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Home » Air Fryer » Vegan Southern Style Air Fryer Soy Curls

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Vegan Southern Style Air Fryer Soy Curls

February 26, 2019 by Kathy Hester 67 Comments

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I’ve got your new favorite quickie dinner – Vegan Southern Style Air Fryer Soy Curls! This recipe is easy, convenient, full of flavor, crunch, and fun to eat as well. They are oil-free, gluten-free, and you can change up the seasoning to suit your mood. 

Vegan Air Fryer Southern Fried "Chicken" Soy Curls

This Is My New Favorite Dinner Recipe!

I hate to tell you this, but I’ve been holding out on you. I’ve been making these Vegan Air Fryer Southern Fried “Chicken” Soy Curls for months! It’s taken me awhile to get the time to take photos and actually write down the recipe, but it’s worth the wait.

Vegan Air Fryer Southern Fried "Chicken" Soy Curls

What Are Soy Curls?

They are made of  non-gmo soybeans, that are basically cooked, then smushed into a chickeny tender shape. They look a lot like TVP and come dehydrated. 

You won’t find them in stores on the east coast, but you can order from Amazon no matter where you live. Since I’m in North Carolina, I order my Butler Soy Curls on Amazon.

How Do Your Use Soy Curls?

For this recipe, I rehydrate them with boiling water, but when I use them in slow cooker or Instant Pot recipes, I usually put them in dry with extra liquid to save time and effort.

Vegan Air Fryer Southern Fried "Chicken" Soy Curls

How Do You Make Vegan Southern Style Air Fryer Soy Curls?

First pour hot water over the soy curls. In 5 to 10 minutes, they are plump, rehydrated, and ready to go. Some people soak them in broth, but in this recipe I add flavor through the delicious coating.

Next you drain the excess water off. I use a strainer and press on it with a wooden spoon to get out more liquid.

Even after you drain the soy curls, there will be enough moisture to hold on the coating. Sometimes some of the coating soaks up some liquid and makes little crunchies separate from the soy curl. These are great on salads.

Vegan Air Fryer Southern Fried "Chicken" Soy Curls

More Air Fryer Recipes to Try

  • Air Fried Vegan Beignets with an Oven Option
  • Air Fryer Cajun Pecan-Crusted Gardein Fishless Filets
  • Air Fryer Bow Tie Pasta Chip

More Soy Curl Recipes to Try

  • Instant Pot Vegan Mac and Cheese with Soy Curls
  • Instant Pot Caballero Bean and Soy Curl Chili
Vegan Air Fryer Southern Fried "Chicken" Soy Curls
Print Recipe
4.65 from 37 votes

Vegan Air Fryer Southern Fried “Chicken” Soy Curls

The easiest "cheat" dinner that your family will go nuts over!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time25 mins
Cuisine: main
Servings: 2
Calories: 100kcal
Author: Kathy Hester

Ingredients

  • 1/2 bag Butler Soy Curls 4 ounces
  • 3 cups boiling water

Breading

  • 1/4 cup fine ground cornmeal can sub flour
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning to taste
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Put the soy curls in a heat proof pan on the stove and pour the boiling water over them. Let them soak for 5 to 10 minutes, or until soft and plump. 
  • Pour into a strainer in your sink to drain, then press the extra water out with a large spoon.
  • Mix the breading ingredients together well in a small bowl.
  • Add the drained soy culls to a large bowl and mix in breading well. You want to coat each piece.
  • Place the breaded soy curls into your air fryer and cook at 380 degrees for 5 minutes. Shake and cook for 5 more minutes.
  • Serve as is with fries or over mashed potatoes with a golden gravy.

Nutrition

Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 3g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1.3mg
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Vegan Air Fryer Southern Fried "Chicken" Soy Curls

Vegan Air Fryer Southern Fried "Chicken" Soy Curls
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Filed Under: Air Fryer, Gluten-free, Main Course, No Added Oil Tagged With: AIr Fryer, soy curls

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Comments

  1. Dianne says

    March 20, 2018 at 4:30 pm

    I just happen to have half a bag of soy curls in the fridge, so these will be happening later this week!

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      March 20, 2018 at 5:02 pm

      Be sure to let me know how they turn out for you.

      Reply
  2. Laurie B says

    March 21, 2018 at 2:22 pm

    Hmmm. No air fryer, but the recipe sounds so good. How do you think they would be if baked in the oven at 400 or so for ….. some amount of time? Any tips?

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      April 7, 2018 at 7:47 pm

      I think they will be fine in the oven. I’d check them every 10 minutes or so.

      Reply
  3. Sarah De la Cruz says

    March 26, 2018 at 7:52 pm

    These look fabulous! My husband has been hinting that an air fryer would make a good mother’s day gift, so I’m saving this recipe. We LOVE soy curls! I’m in Seattle and haven’t seen them at any local stores, other than our vegan market. I order mine on Amazon too, but hopefully soon they will be more widely available!

