Vegan Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
This spicy vegan buffalo chicken sandwich is comfort food at its finest. Crispy fried tofu smothered in vegan buffalo sauce and topped with kale. Deliciously tempting!
I’ll be honest, this vegan buffalo chicken sandwich recipe is detailed (possibly the longest I’ve ever written). I’m sharing how to make the best sandwich, including tips for a gluten-free, oil-free or soy-free versions.
Every step is crucial but here is a quick Table of Contents to jump to each section and get the answers you need:
How to make tofu taste like chicken
The key to getting tofu to taste like chicken is by freezing it. No, freezing doesn’t magically transform tofu into chicken. It makes the tofu more compact and easier to release excess water.
This results in tofu with a firmer, chewier, “chicken-like” texture, as opposed to the soft, mushy texture some of us are used to.
And with most of the water removed, it’s better able to absorb any seasoning or marinades that you’d like to use.
If you can only find medium-firm tofu, then you might need to freeze the tofu twice. I went into more detail in my Vegan Fried Chicken recipe.
Here is the best way to prepare tofu:
1. Place the entire unopened package of tofu in the freezer. To ensure you never forget, just place all your tofu in the freezer after purchasing from the store. They should be fully frozen after an hour or two.
2. Next, place them in the refrigerator until ready for use. If you need to use a frozen package immediately, open and thaw at room temperature or in the microwave.
3. Press the tofu to compact and release even more water. Take the thawed tofu and place on a mesh rack or in a large colander over a bowl.
Cover with a clean, flat plate or small cutting board, then a pot or pan, then add weights such as 5 or 6 cans. Leave to press and drain for about 30 minutes.
If you don’t have a rack or colander, wrap the tofu in a clean, thick, lint-free towel, then add the remaining items as weights.
The towel will absorb the water as it’s being pressed out. If it gets too soaked, you can always unwrap the tofu, wring it out, and rewrap it. You could also use a tofu press.
How to make vegan buffalo sauce
(Scroll to the end for the recipe card with detailed measurements)
In a medium-sized bowl, combine melted vegan butter, minced garlic, vinegar and hot sauce.
You can use almost any kind of red hot sauce to make this spicy buffalo sauce. You could also try this with sriracha or sambal oelek. It is a red hot chilli pepper sauce often used in Asia. It’s a bit thicker than other bottled hot sauces but works perfectly in this recipe.
How to make the creamy cashew dressing for kale
1. Soak cashews for 15 minutes in boiling water. You could also soak them in lukewarm water at room temperature overnight.
2. Drain, rinse and add to a small blender cup. If you only have a large blender, such as a Vitamix, it may be difficult to blend such a small batch. You could double the recipe and store the extra dressing in the freezer for another time. It’s also great on salads.
3. Add the garlic, onion, lemon/lime juice and water then blend until smooth and creamy. Add to a large bowl and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
4. Optional step: I also added some green za’atar seasoning. The added herbs give it a flavor similar to ranch dressing. You could instead add a mix of parsley and dill or omit the herbs altogether.
5. Rinse the kale and remove the thick stems. Shake to remove excess water and add to the dressing. Toss with a spoon, fork or your hands for about 3 minutes to completely coat the kale.
The step is usually referred to as “massaging” the kale, where the natural oils and moisture in the dressing help to soften the kale and make it easier to chew and digest.
If you don’t like kale, you can use another type of green leafy vegetable and simply top it with the dressing while assembling the burger.
How to make vegan buffalo chicken sandwich
(Scroll to the end for the recipe card with detailed measurements)
1. Slice the pressed block of tofu in half, creating 2 wide slabs. Season with 1 tsp of your favorite all-purpose seasoning.
I used Low Sodium Better Than Bouillon Seasoned Vegetable base. It’s usually used to make broths but since it’s in the form of a paste, it makes a flavorful all-purpose seasoning for tofu and really makes it taste like chicken!
Try not to over-season the tofu at this point as there will be more layers of flavor to be added.
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and ½ tsp all-purpose seasoning (I used a dry seasoning blend this time). In a separate bowl, add the plant-based milk.
3. Using one hand, take one slice of tofu and coat evenly in the flour. Shake off the excess and add the tofu to the plant-based milk. Using the other hand, coat the tofu with milk then remove and add back to the dry flour mix.
4. Repeat the coating process in the flour and milk, once more, ending with a dry flour coating. So there will be 3 coatings of flour and 2 coatings of milk.
The triple coating of flour ensures a nice crispy crust on the tofu that won’t fall off while frying. Coat the other slice of tofu using the same steps.
5. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Test the oil by adding a small rolled up ball of dough.
If it’s too hot then the dough will darken within seconds. If it’s not hot enough then the dough will sink and there will be little to no bubbling of the oil around the dough.
6. Once heated, add the coated tofu slices and cook until golden brown on each side. This should take about a minute for each side. Drain the tofu carefully and place on a plate.
7. While still warm, gently coat the fried tofu slices in the buffalo sauce and place on the bottom halves of the sandwich buns. Top with kale and the top bun and serve immediately.
How do I make this vegan chicken sandwich gluten-free?
- Use gluten-free vegan buns or wraps.
- Use an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend in place of plain all-purpose flour. The same amount is fine.
- Ensure that the seasoning blend and vegan butter brand are also gluten-free.
Can I bake the tofu instead of frying it?
Sure! Although the results may not be as crispy. Omit the all-purpose flour and plant-based milk. Instead, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch with the spice blend.
Coat the tofu slices completely, gently shake off any excess and place on a lightly oiled or parchment-lined pan.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F/176°C for about 15 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown.
