Nutritional yeast tofu is crispy and flavorful with a slightly cheesy taste from a wet rub made with, you guessed it, nutritional yeast! You don't even have to press your tofu to make these oven-baked vegan nuggets.
You'll never catch me pressing tofu, I find it takes up a lot of time and unless you're marinating, it's not necessary.
Instead, I've found that you can simply pat your tofu block dry, rip it into pieces, and coat it in seasoning. The result are tofu nuggets that are crispy on the outside but still juicy on the inside. I like that it doesn't completely dry out the tofu.
I use this same method for bang bang tofu, BBQ tofu bites, and maple Dijon tofu. There are so many ways to play around with flavors!
The savory, slightly cheesy flavor from nutritional yeast takes your basic baked tofu up a notch. These nuggets are delicious dipped ketchup or vegan ranch. It's also super tasty on top of salad, pasta dishes, pizza, or in tacos. The options are endless!
Ingredient Notes
You will need these simple ingredients to make nutritional yeast tofu:
You can use firm or extra-firm tofu to make these nuggets. Any softer will not work because you need to be able to rip the block into pieces. You don't need to press the tofu for this recipe!
Nutritional yeast forms a savory, slightly cheesy crust on the tofu.
I make my own seasoning mix with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. These flavors complement the nutritional yeast really well. An Italian spice mix would also be great.
You combine olive oil with the seasonings to create the wet rub for the tofu. The end result are perfectly baked tofu nuggets.
The recipe card below includes the full list of ingredients + instructions.
How to Make Nutritional Yeast Tofu
- Mix nutritional yeast, seasonings, and olive oil to create a wet rub.
- Pat a block of tofu dry with a paper towel and rip it into nuggets about 1" each.
- Toss the tofu chunks with the wet rub to evenly coat all the pieces.
- Spread tofu into a single layer on a baking sheet and bake, flipping halfway through.
- Finish baking until the nuggets are golden and crispy. Garnish with a little chopped green onion, if desired.
Air Fryer Instructions
For faster preparation, cook these tofu bites in the air fryer at 400°F for 16 to 18 minutes!
I recommend halving the recipe so you can cook them in one layer, otherwise work in batches. Make sure to line the air fryer basket with parchment paper so they don’t stick.
Ways to Serve
My favorite way to serve crispy nutritional yeast tofu is as nuggets! Pair them with your favorite dip, some that pair really well are vegan aioli, homemade ranch, or ketchup.
Serve alongside vegan coleslaw, vegan gluten-free cornbread, and baked beans for extra protein. They're also great addition to vegan caesar salad or kale salad.
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Nutritional Yeast Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 block firm or extra-firm tofu 14-18 ounces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Use a paper towel to dry the outside of 1 block firm or extra-firm tofu. Remove any excess water, but don’t press it.
- Mix 3 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. It should form a paste of sorts.
- Rip the tofu into bite-sized chunks, I can usually make about 32, and place them in the bowl with the wet rub.
- Toss tofu until the wet rub evenly coats all the pieces.
- Spread tofu evenly onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Bake the tofu at 425°F for 27 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Or air fry at 400°F for 16 to 18 minutes.
Notes
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* The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy will vary on specific ingredients and brands used.
Jane says
I love adding these tofu bites to wraps! They are so crispy in the air fryer.
Sarah Pilley says
Thank you Jane! I love them in the air fryer too. 😀
Jeannette says
I made this tonight and it is delicious 😋 I ate half of it out of air fryer warm I will make this often!!
Gina Rubio says
Delicious recipe, I recommend it. I am a vegetarian and this recipe tastes like fried chicken. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!!!
Angela says
I don’t eat tofu much, but this was amazing! I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious it was tasted similar to breading, but much healthier! It will be a staple for me. Thank you
Gerry says
This is the very best nutritional yeast tofu we've ever done. Used an air fryer. Great over a salad. Thank you!
Cindy says
absolutely delicious! I boiled the chunks in salted water for five minutes.
Let them call 15 minutes, drained and put on a towel.
Gently tossed them in the spice mixture.
Baked at 425° until crunchy on the outside, dense chewy and moist on the inside. 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your oven and the size of the tofu. Thank you! One of my new favorites.
Sarah Pilley says
Hi Cindy! I will have to try that, I've heard that works better than pressing the tofu.
Tara says
Easy to make and so tasty! I used my air fryer to cook it. Will definitely by making this often.