Vegan Nashville Hot Tofu Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu
- 1 cup almond milk or other non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon hot sauce, divided
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 2 tablespoons agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- panko breadcrumbs
- vegan butter
- olive oil
- non-stick cooking spray
Preparation
First, press the tofu by using a tofu press or placing it on a plate with something heavy on top for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer or overnight.
Once ready to make the tofu nuggets, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Cut the block of tofu into cubes and set aside.
Then take three medium or small mixing bowls; in the first, whisk together the almond milk, apple cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of hot sauce; in the second, whisk together the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt; in the third, add the panko.
Now, taking a few cubes of tofu at a time, toss them in the flour and shake off excess, then put them into the almond milk mixture to ensure they are totally soaked, then back into the flour, back into the almond milk mixture, and finally into the panko, coating completely and patting the panko on to make sure it is fully coated.
Repeat with all the tofu cubes, placing them on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray until all are coated, then bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping them halfway through, or until they are brown and crunchy.
While the tofu is baking, make the sauce by melting the vegan butter and olive oil together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, then whisk in the 2 tablespoons of hot sauce, agave syrup, paprika, garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, let it simmer for a minute, and then turn off the heat.
Once the tofu is done, toss the nuggets in the sauce and serve immediately.
