This budget-friendly protein-packed tofu is begging to be the center of attention at your dinner table. If you’re looking to fire up a Meatless Monday tradition, or you’ve been on the tofu train for a long time, this Air Fryer Tofu is super easy and tastes great. I toss extra firm tofu in a simple soy sauce marinade and then drizzle with honey, sesame seeds, and green onions after it’s crisped up in the air fryer. The texture comes out perfect and the flavor profile is an easy hit with tofu experts and novices alike!
I remember when my relationship with tofu first started about 20 years ago. Tofu could be found in a big bucket of water in the bottom of a cooler at the health food store, and I had to fish it out with tongs. I remember thinking, “What IS this stuff?!” The various options for firm, extra firm, soft, or silken were hard to come by back then, but now tofu is experiencing a much-deserved Renaissance!
You can find tofu everywhere– and the variety! (Swoon.) Already marinated, soft, extra firm, cut into chicken-like shapes, you name it. Even your local Walmart or Aldi probably has it. We don’t have to break the bank at luxury grocery stores to find it any longer and thank goodness that container full of tofu and water is a thing of the past.
What is Air Fryer Tofu?
Delightfully crispy on the outside with a delightfully chewy center, this Air Fryer Tofu is good enough to convert anyone into a tofu lover. The freezing step of the tofu is one you won’t want to skip! It gives it a dense texture that holds up great with all kinds of sauces. I attempted many different recipes for Air Fryer Tofu, trying to keep things as easy and inexpensive as possible. This recipe yielded the best result every time!
You can add whatever herbs or seasonings you like to this recipe, but the soy sauce and sesame oil are keepers; they add umami and savory notes to otherwise bland tofu. Tofu is so versatile and easy to add flavor to with whatever marinade ingredients you like best.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make crispy air fryer tofu:
- Extra Firm Tofu: This type of tofu holds up best to air frying. It holds its shape well, and it has a chewier texture than firm or regular tofu.
- Soy Sauce: Adds tons of umami flavor to the tofu.
- Sesame Oil: Adds a hint of nuttiness to the tofu and helps it brown in the air fryer.
- Cornstarch: Absorbs excess moisture to create a super crispy coating. My recipe calls for much less than other recipes I have seen and this helps the texture big time!
- Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness!
- Sesame Seeds: Add a great crunch to the tofu.
- Green Onion: Adds a pop of fresh onion flavor.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite way to serve this crispy air fryer tofu is over this delicious coconut rice! The slightly sweet and nutty flavor pairs so well with the savory, crispy tofu! For dipping, I love this sweet chili sauce (pictured) or homemade sweet and sour sauce.
Tips and Notes
- Extra firm or super firm tofu works best. Firm tofu will also work, but the texture won’t be quite as dense. I do not recommend regular or silken tofu for this recipe, as neither holds up well.
- Don’t skip freezing the tofu! It creates a denser, spongier texture that has a meatier chew.
- If you like your tofu crunchier (and less chewy), you can press it between clean kitchen towels using a tofu press, a stack of books, or a heavy pan for 30-60 minutes to remove excess moisture.
Air Fryer Tofu
Servings 2 (1/2 block or 8 oz. of tofu per serving)Ingredients
- 16 oz. extra firm tofu ($1.69)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce ($0.59)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil ($0.33)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch ($0.06)
- 1 tsp honey ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp sesame seeds ($0.14)
- 1 green onion, sliced ($0.16)
Instructions
- Press tofu and pat dry. Freeze 1 block of extra firm tofu for 1 hour, minimum. Remove the tofu from the freezer and allow it to thaw to the point where it can be cut with a knife.
- Dice the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes. Gather soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch.
- Toss the cubed tofu with soy sauce and sesame oil. Then, lightly dust the dressed tofu with cornstarch, tossing or stirring until each piece is lightly covered.
- Transfer to an air fryer basket and fry at 400°F for 10 minutes, shaking halfway through.
- Garnish with a drizzle of honey, sesame seeds, and sliced green onions. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or over a bed of white rice.
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Equipment
Nutrition
how to make Air Fryer Tofu – step by step photos
Press tofu and pat dry. Freeze 1 block of extra firm tofu for 1 hour, minimum. Remove the tofu from the freezer and allow it to thaw to the point where it can be cut with a knife.
Dice the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes. Gather 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp cornstarch.
Toss the cubed tofu with soy sauce and sesame oil. Then, lightly dust the dressed tofu with cornstarch, tossing or stirring until each piece is lightly covered.
Transfer to an air fryer basket and fry at 400°F for 10 minutes, shaking halfway through.
Garnish with 1 tsp honey, 1/4 tsp sesame seeds, and 1 sliced green onion. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or over a bed of white rice.
Wonderfully chewy and crisp, this air fryer tofu is sure to be a hit!
I haven’t made this recipe yet, but willing to try it. Just wondering, but do you really need to freeze the tofu before air frying it? Or can the recipe be followed without freezing it? Also, are there any recommendations on air frying Firm over Extra Firm Tofu? I know it’s better to use Extra Firm for air fryer purposes, but I only have firm right now.
Freezing isn’t required! But it does give you the best inside texture, so it just depends on if that’s important to you! You don’t need to do anything different if you use firm tofu, just keep in mind that the texture wont be quite as dense using it combined with not freezing. But you’ll still have delicious tofu.
Thank you so much for the information and I can’t wait to try it when I’m able to get around to it ofc.
I made this with only the oil and cornstarch as an easy way to make crispy tofu while my frying pan was busy cooking other things. I also pressed the tofu. The texture came out well.
This made a very wet/soft/squishy tofu texture. My husband liked it, but as a pickier texture person I usually only eat crispy tofu. I had to deep fry this to get it to a more tolerated consistency for me, where I normally like air fried tofu! If you are a tofu beginner and concerned about texture, I HIGHLY recommend pressing this to remove excess moisture. I also had to cook this much longer than 10 minutes in our air fryer.
That is awesome you can cook tofu in the air fryer! Love that!❤️
My first time making tofu, and it was delicious! Easy, fast, tasty recipe.
Would potato starch vs. cornstarch work as a substitute? I’m needing to use up an excess/stash & would appreciate your expert thoughts & advice here as always. Your advice is very helpful. Thank you.