Buffalo Tofu Cutlets with Celery Ranch Slaw
These crispy buffalo tofu cutlets are served with a delicious celery ranch slaw to give you a great balance of flavors and texture with each bite. Packed with protein and easy to customize based on your specific needs.
Making a breaded cutlet can feel intimidating at first. There’s lots of bowls, a pattern to follow…I get it! But truly, it’s not as bad as you might think. Truthfully the process is very rewarding at the end especially when it comes to these buffalo tofu cutlets. And if that’s not enough reassurance, I do encourage you to consider some of the shortcuts below to help reassure you more.
Why You’ll Love These Buffalo Tofu Cutlets
- Packed with protein. If using super firm tofu and cutting into 4 slabs, each cutlet provides 20 grams of protein!
- Easy to customize. I share some swaps and shortcuts throughout this post to help you go at your own speed when prepping.
- A fun twist on a classic combo. I love this recipe because it is a fun play on something familiar. Using the celery slaw to serve with the delicious spice and tang from the buffalo sauce makes this dish extra special in flavor and texture.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tofu: Super firm or extra firm tofu can work really well here. Do note, that the extra firm tofu does need to be pressed before using. I would press for about 15 minutes before using.
- Tamari: Feel free to use soy sauce or coconut aminos as an alternative.
- Lemon: Use fresh as you will need the juice and zest for this recipe. Alternatively, you can use lime.
- Bread Crumbs: I recommend using panko bread crumbs for this. I prefer the resulting texture way more than other types of bread crumbs. However, feel free to use what you like.
- Nutritional Yeast: This adds some extra umami flavor to the breading. If you don’t normally have nutritional yeast on hand, leave it out and use an equal amount of bread crumbs to replace it.
- Seasonings: I used a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Feel free to add to this list based on your preference.
- Fresh herbs: I used both fresh dill and parsley for the ranch sauce.
- Yogurt: I used a plain plant-based soy yogurt from Silk. I also like Forager Project unsweetened plain cashew yogurt as well. Alternatively, you can use a vegan mayo.
- Buffalo Sauce: I used a vegan buffalo sauce. I tested with both Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce and Primal Kitchen’s Buffalo Sauce. As of right now, both are vegan as is. Always check the ingredients for brands just in case if vegan or dairy-free.
- Celery: I like the classic contrast of buffalo with celery, but if you are not a fan of celery, feel free to swap with cabbage instead.
How to Make Buffalo Tofu Cutlets
Preheat the oven to 425F. Prepare a small baking tray by brushing with 1-2 tbsp of oil to coat the bottom.
Cut your tofu block into 3-4 slabs lengthwise. Place the slabs in a resealable freezer bag or an airtight container with the tamari and juice of half a lemon. Seal the container and gently shake to coat and allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
Set up three shallow bowls. To one bowl add the flour. For the second bowl add the milk, yogurt, and a pinch of salt and whisk together until smooth. To the last bowl add the bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, lemon zest, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of salt then whisk together.
Place one marinated slab of tofu at a time into the bowl with flour, making sure to completely coat. Dip the coated tofu into the bowl with milk then gently shake off excess before transferring to the bowl with the panko mixture making sure the tofu is completely coated.
Transfer the breaded tofu to the prepared baking tray and spray the top of the tofu with a little oil. Bake the tofu for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until golden.
Clear out two of the bowls from earlier. To one, bowl add the yogurt, oil, nutritional yeast, garlic and onion powder, juice of the remaining lemon half, dill, parsley and a pinch of salt then whisk to combine. Add the celery to it and toss to coat.
To the second bowl add the buffalo sauce and maple syrup and whisk to combine. Once baked, dip the cutlets into the buffalo sauce to coat and transfer to a cutting board to cut into strips.
Serve the tofu with the celery slaw however you like then enjoy.
Expert Tips
- Use short cuts as desired. Don’t want to make your “ranch” dressing? Use a pre-bottled one. There are a few brands that offer vegan versions that can work here. Same can be applied to the buffalo sauce. You can absolutely make it yourself, but sometimes it’s just less of a hassle to use a premade sauce. Want to save a step with flavoring the tofu? No one is stopping you so feel free to go straight to dredging and breading your tofu.
- Give a bump of protein. Choose how you wish to serve your tofu. For a boost of protein consider serving with whole grains like quinoa, farro or whole bread/wraps.
- Prep some items in advance to save time. If planning to meal prep, press and marinate your tofu in advance. If you marinate your tofu, you can leave it in its storage container for up to 3 days in the fridge until you are ready to make this. This cuts a lot of extra prep time, so you can go straight to coating the tofu.
- Feel free to not coat your tofu in buffalo sauce. You can absolutely serve your tofu with the buffalo sauce on the side or drizzled on top if preferred.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is best enjoyed once prepared. If you have leftovers, I recommend storing in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days in the fridge.
