Air-Fried Vegan Buffalo Tofu Poppers
Air-Fried Vegan Buffalo Tofu Poppers deliver a crunchy panko exterior with a chewy, meaty interior, all coated in a tangy, spicy Buffalo glaze. The contrast of crisp crust and tender tofu makes them perfect for game day snacking, casual appetizers, or a fun dinner with dipping sauces and fresh veggies.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook15 mins
- Serves20
- DifficultyEasy
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Air-Fried Vegan Buffalo Tofu Poppers, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 52 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 89 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
- 2 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 54
- Heart Health
- 58
- Metabolic
- 12
- Digestive
- 32
- Inflammatory
- 39
- Performance
- 42
- General Wellness
- 1
Remove the tofu block from the package and discard the liquid.
- 2
Wrap the tofu in cheesecloth, place it on a plate, and set a heavy pot on top until the remaining liquid has been pressed out, about 10 minutes.
- 3
Remove the cheesecloth and cut the tofu into 20 bite-sized pieces, about 1 inch each.
- 4
Place the tofu in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 8 hours or overnight.
- 5
Remove the tofu from the freezer and thaw on paper towels or a dry cheesecloth.
- 6
Pat the tofu dry.
- 7
While the tofu is thawing, put cornstarch into a resealable plastic bag.
- 8
Pour rice milk into a small bowl.
- 9
Preheat an air fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- 10
Place the tofu in the bag with the cornstarch, seal, and shake to coat the pieces completely.
- 11
Remove the tofu pieces and dredge each one in the rice milk.
- 12
Place bread crumbs, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and pepper in the resealable plastic bag with the cornstarch residue; shake until well combined.
- 13
Place each tofu piece, one at a time, back in the bag with the bread crumbs.
- 14
Shake the bag until the tofu piece is completely coated, tap gently to remove excess, and place the tofu on a wire rack; repeat with the remaining pieces.
- 15
Add the coated tofu to the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes.
- 16
Shake the basket to loosen the pieces.
- 17
Cook for another 3 minutes or until browned.
- 18
Place 1/3 cup Buffalo sauce in a bowl, add the cooked tofu bites, and toss to coat.
- 19
Drizzle the remaining Buffalo sauce over the tofu and continue tossing to coat.
- 20
Serve immediately.
- Calories 56.3 kcal Low Source 3%
- Protein 2.71 g Low Source 5%
- Carbohydrate 8.38 g 3%
- Total Fat 1.08 g Low Source 1%
- Saturated Fat 0.12 g Low Source 1%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 0.0 mg Low Source 0%
- Sodium 176.02 mg Moderate 8%
- Dietary Fiber 0.46 g Low Source 2%
- Total Sugars 0.55 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 24.71 mg Low Source 2%
- Iron 0.42 mg Low Source 2%
- Potassium 19.48 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin A 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin C 0.0 mg Low Source 0%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Soy 🌱
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Corn 🌽
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Air Fried Vegan Buffalo Tofu Poppers is made with 9 ingredients and serves 20. It takes about 30 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Buffalo Wing Sauce, Cornstarch, and Extra Firm Tofu. Each serving provides about 56.3 kcal.
Recipe Questions
- What is Air-Fried Vegan Buffalo Tofu Poppers made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Buffalo Wing Sauce, Cornstarch, Extra-Firm Tofu, Garlic Powder. The full list of 9 is above.
- How long does it take to make Air-Fried Vegan Buffalo Tofu Poppers?
- About 30 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 15 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 56.3 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Air-Fried Vegan Buffalo Tofu Poppers easy to make?
- This recipe is rated easy, with 9 ingredients and 20 steps.
- Is Air-Fried Vegan Buffalo Tofu Poppers healthy?
- Air-Fried Vegan Buffalo Tofu Poppers has an easyChef Pro health score of 46/100. Per serving, it provides 56.3 calories and 2.71 g of protein, or 5% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 176.02 mg (8% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Soy, Wheat, Gluten, Corn, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
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