Air Fryer Tofu
Posted: 05/04/20
Updated: 01/13/22
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What’s the secret to the easiest, crispiest tofu EVER? The Air Fryer! Perfect alone or in your favorite meatless recipes, this Air Fryer tofu is simple, crunchy, and versatile.
Why This Recipe Is So Good
- Using the air fryer makes the most ridiculously crispy tofu ever! Lightly seasoned, you will not believe how addictive this tofu is.
- This recipe is so insanely easy! Even if you’ve never cooked tofu before, you can make crunchy, restaurant-quality tofu the first time and every time.
- We absolutely love using our air fryer to make tofu for stir-fries, ramen, curry, nachos… basically anything you can think of!
Chef’s Tips
- Cook your tofu 10 minutes for tofu that is golden and crispy on the edges. 15 minutes makes tofu that is crispy all over but still soft. 20 minutes will make your tofu super duper crispy and very firm like it has been commercially deep-fried. (The third option isn’t great on its own, but perfect for something saucy like a stir fry!)
- Do not skip pressing and draining the tofu! While it takes a little time, it ensures your tofu cooks properly and has the perfect texture.
- If you don’t have paper towels, you can also wrap your tofu in a clean dish towel to drain. Better yet, grab a tofu press!
- Skillet being used? Press your tofu with books! Place a cutting board between the tofu and books so that they don’t get wet, and don’t use any nice books! (Finally, a use for your old college textbooks.)
Marinating Your Tofu
Tofu absorbs the flavors of any marinade, and marinating is an easy way to load it with taste. The key to marinating tofu to later cook in the air fryer is to ensure that it’s dry after removing from the marinade. Marinade the tofu after pressing and cubing, then make sure to pat dry with more paper towels after removing from the marinade before transferring to the air fryer.
I personally do not marinate my tofu before air frying, because a) I’m lazy and not that prepared and b) I find that plain, non-marinated tofu takes on a “deep-fried” taste as you find at the Chinese restaurant. Perfect for tossing in a sauce or serving with something yummy to dip it in.
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Baked Potato
- Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs
- The Best Air Fryer Broccoli
- Air Fryer Bacon
- Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
- Pizza Rolls in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Air Fryer Tater Tots
Air Fryer Tofu
Perfectly crispy and absolutely addictive, air fried tofu couldn't be easier or better.
servings
Ingredients
- 1 block firm or extra firm tofu drained from package
- salt
- spray cooking oil
Equipment
- Air fryer
- tofu press, optional
Instructions
- Wrap tofu in paper towels and place on a plate.
- Press under a heavy pan or skillet until tofu has drained. Change paper towels after 30 minutes, then check again in 30 more minutes. Alternately,
- Cut the tofu into cubes. Pat dry. Salt liberally and add to the air fryer basket. Spray everything with cooking oil and toss again.
- Cook at 380º for 10 to 20 minutes (see notes for desired crispiness). Toss tofu halfway through cooking time. Toss in sauce or serve with dipping sauce!
Notes
Cook time:
- 10 minutes – golden and crispy on the edges
- 15 minutes – crispy all over but still soft
- 20 minutes -super crispy and very firm, like it has been commercially deep fried (not great on its own, but perfect for something saucy like a stir fry)
Nutrition Information
Calories: 83kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 4mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Calcium: 124mg, Iron: 1mg, Net Carbs: 1g
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
I wasn’t sure if plain old tofu would work well in the air fryer, so I wanted to find a recipe to be sure someone has tried it before. This was exactly what I needed, and it worked perfectly. We now have some nicely crisped tofu cubes ready to be reheated and added to meals as needed.
So glad! Thanks so much for the review!