This recipe is sponsored by EZ Tofu Press. All opinions are 100% my own.
Make a batch of sticky-sweet, toothsome BBQ tofu wings in the oven or the air fryer. They're a perfect party or game day appetizer.
Whether you use your oven or your air fryer to make crispy, perfect BBQ Tofu Wings, they truly are a snap to make.
Recipe notes
Like my BBQ Tofu, you bake these twice for a perfect, chewy texture, though the technique is a little bit different for the wings.
Start by pressing your tofu (more on that below) and slicing into triangles.
Brush the pieces lightly with BBQ sauce, then dredge each triangle in cornstarch and flour. Bake or air fry to get a crispy coating.
After that first round of cooking, it's time to double down on that BBQ goodness. Coat each tofu piece generously in BBQ sauce, then bake or air fry one more time to transform the BBQ sauce into a sticky glaze.
In the air fryer, this whole process takes about half an hour from start to finish and is perfect for game day, movie night, or as a starter for your next cookout.
These take an additional 20 minutes in the oven, because ovens cook food more slowly than air fryers.
Pressing the tofu
Pressing your tofu for this recipe is critical. You've got to get the water out, so your tofu will be super duper firm (technical term).
Getting the water out also allows your tofu to soak in that light coating of BBQ sauce you use for the first round of baking.
I press my tofu with my EZ Tofu Press. It's perfect for recipes like these, because it presses tofu quickly and maintains the shape of the block. Since we want to cut this tofu into uniform triangles, keeping the block shape is key.
Choosing vegan BBQ sauce
It's not too difficult to find vegan BBQ sauce, but you do need to check your labels for:
- honey
- anchovies
- meat
I've discovered that store brand BBQ sauces are often vegan, though you should still give those ingredients a once-over.
Other sauce options
If BBQ isn't your thing, you can absolutely mix things up with this recipe! Use the same amount of other sauces. Just make sure that the sauce you choose is thick enough to cling to the wings.
Some sauce options to try:
- buffalo sauce
- sriracha sauce
- Vegan Honey Mustard
- ketchup (Y'all - kids LOVE ketchup wings!)
Dipping sauce suggestions
I like to serve my BBQ Tofu Wings with crunchy veggies on the side and Chili-Ginger Tahini Dressing for dipping. Really, though, you can use any creamy sauce you like.
Try these tasty wings with:
- Cashew Ranch (or store-bought vegan ranch)
- spicy vegan mayo
- Creamy Cumin Ketchup
Really, any creamy dipping sauce you like is great with these. You can also serve them as-is with no sauce at all. You know what you like!
📖 Recipe
BBQ tofu wings recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu pressed, and cut into 8 thick triangle "wings" (see the video for the slicing technique)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup white wheat flour
- ¾ cup BBQ Sauce
- 1 batch Chili-Ginger Tahini Dressing for dipping, or your favorite creamy dipping sauce
Instructions
- If you are baking, preheat the oven to 350° F.
- Arrange the tofu triangles on a plate and brush them lightly with BBQ sauce. Then, dredge them in the cornstarch and then the flour, making sure to coat all sides.
- To Air Fry: Transfer the tofu to your air fryer basket in a single layer, and air fry at 350° F for 10 minutes, shaking gently after 5 minutes. When you shake and when you remove them from the air fryer, there may be a little bit of sticking. Just use a rubber spatula to carefully free the tofu, trying to keep the coating intact. Even if you lose a little bit of the coating, it's OK!
- To Bake: Transfer the tofu to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 20 minutes.
- Pour the cooked tofu onto a dry plate. Coat each piece well with the remaining BBQ sauce, and transfer back to your air fryer basket in a single layer or to your lined baking sheet.
- To Air Fry: Cook for another 10 minutes at 350F, shaking gently after 5 minutes.
- To Bake: Bake for another 20 minutes at 350F, gently flipping after 10 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite creamy dipping sauce!
Sandra
Is there a different flour that works to make these gluten free?
Becky Striepe
You can use rice flour!
Anonymous
Best crispy tofu
Becky Striepe
Thank you so much!
Kay
I don't have a press. Is there another way to press the tofu?
Becky Striepe
You can put it in a colander, set a plate on top, and stack cans on the plate to press it. If you're doing it that way, I'd press a bit longer -- maybe 20 minutes instead of 10.
Anne Carson
Great recipe! My first one using pressed tofu. Since I don't own an air fryer, I cooked them on a baking sheet lined with parchment on the grill. I heated the grill to 350° and then followed the directions as stated for the oven. Fantastic summer dish! Thank you, I will be making more of your recipes!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Anne! I love the idea of cooking them on the grill - I'll have to try that! And thank you for taking the time to rate and comment. :)
David
I tried these yesterday and did two batches - one with maple BBQ and the other with a buffalo sauce. They were scrumptious! I liked that the air fryer made them crispy. The family loved them! I think we have a new quick family favorite snack!
Dianne
Ooooo... I'm drooling over this recipe! I bought a bottle of barbecue sauce a few days ago without a plan to use it, but now I know what I'm going to do with it!
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Dianne! I can't wait for you to eat these!