    Reply
    • Heidi says

      April 7, 2018 at 7:19 pm

      Hi, Sarah,

      You may want to check the bulk bins at Whole Foods. That’s where we get our soy curls. ????

      Reply
    • Vegan Newbie says

      April 12, 2018 at 10:06 pm

      Hi neighbor! Have you checked Whole Foods and Vegan Haven? I’ve seen the Butler brand bag at Whole Foods and believe I did at Vegan Haven too. I got mine at Marlene’s Market & Deli in Tacoma (also located in Federal Way) for far less than what they cost at Whole Foods. We switched to a vegan lifestyle about 2 years ago now and I have long been curious about this product. Decided to take the dive this weekend and used this recipe to also break in my mom’s brand new air fryer. It was a HIT instantly and glad I grabbed two bags when I did. Ended up making another HUGE batch the very next day. They want me to go get more but I’m afraid they’ll burn out on it too fast so I refuse (hahahahaaa).

      Reply
      • Kathy Hester says

        April 12, 2018 at 10:13 pm

        That’s great! I’m jealous of you guys in the pacific northwest. They are definitely not in North Carolina Whole Foods yet.

        Reply
        • rebecca says

          June 22, 2018 at 9:58 am

          You can get them off of Amazon! I got a 3-pack for $15 and 1-day shipping. https://amzn.to/2tlXB8e

          Reply
        • Carla says

          July 30, 2020 at 7:57 pm

          This was the first recipe I cooked in my airfryer. What a treat!! My 2 year old is being raised vegan as well and she cleans her plate every time:) Thanks for this healthy and delicious recipe!!

          Reply
    • Nancy says

      May 26, 2019 at 4:40 pm

      Order soy curls from Butler directly. Even with the cost of shipping, it’s cheaper than Amazon. Additionally, you sometimes get samples of new products and you always get a handwritten “thank you”.

      Reply
      • Lauren says

        January 21, 2020 at 3:56 pm

        Agreed! I ordered directly from Butler and got a bag of jerky (delicious) and taco mix (haven’t tried yet). Cheaper than Amazon and included 2 freebies!

        Reply
      • Eli says

        April 13, 2020 at 5:31 pm

        Exactly! I did that and Butler Foods gave me sample foods etc… I currently have the giant box of soy curls…

        Reply
    • Sheila says

      April 13, 2020 at 8:50 pm

      I live in Vancouver, WA, and they carry soy curls at Fred Meyer. I’m sure that you could find them there, and they definitely carry them at Whole Foods. My experience is that sometimes you have to ask twice, because the clerks aren’t always aware that they carry them : ). Also, you can order directly through Butler – https://www.butlerfoods.com/orderonline.html – 6/8oz bags for $19.95 plus $11.00 shipping. You can order in bulk and save more.

      Reply
  4. Heidi says

    April 7, 2018 at 7:22 pm

    Kathy, thank you for posting this. I’m on the cusp of purchasing an air fryer, and this recipe is going to be one of the first things I try.

    Reply
  5. Jeff Scott says

    April 11, 2018 at 10:14 pm

    These are probably one of the best things I have made since going vegan. And I have made some really awesome recipes. Thank you so much.

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      April 11, 2018 at 10:18 pm

      That is wonderful to hear!

      Reply
  6. Christine says

    April 13, 2018 at 4:17 pm

    Hey Kathy, just wanted to thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I ordered the soy curls and just made your Southern Fried Chicken.. Popeyes ain’t got nothing on this great recipe. I decided three weeks ago to go completely plant based Vegan. This recipe was a sight for sore eyes!!!! Thank you for the save!!!!!

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      April 13, 2018 at 6:03 pm

      I love hearing that!!

      Reply
    • Iris says

      June 7, 2018 at 4:49 pm

      Did you add any other ingredient to make th3 soy curls taste like Popeyes? Mine came out rather bland.

      Reply
      • Kathy Hester says

        June 14, 2018 at 1:22 pm

        You could add more Cajun spices and cayenne. I think that’s what that chain uses. You could reconstitute in broth too if you want.

        Reply
  7. kristin says

    April 20, 2018 at 5:31 am

    holy moly! i love soy curls, and these look so good!

    Reply
  8. Liz says

    June 21, 2018 at 6:11 pm

    Just made this, oh my so good, did not want gravy so made a cheese sauce (plant based) poured on them yummy. Tomorrow going to make up some tortilla chips, black beans, my chicken strips and smother with cheese sauce.

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      June 21, 2018 at 6:12 pm

      That sounds good!

      Reply
  9. Ella says

    July 1, 2018 at 10:12 am

    What poultry seasoning would you recommend. Not sure what to look for.

