Air fryer Tofu Manchurian is a fantastic Asian Inspired dish, where crispy tofu is tossed with crunchy veggies and a homemade Manchurian Sauce. This is a healthier version of the deep-fried Manchurian recipe! Serve with Cauliflower rice, Garlic Noodles, or Brown rice.
About this Tofu Manchurian recipe
This Manchurian is made with crispy tofu tossed in a sweet, spicy sticky Asian sauce. It is then served with a sprinkle of scallions and sesame seeds on its own, or on a bed of rice/noodles. Usually, the tofu is deep-fried until crispy for the recipe. Not any more. We are air frying the tofu until crispy and using only a fraction of oil.
I prefer to use Tofoo brand Extra firm Tofu, available in the UK. It requires no pressing to squeeze out any additional water.
Super healthy, delicious without any compromise in flavors. I have made this crispy tofu in the Instant Pot Vortex 6 in 1 air fryer.
If you love Manchurian, you will also love this classic Air fryer Cauliflower Manchurian and Soya Manchurian too. These are an absolute hit all the time!
Why you'll love this recipe?
- Budger Friendly - Making this manchurian dish is so much cheaper than ordering from a local Chinese takeaway.
- Air fried – I prefer Air frying to deep frying the tofu. Air frying the tofu requires no babysitting compared to deep frying and the recipe is a lot healthier.
- Very little Oil – For Air frying any dish, I like to brush the oil or spray oil on the dish. This recipe for air-fried Tofu Manchurian uses only a fraction of oil than the deep-fried version would need. I don't believe in ditching the oil completely from the dish, as it does make a difference to the texture and taste.
- No added additives or MSG– Restaurant style Manchurian often has got MSG / Ajinomoto. I prefer not to add them to any of my Indo Chinese recipes. If you would like to add, add just a pinch.
- Tasty, healthy Indian Chinese Inspired Street Food – Get the taste of the restaurant in the comfort of your home.
- Dietary needs – Vegan
How to make Crispy Tofu in the Air fryer for Tofu Manchurian?
- Place the tofu cubes in a rectangle dish.
- Drizzle the 3 remaining tofu ingredients on top and toss to coat. Allow the tofu to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
- Preheat the air fryer at 200°C for/ 400 F for 2 minutes.
- Place the marinated Tofu into the air fryer basket and air fry for 10 minutes. At halftime, shake the basket so that they are evenly cooked.
- Once the air frying is done, remove the crispy tofu and set it aside.
What to Serve With Air-Fried Tofu Manchurian?
Serve Air fryer Tofu Manchurian with a sprinkle of scallions as an appetizer or side dish. To serve as a meal, serve over Cauliflower fried rice, White Rice, Brown rice, Garlic Noodles, Hakka Noodles, or even Fried Rice.
What type of Tofu should I use for this recipe?
If you live in the UK, I can highly recommend the Tofoo brand Extra Firm Tofu. This UK brand of Tofu does not require you to squeeze out any extra water or place a weight on it. You can use it straight out of the box.
If you love this recipe, you will also love
Indo Chinese Vegetable Noodles
Thinking what else to make with Tofu?
Crispy Air fryer tofu
Easy Tofu Manchurian recipe below
Ingredients
For the tofu
- 450 g tofu Cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
For the Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil
- 2 stalk spring onions diced
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced
- 4-5 cloves garlic diced
- 1 white onion small, cut into 1” pieces
- 1 red pepper cut into 1" pieces
- 1 green pepper cut into 1" pieces
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Chilli Sauce
- 65 ml water
- Salt to taste
To Serve
- Spring Greens
- Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Place the tofu cubes in a rectangle dish.
- Drizzle the 3 remaining tofu ingredients on top and toss to coat. Allow the tofu to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
- Prheat the air fryer 200°C for/ 400 F for 2 minutes.
- When the display indicates Add Food, place the marinated Tofu into the frying chamber and air fry for 10 minutes. At halftime, shake the basket so that they are evenly cooked.
- Once the air frying is done, remove the crispy tofu and set it aside.
- In the meanwhile, heat oil in a wok, add the spring onions, ginger and garlic, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the white onion and peppers, and toss over high heat for another 1 minute.
- Now add the black pepper, sauces - tomato ketchup, soy sauce, chilli sauce, and water and mix together. Reduce the heat and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the crispy tofu and stir to coat well.
- Taste and season with salt if needed.
- Garnish with Spring Greens, sesame seeds, and serve with cauliflower rice.
Gurkha kitchen says
Thank you for a great recipe. It’s super nice and delicious!