This Crispy Airfryer Tofu is light, healthy, easy to make, and absolutely delicious. Use this air fryer tofu with noodles, salad, or even in your buddha bowls. Learn how I make the best crispy tofu in the air fryer in less than 15 minutes step by step.
Have you ever made crispy tofu bites before? {VEGAN}
Why you should try this recipe?
Quick & Easy - Yes, this fried tofu is super easy and FAST to make! Takes about 15 minutes in total.
Budget-Friendly - Why buy storebought crispy tofu bites, when you can easily make it at home.
A handful of Ingredients - Essentially we just need 4 ingredients to make a crispy tofu recipe. Essentially we just need 4 ingredients to make crispy tofu. But I have taken the liberty to season it with additional spices and herbs. You can also marinate the tofu in a sauce or a dressing of your choice.
Love flavors and textures of Deep-fried Tofu? - At no point, you will actually be able to judge these crispy tofu bites are air-fried and not deep-fried or pan-fried. Isn't this is absolutely Good News!
Versatile - That crispy air fryer tofu adds doses of deliciousness to your dishes - right from soup to pad thai to a Manchurian dish.
Make-Ahead -And store them in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
About this Easy Air fryer Tofu recipe
This Crispy Tofu is just too good to resist and so easy to make in just 15 minutes(in total).
Essentially we just need 4 ingredients to make crispy tofu. But I have taken the liberty to season it with spices and herbs. You can also marinate the tofu in a sauce or a dressing of your choice.
Marinate the tofu in soy sauce/tamari sauce and sesame oil. Then dip the tofu into a dry mixture of corn starch seasoned garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, and salt. Shake off the excess and set it aside.
Air fry at 380 F / 190 C for 12-14 minutes. Check-in between for doneness.
Serve them as an appetizer or in your buddha bowls or along with salad vegetables inside a wrap – Either way it is just so delicious.
At no point, you will actually be able to judge these crispy tofu bites are air-fried and not deep-fried or pan-fried. Isn't this is absolutely Good News!
Ingredients for Air fryer tofu
You only need 4 essential ingredients, plus seasoning to make crispy tofu.
Extra-firm Tofu - With trial and error, we have come to the conclusion that extra firm tofu works best for frying. I prefer to use the Tofoo brand of Tofu for my recipes, available in the UK. This tofu doesn't need pressing out extra water. Simply pull the tofu out of the packet, give it a dab with kitchen tissue to soak any water, and use it in your recipes.
Soy Sauce or Tamari Sauce - lends fantastic Asian flavors. If you are looking for a gluten-free option Tamari Sauce works great.
Sesame Oil - The flavors of Sesame oil is great in this tofu recipe. However, Olive Oil or any other neutral flavor oil also works.
Cornstarch - Add the crispness to the edges of the tofu, while frying. For a Gluten-Free option, rice flour is the recommended choice. you can also use potato starch or even arrowroot as an alternative.
Seasoning - Garlic powder, Onion powder, Paprika powder, and ground black pepper adds magic flavors to these delicious air fryer tofu bites.
Alternatively, Feel free to marinade your prepared tofu to a sauce or a dressing of your choice.
HOW TO MAKE CRISPY AIRFRYER TOFU STEP BY STEP
First, prepare the Tofu, by squeezing out any extra liquid. Dry it and cube it.
Drizzle sesame oil.
Add Soy Sauce to the tofu. Toss to combine.
In a small shallow bowl, add the corn starch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, and salt. Stir to mix.
Sprinkle the starch over Tofu or Tip the Tofu into the starch mixture and coat well.
Preheat the air fryer to 370F (190 C ) for 4 minutes. Transfer the prepared tofu into the air fryer basket.
Air fry for 12 -14 minutes. Remember to shake the crispy tofu every 4 minutes, so they cook uniformly. Check and cook if needed for another 2 -5 minutes to make crispy coated tofu. Perfect Tofu!
USES FOR CRISPY AIRFRYER TOFU
There are plenty of ways to incorporate crispy tofu.
Enjoy Crispy Airfryer Tofu with a dipping sauce.
Add them to Thai Peanut Noodles or even in my 15 minutes Cauliflower Fried Rice.
Substitute this crispy tofu for paneer in my Palak Paneer. Just use Indian seasoning for marination.
Add to Buddha Bowls or even Soup.
Add the crispy tofu in Thai red curry and Green curry too. But the marination will be slightly plain. Simply leave out soy sauce and toss them in the remaining ingredients for max flavors.
I love stuffing them in my pita bread along with salad to make it a hearty meal too.
Tips & Tricks
Cooking time - The key is to start with 10 minutes of frying and increase accordingly. Do remember to shake the tofu in the basket in between.
Air fryer Models - The time needed to cook tofu can vary between Airfryer models based on capacity. Some might require a slightly longer time to cook, some might require lesser time.
Reheating - Crispy Tofu tends to get a bit soft when it turns cold. Not to worry, just return the tofu back to the air fryer basket and cook for 2-3 minutes and see them turn crispy. Enjoy HOT!
IS COOKING WITH AN AIR FRYER HEALTHY FOR YOU?
Cooking with an Air fryer offers no compromise on taste. Most dishes that require deep frying can be prepared in an air-fryer. This gadget works by circulating hot air around the food to produce a crunchy crispy texture with minimal oil or no oil. Air-fried food is a healthy alternative to deep-fried food, all thanks to the lower amount of calories and fat.
THINKING WHAT ELSE TO MAKE IN AN AIR FRYER?
CRISPY AIRFRYER TOFU RECIPE BELOW
Equipment
- Airfryer
Ingredients
- 10 oz Extra firm Tofu or 280g , drained and cubed
- 2 teaspoon Soy Sauce or Tamari Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Sesame oil or Olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the cubed tofu and drizzle sesame oil & soy sauce. Toss it coat the tofu.
- In a small shallow bowl, add the corn starch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper and salt. Stir to mix.
- Sprinkle the starch over Tofu or Tip the Tofu into the starch mixture and coat well.
- Preheat the Air fryer to 370F (190 C ) for 4 minutes.
- Transfer the prepared tofu into the air fryer basket and fry for 12 -14 minutes. Remember to shake the crispy tofu every 4 minutes, so they cook uniformly
- Check and cook if needed for another 2 minutes to make crispy coated tofu.
- Serve these Crispy Healthy Tofu as an appetiser or along with salad vegetables in a wrap.
Gabi says
Great and simple recipe, maybe next I'll leave the tofu to marinate longer.
Sandhya's Kitchen says
Thank you for your feedback. So glad you enjoyed our easy Air fryer tofu recipe.
Safwana says
Yummy and delicious recipe.. Really mouth watering.