If you love this tofu, you will love my popular Marinated Tofu recipe! Never eat bland or boring tofu again.
Crispy tofu in the air fryer
If my Easy Air Fryer Fries recipe doesn’t convince you to buy an air fryer, this Air Fryer Tofu sure will! Crispy, golden brown tofu has never been better or easier to make thanks to the air fryer. The best part is you only need a little bit of oil! The air fryer is my family’s most used kitchen tool. We use it to make crispy brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, frozen tater tots, spring rolls, and vegan nuggets too. It’s a pro at turning vegetables and snacks into crispy, crunchy treats. Making crispy tofu in the air fryer is easy. The cubed tofu is first coated in a simple 4-ingredient coating, forming a crispy, flavorful layer around each piece. You don’t have to wait for them to marinate for very long, either. Just coat, air fry, and enjoy!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
Extra firm tofu – Only extra firm or firm tofu will work for this recipe. Make sure you take the time to press all of the excess moisture out first or else the cubes won’t be as crispy. You can do this on the weekend to make for quick weeknight meals!Cornstarch – This is where air fryer tofu gets its crunch. When cooked, cornstarch sticks to the outside of the tofu cubes and forms an ultra-crisp and light coating. Arrowroot starch can be used as a substitute.Soy sauce – Or tamari for gluten free.Rice vinegarSesame oil – You can use olive oil or vegetable oil if you don’t have sesame oil, but the tofu will be missing a delicious nutty, umami-like flavor.
The tofu marinade is fun to play with, so don’t feel like you have to only use soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Mix it up by stirring in maple syrup, sriracha or your favorite hot sauce, fresh garlic, dried herbs, and any other condiments or seasonings you love.
How to make air fryer tofu
Find the instructions with measurements, temperatures, and bake times on the recipe card below. Make sure you press all of the excess moisture out of the brick of tofu before getting started. You can do this with a tofu press or by covering the tofu cubes with a clean towel and placing something heavy on top. Let the water drain out for about 15 minutes. Once that’s done, transfer the tofu cubes to a large bowl. Drizzle the soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil over the tofu. Next, sprinkle the cornstarch over the tofu. Stir to coat. Place the tofu in a single layer in the air fryer. If the cubes are too crowded or piled on top of each other, they won’t get crispy. Work in batches if necessary. Air fry for 10 to 15 minutes on high heat, shaking the basket after about 10 minutes. The tofu is ready to eat once it’s golden and crispy!
Serving suggestions
The great thing about air fryer tofu is how flexible it is. Simply enjoy it as-is on a loaded green salad, meal prep bowls, or vegan stir fry. It can give all kinds of meals a flavorful crunch and extra protein all in one. When you want to take it up a notch, toss the crispy tofu in bang bang sauce, orange sauce, peanut sauce, or barbecue sauce. Now that it’s saucy and extra delicious, it would be a fantastic addition to vegetable wraps or teriyaki noodles. The possibilities are endless!
Storing crispy tofu
The cooked tofu cubes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. To retain its crispiness later on, reheat the tofu in the air fryer at 375ºF for about 3 to 5 minutes. Pro tip: Save a little time and leave the uncooked cubes in the soy sauce marinade for up to 1 day in advance. Afterward, toss in cornstarch and air fry!
Want more delicious tofu recipes?
Black Pepper TofuEasy Tofu TacosCrispy Baked BBQ TofuPerfect Fried Tofu
title: “Air Fryer Tofu” ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-26” author: “Joan Calhoun”
5 8 Published Dec 29, 2021, Updated Nov 05, 2024
Curried tofu – Use curry powder to make curried tofu! It would be great for giving sandwiches or wraps that extra boost of flavor. Spicy tofu – Add some cayenne pepper to make a spicy variation! Mexican spices – Another way to change up the flavors would be to add a Mexican seasoning blend. Try a classic blend from the store, or make your own at home with my simple taco seasoning! Italian seasoning – Perfect to top salads with, you can use an Italian seasoning blend to change up the flavors! Peanut tofu – I’m a huge fan of finding new ways to cook tofu, and this baked peanut tofu is amazing! You can easily follow the recipe as written and bake it in the oven, or pop it into the air fryer for a quicker, crispier option. Either way, you’re going to love it!
Top a salad with this tofu to amp up the protein! Try it with my farro salad, greek chickpea salad or even my simple garlicky kale salad. Use this tofu in place of shrimp in my shrimp stir fry salad or use it in my vegan ‘chicken’ salad. It would also be great to use in my tofu cabbage noodle bowl! Whip up my healthy chick-fil-a sauce, healthy honey mustard or dip into your favorite brand of ketchup (I love Primal Kitchen organic unsweetened ketchup!)
