Vegan Panko Crusted Tofu Tenders

When I transitioned from the love of eating chicken {now it just hurts my heart and makes me gag thinking about contributing to the pain of innocent chickens} to using meat alternatives in the beginning of my vegan journey, tofu was my greatest addiction. Tofu helped me get through those hard days of missing certain classic, childhood dishes.

Tofu has such a bland taste, that you can start from scratch when using it in recipes. In other words, it’s a blank slate when it comes to flavor. Tofu absorbs many marinades wonderfully. Thicker marinades {such as ones that include bbq sauce or mustard} may need to be thinned out a little bit with water for easier absorption. It can be adjusted to taste however you like. The options are endless. Tofu is like unicorn food, so magical!

This isn’t your average tofu slimy bland food that you’ve always tried to avoid. No this tofu is crispy & golden on the outside, yet chewy & delicious on the inside. Depending what you use to dip, for me it can taste either like baked mozzarella or baked chicken tenders. Tofu when cooked correctly can be your easiest go to meal! There is a little bit of prepping when it comes to using tofu, but it’s worth it. Give yourself an extra 15-20 minutes and you’re good to go!

This meal is such a great option when you’re in need for one of those comfort food dishes that your mom used to make you when you were a child. This dish is actually a better choice because it’s vegan; cruelty-free & so delicious at the same damn time!

To begin, start by draining the tofu. Squeeze the tofu and rid it of as much water as you can with your hands with little pressure. Next, wrap the tofu in a dish towel and then place a heavy dinner plate on top as a press. Let it press a good 15-20 minutes before using the tofu in this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Grab a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper & set aside. Slice the tofu into 12 slices. Wrap in paper towels again & press to remove the remaining liquid.

Next, arrange your dipping stations into three shallow bowls. First bowl-Flour. Second bowl-milk & arrowroot powder. Third- panko with nutritional yeast, garlic & onion powder, paprika & oregano or chili powder.

Then, dip the sliced tofu in flour then milk, then flour again, them milk once again. Finally dredge tofu in panko. Arrange tofu on prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all tofu is breaded.

Spray tofu tops with coconut oil spray {helps them crisp up nice and golden}. Put baking sheet in oven & bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven, flip the tofu & bake another 20 minutes.

Remove the baked tofu from the oven. Let them cool a few minutes then serve with choice of dip.

Try my Vegan Maple Mustard as a dip for these Tofu Tenders!

Print Recipe

Vegan Panko Crusted Tofu Tenders

These Vegan Tofu Tenders are crispy on the outside and chewy and creamy on the inside. They will win over any non-vegan who has doubts about tofu!

Course

Appetizer

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Servings

Ingredients

• 1 package Extra Firm Tofu

For the Flour

• ½ cup Spelt Flour {Any flour of preference-I also use Garbanzo/Chickpea Flour}

For the Wet Batter

• ½ cup Plant-Based Milk
• 1 teaspoon Arrowroot Powder

For the Dry Batter

• ½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
• ½ teaspoon Paprika
• ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano

Course Appetizer Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 40 minutes Servings Ingredients 1 package Extra Firm Tofu For the Flour ½ cup Spelt Flour {Any flour of preference-I also use Garbanzo/Chickpea Flour} For the Wet Batter ½ cup Plant-Based Milk 1 teaspoon Arrowroot Powder For the Dry Batter ½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder ½ teaspoon Onion Powder ½ teaspoon Paprika ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano

Instructions

1. To begin, start by draining the tofu. Squeeze the tofu and rid it of as much water as you can with your hands with little pressure. Next, wrap the tofu in a dish towel and then place a heavy dinner plate on top as a press. Let it press a good 15-20 minutes before using the tofu in this recipe.
2. Preheat the oven to 425F. Grab a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper & set aside. Slice the tofu into 12 slices. Wrap in paper towels again & press to remove the remaining liquid.
3. Next, arrange your dipping stations into three shallow bowls. First bowl-Flour. Second bowl-milk & arrowroot powder. Third- panko with nutritional yeast, garlic & onion powder, paprika & oregano or chili powder.
4. Then, dip the sliced tofu in flour then milk, then flour again, them milk once again. Finally dredge tofu in panko. Arrange tofu on prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all tofu is breaded.
5. Spray tofu tops with coconut oil spray {helps them crisp up nice and golden}. Put baking sheet in oven & bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven, flip tofu & bake another 20 minutes.
6. Remove from oven let cool & serve with choice of dip!

Recipe Notes

Did you attempt this recipe? Please let me know how you liked it {or not} by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #mamawentveganrecipes or @mamawentvegan. I love to hear your feedback and see your creations!

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