Air Fryer Fried Tofu recipe is all about textural contrast: the crispy outer coating vs. the soft, tender interior of the soft tofu itself. I serve it drizzled with a quick sauce, reduced down until thick and syrupy, and fresh scallions. The best part? No deep-frying necessary!
To get real crispy fried tofu you’d typically need to heat up a bunch of oil, worrying about over cooking and a very messy cleanup. But, the air fryer makes getting perfect golden brown tofu a cinch. The basic steps of this recipe are to marinade the tofu, dredge it in cornstarch, air fry and then toss in sauce. If you’ve claimed yourself not a tofu fan, you probably just haven’t had tofu the prepared the right way.
I was super hungry and desperate for dinner fast, I tried this new-and-improved method and it worked so well I’ve since used this one exclusively! It’s that good. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner. Plus, it easily carves 5-10 minutes off of the original method and includes the opportunity to add more seasonings. Hello, quick and fried tofu!
What is tofu?
Tofu, or bean curd, is a popular food derived from soya. It is made by curdling fresh soya milk, pressing it into a solid block and then cooling it, in much the same way that traditional dairy cheese is made by curdling and solidifying milk.
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PrintAir Fryer Fried Tofu
Try this amazingly simple Air Fryer Fried Tofu simple, tasty and no mess!
- Prep Time: :10
- Cook Time: :35
- Total Time: :45
- Yield: 3–4 Servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
Cooking spray
1/4 c. Thai sweet chili sauce
Steamed white rice, for serving
Scallions, sliced for garnish
Sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Toss tofu cubes, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Toss well, cover, and transfer to the fridge to marinate for 20 minutes to an hour.
- Preheat air fryer to 400ºF. In a medium bowl, whisk together cornstarch, salt and black pepper.
- Working in batches if necessary, toss tofu in the cornstarch mixture until thoroughly coated. Shake off excess cornstarch and add tofu in a single layer to the air fryer basket
- Spray the cubes with a bit of cooking spray and air fry the tofu for 15 minutes, tossing half way through, until it is golden and crispy.
- Prepare the sauce: While the tofu cooks, in a large bowl, whisk together mayo, chili sauce, sriracha, and grated garlic. Season to taste with salt and set aside.
- When all the tofu is cooked, add the tofu and toss in the sauce. Serve over white rice, and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.