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These Buffalo Tofu Fries are spicy, flavorful, and baked to crispy perfection in the oven. Best vegan appetizer ever!
Buffalo tofu fries are so much more than just a plant-based swap for traditional Buffalo wings. These aren’t just for vegans and vegetarians who can’t eat traditional wings—they’re so delicious, even meat-eaters will want to partake.
I mean, who can resist a crispy herbed panko coating and spicy, buttery Buffalo sauce?! No one!
The tofu is just an added bonus. It’s chewy, tender, and while you won’t mistake it for chicken, you won’t miss the meat either. Who knew vegan food could be this dang good?
Which brings us to…
How Do You Make Tofu Taste Good?
Tofu on its own has a very mild, bean-y flavor; it’s meant to be paired with bold seasonings and sauces. This recipe makes tofu taste amazing by coating it in seasoned panko breadcrumbs and smothering it with spicy Buffalo sauce.
What You’ll Need
Assuming you have most of the herbs and spices on hand in your pantry, your shopping list for this recipe will be short!
For the Tofu Fries:
- Extra firm tofu – Learn about how to prepare and cook tofu.
- Cornstarch
- Unsweetened plain almond milk – Or your plant milk of choice.
- Buffalo hot sauce – Frank’s RedHot is considered the gold standard!
For the Panko Coating:
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Dried parsley
- Dried chives
- Dried dill
- Onion powder
- Garlic salt
For the Buffalo Sauce:
- Buffalo hot sauce
- Vegan butter – If you’re not vegan, you can use dairy butter.
For serving (optional):
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing
- Blue cheese crumbles – Follow Your Heart Blue Cheese Crumbles are vegan.
What Is Buffalo Sauce Made Of?
Buffalo sauce is usually made with Frank’s RedHot sauce and butter. The butter tames some of the heat of the hot sauce and gives Buffalo sauce a smooth, creamy, and richer mouthfeel.
How to Make Buffalo Tofu Fries
Once you set up your work space, coating the tofu fries will be like an assembly line process!
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Arrange three bowls on your kitchen counter: one with the cornstarch, one with the almond milk and Buffalo sauce, and a third with the panko coating ingredients mixed together.
Coat the tofu fries. Dip each tofu strip into the cornstarch, coating all sides, followed by the milk mixture. Dredge the fries in the seasoned panko, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake. Spray the tofu fries with cooking spray and place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time, until the fries are golden brown and crispy.
Make the sauce. While the fries are in the oven, combine the Buffalo sauce and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds to melt the butter, then stir.
Finish. Once the fries are done, pour the Buffalo sauce over them and toss to coat. Serve immediately with dipping sauce and blue cheese crumbles, if using.
Tips for Success
Here are some tips to help you make perfect Buffalo tofu fries:
- Mess-free dredging. To keep the panko coating on the tofu instead of your fingers, use tongs or chopsticks. You can also use one hand for the dry ingredients and the other hand for dipping the tofu in the milk mixture.
- Getting crispy, golden tofu fries. For maximum crispiness, make sure you spray every bit of the tofu fries. This is key to getting them crispy in the oven!
- Toss gently. When adding the Buffalo sauce at the end of the recipe, gently roll the tofu fries in the sauce. Tossing too hard will make the crispy coating come off.
How Do You Eat Buffalo Tofu?
With your hands! Just like traditional Buffalo wings, Buffalo tofu is going to get a little messy, so be sure to have plenty of napkins at the table.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Buffalo tofu fries are one of those recipes that’s best eaten right away; once the fries are tossed with the Buffalo sauce, the coating will soften. That said, if you do have some left over, they can be refrigerated in an airtight container for a day or two, then reheated in the microwave or a 350ºF oven.
Crispy Buffalo Tofu Fries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454 g) extra firm tofu, pressed, cut into 1” strips
- ⅓ cup (43 g) cornstarch
- ¼ cup (59 ml) unsweetened plain almond milk, or other milk of choice
- 1 teaspoon buffalo hot sauce, I use Frank’s RedHot
Panko coating:
- 1 cup (60 g) gluten-free panko breadcrumbs, or regular if not GF
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried chive
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
Buffalo sauce:
- ¼ cup (59 ml) buffalo hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) vegan butter, I use Miyokos, can use regular if not vegan
To serve:
- Ranch or blue cheese dressing, for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 °F (218 °C)
- Arrange three bowls, one with the ⅓ cup cornstarch, one with the ¼ cup almond milk and 1 teaspoon of buffalo sauce, and another with the panko coating ingredients mixed together.
- Dip each tofu strip into the cornstarch to coat, then into the milk mixture, then dredge through the panko mixture. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Spray the tofu fries with cooking spray.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes flipping halfway through until golden brown and crispy.
- While the fries are baking, combine the ¼ cup buffalo sauce with the 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds to melt the butter, then stir. Set aside until ready to use.
- Once the fries are done, pour the buffalo sauce over them and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately with desired dipping sauce.
