai version soon. Thanks!
These look delicious. Is there really only 1 gram of protein per serving?
Oooof..no, there should be about 10 grams per serving. My recipe plugin does the nutrition info for me and for some reason it always gets the tofu wrong. I’ll update it!
I made these with a bbq sauce and they tasted just like McDonolands nuggets! I couldn’t believe it.
Girl you are a goddess! This is unbelievable how the press freeze press process changes the texture! This fills every need for fried chicken. My freezer will now be stocked with frozen pressed tofu!!! The tearing instead of cutting is great too. Will this work for a “chicken” sandwich effect if the tofu is sliced in two patties? I can’t thank you enough!
Yes! I think it would work great for a chicken sandwich type of situation if you slice them into two patties!
All I San say is WOWW! I can’t believe how easy these were to make and how amazing this tasted. My mom vegan family just thought they were home made chicken tenders. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Even before I added the buffalo sauce, the tofu tasted amazing, and it had a perfect texture! This will be an excellent recipe for any “wing” sauce I want to use. Thank you!
OMG!!!! Supah amazing! Thanks for this great recipe!!!
These came out so great! Now I just need to find a healthier sub for all that butter. 😮 For the sweet sauce, I think an applesauce swap would work, but I’m not sure for the buffalo. Cashew base might be a bit lower calorie…
My girlfriend and I made these and were soooo impressed! Texture and flavor were amazing. ❤️❤️❤️👍
Thank you so much for this!! Threw my pressed tofu in the freezer over night and by noon I was eating THE best vegan buffalo bites. I didn’t have any veggie broth so, I made a water mix and added salt and vegan chicken season to it, and used that as my marinade.
I assume I can use an air fryer?
Can I cook these in the air fryer
I have not tested that, but, yes! I do think that would work!
I cook these in my air fryer all of the time, and they come out great. I would just watch the cooking time, as mine tend to cook up significantly faster in my air fryer. They definitely have more crunch then when you cook them in the oven (I have done both), but it feels healthier than traditional frying 🙂
What temp & time do you cook them in your air fryer? Thx
These are seriously the best tofu wings I’ve ever tried. Even my boyfriend who always declared his distaste for tofu, said these were amazing. Thank you!!!
My 4 dedicated carnivores gobbled these up! As good or better tasting than “real” chicken. Thank-you SO much for this recipe!!!
Wow. This recipe is amazing!!! The texture and flavor is all there. I have yet to try a recipe on this site that hasn’t been 5 star worthy. Thank you for sharing all of these great recipes, Lauren. They are truly bringing a lot of fun and joy into our household during 2020. In kindness, Rebecca.
Hi!! Is your nutrition info for the fried version? I’m hoping that by air frying (or baking) I can save a few calories, 🙂
It is for the fried version. Yes, you would save some calories using the air fryer!
These are the best vegan wings I have ever had and I’ve had some really good vegan wings. I’ve even got two dedicated carnivores making them on a weekly basis. I make mine in the air fryer. Someday I’ll try the pad thai version but so far I haven’t been able to bring myself to miss a chance to have the buffalo style.