Air Fryer Crispy Tofu

Name: Air Fryer Crispy Tofu
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 pound extra firm tofu; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 teaspoon sesame oil; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder

By Karly Campbell

Published: April 18, 20233 Comments

We love this air fryer crispy tofu for a quick, healthy protein that goes great over rice, in stir-fries, or with a tasty dip! Making tofu crispy can be tricky, but our tips and tricks will help you get it right every time!

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We’ve been experimenting with more and more meatless recipes these days for a variety of reasons and tofu has quickly become one of our go-to protein sources!

Yes, it can be a bit wobbly and weird looking, but when cooked like this it turns out nice and crispy on the outside and perfect for drizzling or dipping in sauce, serving in a salad, adding to a stir fry, or just serving it on the side of some of our air fryer vegetables and rice!

For the off chance that anyone here is wondering why tofu, and specifically why tofu in the air fryer is a great recipe, let me fill you in!

Tofu is a good source of plant-based protein that is full of nutrients, but not full of calories. It is pretty much a global food, eaten in many countries around the world. The last big reason we love tofu is that it is versatile! Tofu is like the everything substitute, it can be paired with almost any dish whether sweet or savory!

Table of Contents

Ingredient Notes:

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Ingredients for crispy tofu spread on a countertop.

Tofu – We will use a pound of extra firm tofu. Silken tofu likely won’t work at all and regular or firm tofu won’t come out nearly as crispy. We prefer to use organic tofu whenever possible. You can likely find tofu in the refrigerated vegan section of your store.

Seasonings – Our savory seasonings are going to be soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Cornstarch – We’ll coat the tofu in a bit of cornstarch to help it crisp up.

How to Make Crispy Tofu in an Air Fryer:

Collage showing how to make tofu in the air fryer.

Prepare the tofu– Press the tofu using a tofu press for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain off excess liquid and pat dry. Then cut your tofu into small cubes and add to a bowl.
Season the tofu– Drizzle the soy sauce and sesame oil over the top. Gently stir to coat the tofu. Next sprinkle on your cornstarch, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Air fry the tofu- Spritz your air fryer basket with oil and place your tofu into the basket in a single layer. Air fry for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F. Flip the tofu halfway through cooking for the most crispy results.

Don’t Have a Tofu Press?

Wrap the tofu in a clean tea towel and place it on a plate. Top with a heavy skillet and let sit for 30 minutes. Then pat dry and cut your tofu into cubes.

What does tofu taste like?

Plain tofu doesn’t really have much of a flavor at all! It’s quite bland and just begging to be seasoned however you like!

We almost always press our tofu to remove excess water and then toss on a bit of soy sauce to give it a savory, salty start.

From there, we’ll add whatever seasonings will go well with the dish – in this case we use a combination of sesame oil, garlic powder, and onion powder.

This air fryer crispy tofu is perfect dipped or coated in sauces, such as a stir fry sauce, barbecue sauce, yum yum sauce, or a bit of sriracha!

Shop our Favorite Air Fryers!

We’ve tested loads of air fryers over the years and narrowed it down to the best of the best! Whether you’re looking for a basket style air fryer that fits nicely on your countertop or you want the toaster oven style air fryer, we’ve got the recommendation for you!

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What are the benefits of eating tofu?

Tofu is a complete protein made from soybeans. Finding a plant based complete protein can be tricky and it’s one of the reasons we love tofu!

Tofu is rich in vitamins and minerals, low in calories, and is heart healthy.

Tofu is readily available in most grocery stores, is budget-friendly, and is a great way to start experimenting with more meatless recipes.

Tofu and broccoli in an air fryer basket.

What is tofu?

The way I’ve described tofu to my children is that it’s basically cheese made from soy milk.

The process is started by curdling fresh soy milk and then pressing it into blocks to form tofu, much the same way cheese is made using dairy products.

FAQ:

What do you serve with crispy tofu?

We like to use this crispy tofu in rice bowls with roasted veggies or stir fry vegetables. It’s also delicious with a dip (mayo + sriracha is a favorite) or in fried rice.

My tofu wasn’t crispy after following the recipe, what can I do?

Every air fryer performs a little differently. When the 10 minutes of cook time is up, check to see if it is as crisp as you like. If it is not cook it an additional minute or two until it is perfect! It is also important for it to be as dry as you can possibly make it! So pat it dry after removing it from the tofu press – and definitely don’t skip pressing the tofu!

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