Bang Bang Tofu Bites

This Bang Bang Tofu recipe features crispy baked tofu drenched in a sweet and spicy bang bang sauce. It’s a fun plant-based appetizer to serve at parties or with rice for dinner! Vegan, Gluten-Free.

Course Main, Side

Cuisine Chinese

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Oven

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 302kcal

Ingredients

For the Tofu Bites:

16 ounces extra firm tofu pressed
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons non-dairy milk I used soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar*
2 teaspoons sriracha*
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cornstarch

For the Sweet Chili Sauce:

1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise see notes for subs
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1-3 teaspoons sriracha
1 green onion finely sliced (or sub chives)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Tear the tofu into 1” bite-sized chunks for a more meat-like shape and texture (recommended), or cut into small cubes. Set aside.
Season the Tofu: In a large bowl whisk the oil, milk, vinegar, sriracha, garlic powder, and onion powder together until combined. Add the tofu to the bowl and gently mix with a spatula until evenly coated – to prevent breakage I recommend pressing the spatula down the side of the bowl, then gently “scooping” the tofu up. Sprinkle the cornstarch on top and mix again. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread out the tofu pieces so they aren’t touching. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 30 minutes, flipping the tofu halfway through.
Sauce: In the meantime add the mayo, sweet chili sauce, and 1 teaspoon of sriracha to a small bowl and whisk until combined. Add more sriracha to taste, if desired.
Serve: Remove the tofu from the oven and transfer to a serving dish or skewers. Drizzle with the bang bang sauce, then sprinkle green onion on top. Serve immediately.

Notes

Mayo Substitutions: You can replace the mayo with a thick coconut yogurt (culina or cocojune), or make a cashew “mayo” by blending 1 cup of cashews, 1/2 cup water, and a pinch of salt together in a bullet or high-speed blender until smooth (makes extra).
Other Substitutions: Sriracha can be replaced with Frank’s Red Hot for a similar flavor. Apple cider can be substituted with rice vinegar or white vinegar. Cornstarch can be substituted with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch.
Air Fryer: If your air fryer has a grate basket, I recommend lining it. Bake at 400F for 16 to 20 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes. You may need to bake the tofu in multiple batches to prevent it from sticking.
Gluten-Free: This recipe is gluten-free as written. Some sweet chili sauce may use wheat to thicken the sauce, so just double-check the ingredients there!

Nutrition