It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

Fuss-Free Vegan Recipes

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Baked Tofu Bites (Use These Everywhere)!

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So here’s the story: I originally made these baked tofu bites for my Vegan Cobb Salad recipe. I was trying to aim for a simple tofu recipe with a chicken-ish vibe. Vibe achieved. These bites were easy to make, flavourful, and perfect for my cobb salad. But I also discovered that they were more than just perfect for a cobb salad. These baked tofu bites are delicious all on their own. I’m actually surprised any tofu even made it to the salad as I couldn’t stop eating them directly baking sheet.

Baked Tofu Bites! An easy baked tofu recipe that is great on its own or can be used in so many dishes: on salads, in sandwiches, in tacos, on pasta, on nachos, as nuggets, the options are endless, use these everywhere! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #tofu

I decided I needed to share this recipe as it’s own post so that you too could experience the awesomeness of this baked tofu. These tofu bites are scrumptious all on their own and they are perfect on a salad BUT they are so much more than that. This is one of those recipes that once you make it, you start discovering all of the wonderful ways these tofu bites can be used.

They are delicious served with buffalo sauce. They are delicious on top of pasta. They are delicious in a taco. They are delicious in a sandwich. They are delicious on nachos… I think you are starting to get it, these tofu bites are completely addictive and they are delicious EVERYWHERE!

Baked Tofu Bites! An easy baked tofu recipe that is great on its own or can be used in so many dishes: on salads, in sandwiches, in tacos, on pasta, on nachos, as nuggets, the options are endless, use these everywhere! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #tofu

I’ve been making large batches of these glorious tofu nuggets and storing them in the fridge in an air-tight container so they are ready to use whenever hunger strikes.

I like to make a big batch of these using two blocks of tofu at a time, but if you prefer you can cut the recipe in half and just use one block of tofu… But if you do decide to reduce the recipe, you might regret it. You have been warned.

Baked Tofu Bites! An easy baked tofu recipe that is great on its own or can be used in so many dishes: on salads, in sandwiches, in tacos, on pasta, on nachos, as nuggets, the options are endless, use these everywhere! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #tofu

To make Baked Tofu Bites: in a large bowl, mix together the nutritional yeast, olive oil, soy sauce and garlic powder.

Baked Tofu Bites! An easy baked tofu recipe that is great on its own or can be used in so many dishes: on salads, in sandwiches, in tacos, on pasta, on nachos, as nuggets, the options are endless, use these everywhere! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #tofu

Break the block of tofu into small chunks and add them to the bowl. (No need to press the tofu first).

Baked Tofu Bites! An easy baked tofu recipe that is great on its own or can be used in so many dishes: on salads, in sandwiches, in tacos, on pasta, on nachos, as nuggets, the options are endless, use these everywhere! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #tofu

Toss the tofu well to evenly coat in the sauce mixture. Spread the tofu evenly across the baking sheets and bake about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until lightly golden.

Baked Tofu Bites! An easy baked tofu recipe that is great on its own or can be used in so many dishes: on salads, in sandwiches, in tacos, on pasta, on nachos, as nuggets, the options are endless, use these everywhere! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #tofu

Serve hot or store in an air-tight container in the fridge to use later, or they freeze well too. Great as main, as nuggets, on salads, in sandwiches, in tacos, on pasta, on nachos, the options are endless, use these everywhere!

Baked Tofu Bites! An easy baked tofu recipe that is great on its own or can be used in so many dishes: on salads, in sandwiches, in tacos, on pasta, on nachos, as nuggets, the options are endless, use these everywhere! #itdoesnttastelikechicken #veganrecipes #tofu

4.76 from 77 votes
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Baked Tofu Bites
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
 

An easy baked tofu recipe that is great on its own or can be used in so many dishes: on salads, in sandwiches, in tacos, on pasta, on nachos, as nuggets, the options are endless, use these everywhere!

Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Keyword: baked tofu bites, baked tofu bites recipes, baked tofu nuggets, how to cook tofu, roasted tofu bites
Servings: 4
Calories: 176 kcal
Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 350g blocks extra-firm tofu, drained
Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375F (190C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. In a large bowl, mix together the nutritional yeast, olive oil, soy sauce and garlic powder. Break the block of tofu into small chunks and add them to the bowl. (No need to press the tofu first). Toss the tofu well to evenly coat in the sauce mixture.

  3. Spread the tofu evenly across the baking sheets and bake about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until lightly golden. Serve hot or store in an air-tight container in the fridge, or freeze to use later. Great as main, as nuggets, on salads, in sandwiches, in tacos, on pasta, on nachos, the options are endless, use these everywhere!

