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    Home » Mains

    Best Vegan Chicken Nuggets (Tofu) (Oven Baked)

    Updated: Apr 6, 2021 by Vera Morgan · This post may contain affiliate links · 39 Comments

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    vegan chicken nugget held in the air with a bite taken out of it

    The Best Vegan Chicken Nuggets! Crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. Easy to make and make a delicious meal or snack. Perfect for the whole family! Vegetarian and meatless!

    vegan chicken nugget being dipped in ketchup

    You’ll love my vegan take on chicken nuggets made with tofu and baked in the oven. Totally kid approved! My grandkids can’t get enough of these tasty breaded tofu nuggets and neither can the rest of the family! Vegetarian Chicken nuggets!? Who would’ve thunk it right!! Well the flavour is amazing!

    The vegan chicken seasoning that I added to the crushed cornflakes tastes a lot like KFC! You’ll be blown away by this recipe! So good and super crispy!!

    Scrumptious served as a meal with my Caesar Salad and Home Fries  or as a tasty snack with ketchup and or Vegan Ranch Dressing!

    This is also an excellent recipe to serve for a game day celebration!

    Can Vegan Chicken Nuggets be made gluten free?

    Absolutely! You can replace the all purpose four with a gluten free flour blend such as ‘Bob’s Mill’ or ‘Robin Hood’ Brand or rice flour.

    Do you need to press your tofu for this recipe?

    It’s totally up to you! I would definitely recommend removing excess moisture by wrapping in paper towel and you could add a heavy object to the top, like a cast iron frying pan. I usually do both and press the tofu while I prep the other ingredients for this recipe. But just using paper towel is enough. The tofu will just be a little moister.

    What are Vegan Chicken Nuggets made of?

    • Extra firm tofu
    • Flour
    • Plant milk
    • Sesame oil
    • mustard
    • Nutritional yeast
    • Herbs and spices
    • Crushed cornflakes

    vegan chicken nugget being held in the air

    How do you make Vegan Chicken Nuggets?

    Preheat oven to 400°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

    Slice the tofu lengthwise into three even slabs. Wrap in paper towel and add a heavy object to the top (I use my cast iron frying pan). Set aside while you prep your other ingredients.

    tofu being pressed with paper towel

    Next grab two regular soup bowls: add the wet ingredients to one and the dry ingredients to another. Make sure the ingredients are mixed well in each bowl.

    wet and dry ingredients for vegan nuggets in two bowls

    Cut each tofu slab into 6 pieces.

    sliced tofu pieces on wooden cutting board

    Dip one tofu piece one at a time into the wet batter. Make sure the whole piece gets coated (the batter will be thick). Next add the battered tofu nugget to the corn flake mixture, making sure it gets coated evenly and well.

    Place the breaded nugget on the parchment liked baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of tofu pieces.

    Spray the tops of the nuggets lightly with cooking spray, flip over and spray the other side.

    Bake for 30 minutes, flipping half way through.

    Enjoy! For full recipe instructions and ingredients see recipe card below.

    four picture collage of vegan chicken nuggets being dipped battered and baked

    vegan chicken nugget dipped in ketchup with a bite taken out of it

    Ok let's make some Vegan Chicken Nuggets! They're:

    super crispy

    tender on the inside

    better than the real deal

    so flavourful

    taste like KFC

    healthy

    addicting

    kid friendly

    easy to make

    Enjoy guys! Happy day to you? feel free to leave a comment and a rating below. I would love to hear from you.

    Follow me on PINTEREST and INSTAGRAM for more tasty Vegan Recipes❤️

    Want more tofu recipes? Check these out!

