These Crispy Buffalo Tofu Tacos are easy to make, delicious, and flavorful. They’re great for your next taco Tuesday, and even meat lovers will approve. Crumbled tofu is coated with batter and panko and baked to crispy perfection. Then, it’s tossed with spicy buffalo sauce and packed into a fun taco!
Tacos usually appear weekly in our house, and I love coming up with new recipes for us to enjoy. These Crispy Buffalo Tofu Tacos are a fun way to spice things up in a protein-packed vegetarian taco.
These Crispy Buffalo Tofu Tacos are very similar to my Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos, but these tofu ones pack in much more protein. My husband, who is a self-proclaimed tofu hater, loved them!
Crispy Buffalo Tofu Tacos Recipe Ingredients
- Tofu – I like to use super firm, high-protein tofu from Trader Joe’s or Sprouts. All you need to do is pat it dry; no pressing is needed. If you can’t find super firm tofu, you can use extra firm tofu and make sure to press it for about 15 minutes.
- Batter – The batter is made using all-purpose flour, milk (plant-based), and spices. I like to add paprika, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Panko – I like to use panko to make the tofu extra crispy, but regular bread crumbs also work. If you don’t have breadcrumbs, you can also use crushed crackers.
- Tortillas – Corn tortillas are my favorite for tacos, but flour tortillas can also be used. I like to warm my corn tortillas over the open flame on the gas stove, but you can also heat them in a pan with some oil or in the microwave.
- Optional Toppings – I like to spread guacamole onto my tortillas because it adds creaminess and helps hold the tofu on the taco. I also like to add some coleslaw to the top for a refreshing crunch. I made an easy ranch slaw using a traditional coleslaw recipe and added some ranch dressing.
How To Make The Best Crispy Buffalo Tofu Tacos
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Pat your tofu dry and press if needed. You can cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces or tear it into chunks. I like to tear mine into chunks because it gives the tofu more nooks and crannies for the sauce to get stuck in.
- Add the milk, flour, and spices to a large bowl. Whisk together until you have a thick batter. Add the tofu chunks to the bowl and gently mix until the tofu is completely coated in the batter.
- Pour the panko over the tofu and carefully mix until the tofu is coated with the panko. The panko should stick pretty well to the tofu, but you can also use your fingers to press it on if the batter is lacking in any parts of the tofu.
- Spray a large sheet pan with cooking spray and carefully dump the tofu onto the pan. Use your hands to spread the tofu, ensuring it’s in a single layer and not stuck together. Spray the top of the tofu with more cooking spray and place in the oven. Bake tofu golden brown and crispy, 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Remove the tofu from the oven and add it to a medium bowl. Pour the buffalo sauce over it and mix until the tofu is completely coated with the sauce.
- Assemble your tacos: I like to heat my corn tortillas on the gas flame or in a pan with oil. Spreading a bit of guacamole on the bottom of the taco helps to keep the tofu in place, and adds a nice cool creaminess. Top with a few spoonfuls of the buffalo tofu, then add some fresh coleslaw, if desired.
Buffalo Taco Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Can this recipe be made gluten-free? Yes, just use GF panko and corn tortillas.
- Are these buffalo tofu tacos vegan? Yes, they are! Just use plant-based milk for the batter, and if you’re topping them with coleslaw, make sure to use vegan mayo.
- Can these tacos be made ahead of time? The tofu is crispiest immediately out of the oven, but it can be reheated in the microwave, stovetop, or oven. It might not be quite as crispy when re-heated, but it will still be good.
- What kind of buffalo sauce should be used? I’ve made my own buffalo sauce in the past, but I don’t handle spicy food well, so I’ve recently been loving Sweet Baby Ray’s mild buffalo sauce.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP.
Looking For More Delicious Vegetarian Taco Recipes?
Crispy Baked Black Bean and Sweet Potato Tacos
Crispy Baked Tacos with Seasoned Cauliflower
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Crispy Buffalo Tofu Tacos
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Crispy Buffalo Tofu Tacos are pretty easy to make and so delicious and flavorful! They’re great for your next taco Tuesday and even meat lovers will approve. Crumbled tofu is coated with batter and panko and baked to crispy perfection. Then, it’s tossed with spicy buffalo sauce and packed into a fun taco!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (16 oz) package super firm, or extra firm tofu
- 1/3 cup plain plant based milk, or regular milk
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour, or gluten free all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup buffalo sauce, or more if desired
- 6–8 Corn tortillas
- Optional taco toppings: guacamole, coleslaw, fresh cabbage, salsa, pico de Gallo
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F. Pat your tofu dry and press, if needed. You can either cut the tofu into little bite sized pieces or you can tear it into chunks. I like to tear mine into chunks because it makes the tofu have more nooks and crannies for the sauce to get stuck in.
- To a large bowl, add the milk, flour and spices. Whisk together until you have a thick batter. Add the tofu chunks into the bowl and gently mix until all the tofu is completely coated in the batter.
- Pour the panko over the tofu and carefully mix together until the tofu is coated with the panko. The panko should stick pretty well to the tofu, but you can also use your fingers to press it on, if there are any parts of the tofu that are lacking in batter.
- Spray a large sheet pan with cooking spray and carefully dump the tofu onto the pan. Use your hands to spread the tofu out, making sure it’s in a single layer and not stuck together. Spray the top of the tofu with more cooking spray and place in the oven. Bake tofu until golden brown and crispy, 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Remove tofu from the oven and add to a medium sized bowl. Pour the buffalo sauce over and mix until tofu is completely coated with the sauce.
- Assemble your tacos: I like to heat my corn tortillas on the gas flame, or in a pan with some oil. Spreading a little bit of guacamole on the bottom of the taco helps to keep the tofu in place, and adds a nice cool creaminess. Top with a few spoonfuls of the buffalo tofu and then add some fresh coleslaw on top of that, if desired.
Notes
I like to add a little ranch dressing to my coleslaw, you could also add blue cheese.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Vegan, Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
I am not one to leave a review but this was amazing! I usually avoid making any sort of baked “crispy” tofu because the recipes often involve the multiple steps of flour, egg, breading (so messy and time consuming) and the end result never achieves the desired crispiness. This method of adding the drained tofu straight to just the right amount of wet batter and then working in the panko is a complete game changer. I wish I could add a picture here because it was a photo finish. Thank you for this recipe and the innovative breading technique.
Hi May! Thank you so much for your comment! I’m glad you found the recipe easy to make and that you enjoyed it! <3
THIS WAS SO FREAKIN TASTY!!! An easy to make!
Yah! So glad you enjoyed!!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! My partner hates tofu, but he absolutely loved this! I used the airfryer and the tofu came out perfectly crispy 🙂
That’s awesome!! My husband also thought he hated tofu until I started breading it 🙂
You are missing buffalo sauce in your ingredients list. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
I apologize for that! I have added in the measurement now. It’s about 1 cup of sauce but you can always use more if you like.
Looks delicious. Can I use an air fryer to cook the tofu?
Thank you, Laurie! Yes, you can absolutely use an air fryer for the tofu. I haven’t tested this recipe in the air fryer, but if you are pretty familiar with cooking in one, it should be easy!
Can’t wait to try this! It looks fabulous. So creative.
Thank you!! I hope you enjoy!