Bon appetegan!

Sam

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Comments

  1. Made these today for meal prep for my lunches this week, and regretting that I didn’t double the recipe! They are amazing!!!

    Reply

  2. I made these during the polar vortex in the US Midwest yesterday (-21F). There are great and even more chicken-y the next day. I used the sauce recipe on one 454gram block of super firm tofu. What a nice treat on an Arctic day. Thanks!

    Reply

  3. Omg the best tofu recipe ever!! They smelt amazing while baking, I took them out of the oven and hubby and I ate the whole batch from the baking sheet! (I only had one tofu ) Hubby said “these are f$&king the best” and then continued say yum yum yum!!
    Always love your recipes…you are the best!!

    Reply

  5. I keep making these and telling myself I need to leave a comment! These are so delicious. They actually taste very similar to Chick-Fil-A nuggets in my opinion. I’m not one to leave comments or be super impressed by recipes, but this one is SO easy, SO fast, and SOO tasty! Thank you so much. Even my omnivore husband loves these 🙂

    Reply

  6. OMG Sam! You have done it AGAIN!!! I love tofu, have a few favourite ways of preparing it, so wasn’t really looking for another. But these looked soooo good, I couldn’t resist. I love how easy they are – no pressing of the tofu, just crumble and stir and spread across the baking sheet. Easy peasy! My husband loved them too!!

    Reply

  7. So I feel like I’ve tried just about every tofu recipe out there (and am a frequent user of all of the ingredients in this recipe – and yet I’ve never discovered this combination before) and this is the best tofu I’ve ever made!! These are SO addicting right off the pan, and I can see how versatile it is. This is definitely my new go-to tofu recipe!

    Reply

  8. These are amazing! I have had hit or miss luck with tofu recipes in the past, so I wasn’t getting my hopes up. I increased the marinade by 150% because my tofu blocks were 397 grams rather than 350g, and added a bunch of cayenne, and wow, perfect texture and flavor. These are Definitely going to replace my store-bought frozen bags of fake chicken that I use as a base for everything,! I purposely overcooked them To use on salads for the added crunch but I would probably bake them for the expected time if I was going to use them for tacos or fake chicken salad. I plan on adding some Frank’s red hot next time. These are so versatile and amazing! My meat eater husband who rolls his eyes When I swear that something is so good that he won’t even know the distan when I swear that something is so good that he won’t even know the difference, Specifically Requests more of these on the menu! Thanks so much for your life changing recipes

    Reply

  9. I just made this recipe and WOW is it good, being the only vegan in my house the rest of my family had big steaks which were super red I the middle (gross) and they ended up hating them. I offered up some of these bites to my my brother (non vegan), since he didn’t eat the beef steak and he loved them so much he ate his whole serving. seriously, these are amazing and so simple. thanks for posting a great recipe:)

    Reply

  12. OMG, even though I have made this plenty of times, for some reason it was smelling extra good, I took a small nibble before I put it in the oven. It tasted just like cold chicken salad. I had to hurry up and put it in the oven before I ate it cold!

    Reply

  13. In all honesty I came across this recipe when there was some extra tofu that would have overcrowded my Mexican marinade to make tacos. I had just a small tofu steak to try this recipe out, and was bummed that there wasn’t more to toss in the oven……because this flavor blew my mind. As I popped the 1st cube in my mouth “is……..is this CHICKEN?!?”. The 8 other cubes never even made it to see a full minute out of the oven. I’ve always had tofu play the role of protein with veggies taking up most of the room in my dishes……but this tofu can stand on its own! No more will the tofu accompany the veggies, NOW the veggies will accompany the TOFU!

    Reply

  14. These tofu bites work wonderfully in my air fryer. These little bites of goodness are great on salads and pasta for a little savory ommph! Also wanted to let you know I’ve been using this recipe with the softer Mori-Mu style tofu that comes in refrigerator free “juice boxes.” I just dump the ingredients together in the processor, spoon out small balls into the air fryer tray, set it for 30 minutes on high, and ta-dah! Same great taste but with less fuss and even less shopping!

    Reply

  15. I’ve been making this recipe since you posted it!! I can’t tell you how much I love it!! But, this week I decided to try something new. Instead of using tofu, I used oyster mushrooms. It was so delicious with the mushrooms. I thought you’d like to know so that perhaps you can try this.

    Reply

  16. I’ve been looking for ways to make tofu and this will definitely be one of those ways. Made it in the air fryer and put it on a salad. My husband kept trying to steal pieces from me. Thank you!

