Crispy cornflake tofu nuggets (baked or air fried!)

This recipe is sponsored by EZ Tofu Press. All opinions are, as always, 100% my own.

Crunchy cornflake tofu nuggets are easy to make in the oven or in the air fryer! Dip these vegan chicken nuggets in 3-ingredient 'honey' mustard sauce.

This recipe for tofu nuggets is based on my chicken fried tofu. In fact, the seasonings are totally identical. But instead of panko, they get their crunch from cornflakes.

Think of this as vegan cornflake chicken nuggets. They're kid-friendly, ultra-crunchy perfection!

Table of Contents

• Recipe notes
• Substitutions
• Gluten-free variation
• Serving suggestions
• Storage directions
• 📖 Recipe
• Frequently asked questions

Recipe notes

To make these little bites, the crucial fist step is to press that block of tofu for 10-15 minutes. Pressing is going to give you the super firm texture that will make these more like tofu chicken nuggets.

I press my tofu using my EZ Tofu Press. This press is the real deal and gets an average of a half cup of water out of an extra firm block of tofu. That is a lot of water, so you know it's making a big difference in the texture department.

While the tofu presses, make that cornflake coating! Combine cornflakes with poultry seasoning and lots of other flavorful spices in your food processor, and pulse to create a coarse meal.

You don't want a flour-like consistency here. Instead, you're going for a crunchy, panko-like texture. Don't overblend!

After you press your tofu, cube it, and then toss it into a soy milk-vinegar mixture, which is basically vegan buttermilk.

Then, dredge the pieces in the cornflake mixture, and arrange them either on a lined baking sheet or in your air fryer basket.

While your tofu nuggets bake or air fry, you can whip up the super easy vegan "honey" mustard sauce. Just whisk together Dijon mustard, vegan mayo, and agave nectar in a bowl, and the sauce is ready.

When the tofu is done baking, you are ready to serve it with the agave mustard sauce on the side!

Substitutions

These are some of the subs I get asked about most often with recipes like this one:

• You can use any creamy, vegan milk in place of the soy or oat milk. If you prefer almond milk, for example, go for it! Just make sure it's not flavored and that it's thick. Rice milk isn't a good option here.
• If you don't use cornstarch, you can use potato starch instead.
• If you don't want to do the cornflake crumbs, you can use my vegan Italian breadcrumbs instead, and just mix the cornstarch or potato starch into that.
• Feel free to mix and match dried spices! The poultry seasoning really gives this a nice, chicken-y flavor, but everything else is fair game. You can also add spices, like ½ teaspoon of regular or smoked paprika or a teaspoon of dried oregano, if you want to change up the flavoring.
• For the dipping sauce, you can use maple syrup instead of agave nectar. It won't taste quite like honey mustard, but it will taste delicious!

Gluten-free variation

Are you gluten-free? No problem! It's easy to make this recipe to accommodate. Just make sure that your cornflakes are gluten-free, and you are good to go.

Serving suggestions

You can serve these as shown, with the vegan honey mustard on the side or with your favorite dipping sauce, like BBQ sauce or ketchup.

Tofu nuggets are also a great salad topper or addition to a bowl meal over rice or pasta.

Storage directions

You can store the cooked nuggets in the refrigerator in an airtight container for three to five days. Reheat them in the oven or in the air fryer.

They also freeze well. Let them cool, then transfer to a freezer bag, where they'll keep in the freezer for six months. Reheat in the air fryer at 400° F for 10-12 minutes.

The agave mustard sauce will keep for about a week in the fridge.

📖 Recipe

Frequently asked questions