Buffalo Tofu Bites

The biggest struggle going meatless is craving some of my old favorite meat-based meals. I LOVE buffalo wings. I have tried to find a suitable alternative to buffalo wings and cauliflower is nice, but just did not do it for me. I found this recipe on Pinterest and modified it a bit. I was skeptical but these really taste like boneless buffalo wings.

Original recipe: https://www.icanyoucanvegan.com/buffalo-tofu-bites...

I cut the measurements of bowls 1 and 2 in half from the original recipe. I threw out a lot the 1st time I made this and I did not want that much waste.

Ingredients
1 package extra firm tofu (drained and cut into cubes)

Bowl #1

1/2 cup flour

1 tbsp cornstarch

Bowl #2

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/4 tsp liquid smoke

Bowl #3

1 cup crushed/ground Corn Flakes

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

Sauce Mix

1 tbsp melted vegan butter or olive oil

1/2 cup buffalo sauce

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Open the tofu and drain all the water out

Place tofu on a flat surface

Place another flat surface on top

Place some kind of heavy object on top to press out the water

Press for at least an hour

NOTES:

I put my tofu between 2 plates and put those on a baking sheet to catch the water. I have found that an upside-down plate allows for the water to run completely away from the tofu. I put 2, 6lb weight plates on top to press out the water. Anything heavy will work. Be careful not to smoosh your tofu too much. The original recipe does not call for pressing tofu, that is a matter of preference.

Once your tofu has been pressed, cut your tofu into cubes of your desired size

For the breading, prepare 3 bowls:

Bowl #1
1/2 cup gluten-free flour

1/2 tbsp cornstarch

Bowl #2

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/4 tsp liquid smoke

Bowl #3

1 cup crushed Corn Flakes*

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

*to make this completely gluten-free you can use gluten-free bread crumbs or just crush up some Corn Flakes (much cheaper). They are a good neutral flavor and provide a good crunch. I put mine in a food processor but you can crush them by hand. The measurement is based on crushed, not whole flakes.

Place your tofu cubes in each bowl in order: flour, then almond milk, then bread crumbs/corn flakes (right to left in the picture).

Place the cubes on a lightly greased pan. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, then flip and cook for additional 5-10 minutes.

NOTE:

I used my air fryer. I set the temp to 425 and cooked for about 10 minutes. I also used the wire basket from the air fryer (see picture).

While the bits are baking prepare the sauce.

Sauce Mix
1 tbsp melted vegan butter*

1/2 cup buffalo sauce

Simply combine the 2 ingredients.

Remove your crispy tofu bites from the oven.

Gently toss the bite in the sauce.

*I don't keep vegan butter in the house so I just used olive oil.

To reheat, place the bites on a pan and bake at 425 for about 15 minutes. Microwaving will warm them up but they will not be crunchy.

These bites go great with your favorite dips like ranch or bleu cheese (look for vegan varieties).

I am so glad I found this recipe. It has the taste and similar texture to boneless wings and absolutely satisfies the craving.