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    Home » Recipes » Snacks

    Published: Feb 3, 2022 by bri · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Crispy Tofu Sticks with Honey Mustard (Air Fryer)

    These crispy panko coated tofu sticks will be devoured by kids and adults alike! Honey mustard sauce doubles as a coating to stick to the panko AND as a yummy dip for serving. Recipe includes air fryer and oven instructions. (Vegan and Gluten Free options)
    Jump to Recipe
    A plate of crispy air fryer tofu sticks, with a stick being dipped into a bowl of honey mustard sauce.
    A plate of crispy air fryer tofu sticks, with a stick being dipped into a bowl of honey mustard sauce.

    Chicken fingers and honey mustard dipping sauce is a childhood classic. We were feeling nostalgic (and hungry)—and figured we'd recreate a vegetarian / vegan version of this snack. Something that would please kids and adults alike. While these crispy tofu sticks won't "trick" you into thinking you're eating chicken, they are crispy, delicious, and the perfect vehicles for scooping up honey mustard sauce.

    In addition to being extremely yummy, these crispy tofu sticks have become the protein-rich snack that we keep coming back to. They're satisfying enough to hold you over in the afternoon, but not so much that they'll ruin dinnertime. That said, you could turn them into dinner if you want, by serving them with fresh veggies or a simple salad or soup.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients
    • How to make (step-by-step photos)
    • Oven variation
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • The homemade honey mustard sauce is easy and takes just 5 minutes.
    • The sauce does double duty: it coats the tofu (so the panko breadcrumbs stick) AND it doubles as the dipping sauce.
    • A pre-bake in the air fryer means there's no need to press or dry the tofu.
    • Panko breadcrumbs makes a crispy crust that uses very little oil.
    • If you don't have an air fryer, this recipe includes an option to bake this in the oven .
    • Tofu is high in protein, so this is a plant based snack that'll keep you satisfied.

    Ingredients

    Here are the key ingredients you'll need to make these crispy tofu sticks:

    Ingredients to make crispy tofu sticks: honey mustard sauce, extra firm tofu, panko, cornstarch, salt and pepper
    • Honey Mustard Sauce: This recipe calls for homemade honey mustard sauce. It is NOT the same as store-bought honey mustard (it's better!). And, the good news is it takes less than 5 minutes to make! You can make the sauce while the tofu is drying out in the air fryer. If you're vegan, simply follow the Vegan Honey Mustard option in the recipe—all it takes is 2 easy swaps.
    • Extra-Firm Tofu: For the best results use extra-firm tofu; but in a pinch, firm tofu works fine too. This recipe uses the air fryer to quickly dry out excess moisture from the tofu. It's a much faster and easier method than pressing or draining the tofu.
    • Panko Breadcrumbs: Panko does an excellent job of creating a crunchy crust. A panko crust is a great way to mimic the crisp exterior of fried foods—without all the oil.

    Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.

    How to make (step-by-step photos)

    You'll be surprised how quickly these crispy tofu sticks come together, even with the homemade honey mustard sauce! Here's how to make this recipe:

    A hand holding a knife slicing a block of extra firm tofu
    1. Slice a block of extra-firm tofu.
    Sliced tofu in an air fryer basket after being baked
    2. Bake the sliced tofu (plain) to quickly dry it out. (With this method, there's no need to press or dry the tofu!)
    A small bowl with honey mustard sauce, with a fork whisking in cornstarch
    3. Add cornstarch, salt and pepper to half of the honey mustard sauce.
    A fork mixing homemade honey mustard sauce in a white bowl.
    4. Whisk until the sauce is smooth.
    A fork dipping a slice of tofu in homemade honey mustard sauce, with a plate of panko breadcrumbs nearby
    5. Dip the tofu, one by one, into the honey mustard and cornstarch mixture.
    Coated tofu being coated in panko breadcrumbs on a plate.
    6. Add the coated tofu to panko breadcrumbs.
    A piece of tofu fully coated with panko breadcrumbs.
    7. Cover the tofu with breadcrumbs on both sides.
    Crispy tofu sticks that are golden brown after being baked in an air fryer.
    8. Bake tofu in an air fryer until crispy and golden brown. Then, serve with more honey mustard sauce.

    Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.

    Use panko breadcrumbs for a crispy crust, without deep frying! Here are some other recipes that also use a panko coating for crunch:

    • Crispy Sweet Chili Tofu Bowls (an easy, flavor packed weeknight dinner)
    • Air Fryer Broccoli Fries (the MOST delicious way to use up broccoli stems)
    • Crispy Breaded Air Fryer Tofu (super crispy tofu, you'll almost swear its fried!)

    Oven variation

    We prefer the air fryer method because it's faster and more consistent with browning the panko. That said, it is possible to bake these tofu sticks in the oven. Just budget double the time for baking the tofu. And, make sure to spray the tofu sticks a bit more generously with oil to help the panko get crispy, because the oven doesn't circulate air as quickly and forcefully as an air fryer.

    See the notes in the recipe card for detailed instructions on how to bake these tofu sticks in an oven instead of the air fryer.

    A plate of crispy air fried tofu sticks, with one of the pieces dipped in sauce with a bite out of it.
    A hand holding a piece of crispy panko crusted tofu, dipping it into a bowl of honey mustard sauce.

