Vegan Buffalo Wings

These crispy, saucy, and perfectly spiced Vegan Buffalo Wings are a delicious plant-based twist on a beloved classic. Made with bread-crumb-coated tofu strips, buttery buffalo sauce, and a vegan ranch dressing for dipping, even meat lovers will ask for seconds of these vegan hot wings!

This recipe was written on February 9, 2023. It was updated with additional recipe information on July 15, 2024.

Add this spicy vegan chicken wings recipe to your weeknight dinner rotation for a fun family-friendly main dish or appetizer! Veggie buffalo wings are easy to make with straightforward preparation in either the oven or an air fryer. 

If you’re wondering what vegan wings are made of, it’s simple! Tofu strips are coated in a combination of breadcrumbs and savory spices and then cooked for a delightfully crispy outer coating and tender middle. The crispy plant-based chicken wings are tossed in a tangy, spicy homemade buffalo sauce and served with a creamy ranch dressing to mellow the heat. They’re a delicious go-to recipe whether you’re hosting a big game day get-together or are looking for a new weeknight dinner item or kid-friendly snack!

For more plant-based chicken-inspired recipes, try my vegan fried chicken, vegan chicken and waffles, or vegan hot chicken biscuits.   

Ingredients

Tofu: To give this vegan wings recipe a meat-like texture, you will need extra firm or super firm tofu as the base ingredient and silken sofu to create the creamy vegan ranch dressing. Thoroughly press or boil the firmer tofu as outlined before starting the recipe for the best vegan wings. 

Soy Milk: This plant-based milk helps adhere the coating to the tofu for extra crispy vegan wings. Choose an unsweetened, unflavored brand for the best flavor. Alternatively, use almond or oat milk. 

Breadcrumbs: You will need both panko breadcrumbs and regular breadcrumbs. Panko breadcrumbs provide an extra crispy outer texture and regular breadcrumbs add a finer texture to the coating. You can also use all regular breadcrumbs, but adding panko will offer a superior crunch. 

Italian Seasoning: A blend of oregano, basil, and thyme gives the tofu a savory note. Use a pre-mixed seasoning or make your own if preferred.  

Cornstarch: Acts as a binder and helps the vegetarian buffalo wings get crispy. If desired, substitute with arrowroot for a similar effect. 

Garlic Powder: Adds a deep, savory flavor without the added moisture of fresh garlic. Opt for finely ground garlic powder instead of garlic granules. 

Onion Powder: Provides the tofu with a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor. 

Paprika: Adds a mild heat and vibrant red color to the wings. Use sweet or smoked paprika to suit your taste preferences. 

Black Pepper: Use freshly ground black pepper for the most robust flavor, though pre-ground pepper works too. Adjust to taste to suit your desired level of heat. 

Non-Stick Cooking Spray: This spray helps the wings achieve a crispy exterior without sticking. You can also lightly brush the wings with a neutral-tasting oil, such as avocado or olive oil. 

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Sauce: My top recommended choice to make the buffalo sauce for its perfect balance of heat and tang. You can also use your favorite vegan buffalo sauce. 

Cane Sugar: Balances the heat of the buffalo sauce with a hint of sweetness. As an alternative, use regular granulated sugar or a sweetener like agave nectar. 

Vegan Butter: Adds richness to the buffalo sauce and helps it adhere to the vegetarian wings. Use your favorite brand of vegan butter or substitute it with equal parts coconut oil. 

Garlic Cloves: Adds a fresh, pungent flavor to the vegan ranch. If needed, swap with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. 

Apple Cider Vinegar: Provides the vegan ranch with a tang and helps emulsify it. Swap in white vinegar or lemon juice if needed.

Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice adds brightness and acidity to the vegan ranch dressing. Bottled lemon juice can be used as an alternative in a pinch. 

Fresh Herbs: Fresh dill and parsley add a unique herbal freshness and pop of color to the vegan ranch. Don’t have fresh herbs? No problem! Just use half the amount of dried herbs as recommended.

