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Jazz up your tofu and make this extra crispy Air Fryer Tofu. Quick and easy to make, this recipe is healthy, versatile and ridiculously delicious. Have a bite and you won’t ever say that tofu is boring.
The crispiest tofu in air fryer
Ladies and gentlemen, this may be the one and only tofu recipe you need. It’s so easy to make, with just a handful of simple ingredients. Plus, it tastes so delicious and crispy that even the biggest skeptics will turn into tofu lovers. Here are 5 reasons why you should try it asap:
- Crispy outside, tender inside and super tasty. Honestly, this is the best thing ever. Your latest addiction, the newest vegan fast food made at home.
- Easy recipe with simple ingredients. The best thing about this dish is that it’s extremely quick and easy to prepare. You only need tofu, soy sauce, a teaspoon of oil and some spices.
- Vegan, healthy and diet-friendly. This crispy tofu air fryer recipe is not only vegan, it can also be made gluten-free and keto. Plus, with under 90 calories per serving it’s perfect for the diet. Oh, and it’s high protein too!
- Versatile, delicious with everything. Whether in salads or bowls, with rice or noodles, these airfryer tofu cubes will enrich your dish with plenty of taste, textures, and protein.
- Budget-friendly dish. A block of tofu won’t cost you more than a couple of dollars, and it will get you a satisfying dish that literally tastes like fast food. But made at home, cheaper and healthier.
Ingredients & substitutions
Here’s everything this air fryer tofu recipe calls for. Read through the list down here and you’ll learn everything about ingredients and replacements, with tips & tricks.
- Extra firm tofu. The crispiest, best air fried tofu is made with extra-firm tofu. Do not use silken tofu, or it will break, stick to the air fryer basket and won’t come out crispy at all. Depending on where you live, it may be sold under the name of tokwa (in the Philippine) or tauhu (in Malaysia).
- Soy sauce. I prefer low sodium soy sauce, but you can use regular or gluten-free soy sauce if desired. You can substitute with tamari or liquid aminos.
- Olive oil. Coating the diced tofu into a teaspoon of olive oil makes it crispier and tastier. Great alternatives to olive oil are avocado oil and sesame oil, perfect to add an Asian touch to the dish.
- BBQ sauce. I marinated tofu dices into my homemade keto BBQ sauce, but any barbecue sauce works. Feel free to replace with 1/2 teaspoon of hot sauce or sriracha, or with ¾ teaspoon of smoked paprika.
- Cornstarch. The cornstarch is what will make your air fryer tofu crispy on the outside. You may substitute with arrowroot powder, potato starch or even all purpose flour, but I don’t recommend skipping it.
- Salt, spices and seasonings. I like seasoning my tofu with sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and a hint of ground black pepper. Feel free to include your favorite spices such as paprika or Italian seasoning. If alone it tastes pretty bland, when seasoned the right way tofu easily absorbs all the good flavors.
How to air fry tofu without cornstarch?
In this recipe, cornstarch is the secret to make tofu crispy. However, if you don’t have it, you can replace cornstarch with the same amount of arrowroot powder or potato starch. All purpose flour is another option, but it does not produce the same crunchy result. In case you don’t have any of the previous options, just leave out the cornstarch. Your air fry firm tofu cubes will still be delicious, but not as crunchy and crispy.
How to make air fryer tofu crispy?
Step 1: Press tofu.
Wrap the block of tofu in paper towels or in a clean kitchen towel, place it on a clean flat surface such as a cutting board, and put a heavy object (like a cast-iron skillet) on top for 15 -20 minutes. This will remove excess moisture.
Step 2: Marinate tofu.
Dice pressed tofu into cubes, then place in a medium size bowl. Add soy sauce, olive oil, BBQ sauce, salt and seasonings to the bowl. Mix until the tofu is fully coated. Place in the fridge and let the it marinate for about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Air fry tofu.
After it has marinated, remove from the fridge and toss tofu with cornstarch. Line over the air fryer basket, on a single layer without overlapping. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking halfway through.
Watch the video recipe
Storing & meal prepping tofu
Air fried crispy tofu can be served right away, or it can be prepared for later. To best store it, you’ll need to let the crispy cubes cool to room temperature first. Once they have cooled, place in an airtight container and refrigerate. In the fridge, leftovers will last for up to 3 days. Re-crisp for a couple of minutes in the air fryer before serving.
To freeze air fried tofu, allow it to cool then pack in sealable zipper bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Before serving, thaw it overnight, then air fry for 3 to 5 minutes until crispy.
There are 3 main reasons why air fry tofu may come out soggy. First, you may be using silken tofu instead of extra firm tofu. Second, you are not pressing it. Third, you air fry tofu without cornstarch (or any replacement) and without oil. Also, be sure that your air fryer is set to 400°F (200°C).
No, a tofu press is not required. If you don’t have one, you can place the block of tofu between a clean surface and a heavy object such as a skillet. Let it there until all the excess water has come out.
You should toss with cornstarch only after the tofu has marinated for at least 10 minutes, right before air frying. This ensures the crispiest texture we all want.
Air fryers use circulating hot air to cook food, creating a crispy texture with minimal oil, and are best for small batches. Convection ovens, on the other hand, have a larger capacity and they utilize a fan to evenly distribute hot air for baking, roasting, and more.
How to serve air fryer tofu?
- Serve alongside homemade carrot fries, air fryer zucchini fries or low calorie fries
- Dip in my keto BBQ sauce or in homemade Big Mac sauce
- Enjoy as a snack with air fryer tortilla chips and homemade salsa
- Use it as a filling for egg white wraps for a quick low carb lunch
- Make an oat bread sandwich with air fryer fried tofu, slices of avocados and vegetables
Air Fryer Tofu
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 block (15 oz.) extra-firm tofu
- 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce, replace with liquid aminos
- 1 ½ tsp olive oil, replace with avocado oil or sesame oil
- 2 tsp BBQ sauce, replace with ½ tsp hot sauce or ¾ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tbsp cornstarch
- ⅓ to ½ tsp sea salt, to taste
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- a hint of ground black pepper
Instructions
Press tofu to remove excess water
- Wrap the tofu block in paper towels, place it on a clean flat surface such as a cutting board, and put a heavy object (like a skillet) on top for 15 -20 minutes to remove excess water.
Marinate tofu
- Dice pressed tofu into cubes, then place in a medium size bowl.
- Add soy sauce, olive oil, BBQ sauce, salt and seasonings to the bowl. Mix until the tofu is fully coated. Place in the fridge and let the seasoned tofu marinate for 10 minutes.
- In the meanwhile, coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray and preheat to 400°F (200°C), in case your air fryer requires it.
- After it has marinated, remove from the fridge and toss with cornstarch. Line over the air fryer basket, on a single layer without overlapping.
- Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking halfway through. Remove cooked tofu from the air fryer and let it cool for a couple of minutes. Enjoy warm.
Video
Notes
- Use extra-firm tofu, do not make this recipe with silken tofu because it will come apart and stick to the air fryer basket.
- Make gluten-free air fryer tofu by replacing soy sauce with liquid aminos, or use gluten-free soy sauce.
- Marinate with my keto BBQ sauce and make air fryer tofu keto.
Tofu my favorite to eat at anytime??
Hello hello Liza,
many thanks for your kind feedback. Agree! Tofu is definitely one of the best plant based sources of protein, I love it so much. I like my tofu in Asian dishes, in Buddha bowls, and especially if made in the air fryer. Tofu has never been that crispy and satisfying, definitely a must try!
Have a great day,
Matteo