    Reply

  17. I’ve been a vegetarian for 12 years and make tofu all the time — but this simple marinade makes the best marinade I’ve ever had! It’s so stunningly delicious and so simple. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂

    Reply

  18. I just used your recipe to prepare tofu to be added at the last minute to a stir fry of onions, garlic, ginger and several large sweet peppers in a sauce of combined soy sauce and oyster sauce. The crispness of the tofu cubes was retained and they had absorbed some of the flavors of the sauce. I served it on fried noodles. Excellent!

    Reply

  22. So easy! So versatile! So delicious!
    I’ve made this recipe so many times, thinking there will be leftovers for another day and that never happens. Perhaps I should just make 4 cartons of tofu at a time!

    YUMMY!!!

    Reply

  24. These tofu bites are to die for. I’ve made them so many times in the last couple of months I’ve lost count. I started doubling the soy, oil, garlic and yeast flakes because I like the extra flavor and texture it gives the tofu. Last night I subbed Cholulu Sauce for the soy sauce, but kept everything else the same. My husband and I loved them! Once they came out of the oven we tried them, then splashed a little more Cholulu on them before serving. They taste like buffalo wings, but so much better.

    Reply

  25. Thank ypou Sam (and Chickpea),
    I am happy eating tons of fruits and veg but the hubs not so much. He was a hamburger loving fool. One night he say a movie about meat and he immediately stopped eating he. He was very hateful towards tofu for no reason at all. I made these and he devoured them! I can’t believe he trusted me enought to even try them. You site has given my family healthy meals. Thank you for what you do. I love your videos and your energy.!

    Reply

  26. OMG – so very delicious and simple to make!!!! I ate half the pan before they were cooled 🙂 Love these on salad too! Even my non-vegan daughter who wrinkles her nose up at tofu tried these and agreed they were good/tasted like “chicken nuggets”. Have made these several times now…SO GOOD! My new favorite tofu recipe! Thank you Sam!

    Reply

  27. Thank you! I love this recipe. Super easy, and I cook tofu almost every day now. I’ve never gone through a bottle of soy sauce so quick LOL

    I don’t have any nutritional yeast, but it tastes great anyways. I added some cornstarch to see what would happen, and it kinda gives the tofu a light crust.

    This is officially my go to recipe for tofu.

    Reply

  28. Thank you, Sam! I have made this several times since it was first posted. The ONLY reason this makes it off the pan (I literally stood there and ate half the first time I made it!) is so I can make the “Hearty Vegan Tofu Salad” which I sometimes eat on bread, but … you know … I have to use a spoon to get it out of the container, so a lot of it just gets eaten that way. 🙂 Love your recipes and your sunny, vegan inspired disposition.

    XO,
    Dawn

    Reply

  29. I made this recipe and it was so good and we liked it very much especially my husband. He said it doesn’t taste like tofu. A few days ago, I told him to buy some tofu so I can make more of this delicious food and he brought home 7 blocks of tofu so that I have enough. 🙂

    Reply

  31. Finally got around to making these & it’s so good! Along with some barbeque sauce to dip, they’re addicting. I love how easy this is thrown together & it’s such a simple marinade recipe. The tiny crunchy tofu bits might be the best part, my husband asked if I could make a pan of just the crunchy bits hahaha. Thanks for the recipe, it’s another winner!

    Reply

  33. oh boy. now i’m addicted. i had to go do work in the basement to get away from the stove!!! 1 1/2 times the marinade and it’s soooooooooooo yummy!!

    Reply

  34. I’ve made these a few times. They are great as is and easy to play around with other flavors. Today, I made a half batch then added 1/4 cup of Trader Joe’s falafel mix before going in the oven. Very tasty with some tahini, veggies, and pita.

    Reply

  35. I resigned myself to the fact that I didn’t like tofu, except when heavily seasoned in a scramble. I had some tofu to use and wanted something different. I gave these a try on a whim and I’m so glad I did. These are absolutely delicious! Thank you!

    Reply

  36. I reduced the oil and made these in the air fryer because I was doing a batch of veggies anyway. Delicious! Plan to make again and to try the variations from another reviewer using aquafaba or broth for the oil. Thanks for another great recipe.

    Reply

  38. My husband has always said he did not like tofu. I made these and did not tell him what it was, just that I was trying a new recipe that would be versatile for us. He LOVED it. Could not believe it was tofu. Thank you for this recipe. A new favorite.

    Reply

  40. Sam,
    I want to tell you that these are THE best tofu bites I have ever eaten! My husband, daughter (22) & son (14) love them. I can’t make them fast enough before they’re all gone again. I highly recommend that everyone try these. They will not be disappointed. We’ve used them in “chicken” salad for sandwiches, Buddha bowls, “chicken” and rice casserole. There is no limit to the different ways to use these golden bites of yumminess.

    Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply

  42. Add me to the list of those who have fallen in love with tofu bites. They are so good coming out of the oven it’s hard to not nibble the batch away before they get into my burritos, taco salad, etc. I make them exactly as directed.

    Reply

  44. Sam, these are amazing! I didn’t make any extra because I wasn’t sure about the storage. You say they work fine in the fridge or freezer? What is the preferred way of reheating them? Thanks!!

    Reply

  45. Sam, let me start by saying I had a root canal done on Friday (it is now Sunday). I have been eating nothing but smoothies for the last two days. I saw your tofu recipe and I had a half of tofu that I had to do something with it. I mixed it up and put it in the oven and it smelled soooo good that I had to taste it. Fortunately, it was soft enough for me to chew, but I had to stop myself. This is so easy to make, and so versatile! Thanks so much! Can’t wait to make it hard a crispy, once I can chew again!

    Reply

  47. Hi Sam, please could you tell me, can I use tempeh with this recipe, am very new to this. I bought tempeh and Don’t know what to do with it now .

    Reply

  48. This is AMAZING! We put these tofu bites on your mashed potatoes and then added your onion gravy recipe. It was the perfect comfort food! Love this site and your recipes!

    Reply

  50. Ok so I’m gonna be honest, I was a little worried at first when you said not to press the tofu. Especially when I started to crumble it. Ehhhh….this is a little more damp than I’d like it! But I figured….she’s the expert! Let’s see how this turns out. And oh my goodness…..this is so so so good! Just like others have said….I can’t stop just eating it straight off the sheet! I didn’t have a specific plan for this so thankfully I’m free to munch on it. Glad I trusted your expertise! AMAZING!!!!!

    Reply

    • Aww thanks so much, Starla! I always do a LOT of recipe testing to make sure they turn out just right, so I’m very happy you put your trust in me. So thrilled you loved the recipe so much 🙂

      Reply

  51. Yep, these are amazingly delicious — a nice toothy, savory, flavorful substitute for chicken if ever there was one. These will be nice in stir fries and casseroles, and are super tasty in the Hearty Tofu Salad Sandwich, which is my new favorite. Or just pick’em off the baking sheet when they come out of the oven!

    Reply

  52. I’ve just tried making these on a whim. I only had smoked tofu in the fridge. Didn’t have any garlic powder and I’d made up the marinade before realising it’s meant for 700g of tofu, not the 225g I had to hand.
    What the hell.
    Result is absolutely delicious, though my crispy little chunks don’t look anything like your picture. I’ve had to put them in a bag hidden in the fridge to stop my OH scoffing the lot. Flavour is, dare I say, more like bacon than chicken? Perhaps that’s not the intended result. All the same, I will never miss bacon again. Nor will I ever be at a loss as how to use tofu.
    I don’t normally post comments on recipes but I make an exception for these. They are genius

    Reply

    • Hahaha, wonderful Sarah!! I bet they had a bacon-y flavour because there was way more seasoning on yours. So happy you love them, and I very much appreciate your comment 🙂

      Reply

  53. I’ve made these three times. They are that good. I did add half tsp of onion powder and smoked paprika to the last batch. My kids said its like popcorn chicken!wonderful!!

    Reply

    • On my third round, I switched up the olive oil for the same quantity of sesame oil. If there is any left tomorrow, I will use it in a Chinese chicken salad.
      And why not try it with a splash of liquid smoke and smoked paprika for a bacon-y version? Possibilities are endless and happy to have you feeding our creativities.
      Has anyone subbed brewers yeast for the Nutritional yeast? Might need to investigate…

      Reply

  54. O. M. G…ANOTHER winner Sam! Made your seitan steak recipe last night for a satay stir fry & today…well today just kicked it all up a notch! These were FREAKING AAAAAMAZING! I used low salt soy sauce so I could add a tiny bit of vegan chicken stock powder & GUESS WHAT?! They DO taste like chicken . You’re simply brilliant!

    Reply

  55. Hi Sam,
    Just wanted to let you know I made the baked tofu bites about an hour ago and can hardly stay away from them – they are absolutely delicious and addictive!!! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. Linda from Canada

    Reply

  58. So simple yet so delicious!
    I made it tonight and put it on top of some stir fried kale. Added a tiny bit leftover (vegan) Tzatziki. Just a perfect little Monday meal.

    Reply

  59. I strongly suggest you find a better product than soy. It is very harmful for hormones which causes cancer and other diseases. I am a certified nutritionist and thought I would warn you with the updated information. Please research.