How to Make Vegan Buffalo Wings

• Prepare Tofu Coating. If baking the wings, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the soy milk into one mixing bowl and set aside. In another mixing bowl, combine the panko, breadcrumbs, and Italian seasoning. In a third mixing bowl, combine the cornstarch, garlic, and onion powders, paprika, and black pepper.

• Coat Tofu Wings. Working one tofu slice at a time, use one hand to dip the tofu into the soy milk, then use your dry hand to coat it in the cornstarch mixture. Dip it back into the soy milk before coating it in the panko mixture. Repeat the dredging process with the remaining tofu, placing dredged pieces on the prepared baking sheet if baking or in the air frying basket if air frying.

• Cook Wings. Lightly spray the wings with non-stick spray. Bake for 40 minutes in the oven, flipping after 30 minutes, or air fry at 350°F for 15 minutes, flipping the pieces after 10 minutes.

• Prepare Buffalo Sauce. Add buffalo sauce, sugar, and vegan butter to a small or medium-sized saucepan. Bring the buffalo sauce mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside until the wings are ready to coat.

• Prepare Ranch Dressing. Add the tofu, garlic, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, dill, parsley, and salt to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend for 15-30 seconds, scraping down the sides as you go, until smooth. Set the ranch dressing aside until the wings have been cooked and tossed in the buffalo sauce.

• Toss Wings in Buffalo Sauce. Place the crispy cooked wings into a large mixing bowl and pour the buffalo sauce over them. Use tongs to toss the wings in the sauce, ensuring they are completely coated.

• Garnish & Serve. Garnish the wings with minced parsley and serve with the vegan ranch dip and celery.

Recipe Pro-Tips

• Deciding to press vs. boil tofu. Extracting excess water from tofu is the secret to the best vegetarian wings. It gives it a meaty texture and allows it to soak up more of the seasoning. You can extract the moisture by pressing or boiling the tofu. Press the tofu when you have at least 30 minutes to do so. Boil it when you are short on time. 
• How to press tofu. Place the tofu between two sheets of paper towel or a kitchen towel. Place a heavy pan or plate on top of it and let it sit for at least 30 minutes, removing as much moisture as possible. 
• How to boil tofu. Add the tofu slices to a pot of heavily salted boiling water. Boil for 60 seconds before removing it from the water and thoroughly draining it. 
• Cut tofu in uniform pieces. Or, ¼-inch or ⅓-inch strips. This will ensure that it cooks evenly. Also, lay the pieces in an even layer before cooking so they crisp up well.
• Double coat tofu for extra crunch. For a super crispy outer tofu layer, dip the sticks in soy milk before adding the cornstarch mixture and then again before adding the panko mixture. 
• Use an air fryer. If you have an air fryer, I suggest using it for this recipe! The process is faster and lends to extra crispy vegan buffalo chicken compared to baking. 
• Adjust buffalo sauce to taste. Customize the spiciness of the buffalo sauce to your liking. Use a mild buffalo sauce or add more vegan butter to the sauce mixture for milder wings. 
• Serve immediately. For the best flavor and texture, serve the veggies wings immediately after tossing them in the buffalo sauce. This prevents them from becoming soggy. 

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy these vegetarian chicken wings dipped in the vegan ranch recipe for an anytime appetizer or snack. Or serve it as the main dish with some of our favorite recipes below for a full-spread meal: 

• Vegan Caesar Salad 
• Vegan Macaroni and Cheese
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Storage Directions

• Refrigeration: Allow the plant-based wings to cool completely to room temperature before transferring to an airtight container and storing for up to 3-4 days. Store leftover buffalo sauce and vegan ranch in separate airtight containers or glass jars for 5-7 days.
• Freezing: Place cooled wings on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid, for about 2 hours. Then, transfer the frozen wings to a freezer-safe container and store them for up to 2 months. 
• Reheating: Reheat refrigerated wings at 350ºF in the oven for 10-15 minutes or in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes. Extend the baking time for frozen wings to 20-25 minutes in the oven or 10-15 minutes in the air fryer.

More Vegan Game Day Recipes

• Vegan Nachos
• Classic Vegan Fish Tacos
• Loaded Sweet Potato Fries
• Sweet Potato Hummus
• Vegan Chicken Nuggets

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