Vegetarian Wendy’s Copycat Buffalo Nuggets Recipe

Photos of Vegetarian Wendy’s Copycat Buffalo Nuggets Recipe

Yearning for Wendy’s buffalo nuggets but need to cut down on fast food? Cure your craving with these vegetarian tofu nuggets. Not only a healthier option for your diet, but this easy-to-make recipe is also ideal for a perfect snack. They’re even better with barbeque sauce or ketchup.

If you want to make the shift to a plant-based diet, this recipe can act as a transition for you. It’s flavorful and still has that deep-fried goodness that makes it taste almost like the real thing. Try it out for yourself and you’ll be surprised how good they taste!

How To Make Vegetarian Wendy’s Copycat Buffalo Nuggets

These meat-free nuggets might just trick you into thinking you’re eating regular chicken nuggets! Try these tofu nuggets for a healthier snack that tastes just as good as the real deal.

Prep: 15 mins

Rest: 15 mins

Cook: 5 mins

Total: 35 mins

Serves:

Ingredients

2 extra-firm tofu blocks , pressed and sliced into bite-sized nuggets
2 cups vegetable broth, double-strength, no chicken, chicken-style
½ cup all purpose flour
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 cups eggs replacer
⅓ cup Frank’s hot sauce
oil, for frying

Instructions

Place tofu nuggets into a bowl and add chicken-style broth. Coat each piece completely and let it stand for at least 15 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Whisk together egg replacer and Frank's hot sauce.
In a medium shallow bowl, whisk together the flour breadcrumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Set it aside.
Remove the tofu from the broth marinade and dip it into the seasoned flour.
Next, dip it into the egg replacer mixture and coat again with the seasoned flour. Place the dredged tofu on a plate or a wire rack and continue until you have dredged all of the tofu.
Meanwhile, heat up your oil to 365 degrees F and carefully place the dredged tofu into the hot oil and cook it in batches.
Fry for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and heated through.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the tofu from the oil and place it on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until all of the tofu are cooked.
Serve with your choice of dipping sauces!

Recipe Notes

Why not switch it up a little and replace tofu with mushrooms? Choose smaller mushrooms for the best bite-sized pieces. If you happen to have larger mushrooms, you can always cut them into smaller pieces. Use white button mushrooms for a milder flavor or shitake mushrooms for a stronger umami flavor. Both varieties are perfect as a substitute.

Substitute canola oil with peanut oil. Peanut oil has a neutral taste that is perfect for frying your tofu nuggets.

Nutrition

Sugar: 2g
:
Calcium: 80mg
Calories: 194kcal
Carbohydrates: 22g
Cholesterol: 205mg
Fat: 7g
Fiber: 2g
Iron: 2mg
Potassium: 160mg
Protein: 11g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Sodium: 859mg
Vitamin A: 767IU
Vitamin C: 1mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Want to share your recipe for Vegetarian Wendy's Copycat Buffalo Nuggets or discuss other meat-free fast food copycat dishes? Join the conversation in the Recipe Sharing forum!

Was this page helpful?

Yes No

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I substitute eggs with?

If you’re looking to make this recipe entirely vegan, you can swap eggs for ground flaxseed and warm water. 1 tbsp ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp warm water will give you the equivalent of one egg.

Do these tofu nuggets taste like real chicken?

They definitely won’t taste 100% similar but the texture should somewhat resemble chicken. This is why it’s important to choose firm tofu and marinate it well so that that it won’t taste as bland.

Conclusion

Many of us might be thinking of jumping on the vegan bandwagon for its numerous benefits. However, we might not know where to start and how to get around many mainstream recipes. With this take on a copycat Wendy's Buffalo Chicken Nuggets, you will see how easy it is to make the swap. Try it and let us know what you think!