Buffalo Tofu Wings – Kelly Jones Nutrition

As the big game approaches and cool weather continues, there’s something about Buffalo sauce that just always sounds good! Having lived in Buffalo, NY for two years for grad school, I made plenty of stops at the famous wing establishments (team Duff’s!) as any time there was a visitor that was on their agenda. But even when I did include poultry in my diet on the regular, boneless wings were my preference. Now, with a more plant-forward lifestyle and a desire to share food with family and friends that is more heart healthy, these baked (or air fried) Buffalo tofu wings hit the spot. Whether you eat chicken wings or not, I encourage you to switch up your normal routine and give these a try!

Benefits of Tofu

Tofu is an incredibly versatile and easy-to-use, high quality plant protein. When I say high quality, I’m talking about bioavailability – or the amount of protein that is digested, absorbed and well utilized after ingestion. When it comes to plant protein, soy protein is the most comparable to animal based proteins for bioavailability. A main reason for this is that soy protein contains all of the essential amino acids – the ones we need to eat enough of because our body cannot make them – in adequate amounts. And a portion of soy protein provides enough total protein that you don’t need to rely on other protein sources to get enough at that meal or snack.

Even if you enjoy animal proteins in your diet, replacing them with plant proteins at some meals may be better for your health and the environment. In terms of health, plant proteins are low in total and saturated fat, and provide heart and gut supportive fiber. Their production also results in lower greenhouse gas emissions and water usage compared to animal proteins.

I also mentioned versatility and ease. One of my favorite things about plant proteins is the shelf life and food safety. I can keep tofu or tempeh in my fridge for weeks and beans or lentils in my pantry for months (even years if needed) without them spoiling. Prep wise, I can add them to meals without cooking if I’m in a pinch. And – while a bit weird – my oldest will just eat cubes of tofu raw while he cuts them to help me food prep. No worries there!

The Easiest Buffalo Tofu Wings

If you’re looking to make your own Buffalo wings, with these you don’t have to worry about food safety or multi-step processes to coat the wings before cooking. Simply drain and press your tofu before breaking it into pieces with your hands. Breaking it versus chopping with a knife allows for better coating and a texture more similar to boneless chicken wings.

You’ll add your tofu pieces to a medium bowl and toss lightly with a little avocado oil. I like avocado oil for this recipe since it has a great fat profile and virtually no taste! Then in a separate small bowl you’ll mix your flour, cornstarch, and garlic powder. Toss the tofu pieces in the flour mix until they are well coated and get to baking or air frying!

Notes:

• I have only tested this recipe using extra firm tofu. I don’t recommend anything less firm as the texture will likely not hold up. Super firm will likely work as well and offer a little more protein per serving.
• If you choose note to bake on a cooling rack or similar, the outside may not come out quite as crispy. I actually preferred the texture when I cooked directly on a baking sheet, but my husband, who may be more of a wing person than me, preferred the rack method.
• If air frying, note that different products can have vastly different cook times. For reference, I use the Our Place Wonder Oven (I chose it since it’s non-toxic and has several cooking features).