Here’s How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Tofu cooked in just 10 minutes! This tofu is delicious, easy to make and great for meal prep!
It’s a fact of life that one of the simplest and most delicious quick meals on our blog is air fryer tofu. It will not only help you fulfil your desires for crispy tofu, but it will also result in well-seasoned, meal-prepared tofu. Did I mention that cooking takes ten minutes?
What’s an air fryer?
Essentially, an air fryer is a compact, high-powered countertop convection oven that uses air to cook food in a similar manner to traditional frying. We use our air fryer the most in our home, and I heartily advise everyone to purchase one. I absolutely love the air fryer I currently own, and I also LOVE the one I had previously!
We provide a wide variety of foods, including toast, bagels, crispy roasted breadfruit, crispy fries (which are wonderful and take 20 minutes to prepare), and even plantains. And tofu today!
Ingredients
- 1 lb block of extra firm tofu, pressed for 30 minutes then cut into 1” cubes, (16 oz.)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon light soy sauce, or liquid aminos
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil or any oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- extra firm tofu – ensure you’re buying the right tofu! If it says “silken” anywhere on it. that’s not the kind we want to use here.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground black pepper and sea salt – these are a few simple seasonings that give your tofu incredible flavour. I’ll share some other seasonings ideas below.
- cornstarch – our secret weapon for crispy tofu! Cornstarch helps to draw out excess liquid and gives the tofu a crispy exterior.
- light soy sauce or liquid aminos – I prefer light soy sauce (or even liquid aminos) since it’s not as salty. You can also use coconut aminos.
- sesame oil or any oil – even though you don’t technically need oil for an air fryer, I find a little bit goes a LONG way with aiding crispiness, texture and flavour.
How to make Air Fryer Tofu (Step by Step Instructions)
Making air fryer tofu is so easy and results in the crispest tofu in such a short time.
In a medium size bowl place the pressed and cubed tofu. Add in liquid aminos and toss to coat.
Add in all of the other seasoning ingredients and toss to thoroughly combine.
Place in your air fryer in a single row, so that all the tofu has a little bit of space around each piece.
Set your air fryer to 400°F. Cook for 10 minutes, shaking the basket after 5 minutes, then continuing to cook.
Remove after tofu is cooked. Allow to cool for a few minutes then serve. Enjoy!
You can serve it alone or with a dip, or literally anything your heart desires.
Expert Tips and FAQ
Be careful not to purchase silky tofu! If you try to press it, it will provide the incorrect texture and crumble.
You will want to divide this into two batches if your air fryer is smaller, as you do not want your tofu to get too crowded. Make sure they have adequate room. I need two batches in my smaller air fryer.
Since every air fryer is unique, make sure to check if your tofu needs to cook for an additional five minutes. After ten minutes, mine was flawless!
- You can even switch up the seasoning mix. Here are some ideas as to how:
- Italian seasoning with dried parsley, oregano and dried basil
- Bbq seasoning
- Cajun seasoning
- The options are up to you!
