• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
This Savory Vegan
  • RECIPES
  • DINNER PLANS
  • SHOP
    • eBook
    • Amazon Faves
  • NEWSLETTER
  • VIDEOS
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • SHOP
  • NEWSLETTER
  • DINNER PLANS
  • CONTACT
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • SHOP
    • NEWSLETTER
    • DINNER PLANS
    • CONTACT
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home

    Air Fryer Buffalo Tempeh

    August 16, 2020 By Rene 17 Comments

    This Air Fryer Buffalo Tempeh is perfectly crispy & spicy. Serve as an appetizer with some vegan ranch or over a salad for a healthy dinner.

    Jump to Recipe
    This Air Fryer Buffalo Tempeh is perfectly crispy & spicy. Serve as an appetizer with some vegan ranch or over a salad for a healthy dinner | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #airfryerrecipe #buffalotempeh

    I know, I know, I KNOW...another buffalo recipe. Shocker, right? 😂

    By now you know that I love a good buffalo recipe (Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos, Buffalo Mac & Cheese, Buffalo Chickpea Wraps). BUT one thing I know about TSV readers is that you guys LOVE buffalo recipes too. So, I'm glad we can be on the same team when it comes to this tasty, spicy sauce.

    I also have gotten so much great feedback on the addition of air fryer recipes on TSV. I wasn't sure if I would get enough use out of my air fryer when I first purchased it, but I literally use it everyday. It has replaced my toaster and oven for many recipes. Which is especially great during the warm months when you don't want to heat up the house with cooking.

    This Air Fryer Buffalo Tempeh is perfectly crispy & spicy. Serve as an appetizer with some vegan ranch or over a salad for a healthy dinner | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #airfryerrecipe #buffalotempeh

    How to Make Air Fryer Buffalo Tempeh

    This buffalo tempeh is ridiculously easy to make. Slice up your tempeh into strips - if you haven't bought tempeh before, you can usually find it in the refrigerator section near the tofu. Marinate the tempeh slices in a mixture of buffalo sauce, garlic powder, chili powder and pepper for 30 minutes.

    This Air Fryer Buffalo Tempeh is perfectly crispy & spicy. Serve as an appetizer with some vegan ranch or over a salad for a healthy dinner | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #airfryerrecipe #buffalotempeh
    This Air Fryer Buffalo Tempeh is perfectly crispy & spicy. Serve as an appetizer with some vegan ranch or over a salad for a healthy dinner | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #airfryerrecipe #buffalotempeh

    Next, coat the marinated tempeh in panko breadcrumbs (they will easily stick to the marinade) and place them in the air fryer basket. You want them to lay in a single layer in the basket, so work in batches if needed. Cook for 12-15 minutes at 330 degrees (no need to flip) until nice and crispy.

    Lastly, toss with some more buffalo sauce and serve them up. You can either eat these as a snack/appetizer with a side of vegan ranch or add them to your favorite salad for a healthy dinner.

    If You are Sensitive to Heat

    If you are sensitive to spicy food, there are a couple of things you can do to tame these down:

    • When marinating the strips, swap ¼ cup of buffalo sauce for water.
    • Add 2 tablespoon of melted vegan butter to the second coating of buffalo sauce before tossing the cooked strips in it.
    • Omit the second coating of buffalo sauce altogether.
    This Air Fryer Buffalo Tempeh is perfectly crispy & spicy. Serve as an appetizer with some vegan ranch or over a salad for a healthy dinner | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #airfryerrecipe #buffalotempeh
    This Air Fryer Buffalo Tempeh is perfectly crispy & spicy. Serve as an appetizer with some vegan ranch or over a salad for a healthy dinner | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #airfryerrecipe #buffalotempeh
    Print Pin
    5 from 9 votes

    Air Fryer Buffalo Tempeh

    This Air Fryer Buffalo Tempeh is perfectly crispy & spicy. Serve as an appetizer with some vegan ranch or over a salad for a healthy dinner.
    Course Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Keyword air fryer, buffalo, tempeh
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Marinating Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 55 minutes
    Servings 24 pieces
    Calories 21kcal

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz tempeh cut into 24 strips
    • ¾ cup buffalo sauce separated
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • panko breadcrumbs

