These lemon pepper tofu wings are coated in seasoned breading, baked to crispy perfection, then drizzled with a sweet, zippy lemon pepper glaze. These crave-worthy tofu bites are perfect for everything from game-day snacking to weeknight dinners.
Football season is here, and while I couldn't care less about football (sorry), everyone else's excitement about the game always gets me craving some Buffalo tofu wings. I love them! But it recently occurred to me that there are other types of wings out there, so I decided to branch out! This year I made lemon pepper tofu wings, and they're definitely a new favorite (tied for first place with the Buffalo wings).
Jump to:
If you've never had lemon pepper wings before, they're milder than Buffalo wings, with a slightly sweet, zesty lemon pepper glaze taking the place of Buffalo sauce. I used the same basic breading and cooking method, so they still have that delightful crunch without any frying — these babies are baked!
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Flour. We're using all-purpose wheat flour, which is the only variety I've tested this recipe with.
- Tofu. Super-firm tofu works best. Extra-firm will also do, but you'll need to press it first.
- Oil. This is actually optional, but a light brushing or spritz with vegetable oil (or any neutral high-heat oil) will help your wings brown in the oven.
- Non-dairy milk. Use a variety that's unsweetened and unflavored, and that's suitable for drinking, such as oat, almond, cashew, or soy. Read my guide to dairy-free milks if you need help choosing one.
- Ground flaxseed. This is a vegan egg substitute that helps with binding the batter.
- Salt and pepper.
- Panko breadcrumbs.
- Lemon pepper seasoning. This is a blend that includes lemon zest, black pepper, and some other spices. Look for it in the spice aisle.
- Onion and garlic powders.
- Vegan butter. Most stores carry this in the refrigerated case, near the regular butter.
- Maple syrup.
- Lemon juice. This is a star flavor, so be sure to use freshly squeezed juice.
- Lemon zest.
How They're Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Get ready. Start by preheating your oven to 425°F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare your dipping stations. Place the flour in one bowl, batter in another bowl (non-dairy milk, flour, ground flaxseed, and salt), and breading in another bowl (panko breadcrumbs, flour, lemon pepper seasoning, garlic and onion powders, and salt).
Cut the tofu. Slice the block into 6 rectangles, then cut each in half diagonally to create 12 triangles.
Bread the tofu. Dip each triangle first in the flour, then the batter, then the breading. Arrange them on the baking sheet, and optionally brush or spritz them with a bit of oil.
Bake. Pop the baking sheet into the oven and bake the tofu for 20 minutes.
Make the sauce. While the tofu bakes, mix melted vegan butter, maple syrup, lemon juice, zest, lemon pepper seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Glaze and bake. Spoon the sauce all over the wings, flip them, and bake them for a final ten minutes.
Finish and serve. Spoon any leftover sauce over your wings when they come out of the oven, then serve them right away. They're delicious on their own, but they also go really well with celery and carrot sticks, and creamy dressings like my vegan ranch, silken tofu dressing, and vegan blue cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Probably, but I haven't tested a gluten-free version. If you'd like to try, I think an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend would be your best bet, along with vegan gluten-free breadcrumbs.
They are quite mild! The black pepper is the only element that adds a touch of heat.
Yep! Lemon pepper tofu wings will keep for about 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring them to room temperature either on the counter or in the microwave, then optionally give them a fresh brush or spritz of oil, and place them under a hot broiler for a few minutes on each side, until crispy.
More Vegan Game-Day Snacks
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
📖 Recipe
Lemon Pepper Tofu Wings
Ingredients
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 (16 ounce/454 gram) package super-firm tofu
- Vegetable oil, for brushing or misting (optional)
For the Batter
- â…” cup unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Breading
- â…” cup panko breadcrumbs
- â…“ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Sauce
- ¼ cup vegan butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare your dipping stations. Place the ¼ cup of flour into one bowl, whisk the batter ingredients together in a second bowl, and stir the breading ingredients together in a third bowl. Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes. You can cut the tofu in the meantime.
- Slice the tofu into 12 triangles. To do this, slice the block into 6 rectangles, then cut each rectangle in half on a diagonal.
- Dip one of your tofu triangles in the flour, lightly coating all sides. Shake off any excess flour, then dip it in the batter, again gently shaking to remove any excess batter. Dip the tofu in the breading to lightly coat all sides. Place the tofu on the baking sheet. Repeat the process for the remaining tofu triangles.
- Optionally, lightly brush or spray both sides of each tofu triangle with vegetable oil (this helps with browning).
- Bake the tofu for 20 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottoms and crispy.
- While the tofu bakes, stir the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Spoon the sauce over the tofu to coat the pieces, reserving any excess sauce. Turn the pieces so the sides that were resting on the parchment paper during the first round of baking are now facing up.
- Return the tofu to the oven for 10 minutes.
- Spoon any remaining sauce over the tofu just before serving.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on ingredients, brands, portion sizes, and preparation methods.
Comments
No Comments