    • Tofu Stir Fry Recipe (Chinese)
    • Balsamic Marinated Tofu
    • 20 Minute Tofu Scramble
    • Vegan Butter Chicken

     

    Print
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    vegan chicken nugget dipped in ketchup with a bite taken out of it

    Best Vegan Chicken Nuggets (Tofu) (Oven Baked)


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 13 reviews

    • Author: Verna
    • Total Time: 50 minutes
    • Yield: 18 Nuggets 1x
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    The Best Vegan Chicken Nuggets! Crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. Easy to make and make a delicious meal or snack. Perfect for the whole family! Vegetarian and meatless!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 block extra firm tofu
    • oil spray (optional)

    Wet Ingredients:

    • ½ cup all purpose flour
    • ½ cup plain unsweetened plant milk (I use unsweetened soy milk)
    • ½ tablespoon sesame oil, toasted or regular
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
    • ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning

    Dry Ingredients:

    • 3 cups corn flakes, measured then crushed (I use my food processor)
    • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon granulated onion
    • ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon dried basil
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder
    • ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon black pepper (a good pinch)


    Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
    2. Slice the tofu lengthwise into three even slabs. Wrap in paper towel and add a heavy object to the top (I use my cast iron frying pan). Set aside while you prep your other ingredients.
    3. Next grab two regular soup bowls: add the wet ingredients to one and the dry ingredients to another. Make sure the ingredients are mixed well in each bowl.
    4. Cut each tofu slab into 6 pieces. Dip one tofu piece one at a time into the wet batter. Make sure the whole piece gets coated (the batter will be thick). Next add the battered tofu nugget to the corn flake mixture, making sure it gets coated evenly and well.
    5. Place the nugget on the parchment liked baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of tofu pieces.
    6. Spray the tops of the nuggets lightly with cooking spray, flip over and spray the other side (optional)
    7. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping half way through. Enjoy! For step by step photos see the post above.

    Serve as meal with Caesar Salad and Home Fries or as a tasty snack with ketchup, ranch dressing, sweet chili sauce or maple mustard sauce and enjoy!! Tasty with hummus too!!

    Notes

    Can Vegan Chicken Nuggets be made gluten free?

    Absolutely! You can replace the all purpose four with a gluten free flour blend such as ‘Bob’s Mill’ or ‘Robin Hood’ Brand or rice flour.

    Do you need to press your tofu for this recipe?

    It’s totally up to you! I would definitely recommend removing excess moisture by wrapping in paper towel and you could add a heavy object to the top, like a cast iron frying pan. I usually do both and press the tofu while I prep the other ingredients for this recipe. But just using paper towel is enough. The tofu will just be a little moister.

    • Prep Time: 20 Minutes
    • Cook Time: 30 Minutes
    • Category: Mains, Snacks & Sides
    • Method: Oven Baked
    • Cuisine: American, Canadian

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @cheeky_chickpea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #cheeky_chickpea_

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    Comments

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    1. Toni says

      February 05, 2021 at 12:42 am

      Hi! How do you reheat this after freezing? Is the crispness still the same after the first time?

      Reply
      • Verna says

        February 05, 2021 at 5:54 am

        Hi Toni, I would suggest reheating nuggets in a 400° oven for 10-15 minutes or until heated through and crisped up. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    2. Sabina says

      January 25, 2021 at 8:10 am

      These look amazing. Where did you find vegan cornflakes?! I miss them so much 🙂

      Reply
      • Verna says

        January 25, 2021 at 8:44 am

        Barbaras organic cornflakes check amazon! Hope that helps Sabina have a great day!

        Reply
        • Sabina says

          February 05, 2021 at 6:12 am

          Ive only just seen this, thanks so much. I'll look them up x

          Reply
    3. Isla says

      January 06, 2021 at 8:07 am

      My oldest daughter likes your vegan chicken nuggets more than McDonald's ! Thank you it is a win for me! Now to get the others on board!

      Reply
      • Verna says

        January 06, 2021 at 12:23 pm

        Well I'm flattered thanks Isla!

        Reply
    4. Christy says

      December 18, 2020 at 6:52 am

      Picky kid approved! She had no idea it wasn't chicken. I made a huge batch and froze them for those nights when I don't feel like making anything 😉

      Reply
      • Verna says

        December 18, 2020 at 7:38 am

        Awesome! Glad they were a hit!

        Reply
    5. Petra says

      October 21, 2020 at 5:05 am

      these were a total hit with our kids, made them twice last week! really delicious and so crispy. this recipe is a keeper!

      Reply
      • Verna says

        October 22, 2020 at 1:27 pm

        Oh thanks Petra! So happy to hear your family is enjoying the recipe! appreciate your comment. Happy day to you!

