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These hot maple tofu bites are addictive and perfect to snack on! The hot maple glaze (or sauce) is a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory. The pieces of tofu are dipped in a batter then coated in a bread crumb mix before being cooked to a golden brown crisp. You can then opt to serve the glaze by pouring it over the tofu and mixing well to coat each piece when ready to enjoy or have it as a dipping sauce.

THE INSPIRATION FOR THESE HOT MAPLE TOFU BITES

This recipe was heavily inspired by the hot maple oyster mushrooms I tried at Aunts et Uncles, a vegan restaurant in Brooklyn, New York. The moment I had a bite of those mushrooms, I knew I had to make it. But instead of using mushrooms, I decided to use extra firm tofu and coat them in panko breadcrumbs for more crunch. 

This is also a vegan take on hot honey – but instead of honey I used maple syrup, which has very distinct flavors that pair so well with the other elements of the sauce/glaze.

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

You’ll find the full detailed recipe in the card below!

FOR THE TOFU

• 1 lb extra firm tofu , drained and press
• 1.5 tsp paprika powder
• Pinch salt

BATTER

WET MIX

• 1/2 tsp distilled white vinegar or lemon juice
• 2/3 cup unsweetened soy milk or other plant based milk

DRY MIX

• 4 tbsp all purpose flour (see notes)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

BREADING

• 1 to 1.5 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika powder
• Pinch of salt

HOT MAPLE SAUCE/GLAZE

• 1 tbsp vegan butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1-2 tbsp sriracha adjust to desired heat
• 1-1.5 tbsp soy sauce adjust to desired taste
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1-2 tbsp chili oil, adjust to desired heat (see homemade chili oil recipe here)

TO COOK

• Neutral oil for cooking

TO FINISH

• Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
• Chopped chives for garnish

STEPS TO PREPARE THIS DISH

PREPARE THE TOFU

• Drain the tofu from water and press to remove any excess moisture. I like to do this my wrapping the tofu in some paper towels and placing a heavy weighted surface on top.
• Slice the tofu into 1-inch cubes or any shape of your choice.

Season the tofu with paprika and salt. Carefully mix or pat to coat the tofu well.

MAKE THE BATTER

• Add the vinegar or lemon juice into the soy milk or other plant milk. Allow to curdle for at least 5 minutes. This will create a buttermilk-like consistency.
• In a separate bowl, mix together all of the other dry ingredients for the batter.
• Pour the vinegar and milk mixture into the dry mixture.
• Mix until there are no longer any signs of dry flour. The batter will be a bit thinner than pancake batter but should coat the tofu well. Lumps are fine, so don’t over mix.

SEASON THE BREADCRUMBS

• In a large bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, garlic powder and paprika.

COATING THE TOFU

• Dip a piece of tofu into the batter. Transfer to the breadcrumb mixture to coat well. I like to use one hand for the wet mixture and one hand for the dry breadcrumb mix so it’s easier to handle each piece.
• Repeat this for the rest of the tofu until all the pieces are coated.

COOKING OPTION 1: DEEP FRYING

• This is my preferred way since the pieces come out more evenly crisp and also juicer.
• Heat a large pan or wok over medium high heat. Add enough oil to submerge the pieces of tofu.
• Once the oil is hot (you can test out the heat by adding some breadcrumbs – it should immediately sizzle), add the coated tofu. You can do this in batches so as not the overcrowd the pot/pan.
• Fry the tofu for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Remove the pieces from the oil and place on a cooling rack to drain excess oil.

COOKING OPTION 2: BAKING OPTION

• Heat your oven to 350F. Line your tray with some parchment paper or a silicon mat if you have one. Spray a generous amount of oil on the tofu.
• Bake the tofu or 35-40 minutes or until crisp and lightly golden brown. Flip halfway through cooking. Note that the pieces will not turn as golden brown throughout compared to when they’re deep fried.

COOKING OPTION 3: AIR-FRYING

• Spray a generous amount of oil on the tofu. You can line your air fryer basket with some parchment paper to prevent from sticking.
• You can cook your tofu at 350F for 13-15 minutes, flip halfway through cooking. Note that air-fryer settings can vary so you can try your settings and adjust from there.

WHICH IS BETTER: AIR-FRYING OR DEEP-FRYING?

I personally prefer deep-frying since it yields more evenly crisp and golden brown pieces but air-frying/baking is also really good if you flip the pieces to cook more evenly. They do come out a bit more dry so I would recommend mixing the sauce into the tofu to coat each piece well.

HOT MAPLE SAUCE

• In a small sauce pan, melt the vegan butter. Add the minced garlic, sriracha, soy sauce, maple syrup, and chili oil. Mix everything together and feel free to adjust to your taste. You can add more sriracha for heat, more maple syrup for sweetness, or more soy sauce for saltiness.
• Allow the sauce to come to a boil and stir constantly. Once it boils, turn off the heat. Note that the sauce will slightly thicken as it cools.

SERVE AND ENJOY

• Pour the sauce over the fried tofu bites when ready to enjoy. This is best enjoyed freshly made since the tofu will soak the sauce and will lose its crispiness when it sits.
• You can also use this as a dipping sauce instead of a glaze.

• Garnish with chopped chives and sesame seeds, if desired. Enjoy!