    Reply

    • Hi Carmie, any sources you may want to cite? Although you might be right for certain people, you may be wrong for the rest (a lot of people!):
      “Is there anyone who should avoid soy? Well, some people have soy allergies. A national survey found that only about 1 in 2,000 people report a soy allergy. That’s 40 times less than the most common allergen—dairy milk—and about ten times less than all the other common allergens—like fish, eggs, shellfish, nuts, wheat, or peanuts.”
      Source: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/who-shouldnt-eat-soy/

      So there seem to be different effects for different people. If you want to read more
      https://nutritionfacts.org/?s=soy

      Reply

      • Agreed; plus the recipe calls for such a small amount of soy. If anyone has concerns, you can always substitute Braggs liquid aminos or Trafer Joe’s coconut aminos:)

        Reply

        • Oh boy- disregard my comment about ‘such a small amount of soy’ being called for in this recipe… I was fixating on the soy sauce ingredient! Ha!
          I’m sure this recipe could just as easily work with seitan or tempeh. Regardless, for those who don’t mind a little soy in their diet- try this recipe- it’s delicious!!!

          Reply

    • Luckily, the whole bad hormones in soy thing is totally a myth. Soy is just a bean, and like all beans, contain lots of health benefits. Soy doesn’t contain estrogen, it contains phytoestrogens (which is plant estrogen). They are two different things. You know what does contain estrogen? Animal products, especially dairy. Animal bodies make estrogen just like ours do, and so if you eat them, you are eating their estrogen as well. That may be one of the main reasons why vegans have much healthier levels of estrogen. Another reason for this is that excess estrogen is disposed of in our bowls, and as vegans generally eat more fibrous foods (animal products contain no fiber), their systems are much better cleaned out, washing away all the excess. Soy is actually very healthful food. I recommend checking out NutritionFacts.org to learn more.

      Reply

  60. I just can’t wait to try this recipe….Tofu on my shopping order today yay! Your recipes I have tried so far are amazingly fabulous !

    Reply

  61. Fantastic! We cooked today for the whole resident extended family (11 people) and these were a huge hit, even with the kids some of whom are going through a fairly picky eating phase.

    For those who might be curious, the parchment paper is optional. A light coating of olive oil directly on a baking sheet worked just fine.

    Thanks so much for providing so many wonderful recipes and encouragement!

    Reply

  62. Yum! These look great. I can’t wait to try them! I have a big family, so cooking with multiple blocks of tofu and pressing is annoying. I was super excited to see that pressing isn’t even necessary with these. I can satisfy my tastebuds and laziness all at the same time. LOL

    Reply

      • If you eat a lot of fruits and vegies, you don’t really need to add oil to anything. There is a small amount of oil or fat in almost anything. But we could definately use less salt.

        Reply

    • I agree. Just cut the oil. I’m on a whole foods plant based life style as well, and there is no need for oil…which is a pure fat, highly processed and has with no nutritional value. We can get plenty of fat from non processed foods like avocados and nuts. Pans are non stick…so you really don’t have to cook with it. If you feel like something might burn, use a little water or veggie broth. Just my 2 cents of course…everyone is on their own personal journey and we are all here doing the best we can, right?

      Reply

      • Agree! Husband and I have followed a reversing heart disease plan for over 20 years. I use good oils sparingly and when I make this I use less oil, non stick pan, and keep serving size small. Everyone has different needs.

        Reply

      • I would personally throw them in an air fryer if you want to avoid the oil. My guess is that its likely there to help make everything crispy. Or just leave it out and see what happens? 🙂

        Reply

    • Mary, I cook oil free and just sub veggie broth in recipes that call for oil. It works really well. We do not “need” oils for our health. We need fat but we can get our fats through whole foods (avocados, nuts and seeds). 🙂

      Reply

    • Thanks, Mary! I agree that oil is not a health food. It looks like some other readers had some good suggestions here as to what to use instead of oil. If you give it a try let us know how it turns out 🙂

      Reply

  64. These are great! When I made them with the Cobb Salad recipe, I knew they would be very versatile. I think one of the most challenging things as a vegan is finding EASY to make and EASY to transport appetizers. I like to come with something when I visit and although I like making all types of hummus, it is fun to have something completely different. These are a crowd pleaser.

    There is only one problem, Sam. You need to change the title of your page because these little nuggets DO taste like chicken!! 🙂

    Reply

  66. These sound delicious! If I made a mega-batch and froze some to have on hand, would the taste and texture be the same? Also, could I cook them in an air fryer?

    Reply

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