Nashville Hot Tofu Sandwich

Say hello to this Nashville Hot Tofu Sandwich! Inspired by the popular Nashville hot chicken born in Nashville, Tennessee, this crispy hot tofu sandwich is made with extra firm tofu coated with a corn flake base, creamy coleslaw and bread and butter pickles. And hot sauce? Yes, indeed, it is hot and spicy, but in the best way possible!

I have a confession to make: I’ve never posted a recipe for a vegan sandwich before on the blog. The closest thing to a sandwich I’ve posted is my VERY POPULAR Portobello Mushroom Burger and my Grilled Carrot Dogs (if you haven’t tried them yet, you should)!

The truth is, I don’t eat a lot of sandwiches. I’d rather have a Blueberry Salad and save the calories! And I don’t want to waste food. So I don’t tend to make them. But seeing a recipe for a Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich online the other day that popped up when I was scrolling made me say, why not veganize it? And the rest is history!

Perfect with a six pack of beer or this reader favorite Tinto de Verano (believe me, you’ll probably need both)! We start with a layer of vegan mayo on a buttery bun, then stack crispy pieces of hot tofu in between layers of creamy coleslaw and finish with plenty of pickles.

Make it in a single layer or a double decker(if you dare) like I did. I promise, even tofu skeptics will love it! 

Ingredients for Nashville Hot Tofu Sandwich with Substitutions

• Extra-Firm Tofu – be sure to get extra firm for best results. Because of the high water content, you’ll want to press it before you start (instructions below). 
• Vegetable Oil – any neutral oil will work. I’ve also used grapeseed oil and canola oil and it fried the tofu oh-so crispy. 
• All Purpose Flour – any flour will do, including whole wheat or gluten-free. 
• Corn Starch – you’ll mix this in with the flour mixture and other spices which helps create an ultra crispy, bubbly tofu skin.  
• Cornflakes – I use vegan-friendly corn flakes for which I’ve provided the link to.
• Cayenne Pepper – in keeping with tradition, I use tablespoons of cayenne pepper in this recipe but you can definitely adjust the heat level per your palate. 
• Chili Powder – I also use a lot of chili powder in this and again, adjust the amount to your liking. 
• Smoked Paprika – smoked is better than sweet for this recipe but if unavailable, for sure go ahead and use sweet.
• Garlic Powder – adds flavor. 
• Onion Powder – adds more flavor. 
• Louisiana Hot Sauce – I love this brand of hot sauce, but you can use any you have on hand, including Sriracha. 
• Brown Sugar – be sure to use organic brown sugar that doesn’t use bone char. 
• Coleslaw – you can buy a premixed package of coleslaw or make your own (recipe included below)
• Vegan Mayonnaise – makes the coleslaw so creamy and dreamy. 
• Non-Dairy Milk – this is mixed with the white vinegar to make vegan buttermilk. I use oat milk in all my recipes, but choose whichever you prefer.
• White Vinegar – I use white vinegar for the vegan buttermilk and rice vinegar for the coleslaw.
• Rice Vinegar – adds a little tang to the slaw. 
• Pickles – OMG! I love using bread and butter pickles in this recipe as the sweet flavor of the pickles complements the hot spiciness of the tofu so well. But many people prefer dill pickles! Bottom line: choose your favorite pickles for this recipe, you now own it!  
• Buns – I like Brioche buns for this recipe but you can also use white bread (which is traditional) or sour dough. 
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper (not pictured) – this recipe is traditionally made with a lot of salt. But I tapered it down so we don’t all wake up with puffy faces after we devour the sandwich!

How to Make a Nashville Hot Tofu Sandwich

Step 1: start off by pressing your tofu to remove excess water. If this is your first time pressing tofu, you can either use a tofu press or a stack of books and paper towels. To use the book method, simply place a small stack of paper towels on top of a plate. Cover with another small stack of paper towels and put 2 or 3 heavy books on top. Press for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2: second, make the vegan buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar to a cup of plant milk. Stir thoroughly and let sit for about 10 minutes while it curdles.

Step 3: Add your hot sauce to the vegan buttermilk. Stir and set aside.

Step 4: next, make the flour mixture by adding flour, cornstarch, sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to a medium bowl. Whisk it until all ingredients are well-incorporated. Set aside.

Step 5: crush the cornflakes and add them to a small bowl. Set aside.

Step 6: once your tofu has been pressed for at least 30 minutes, slice into 8 pieces.

Step 7: Now, set up a little dredge station and dip each piece of tofu into the vegan buttermilk mixture, then into the flour making sure to coat all sides with a thick layer of flour, then back to the vegan buttermilk, then to the cornflakes. Yes, it will get messy!

Step 8: place each piece of tofu on a parchment lined baking sheet (you can also add a layer of paper towels to help absorb the oil from the fried tofu) Heat a skillet (cast iron is best) half-full of vegetable oil.

Step 9: make coleslaw by adding chopped coleslaw, vegan mayonnaise, rice vinegar and a dash of sea salt to a bowl. Stir until coleslaw is well-coated. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the rest of the sandwich.

Step 10: once your oil is hot, add 4 pieces of tofu to the skillet and fry on medium-high heat for about 4 minutes on each side (or until golden brown). Repeat with the next 4 pieces.

Step 11: while your first batch of hot tofu is cooking, add cayenne pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika and garlic powder to a small bowl. Once you’ve finished frying the tofu, add some oil from the skillet to the bowl to “bloom” the spices and whisk thoroughly with a fork or mini whisk.

Step 12: add hot oil to a pourable container (I use this one). Then top each piece of tofu with a generous amount of hot chili oil.

Step 13: to make a single layer sandwich, add a layer of vegan mayo to the bottom of the bun. Then stack with crispy tofu pieces, a layer of coleslaw, then pickles. Enjoy your new favorite vegan comfort food with an ice cold beer and some rippled potato chips or my air fryer sweet potato fries. 

Storage

Nashville Hot Tofu is best served immediately; however, you can store fried pieces in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Once ready to use, you can reheat them in the air fryer to keep them crispy, fry them briefly in hot oil or reheat them in the oven at 400F.

Serving Suggestions

• Vegan Potato Salad Recipe With Lemon, Dill & Dijon
• Mesquite Grilled Corn in the Husk
• Red Fruit Salad
• Watermelon Mint Agua Fresca
• Cantaloupe Agua Fresca

More Tofu Recipes

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