Replace the flour with potato starch or all-purpose gluten-free flour (I like Bob’s Red Mill for this). You will also need to swap the bread crumbs and use a gluten-free bread crumb. I like Kikkoman’s gluten-free panko bread crumbs. The crumbs are big in size, so I like to give them a quick blitz in a food processor to make them more of a fine crumb. Also ensure that your tamari/soy sauce is gluten-free.
Absolutely. To do this, heat a large skillet over medium low heat and add enough oil to coat the bottom of your pan. Once the oil is hot enough, add the cutlets into the pan, making sure to not overcrowd the pan. Allow the tofu to cook undisturbed for 4-5 minutes. Once the edges appear more golden, flip the tofu and cook again 4-5 minutes until golden then remove from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate or wire rack to drain.
Yes! Make sure to spray both sides of the cutlets with oil. Place in the air fryer basket making sure not to overcrowd (aim for some space between the cutlets). Bake at 400F for 12-13 minutes or until golden. Do note air fryers vary so you may need to increase or decrease the cook time based on your model. I like to always check around the 10 minute mark to see how the cutlets are doing before baking for a little longer until golden.
Different Ways to Serve the Cutlets and Slaw
- Slice it up and serve on a plate with your favorite grains and the celery slaw
- Enjoy sliced up in a wrap stuffed with the celery slaw and extra greens
- Use between burger buns to make an epic buffalo tofu sandwich
- Cut into pieces and enjoy in a salad bowl with your favorite greens
More Epic Tofu Recipes to Try
- Chili Crunch Tofu Bowls
- Marinated Tofu and Zucchini Sandwich
- Garlic Soy Glazed Tofu Skewers
- Lime Crunch Noodle Salad
- Crispy Lemon Herb Tofu Patties
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
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Buffalo Tofu Cutlets with Celery Ranch Slaw
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Meal
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These crispy buffalo tofu cutlets are served with a delicious celery ranch slaw to give you a great balance of flavors and texture with each bite. Packed with protein and easy to customize based on your specific needs.
Ingredients
Buffalo Tofu
- 1, 16 oz package super firm tofu or extra firm tofu (if using extra firm press for 15 minutes before using)
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 lemon (zest the lemon then cut in half)
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup soy or almond milk
- 2 tbsp plain plant-based yogurt
- 1/3 cup all-purpose or spelt flour
- 1–2 tbsp avocado oil/spray oil for baking
- 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- Kosher salt
Celery Ranch Slaw
- 6 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup plain plant-based yogurt
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp minced fresh dill
- 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Prepare a small baking tray by brushing with 1-2 tbsp of oil to coat the bottom.
- Cut your tofu block into 3-4 slabs lengthwise. Place the slabs in a resealable freezer bag or an airtight container with the tamari and juice of half a lemon. Seal the container and gently shake to coat and allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
- Set up three shallow bowls. To one bowl add the flour. To the second bowl add the milk, yogurt, and a pinch of salt and whisk together until smooth. To the last bowl add the bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, lemon zest, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of salt then whisk together.
- Place one marinated slab of tofu at a time into the bowl with flour, making sure to completely coat. Dip the coated tofu into the bowl with milk then gently shake off excess before transferring to the bowl with the panko mixture making sure the tofu is completely coated.
- Transfer the breaded tofu to the prepared baking tray and spray the top of the tofu with a little oil. Bake the tofu for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until golden.
- Clear out two of the bowls from earlier. To one, bowl add the yogurt, oil, nutritional yeast, garlic and onion powder, juice of the remaining lemon half, dill, parsley and a pinch of salt then whisk to combine. Add the celery to it and toss to coat.
- To the second bowl add the buffalo sauce and maple syrup and whisk to combine. Once baked, dip the cutlets into the buffalo sauce to coat and transfer to a cutting board to cut into strips.
- Serve the tofu with the celery slaw however you like then enjoy.
Notes
Use short cuts as desired. Don’t want to make your “ranch” dressing? Use a pre-bottled one. There are a few brands that offer vegan versions that can work here. Same can be applied to the buffalo sauce. You can absolutely make it yourself, but sometimes it’s just less of a hassle to use a premade sauce. Want to save a step with flavoring the tofu? No one is stopping you so feel free to go straight to dredging and breading your tofu.
Give a bump of protein. Choose how you wish to serve your tofu. For a boost of protein consider serving with whole grains like quinoa, farro or whole bread/wraps.
Prep some items in advance to save time. If planning to meal prep, press and marinate your tofu in advance. If you marinate your tofu, you can leave it in its storage container for up to 3 days in the fridge until you are ready to make this. This cuts a lot of extra prep time, so you can go straight to coating the tofu.
Feel free to not coat your tofu in buffalo sauce. You can absolutely serve your tofu with the buffalo sauce on the side for dipping or drizzled on top when serving if preferred.
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Spectacular, give me 14 servings right now. This is seriously SO GOOD!!!