    📖 Recipe

    Crispy Tofu Sticks with Honey Mustard (Air Fryer)

    These crispy panko coated tofu sticks will be devoured by kids and adults alike! Honey mustard sauce doubles as a coating to stick to the panko AND as a yummy dip for serving. Recipe includes air fryer and oven instructions. (Vegan and Gluten Free options)
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 3
    Author: Bri
    Pin Recipe
    A plate of crispy air fryer tofu sticks, with a stick being dipped into a bowl of honey mustard sauce.
    Print

    Ingredients

    • 12 oz extra-firm tofu
    • 6 tablespoons Best Honey Mustard Sauce (divided, see note 1)
    • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (more for garnish)
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs (gluten free if needed)
    • Oil spray (such as grapeseed or olive oil)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Cut tofu: Cut tofu into ¼-inch (0.5 cm) thick slices.
    • Bake tofu in air fryer [see note 2 for oven]: Arrange tofu in an air fryer basket and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes (no need to preheat), until pale golden and dry on the outside.
    • Prepare sauce: Make Honey Mustard Sauce. Transfer 3 tablespoons of sauce into a shallow bowl, along with cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth.
    • Coat tofu: Put panko in a shallow dish. Working with one piece at a time, use a fork to dip tofu into sauce to coat all sides. Shake off excess sauce. Then, place tofu in panko and use your (clean) fingertips to coat all sides in panko (note 3). Arrange coated tofu in a single layer in the air fryer basket (see note 4).
    • Bake tofu in air fryer [see note 2 for oven]: Spray tofu with oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Give the tofu another light coat of oil, and bake for 1 to 3 more minutes, or until deeply golden brown. Sprinkle the hot tofu with more salt, to taste. Serve hot with the remaining honey mustard sauce for dipping.

    Notes

    1. Best Honey Mustard Sauce: This recipe uses our homemade Honey Mustard Sauce. It is not the same as store-bought honey mustard sauce, so we do not recommend substituting. You can make it in step 3 (the timing to do this is already accounted for in the recipe). If vegan, follow the easy vegan modification in that recipe.  
    2. Alternate baking instructions (oven method): For best results use an air fryer. But, see below for the steps that require modifications to the time and method, if using an oven instead of an air fryer. As always, use the visual cues as your primary indicator (timing estimates vary based on oven). For all other steps, follow the recipe as written.
      1. Step 2: Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet in a preheated oven at 425°F (220°C) for about 20 minutes or until the tofu is pale golden and dry on the outside.
      2. Step 5: Spray the panko coated tofu with oil. Bake for 20 minutes or until the panko is golden brown. Flip the tofu, spray with more oil, and bake until deeply golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Immediately sprinkle with more salt to taste and serve with honey mustard for dipping. 
    3. Coating the tofu: If you are shaking off excess sauce using the fork method, there should be enough to coat all the slices. But if for some reason you run a bit short on sauce or panko to coat the tofu, just add a bit more to the respective bowls and continue. The Best Honey Mustard recipe yields more sauce than you need for this recipe, so no need to worry if this happens!
    4. Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket: Arrange the tofu so it isn't overlapping (this allows the air to circulate and crisp up the tofu). If doubling the recipe, or if you're using a small capacity air fryer, you'll likely need to bake the tofu in two batches.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 764mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 24IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 4mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a rating below and tag us @evergreenkitchen on instagram!

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kim says

      November 04, 2022 at 8:47 pm

      5 stars
      For the sauce I made a vegan version using maple syrup instead of honey, and used 2t. dry mustard powder to replace the yellow mustard as I didn’t have any. Didn’t matter, it still turned out fantastically delicious! I did use the air fryer for the tofu. Will try it again using an oven to see how it compares for when I have guests. Thank you so much for a delicious recipe!

      Reply
      • bri says

        November 06, 2022 at 9:13 pm

        Hi Kim! So glad to hear you loved this recipe! Thanks for sharing that your substitutes worked out:) We love the air fryer for how crispy it gets the tofu - but the oven works well too, especially for making a larger batch. We're excited you'll be making this for guests. Let us know how it goes!

        Reply
    2. Kathleen says

      May 30, 2022 at 2:11 am

      5 stars
      We made these to take to a party and they were a huge hit! They were the first appetizer finished. The honey mustard dip is delicious. We did the oven bake method since we don’t have an air fryer and they turned out awesome.

      Reply
      • bri says

        June 10, 2022 at 11:58 pm

        Hi Kathleen! Wow, that's such a compliment to hear these were the first appetizer finished! Thank you for making + bringing these over to a party. We're honoured!

        Reply
    3. Julia says

      April 09, 2022 at 3:27 am

      5 stars
      Easy recipe and very tasty with the honey mustard sauce. I served it with a rice veggie bowl with extra honey mustard sauce. Will definitely make this again.
      Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • bri says

        April 12, 2022 at 10:01 pm

        Hi Julia! Glad to hear you enjoyed the tofu sticks! Great idea adding them to a rice bowl. Thanks so much for sharing!

        Reply
    4. Andrada says

      February 12, 2022 at 7:28 am

      5 stars
      This was a very enjoyable recipe to make. Super easy, fast prep time, and great flavour! I used the oven method as I don't have an air fryer, and it still turned out nice and crispy.

      Reply
      • bri says

        February 14, 2022 at 7:20 am

        So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing your experience Andrada! We really appreciate it:)

        Reply
    5. Vince says

      February 05, 2022 at 4:21 pm

      5 stars
      I'm really not a big tofu fan but decided to try this recipe. It's amazing. Easy prep, easy cook and great taste. I used the air-fryer method. Definitely make the Honey Mustard dip, it's worth it. Bravo!

      Reply
      • bri says

        February 05, 2022 at 6:24 pm

        We're so thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe Vince! And we're glad you had an air fryer so you could make it that way too:) Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! We really appreciate it! Have a great weekend

        Reply

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