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Ultra crunchy, seasoned to perfection and served with a sweet and salty soy dipping sauce, our Crispy Air Fryer Tofu is what snack dreams are made of.
Crispy Air Fryer Tofu
There seems to be a common theme when it comes to tofu – it’s only for vegetarians. This simply isn’t true. Even though I love my roast chickens, crispy filets of salmon and a good steak now and then, I find myself gravitating towards veggie-forward, non-meat options over and over. And you should too.
If you’re really on the fence about tofu, our air fryer tofu is a great place to start. Coating little pieces of tofu in cornstarch and plenty of seasoning then throwing them in the air fryer until they become crispy, delicious pieces of heaven isn’t dissimilar to a bite of crispy fried cheese.
You get that crispy on the outside, soft on the inside texture and the flavor of the actual tofu itself this way kind of mimics that of mozzarella cheese.
And if you are already on the tofu train, then these guys will reiterate your love for it. Let’s get started!
Ingredients in Crispy Air Fryer Tofu
Tofu. Make sure you grab extra firm tofu.
Cornstarch. This is what is going to give the crispy tofu that crunch.
Spices. We go simple here with salt, paprika, garlic powder and a little bit of smoked paprika
Olive oil spray. This is the key to getting that really pretty, crisp exterior. A must ingredient.
What you’ll need for the dipping sauce
- soy sauce
- sesame oil
- chili paste
- green onion
- sesame seeds
- rice vinegar
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Let’s make Air Fryer Tofu
Preheat the air fryer. I find the tofu gets extra crispy if you start with a hot air fryer first.
Prep the tofu. While the air fryer preheats, get the tofu ready to go. You’re going to cut it into half lengthwise and then use paper towels to get as much moisture out as you can without smashing it. From there, cut the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.
Mix the coating. Add the cornstarch and spices to a bowl or large ziplock bag. Add the tofu and then shake to coat.
Cook. Use a slotted spoon to get all the tofu out of the bowl or bag. Shake off any excess cornstarch. Before adding the tofu, spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with olive oil spray. Add the tofu to the bottom of the basket and then spray generously with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook for 5 minutes. Take the basket out shake it and spray again with olive oil spray. Cook another 5-7 minutes until crispy.
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success
- Make sure to preheat the air fryer
- Get all the excess cornstarch off of the tofu
- Don’t overcrowd you air fryer. Mine all find but if you have a smaller one you may want to work in batches.
Substitutions
- Use any kind of non-stick cooking spray.
- Instead of or in addition to the soy dipping sauce, make a yum yum sauce with chili sauce, mayo, rice vinegar and sesame oil.
- Switch up your spices. Add in onion powder, cumin, or cayenne pepper for heat.
Other Air Fryer Recipe
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Crispy Air Fryer Tofu
Ingredients
- 8 oz extra firm tofu
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp mirin
- 1-2 tsp sambal oelek
- 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 green onion, sliced
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 degrees.
- While the air fryer preheats, get the tofu ready to go. Cut the tofu block in half lengthwise so you have two thinner rectangles. Use paper towels to get as much moisture out as you can without smashing the tofu. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.
- Add the cornstarch and spices to a bowl or large ziplock bag. Shake or stir to combine. Add the tofu and then shake to coat.
- Use a slotted spoon to get all the tofu out of the bowl or bag. Shake off any excess cornstarch. Before adding the tofu, spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with olive oil spray. Add the tofu to the bottom of the basket and then spray generously with non-stick cooking spray. Cook for 5 minutes. Take the basket out shake it and spray again with olive oil spray. Cook another 5-7 minutes until crispy. Serve with dipping sauce
Dipping sauce
- Whisk all ingredients together.
Iffy says
Breading was not cooked all the way and powdery, I shook halfway and sprayed again after 5 min. Very salty too… the dipping sauce was just ok but I couldn’t eat the tofu, because they weren’t good. Texture inside was great so I tried to eat them but couldn’t eat more than 4 pieces.