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This crispy air fryer tofu is delicious by itself, but I love adding it to a rice bowl, or stir fry. It’s so easy to make and only a few ingredients are needed!
Making crispy tofu in the air fryer is so easy and fast. You can use it as an appetizer by sticking it with toothpicks, serve over white rice or brown rice, or toss it in with your favorite salad.
Table of Contents
WHY I LOVE THIS
I love this recipe because it’s so easy to make, just needing a few ingredients. But it’s also so versatile! I can easily toss it with my favorite sauce or seasonings, to make a variety of meals with extra protein, that everyone will love!
If you are looking for easy dinners, try these air fryer fish tacos, air fryer breaded shrimp, air fryer tortilla pizza, or this air fryer taco ring.
INGREDIENTS
- tofu- Be sure tofu block is extra firm and not soft tofu or silken tofu
- cornstarch
Tofu Marinade Ingredients:
- soy sauce- you can also substitute low sodium soy sauce or Bragg liquid aminos
- sesame oil
- garlic- minced or use a teaspoon garlic powder
HOW TO MAKE CRISPY TOFU IN AIR FRYER:
STEP 1
Before slicing the tofu, I press and drain tofu to remove excess moisture, for about 30 minutes. I don’t have tofu press, so I just wrap the block of tofu with layers of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, then place a heavy object on top and let the tofu sit for about 15-30 minutes. This does the trick and absorbs the liquids at the same time.
STEP 2
Once drained, slice tofu into 1 inch cubes, and place in a medium bowl, along with the ingredients for the tofu marinade. Gently toss until the tofu is coated.
STEP 3
Once the tofu is coated, just set the bowl aside to let the tofu to marinate for about 15-30 minutes. Then add the cornstarch and toss together to coat the tofu.
STEP 4
Spread the tofu in a single layer in the air fryer basket, without stacking or overlapping. Air fry at 380 degrees F for 16-20 minutes, gently tossing halfway through cooking time. Once it’s done and crispy, season with salt and pepper to taste.
TIPS
Be sure to press the tofu until the moisture has been drained for at least 20-30 minutes. This will help it get crispy during air frying.
Try to cut the tofu into pieces that are similar in size so they air fry evenly. Smaller pieces will burn before the larger pieces are properly cooked, so if they are uniform, they will be done at the same time.
Tofu takes on whatever flavors your are tossing or marinating it in, so try different flavors until you find your favorite.
Don’t overcrowd the basket! You want to leave enough room in between the pieces so you can easily toss them during air frying to help them get crispy.
Here are a few of our FAVORITE recommendations.
Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer – Digital Meat Thermometer – Air Fryer All Day
VARIATIONS
Toss the tofu with your favorite sauce for a different flavor! Depending on if you are making a pasta or stir fry, you can easily enhance flavors! Some of my favorites are:
BBQ Tofu- I’ll toss the tofu with a 1/2 cup of my favorite BBQ sauce before air frying.
Sweet and Sour or Teriyaki Tofu- This tofu is perfect when tossed in with stir fry veggies. You get extra crunch from the vegetables and get a complete meal at the same time!
Garlic Sauce Tofu- I will add a creamy garlic sauce to my tofu when I want to make a pasta. I’ll also cut up a mushroom or two, along with green onions for extra veggies.
STORAGE AND REHEATING
Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat tofu, return to the air fryer basket and air fry at 380 degrees for just a few minutes until warm, about 4-6 minutes.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You can use a tbsp of olive oil, avocado oil, or for a more rich flavor use toasted sesame oil or peanut sauce.
This crispy air-fried tofu pairs so well with veggies like these Air Fryer Snap Peas, Air Fryer Broccoli or Air Fryer Squash.
I have tried making this tofu recipe without cornstarch, and it will work perfectly. However, when I air fry tofu, to get the tofu crispy, the cornstarch does the trick to achieve the perfect texture.
MORE AIR FRYER RECIPES
I love making this easy air fryer tofu when I want to add extra protein to a meal! And it’s so easy to change up the flavors too!
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Air Fryer Tofu
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Extra firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Tofu Marinade
- 1/4 cup soy sauce, or low sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
Instructions
- Before you cut tofu into cubes, press and drain tofu to remove excess moisture, for 30 minutes. If you don't have tofu press, you can wrap the block of tofu with layers of paper towel or a clean dish towel, then place a heavy object on top and let the tofu sit for about 15-30 minutes.
- Once drained, slice tofu into 1 inch cubes, then place tofu cubes into a medium bowl and add ingredients for tofu marinade. Gently toss until the tofu is coated.
- Set bowl aside to allow the tofu to marinate for about 15-30 minutes. Once marinated, toss tofu in cornstarch.
- Spread cubed tofu pieces in a single layer in air fryer basket, without stacking or overlapping. Air fry at 380 degrees F for 16-20 minutes, gently tossing halfway through cooking time.
- Eat tofu cubes themselves, with vegetables, or toss with sesame seeds and serve with pasta or rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