        Reply
    6. Brian P. says

      September 19, 2020 at 3:17 pm

      Great tofu nuggets! Reminded my wife and I of KFC chicken fingers. Found them easy to make and a definite hit with our children. Always happy to find a great new vegan recipe. Thank you !  

      Reply
      • Verna says

        September 19, 2020 at 3:51 pm

        you're so welcome Brian, thrilled your family enjoyed them!

        Reply
    7. Tina T says

      July 22, 2020 at 1:01 am

      I’ve made these a few time now and love them. I recently came across another vegan chicken (tofu) strips recipe recommended freezing-thawing-freezing- thawing the tofu before pressing the tofu to give it a fluffier texture. The double freeze thaw method creates air pockets in the tofu from the water crystals during the freezing process. I tried that method with this recipe and the nuggets turned out great!

      Reply
      • Verna says

        July 22, 2020 at 1:26 pm

        So glad you enjoyed the recipe Tina! I'll have to try your tofu method sounds great. Thanks so much for your comment!

        Reply
    8. Sarah says

      July 10, 2020 at 11:04 pm

      These remind us so much of popcorn chicken! I make them once a week at the request of my kids. Wonderful recipe!

      Reply
      • Verna says

        July 11, 2020 at 2:28 am

        That's wonderful! Thrilled you're all enjoying the recipe Sarah.

        Reply
    9. Ebonee says

      June 28, 2020 at 9:44 am

      Hopefully you're still seeing messages on this post. I'd love to know if these can be frozen. If so, at what point in the process?

      Reply
      • Verna says

        June 28, 2020 at 1:09 pm

        Hi Ebonee, I would freeze them once cooked and cooled, enjoy!

        Reply
    10. Kirsten says

      June 17, 2020 at 1:15 am

      My son requests these everyday! They are wonderful!

      Reply
      • Verna says

        June 17, 2020 at 2:50 am

        Aww that's so nice! Glad he's enjoying them.

        Reply
    11. Angela says

      June 11, 2020 at 4:57 am

      Wow these were absolutely fabulous!!

      Reply
      • Verna says

        June 11, 2020 at 1:56 pm

        Thrilled you enjoyed them Angela!

        Reply
    12. Sunny says

      May 15, 2020 at 8:52 pm

      Thanks, Verna. These are delicious...simply delicious. I didn't have cornflakes so I used panko but next time I'll use cornflakes. From your photos, I can tell the cornflakes give good colour to the coating. Whereas the panko coating is bland in colour after baking...still delicious though. ☺
      Hope you and yours have a wonderful long weekend.

      Reply
      • Verna says

        May 16, 2020 at 2:26 am

        Thanks for your comment Sunny. Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Happy day to you!

        Reply
    13. Tina says

      February 25, 2020 at 4:25 am

      This was delicious! I ended up frying them up in a pan with avocado oil because I had a hungry bunch of kids and little time. The flavor was great. I can't wait to try them in the oven next time.

      Reply
      • Verna says

        February 25, 2020 at 4:27 am

        Nice!! Glad they were enjoyed! Yes pan frying is definitely great in a pinch!! Thanks so much for your comment Tina!

        Reply
    14. Midge says

      November 04, 2019 at 6:07 pm

      These are so delicious

      Reply
      • Verna says

        November 05, 2019 at 2:21 pm

        So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for your comment Midge! Have a great day!

        Reply
    15. Caroline says

      October 17, 2019 at 5:04 pm

      My toddler loved these! What kind of dipping sauces would you recommend?

      Reply
      • Verna says

        November 24, 2019 at 3:27 pm

        Hi Caroline! I have given suggestions on the recipe post for dipping sauces. My favourite dips for these vegan chicken nuggets are ketchup or my vegan ranch dressing! so good! Glad to hear your toddler loved them. Thanks so much for your comment!

        Reply
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    Hi, I’m Vera! Major foodie of all things vegan! Welcome to The Cheeky Chickpea; here, you’ll find hundreds of restaurant-worthy easy vegan recipes. Some oil-free and gluten-free, from veggie-powered plant-based comfort foods to decadent desserts. Lots of tricks and tips up my chef sleeve…Grab your apron let’s get cooking!

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