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      July 8, 2018 at 6:00 pm

      It’s a blend like Cajun spice or Italian seasoning. I have my recipe for it in this video: https://business.facebook.com/veganslowcooker/videos/1560711087323377/

      Reply
  10. Margaret says

    July 9, 2018 at 4:04 pm

    I bought a few bags from Butler’s themselves and they sent extra freebies. Very nice.

    Reply
  11. Sue says

    August 1, 2018 at 8:09 pm

    Hi made these just now – yummy! made my own Cajun spice as I guess
    I do not have it!
    The only thing I changed was adding, Jada Spices Chicken Salt – it is VEGAN.

    These are delicious thank you for a different recipe for the family!

    Reply
  12. Shari says

    August 6, 2018 at 1:42 pm

    These tasted good but when I pressed the soy curls with a large spoon to drain the excess water, they broke into small pieces. Any thoughts?

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      August 6, 2018 at 1:52 pm

      Some of them do break, but if all of yours did I wonder if they didn’t get tossed around more during shipping.

      Reply
  13. Diane says

    August 9, 2018 at 7:35 pm

    These are awesome … the grand kids thought they were chicken strips….

    Reply
  14. Sue says

    August 27, 2018 at 10:18 am

    This is an amazing recipe to make in the air fryer with soy curls – have made it several times with different spices – it is a keeper!

    Reply
  15. Jill cLAY says

    December 4, 2018 at 2:25 pm

    Wonderful recipe! My doctor wants me to eat a high potassium diet, and I thought soy curls were high in potassium. However, your nutritional list shows only 174 mg of potassium in 1/4 bag of soy curls. Is that correct? One cup of soybeans has 3342 mg of potassium. Aren’t soy curls ONLY whole soy beans?

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      December 5, 2018 at 10:24 am

      I go by the labels on the bags or by what’s in the nutritional database that I use. Butler don’t list potassium on their label. I suspect you are correct, though I wouldn’t be qualified to guess a soy bean to soy curl ration in it. https://www.butlerfoods.com/soycurls.html

      Reply
    • Valerie says

      January 23, 2021 at 8:00 pm

      Potatoes are high potassium. Serve with mashed or baked potatoes. 😁

      Reply
  16. Russell says

    January 4, 2019 at 7:23 pm

    I made a Japanese version of this. Used flour salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and 1/4 tsp of s&b Japanese curry spice. It tasted just like the Japanese karrage chicken wings. Huge hit!

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      January 4, 2019 at 7:44 pm

      That sounds awesome – I need to try it!

      Reply
  17. Barb Bucher says

    February 18, 2019 at 5:10 pm

    Just found out about soy curls and made this today. WE LOVED THEM! Thanks for the great recipe!!

    Reply
  18. Brenda says

    April 14, 2019 at 1:21 pm

    Excellent! So easy and great flavor. I just made a batch and will make chicken sandwiches. These are seriously good!

    Reply
  19. Becky says

    April 19, 2019 at 2:41 pm

    I gave this recipe 5 stars even though I used brown rice flour instead of cornmeal because I didn’t have any and I left out the cajun. Lol.

    I’ve made it a few times and put together my plant based version of KFC bowls. “Chicken” soy curls, mashed potatoes, corn, and gravy. Yum!!! My niece said they tasted like chicken. I’m winning her over!
    Thank you Kathy!!!

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      April 19, 2019 at 2:58 pm

      Thank you for your kind words! It’s one of our family favs too 😉

      Reply
  20. Krystal says

    May 4, 2019 at 9:48 pm

    Can I fry them in regular oil also?

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      May 6, 2019 at 2:36 pm

      I’m sure you could, but I haven’t tried it.

      Reply
  21. Carlisa says

    June 29, 2019 at 4:29 pm

    I just made these and they are great. I am eating them with Brown rice and a salad. I use barbecue sauce as a dip.

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      June 29, 2019 at 5:47 pm

      I’m glad you liked them!

      Reply
  22. Donna says

    July 10, 2019 at 6:38 am

    Just ordered soy curls and can’t wait to try this recipe. When you say nutritional yeast do you mean Bragg’s nutritional yeast seasoning or a nutritional yeast flake? I’ve never tried either so not sure what I should use. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      July 11, 2019 at 12:04 am

      I believe that Bragg’s nutritional yeast seasoning is just branded nutritional yeast flakes. I’d buy which ever one is cheaper near you.

      Reply
  23. Sharon says

    September 21, 2019 at 6:19 pm

    Great recipe! I used matzo meal since I can’t tolerate corn. Came out great and crispy.

    Reply
    • Kelly says

      October 30, 2019 at 6:35 pm

      What about in the Breville oven Kathy? What temp and time would you recommend?

