Crispy Buffalo Tofu with Caesar Salad

May 20, 2025 - 15:26
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Crispy Buffalo Tofu with Caesar Salad
Buffalo tofu on kale caesar salad.

I’ve Made This Tofu 3x This Week.

Lindsay Ostrom headshot.

Sometimes eaten in a frenzy as a finger food at 5pm, but usually tossed on top of a creamy kale caesar salad like you see here – it’s bar food meets wholesome food.

This buffalo tofu is way too easy. Just criminal.

Zero batters and breading, zero cutting boards to wash. Just a two ingredient hot sauce + butter combo and a quick air fry or bake for the crispy tofu base.

Buffalo tofu and kale caesar salad in a bowl.

You can throw this tofu into a wrap or bowl, but lately what has really been floating my boat is just a big ol’ pile of this saucy tofu on top of a Caesar salad. My faves:

  • The bagged Caesar from Trader Joe’s
  • The store-bought vegan Caesar dressing from Trader Joe’s (it’s in the refrigerated section)
  • This avocado kale caesar

The buffalo sauce is too spicy for my girls, so I leave a few pieces for them without the sauce to dip in ranch or ketchup. And they love it.

I made last tonight for dinner and I thought, I need to tell you to double this – we have a family of 4, with two being little kids who don’t eat a ton, and there are ZERO pieces left over between all of us. I honestly think even just me and Bjork could finish the whole block of tofu between the two of us.

It’s easy and it’s delicious. I hope you love it!

And if buffalo is your thing, these buffalo chicken burgers with whipped feta are amazing – and so are these buffalo cauliflower tacos with avocado crema. DANG. So good.

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Buffalo tofu in a bowl with kale caesar salad.

Crispy Buffalo Tofu with Caesar Salad


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  • Author: Lindsay
  • Total Time: 17 minutes
  • Yield: 2-4 servings (I make this for me and my husband + 2 small kids)

Description

This Buffalo Tofu is SO EASY! A two-ingredient sauce tossed with air-fried crispy tofu, laid on top of a kale caesar salad.


Ingredients

Units

Crispy Tofu:

  • 16 ounce package of tofu (firm or extra firm)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Buffalo Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup hot sauce (like Frank’s red hot)

For Serving:

  • Salad with Caesar, ranch, or bleu cheese dressing (I especially love to throw this tofu on top of an avocado kale Caesar salad!)

Instructions

  1. Take the tofu out of the packaging and drain the water. Wrap it with a clean dish towel, or a few paper towels, and gently squeeze out some of the excess moisture. I spend less than a minute on this.
  2. Pull the tofu into bite-sized chunks. Toss with the cornstarch, soy sauce, oil, paprika, and garlic powder.

    Tossing tofu in a bowl with spices and cornstarch.

  3. When everything is well-coated, air fry at 400 degrees for 8 minutes. Shake or toss, then air fry for another 5-6 minutes until golden and crispy. (See notes for baking instructions.)

    Crispy tofu in an air fryer.

  4. Melt the butter and whisk with the hot sauce. Toss the crispy tofu in the sauce to coat.

    Tossing tofu with buffalo sauce.

  5. Dip in your favorite sauce or throw in a wrap, bowl, or salad! So yum!

Equipment

Notes

To bake this in the oven: This should work at 400 degrees for 20 minutes! Be sure to line the pan with parchment, and give it a toss halfway through.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Air Fryer
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: tofu recipe, buffalo tofu, buffalo caesar, air fryer tofu

Frequently Asked Questions About Buffalo Tofu

How spicy is this? Can my kids eat it?

The buffalo sauce is too spicy for my girls, so I leave a few pieces for them without the sauce to dip in ranch or ketchup.

What air fryer do you use?

I love the Ninja Air Fryer Pro XL (affiliate link). It’s a great size and I love the basket style for a recipe like this!

Could I make this in the oven instead?

Yep! Roast at 400 degrees for 20 minutes and toss halfway through.

Could I use chicken instead of tofu?

Yep! For the air fryer, I’d make this air fryer chicken and replace the spices with those in this recipe, then toss with the sauce. Or for stovetop, you could follow the recipe for buffalo chicken in this recipe.

Three More Tofu Recipes I Love

The post Crispy Buffalo Tofu with Caesar Salad appeared first on Pinch of Yum.

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