I recently had a mild obsession with air fried tofu. You can put it in wraps, on salads, in fried rice, and more! It’s great for anyone who loves, or wants to love tofu, and it’s also easy as heck. I used an air fryer that’s built into an oven, but for a stovetop one, I subtracted about 20% of the time, though I have not tested it. Feel free to give feedback on the times, and I would recommend testing different times if necessary.
Feel free to add more time if you want your tofu crispier or use firm or medium tofu.
Ingredients
Extra Firm Tofu – I used extra firm tofu because I like the end texture and it’s also great for people who are new to eating tofu!
Toasted Sesame Oil – Toasted sesame oil is best for flavoring, and is not necessarily made for coating a pan for cooking. It has a more distinct flavor, and it is best for this recipe!
Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce – Soy sauce is very important for this, and it adds a lot of flavor. I opt for reduced sodium, but if you use regular soy sauce, you can always cut down or dilute it.
Rice Vinegar – I used unseasoned rice vinegar, though seasoned will just give you more flavor.
Honey – Honey, while perhaps not very obviously essential to this recipe, definitely helps balance out some of the salty and acidic flavors. It is great for this recipe and you will definitely want to add it.
Fresh, Largely Minced Garlic – PLEASE, use fresh garlic in this recipe. You will end up with a much better flavor and it adds a lot to the recipe. Plus, if you put it on the baking sheet with the tofu, you end up with some little roasted garlic pieces.
Cornstarch – The cornstarch is added after the tofu marinades, and it helps it crisp up better.
Various Seasonings – You can of course add more as you see fit, but I added crushed red pepper flakes, and a small amount of ground cayenne and garlic powder. Some other recommended seasonings include onion powder, chili powder, dried minced garlic, oregano, etc.
(This recipe took a lot of trial and error, but I am happy with what I’ve landed on now! Feel free to adjust it to your taste.)
Air Fryer Crispy Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 Block Tofu extra firm (or firm or medium)
- 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce reduced sodium
- 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Rice Vinegar unseasoned
- 1 tsp Honey
- 1-2 Cloves Garlic
- 1/2-1 Tbsp Corn Starch
- seasoning*
Instructions
- Drain tofu.
- Place tofu (sliced across the width into smaller slices) between 2 dish or tea towels. Place something heavy on top.
- Let this sit for 30-60+ minutes to dry (if more than 60 minutes, place in fridge).
- Slice tofu into smaller rectangular pieces like pictured.
- Mix all the ingredients (minus the tofu and cornstarch) together.
- Gently mix in the tofu pieces.
- Cover in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 3 or more hours to overnight.
- Preheat air fryer to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add more seasoning or the other ingredients if you'd like, this is optional!* Mix cornstarch into the tofu to coat it.
- On a baking sheet covered in parchment or aluminum foil, lay out your tofu so that it doesn't overlap. (if using oven air fryer)
- MAKE SURE YOU CHECK ON THE TOFU. YOUR COOK TIMES MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN MINE DEPENDING ON THE SPECIFIC APPLIANCE.
- Put the tofu in for 9 minutes (7 minutes on stovetop air fryer).
- Remove and flip. Cook for 9 more minutes (7 minutes in stovetop).
- Take out and flip again. Cook for another (variables may cause this time to change) 7 minutes. (3-6 minutes in stovetop air fryer.
- Allow to cool slightly (air fry more if necessary).
- Enjoy!*