Crispy Vegan Honey Mustard Tofu

This fun and filling appetizer is a love letter to tofu. With an ingredient that is such a blank canvas, the sky’s the limit in terms of textures and flavors that you can pack into a dish. Here, I’ve turned a classic into a plant-based snacking delight: honey mustard tofu. This dish is:

• Golden brown and crispy without being greasy
• Flavored with sweet agave and tangy mustard throughout
• Great for sharing on a large platter for entertaining and parties

Honey Mustard Tofu Key Ingredients

Rather than traditional bee’s honey, this recipe uses agave, instead. The sweet and tangy flavor of honey mustard is embedded into every step of this recipe, from the sauce to the crispy breadcrumb coating.

Extra firm tofu: Use the firmest, most dense tofu you can find. The best type for this recipe is the vacuum-sealed type, rather than the kind that comes in a plastic carton with water.

“Honey” mustard sauce: This sauce uses agave instead of honey and two types of mustard. Classic yellow mustard adds tang and vibrant color. Dijon adds a deeper flavor and subtle spice. Vegan mayo makes it creamy, while garlic powder and cayenne (optional) add extra flavor.

Wet dredging mix: The base of your wet mix starts with the reserved half of the honey mustard sauce. Then add cornstarch to thicken it up into a batter.

Dry dredging mix: The dry mix is a base of panko breadcrumbs (you can use gluten-free if needed) seasoned with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Then, for an extra hit of mustardy flavor, we add dry mustard powder.

How to Make Honey Mustard Tofu

If you’ve ever set up a dredging station before, you’ll be familiar with the process.

First, press your tofu. Wrap your block of tofu in a clean kitchen towel and place something heavy on top of it. This will ensure all the moisture gets pressed out of the tofu, making it denser and easier to crisp up in the oven.

Meanwhile, whisk together the honey mustard sauce. You’ll divide the finished sauce in half and use one half for the wet mix and the other half for dipping at the end.

For the wet mix, combine half of the honey mustard sauce with two tablespoons of cornstarch to form a thin batter.

For the dry mix, combine panko breadcrumbs with dry mustard powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Thinly slice the pressed tofu into strips, and then dip each piece into the wet mixture, shaking off any excess. Then press it into the breadcrumbs, making sure they adhere on all sides.

Transfer the tofu to a baking sheet and spray with cooking oil. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Serve with the dipping sauce and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

This honey mustard tofu is great as a party appetizer with the dipping sauce served on the side. You can also make the tofu pieces smaller and serve them as “nuggets” rather than larger pieces. Perhaps you’d like to serve them alongside other small finger foods, like these mini mushroom pies.

To make this an entree, skip the dipping sauce and serve the crispy tofu over rice with roasted broccoli or asparagus on the side.

Looking for more tofu inspiration? How about this unique macadamia sweet & sour tofu?

Crispy Vegan Honey Mustard Tofu

This crispy baked vegan "honey" mustard tofu packs multiple layers of sweet-and-tangy flavor. Dip in and enjoy this fun and filling appetizer!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep 30 minutes mins

Cook 30 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup vegan mayo
• 1/4 cup agave
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)

Crispy Baked Tofu

• 1 14-oz block extra firm tofu
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• honey mustard sauce (above)
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs (gluten free if needed)
• 1 tbsp dry mustard powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• nonstick oil spray

Instructions

 

• First, press your tofu. Wrap it in multiple layers of paper towel or a clean kitchen towel and lay something heavy on top, like a skillet or large cookbook. Let it press for 15 minutes.
• While the tofu is pressing, make the honey mustard dipping sauce. Combine the sauce ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spray a layer of oil
• Slice your pressed tofu into 1/2 inch thick slices. You should have about 8 slices.
• Make the wet mix. Take about half of the dipping sauce (1/2 cup) and add it to a large, shallow bowl. Add the corn starch and whisk well to combine.
• Now make the dry mix. Combine the panko, dry mustard powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in another large shallow bowl.
• Dip each piece of tofu into the wet mix, shaking any excess off, and then press firmly into the breadcrumb mixture, making sure the crumbs stick to all sides.
• Transfer the coated tofu pieces to the parchment-lined baking sheet and spray liberally with cooking oil.
• Bake for 30 minutes, flipping each tofu piece halfway through, until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with salt.
• Cool for five minutes, then serve with the remaining 1/2 cup honey mustard sauce on the side for dipping.

Keywords honey mustard tofu