Can I make the vegan buffalo sauce oil-free?
Now this is where things get a bit tricky. Vegan butter is crucial to making a close-to-authentic buffalo sauce. To be honest, I haven’t tried to make it any other way.
But I’d like to suggest an option either way. Omit the herbs in the cashew dressing and instead add 3 tablespoons of hot sauce with ¼ teaspoon of vinegar instead of 1 tablespoon.
This would create a creamy buffalo-style sauce that should still be tasty when smothered over tofu.
Can I make this vegan sandwich recipe soy-free?
Yes, you can make this vegan sandwich recipe using cauliflower for a soy-free version, although it may not be as filling as the tofu version.
I’d suggest following my Cauliflower Nuggets recipe in my Vegan 3-Course Meal for the batter. Bake, fry or even air-fry cauliflower until crispy, then toss in the vegan buffalo sauce.
You can make 2 large “steak” sized cauliflower slices or cook as nuggets. Plain flour can also be used instead of gluten-free. Check to ensure the remaining ingredients are also soy-free.
Oyster mushrooms are another great substitute. I used them in this Fried Oyster Mushroom recipe.
It may be difficult finding soy-free vegan buns. I used homemade pretzel vegan buns in this recipe.
More delicious sandwich recipes
- Vegan Meatball Sub
- Vegan Pulled Pork Sandwich
- Baked Tofu Sandwich
- Vegan Tempeh Sandwich
- Vegan Sloppy Joes
- Vegan Philly Cheesesteak
Spicy Vegan Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
Baking Recipes: For more accuracy, use Metric measurements and measuring spoons.
Ingredients
- 12 oz (340 g) firm tofu, (pressed)
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) all-purpose seasoning
Coating
- ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour, or all purpose gluten free flour
- 2 teaspoon (5 g) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) all-purpose seasoning
- ½ cup (118 ml) plant-based milk
Vegan Buffalo Sauce
- ¼ cup (60 g) vegan butter, (melted)
- 1 (1) garlic clove, (minced)
- 3 tablespoon (45 ml) hot sauce
- ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) vinegar
Cashew Dressing
- ½ cup (75 g) cashews
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ shallot-sized onion
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon/lime juice
- 6 tablespoon (88 ml) water
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) green za’atar seasoning, (optional)
- 2 handfuls (226 g) kale, (about half pound)
- 3 tablespoon (50 ml) oil for frying
- 2 vegan pretzel buns,
Instructions
Preparing tofu
- Please refer to the section of the post, How to make tofu taste like chicken, to learn how to prepare tofu for the best texture.12 oz (340 g) firm tofu
Vegan Buffalo Sauce
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine melted vegan butter, minced garlic, vinegar and hot sauce.1/4 cup (60 g) vegan butter ,1 garlic clove ,1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) vinegar ,3 tablespoon (45 ml) hot sauce
Cashew Dressing
- Soak cashews for 15 minutes in boiling water. Or soak in lukewarm water at room temperature overnight.½ cup (75 g) cashews
- Drain, rinse and add to a small blender cup. If you only have a large blender, such as a Vitamix, it may be difficult to blend such a small batch. You could double the recipe and store the extra dressing in the freezer for another time.
- Add the garlic, onion, lemon/lime juice and water then blend until smooth and creamy. Add to a large bowl and season to taste with salt and black pepper.2 garlic cloves ,½ shallot-sized onion ,1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon/lime juice ,Salt ,Black pepper ,6 tablespoon (88 ml) water
- Optional step: Added some green za’atar seasoning. The added herbs give it a flavor similar to ranch dressing. You could instead add a mix of parsley and dill or omit the herbs altogether.1/2 teaspoon (2 g) green za’atar seasoning
- Rinse the kale and remove the thick stems. Shake to remove excess water and add to the dressing. Toss with a spoon, fork or your hands for about 3 minutes to completely coat the kale.2 handfuls (226 g) kale
Coating and frying tofu
- Slice the pressed block of tofu in half, creating 2 wide slabs. Season with 1 tsp of your favorite all-purpose seasoning. Try not to over-season the tofu at this point as there will be more layers of flavor to be added.1 teaspoon (5 g) all-purpose seasoning
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and ½ tsp all-purpose. In a separate bowl, add the plant-based milk.1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour ,2 teaspoon (5 g) cornstarch ,1/2 teaspoon (2 g) all-purpose seasoning ,1/2 cup (118 ml) plant-based milk
- Using one hand, take one slice of tofu and coat evenly in the flour. Shake off the excess and add the tofu to the plant-based milk.
- Using the other hand, coat the tofu with milk then remove and add back to the dry flour mix.
- Repeat the coating process in the flour and milk, once more, ending with a dry flour coating. So there will be 3 coatings of flour and 2 coatings of milk. The triple coating of flour ensures a nice crispy crust on the tofu that won’t fall off while frying.
- Coat the other slice of tofu using the same steps.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Test the oil by adding a small rolled up ball of dough. If it’s too hot then the dough will darken within seconds. If it’s not hot enough then the dough will sink and there will be little to no bubbling of the oil around the dough.3 tablespoon (50 ml) oil for frying
- Once heated, add the coated tofu slices and cook until golden brown on each side. This should take about a minute for each side. Drain the tofu carefully and place on a plate.
- While still warm, gently coat the fried tofu slices in the buffalo sauce and place on the bottom halves of the buns. Top with kale and the top bun and serve immediately.2 vegan pretzel buns
Please post the bun recipe:)
Taste amazing
Thanks so much Moni!