Name: Crunchy Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 20
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 block extra-firm tofu; 1 cup vegetable broth; 1/3 (heaping) cup seasoned bread crumbs; 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese; 1 beaten egg; Cooking spray; Olive oil spray

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These crispy breaded tofu nuggets are crunchy, dunkable, and kid-friendly. They cook in the air fryer in just 15 minutes.

A plate full of crispy breaded tofu nuggets served on a white plate with a small serving bowl of ketchup.

If you’d like to serve more plant-based proteins to your family, but tofu seems like a weird, squishy bridge too far, I’ve got the recipe for you!

Because yes, tofu is squishy–and, let’s face it, kind of weird too. It’s coagulated soy protein, a name that won’t exactly make the kids come running.

But tofu has the magic power to transform (hello, teen-approved Chocolate Tofu Pudding!)–this time, into something crunchy, hand-held, and utterly dippable: Crispy breaded tofu nuggets that cook in just 15 minutes in the air fryer.

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How to Make Crunchy Tofu Nuggets

What kind of tofu should you use for tofu nuggets?

First, it’s important to buy extra-firm tofu for this tofu nuggets recipe. Tofu comes in a few different varieties, but extra-firm is the sturdiest. It’s hefty enough to stand up to dipping and breading.

Where can you buy tofu? Look for it in the “natural foods” section of your grocery store. If your store doesn’t have one, tofu is stocked in a refrigerated section, typically grouped with other plant-based proteins like vegan cheese.

You might also like: Kid-Approved Tofu Bowls With Easy Peanut Sauce

How to Press and Slice the Tofu

Then you’ll want to press your tofu to remove excess moisture. If you have an official tofu press, go for it. Otherwise, here’s the DIY method I use:

Place the block of tofu on a plate between paper towels or clean kitchen towels
Put something heavy on top (I use a cast-iron pan)
Let it rest for at least an hour, draining away the moisture periodically

How to press tofu: a block of tofu sits on a plate, wrapped in paper towel. A heavy cast iron skillet sits on top, pressing the moisture out of the tofu.

Next, slice the block of tofu into 10 strips, then slice across to give you 20 nuggets.

A block of tofu cut up into nugget-sized squares on a cutting board, next to a chef's knife.

How to Marinate the Tofu Slices

Soak them in a dish with one cup vegetable broth. You can skip this step if you’d like, but tofu itself is very bland, so this gives it a bit more flavor.

You might also like: Veggie Nuggets That Kids LOVE!

Squares of tofu marinating in a glass bowl filled with vegetable broth.

How to Bread the Tofu Nuggets

In a shallow bowl, beat one egg. In another dish (I like using a pie plate for breading), mix together the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.

Two glass bowls containing the breading ingredients for tofu nuggets: whisked eggs and a parmesan breadcrumb mixture.

Carefully take each tofu nugget out of the broth, dip it in egg, then place it in the breadcrumbs. Spoon more of the breadcrumb mixture over the nuggets (be gentle–tofu can crumble and break apart with too much handling).

The process of breading tofu nuggets. Three nuggets sit in the bowl of whisked eggs, and eight nuggets sit in the parmesan breadcrumb mixture, covered in breading.

How to Cook Tofu Nuggets in the Air Fryer

Spray the basket of your air fryer with cooking spray and preheat to 400 degrees. Place half of the nuggets in the basket (or however many fit without overlapping). Spray the tops with olive oil spray (here’s the oil sprayer I’ve used for years) and cook for 15 minutes.

Three rows of uncooked tofu nuggets lined up in an air fryer basket.

Here’s how they look after 15 minutes: deep-fried without being deep-fried!

Cooked air fried tofu nuggets with a golden-brown breading sit in the basket of a black air fryer.

Serve right away or set on a cooling rack to enjoy later.

How to Serve Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets

Serve these on a plate with ketchup or another favorite dip, like BBQ sauce or honey mustard
Tuck these on the side of a veggie and rice bowl
Pack cold in lunch boxes

A white plate full of air fried tofu nuggets, coated in a golden brown breading, served with a small bowl of ketchup for dipping.

Is Tofu Good For Kids?

Yes! Tofu is soy, a “high-quality” protein. That means it has all the essential amino acids (protein building blocks) that we have to get from food. Soy protein may have other unique benefits too, like helping to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol levels.

Three stacked air fried tofu nuggets, a single bit taken out of the top nugget.

Why I Love My Air Fryer

I used to be an air fryer skeptic, writing it off as just another giant appliance I didn’t have room for.

And truth be told, I don’t have room for it in my kitchen. I store it on the basement landing and bring it up when I need it. But it’s worth the extra effort.

A black Philips air fryer sitting on a white marble countertop, surrounded by the ingredients for air fryer tofu nuggets.

The air fryer is basically a small convection oven that circulates air around the food and cooks faster than a regular oven. But its real claim to fame is giving a crispy, crunchy texture to foods like French fries and chicken tenders without a lot of oil. Some other perks:

It preheats much quicker than a standard oven (some models, like my Philips XXL Air Fryer don’t even need preheating).
It reheats leftovers without making them soggy like a microwave does.
It’s push-a-button-and-walk-away convenient, plus easy for kids to use.

The downsides? It’s big and can also be loud. And large models, like mine, are pricey (I got mine for free through a story I did). But I’ve cooked so many good things in it (including, according to my husband, the best pork chops I’ve ever made), that it’s definitely an appliance I recommend.

Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets Recipe Card

Crunchy Air Fryer Tofu Nuggets

Yield: 20 nuggets

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

These crispy breaded air fryer tofu nuggets are super easy, healthy, and kid-friendly. They're read in less than 15 minutes. Perfect for lunches at school or at home.

Ingredients

1 block extra-firm tofu
1 cup vegetable broth
1/3 (heaping) cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 beaten egg
Cooking spray
Olive oil spray

Instructions

Press the tofu with a tofu press or by this method: Place the block of tofu on a plate between paper towels (or clean kitchen towels) and put something heavy on top (I use a cast iron pan) and let it rest for 30-60 minutes, draining away the moisture periodically.
Slice tofu block across width-wide into 10 strips, then cut those in half to make 20 pieces total.
Marinade pieces in a dish with 1 cup vegetable broth for 30 minutes.
Crack an egg into a shallow bowl or dish and beat it well.
Mix breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a second shallow bowl or dish.
Take each piece of tofu from the broth, coat it in egg, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Repeat with remaining pieces.
Spray air fryer basket with cooking spray and preheat to 400 degress.
Arrange half of the tofu pieces in the basket (or however many fit in your air fryer without overlapping). Spray the tops with olive oil spray or cooking spray.
Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from air fryer to a cooling rack or plate.
Repeat with remaining tofu nuggets until all are cooked.
Serve immediately or store in airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within five days.

Notes

To reheat: Tofu nuggets stored in the fridge will lose their crunch so to restore crispness, heat in toaster oven or in air fryer for about three minutes.

To freeze: Allow nuggets to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-proof bag (pressing out all excess air) or container. When ready to use, defrost in fridge then reheat using methods above.

Crispy Crunchy Tofu Nuggets Made in the Air Fryer

A month’s worth of dinners, figured out for you.

How to Make Crunchy Tofu Nuggets