MORE TOFU RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

• Shredded Tofu ‘Bulgogi’
• Maple Hoisin Tofu
• Baked Peanut and Lime Tofu
• Kung Pao Tofu
• Pineapple Cashew Tofu Stir-Fry
• Crispy Salt and Pepper Tofu
• Black Pepper Tofu Steaks
• Tofu “Chicken” Teriyaki
• Korean Spicy Braised Tofu
• Fried ‘Chicken’ and Gravy
• Tofu Katsu
• Orange Tofu
• Pan-Fried Tofu Cakes
• Tofu ‘McNuggets’

Hot Maple Tofu Bites (Vegan Recipe)

5 from 2 votes

These hot maple tofu bites are addictive and perfect to snack on! The hot maple glaze (or sauce) is a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory. The pieces of tofu are dipped in a batter then coated in a bread crumb mix before being cooked to a golden brown crisp. You can then opt to serve the glaze by pouring it over the tofu and mixing well to coat each piece when ready to enjoy or have it as a dipping sauce.

Print Recipe Pin this Recipe Rate this Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Appetizer, Dips, Finger Food, Main Course, Sauces, Side Dish, Sides, Snack, Snacks, Starters

Cuisine American, Caribbean, Fusion, Western

Servings 3 servings

Calories 515 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

TOFU

• 1 lb extra firm tofu , drained and press
• 1.5 tsp paprika powder
• Pinch salt

BATTER

WET MIX

• 1/2 tsp distilled white vinegar or lemon juice
• 2/3 cup unsweetened soy milk or other plant based milk

DRY MIX

• 4 tbsp all purpose flour (see notes)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

BREADING

• 1 to 1.5 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika powder
• Pinch of salt

HOT MAPLE SAUCE/GLAZE

• 1 tbsp vegan butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1-2 tbsp sriracha adjust to desired heat
• 1-1.5 tbsp soy sauce adjust to desired taste
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1-2 tbsp chili oil adjust to desired heat (see homemade chili oil recipe here) 

TO COOK

• Neutral oil for cooking

TO FINISH

• Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
• Chopped chives for garnish

Instructions

 

PREPARE THE TOFU

• Drain the tofu from water and press to remove any excess moisture. I like to do this my wrapping the tofu in some paper towels and placing a heavy weighted surface on top.
• Slice the tofu into 1-inch cubes or any shape of your choice.
• Season the tofu with paprika and salt. Carefully mix or pat to coat the tofu well.

MAKE THE BATTER

• Add the vinegar or lemon juice into the soy milk or other plant milk. Allow to curdle for at least 5 minutes. This will create a buttermilk-like consistency.
• In a separate bowl, mix together all of the other dry ingredients for the batter.
• Pour the vinegar and milk mixture into the dry mixture.
• Mix until there are no longer any signs of dry flour. The batter will be a bit thinner than pancake batter but should coat the tofu well. Lumps are fine, so don’t over mix.

BREADCRUMBS

• In a large bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, garlic powder and paprika.

COATING THE TOFU

• Dip a piece of tofu into the batter. Transfer to the breadcrumb mixture to coat well.
• I like to use one hand for the wet mixture and one hand for the dry breadcrumb mix so it's easier to handle each piece.
• Repeat this for the rest of the tofu until all the pieces are coated.

COOKING OPTION 1: DEEP FRYING

• This is my preferred way since the pieces come out more evenly crisp and also juicer.
• Heat a large pan or wok over medium high heat. Add enough oil to submerge the pieces of tofu.
• Once the oil is hot (you can test out the heat by adding some breadcrumbs – it should immediately sizzle), add the coated tofu. You can do this in batches so as not the overcrowd the pot/pan.
• Fry the tofu for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Remove the pieces from the oil and place on a cooling rack to drain excess oil.

COOKING OPTION 2: BAKING OPTION

• Heat your oven to 350F. Line your tray with some parchment paper or a silicon mat if you have one. Spray a generous amount of oil on the tofu.
• Bake the tofu or 35-40 minutes or until crisp and lightly golden brown. Flip halfway through cooking. Note that the pieces will not turn as golden brown throughout compared to when they’re deep fried.

COOKING OPTION 3: AIR-FRYING

• Spray a generous amount of oil on the tofu. You can line your air fryer basket with some parchment paper to prevent from sticking.
• You can cook your tofu at 350F for 13-15 minutes, flip halfway through cooking. Note that air-fryer settings can vary so you can try your settings and adjust from there.

HOT MAPLE SAUCE

• In a small sauce pan, melt the vegan butter. Add the minced garlic, sriracha, soy sauce, maple syrup, and chili oil. Mix everything together and feel free to adjust to your taste. You can add more sriracha for heat, more maple syrup for sweetness, or more soy sauce for saltiness.
• Allow the sauce to come to a boil and stir constantly. Once it boils, turn off the heat. Note that the sauce will slightly thicken as it cools.

SERVE AND ENJOY

• Pour the sauce over the fried tofu bites when ready to enjoy. This is best enjoyed freshly made since the tofu will soak the sauce and will lose its crispiness when it sits.
• You can also use this as a dipping sauce instead of a glaze. Garnish with chopped chives and sesame seeds, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

FLOUR AND BATTER CONSISTENCY

• Some plant-based milk can be a bit watery. If your batter is a bit too runny, you can add 1 tbsp more flour to the batter, and mix well, to create a thicker consistency.
  The batter mixture is a bit thinner than pancake batter consistency, but it should coat the tofu well.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 84g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 997mg | Potassium: 527mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 761IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 249mg | Iron: 4mg

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