Crispy Nashville Hot Tofu Sandwich

Nashville Hot Tofu Sandwich on a plate with slaw, pickles, brioche bun.

5 from 4 votes

Crispy Nashville Hot Tofu Sandwich

This mouthwatering Nashville Hot Tofu Sandwich wins over vegans and meat-lovers alike. Crispy oven-baked tofu gets drizzled with Hot Oil and dusted with spices. Pile high with cabbage slaw, pickles, and mayo on a soft bun. Crunchy, spicy, and stacked with flavor—it’s a must-try! (Vegan and Gluten Free option).

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Servings:

Author: Bri Beaudoin

Ingredients

Crispy Tofu

4 cups water
1 tablespoon fine sea salt (for salting the water)
12 oz extra firm tofu
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
oil spray

Nashville Hot Oil

4 teaspoon Franks Red Hot (or similar, see note 1)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or another neutral oil)
1 tablespoon melted butter (salted or unsalted, see note 2)

Spice Dust

2 teaspoons paprika
¾ teaspoons nutritional yeast (see note 3)
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Slaw

2 cups shredded green cabbage (see note 4)
⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt and pepper (to taste)

For Serving

4 warm brioche buns (or similar, gluten-free if needed, see note 2)
mayonnaise (see note 2)
sliced pickles (Bread and Butter, or dill)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat: Preheat oven to 425℉ (220℃). Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
Boil Tofu: Bring 4 cups water and 1 tablespoon fine sea salt to boil in a small pot. Cut 12 oz extra firm tofu into 12 slices (about ⅓-inch/0.8cm thick). Reduce heat to a simmer, add tofu slices, and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer tofu to a plate.
Nashville Hot Oil: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix 4 teaspoon Franks Red Hot and 1 teaspoon brown sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, then 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and 1 tablespoon melted butter.
Divide Oil & Prep Panko: Transfer 2 tablespoons of the Nashville Hot Oil to a small shallow dish. Whisk in 1 teaspoon cornstarch, until smooth. In a separate shallow dish, add ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs.
Coat Tofu & Bake: Working with one piece at a time, use a fork to dip the tofu into the oil and cornstarch mixture. Shake off excess, then place tofu in panko and use your (clean) fingertips to press it on all sides. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. Spray both sides with oil spray. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Spice Dust: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together 2 teaspoons paprika, ¾ teaspoons nutritional yeast, ¼ teaspoon cayenne, and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt.
Slaw: In a medium bowl combine 2 cups shredded green cabbage, ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Toss well. Add 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble: Once tofu is baked, drizzle the tops with the remaining Hot Oil, then sprinkle the Spice Dust all over. Smear mayonnaise on the cut sides of 4 warm brioche buns, top with the dusted tofu, sliced pickles, and the Slaw.

Video

Notes

Hot Sauce: I use Frank's Red Hot for this recipe. But you could substitute a similar Louisiana-style hot sauce, like Crystal or Louisiana. Other hot sauces—like Tabasco—can be much spicier, which impact the flavor and possibly the amount you can use (not recommended).
Vegan Option: Use a vegan butter, mayonnaise, and buns. Brioche buns are traditionally made with eggs, but vegan substitutes are available. Read the label to confirm. Any soft bun you love will work—or even fluffy sliced bread.
Nutritional Yeast: These yellow flakes add a lot of savory, umami-rich flavor. You can usually find nutritional yeast in the baking, dry goods, or health foods aisle of the grocery store. Otherwise, order it online. If you don't want to use it, you can leave it out, but add an extra pinch of salt to try to compensate.
Green Cabbage: You can substitute with Napa, Savoy, or Red Cabbage.
Make Ahead Tips: If you want to get ahead of prep, the Nashville Hot Oil, Spice Dust and Slaw can all be made a day in advance. The tofu is crispiest when made fresh. If you must bake the tofu in advance, hold off on adding the Hot Oil and Spice Dust until just before serving (and refer to reheating directions below).
Storage Tips: Store any leftovers as separate components (rather than an assembled sandwich).Reheat the tofu in a convection oven at 350℉ for 5-10 minutes (or 375℉ in a regular oven) or air fryer at 325℉ for 5-10 minutes.

Nutrition