      Reply
      • Kathy Hester says

        October 30, 2019 at 7:41 pm

        I would use the same temp and it may have to cook a little more time though.

        Reply
  24. Paula says

    January 14, 2020 at 3:49 pm

    These are wonderful! I just made them for the 3rd time and have used them in sandwiches, salads, with rice or with French fries. Delicious every time! I use my home made chili powder and poultry seasoning but after reading these reviews I will try adding onion powder too.

    Reply
  25. Monica says

    February 4, 2020 at 2:07 pm

    Oh. My. Mercy. I just made this. I swear I just stood over the air fryer basket picking them out and eating them. I’m NOT PROUD of how many I devoured. Husband loved them too (what I managed to share with him). I rehydrated them in better than bullion no-chicken stock and then used the Butler chicken flavoring as well in the dry seasoning. OMG. I’m making them again this week and we’re doing KFC bowls with mashed potatoes, vegan gravy and corn.

    THANK YOU!! I will never, ever do soy curls any other way again. You have quite literally changed our lives.

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      February 22, 2020 at 2:41 pm

      Yay!!

      Reply
  26. Jenny says

    February 22, 2020 at 11:48 am

    These are awesome!!!! Even my 4-year-old gobbled them up. Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      February 22, 2020 at 2:41 pm

      So glad you like them!

      Reply
  27. Michele says

    March 31, 2020 at 5:47 pm

    Do I just remove the stirring paddle from my T-Fal air fryer or will it work to let these site constantly? Thx so much

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      April 8, 2020 at 10:38 pm

      I think you can use the stirrer.

      Reply
  28. Lori says

    April 10, 2020 at 11:28 am

    I used flour, but next time I’ll try cornmeal. I cooked as directed, but will cook them a few minutes longer as I liked the crispier bits the best. I added 1/2 teaspoon of Weber Kickin’ Chicken spice and a 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder. I dipped mine in Frank’s Buffalo Wing sauce and it was delish! I will be tossing the rest in wing sauce for a Buffalo Chicken salad. These are incredibly easy to make and so versatile. Can’t wait to make a KFC bowl with them. Thanks for a great recipe, Kathy!

    Reply
  29. D'Arla Nowlin says

    April 15, 2020 at 7:38 pm

    I don’t usually comment on recipes, but this is the best recipe for soy curls that I have ever come across, and also the easiest and most fool proof! I didn’t have great hope, as I have been disappointed before and it, frankly, seemed too easy. The only thing I changed was the temperature used for cooking, as my Ninja Foodie with the air fryer in the lid didn’t have a 380 temp, so I cooked them at 375. They were very, very good, and I was both shocked and delighted! Even the meat eating members of my family who tried them thought they had a good flavor, but we all thought they tasted a lot like either crispy catfish or clam strips. Thank you so much for this recipe! Maybe now I will finally use the bags and bags of soy curls in my freezer that I got in bulk from Butler foods.

    Reply
  30. Dharma says

    April 18, 2020 at 7:30 pm

    Oh. Em. Gee. These were AMAZING! This went above & beyond anything I could have expected! I used veggie stock with 1 TBS of chickenless bouillon to hydrate the soy curls because the last soy curl recipe I made was a little bland. I had to make my own Cajun seasoning & I used a combo of flour, cornmeal, & panko breadcrumbs.
    We had these in a “VFC Bowl” with mashed potatoes, gravy, corn & pole beans & we ate so much we could pop. I’d give more stars if I could!

    Reply
  31. Connie B says

    June 27, 2020 at 10:52 pm

    I haven’t had a soy curl recipe that I haven’t enjoyed and this one did not disappoint. I used arrow root in place of flour and cooked in my air fryer at 400. My air fryer does not have a 380. My only problem is that they stick to the bottom of the basket so I need to use a spatula in order to shake and put it in for another 5. I didn’t know about getting these directly from Butler. I usually get the, from Amazon. Will try that next time.

    Reply
  32. Bree Bailey says

    July 9, 2020 at 8:07 pm

    These turned out so good! Used flour because that’s what I had, would love to try with cornmeal

    Reply
  33. Laura says

    July 14, 2020 at 4:54 pm

    Made this last and I love it! It is definitely a favorite for me now!

    Reply
  34. Annie says

    August 18, 2020 at 1:17 pm

    Great recipe! Had anyone tried them the next day? Are they still good?

    Reply
  35. Patty says

    November 4, 2020 at 10:05 am

    I made these last night and they were amazing. It was so nice to have these with my kale salad. Will definitely make again. Thank you for this recipe.

    Reply
  36. Pamela says

    January 28, 2021 at 4:19 pm

    Going to try these tonight! If your in Canada, you can find the soy curls at http://www.veganbulkfoods.ca/shop

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      January 28, 2021 at 4:31 pm

      Awesome – thanks for letting us know!

      Reply

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