    Instructions

    • Cut tempeh into 24 equal strips.
    • Add ½ cup buffalo sauce, garlic powder, chili powder & pepper to a bowl. Stir to combine. Add the tempeh strips to the bowl and gently stir to combine until coated evenly. Place in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes.
    • When you are ready to cook them, add panko breadcrumbs to a bowl. Working 3 strips at a time, add them to the panko and coat on both sides. Place coated strips on a plate. Repeat until all of the strips are coated. Reserve the remaining marinade in the bowl.
    • Spray air fryer basket with non-stick spray (optional) and place strips in a single layer - you may need to work in batches. Cook at 330 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
    • Once all of the strips are cooked, add the remaining ¼ cup of buffalo sauce* to the leftover marinade. Add cooked strips to the bowl and toss until coated with sauce. Serve immediately.**

    Video

    Notes

    *If you are sensitive to heat you can omit this step or add some melted vegan butter to the buffalo sauce before adding the strips.
    **These will get soggy if you let them sit for too long, so you should eat them right away. You can also hold off on tossing them in the sauce until right before eating. Reheat leftovers in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 21kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 237mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Iron: 1mg

    This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase I will receive a small percentage of the sale. Please know I would never link a product unless I have personally used it and loved it!

    If you make any of these recipes be sure to snap a photo + post it + and tag #thissavoryvegan and @thissavoryvegan!


    This Air Fryer Buffalo Tempeh is perfectly crispy & spicy. Serve as an appetizer with some vegan ranch or over a salad for a healthy dinner | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #airfryerrecipe #buffalotempeh
    « Weekly Vegan Dinner Plan #113
    Vegan Egg Salad Sandwiches »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jen

      February 12, 2023 at 7:01 pm

      Made these for Super Bowl snacks; they were delicious 🙂

      Reply
      • Rene

        February 23, 2023 at 8:27 am

        So great to hear! Thanks Jen!

        Reply
    2. Sharan

      July 24, 2021 at 5:41 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious! Thank you for sharing . We put in a big salad. Super fast and easy too

      Reply
      • Rene

        August 04, 2021 at 2:17 pm

        Hi Sharan - that sounds like the perfect way to eat these! So glad you enjoyed!

        Reply
    3. Glenn

      January 16, 2021 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      I'd like to make these, but don't have an air fryer. (It's on the list, just haven't "shopped" it yet.) So if using a conventional oven, what would you suggest for temp and bake times? Thanks in advance for any suggest and advice. P.S. I've made your Ranch dressing several times and it's THE BOMB! So delicious, and easy to prep. The Mason jar I make it in has its own parking space in our fridge! 😋

      Reply
      • Rene

        January 19, 2021 at 8:46 am

        Haha - love the ranch comment. And I would say to bake these at 375 for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway 👍

        Reply
    4. mcw

      December 27, 2020 at 7:18 pm

      5 stars
      you are the queen of buffalo and vegan food

      Reply
      • Rene

        December 30, 2020 at 10:07 am

        I will gladly take that title 😂

        Reply
    5. Amanda

      October 11, 2020 at 10:12 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is so good! My left overs were even just as good the next day. My boyfriend usually doesn’t like tempeh but approved of this recipe. Will definitely be making this again.

      Reply
      • Rene

        October 12, 2020 at 2:13 pm

        Yay! So glad you both liked it. I think the key to tempeh is marinating it 👍

        Reply
    6. Julie Morrison

      October 05, 2020 at 5:17 am

      5 stars
      Because of this recipe (and the biscuit bites!) I’m getting an air fryer for my birthday 🥳 🔥🥂. You are amazing!

      Reply
      • Rene

        October 08, 2020 at 8:18 am

        Yay! You are going to love it! I use mine everyday! Happy Birthday!!!

        Reply
        • Julie Morrison

          November 22, 2020 at 10:56 am

          I’m finally making this recipe 😋💃. Which buffalo sauce do you use? I’ve found Primal Kitchen but I’m not sure that I like it…

          Reply
          • Rene

            November 23, 2020 at 3:28 pm

            I use Franks! 🤗

            Reply
            • Julie Morrison

              November 27, 2020 at 7:25 am

              5 stars
              Thanks!!!

    7. Sheetal

      August 17, 2020 at 6:04 am

      yum!! Def making these to add to my salads!

      Reply
      • Rene

        August 17, 2020 at 8:38 pm

        Yes! That's how I love to eat this too! Love a crunchy bite in my salads 🙂

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hey, nice to meet you!

    I’m Rene! So-cal native, dog mom and lover of all things spicy. Learn more.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Recipes
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 This Savory Vegan by Rene Barker