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Home Recipes by Cooking Method Air Fryer
AF Air Fryer GF Gluten-Free DF Dairy-Free VG Vegetarian 5I 5 ingredients or less

Air Fryer Tofu – Perfectly Crispy!

4.67
/5
49 mins
6 Comments
Jump to Recipe Video
By: Rachel GurkPosted: 05/05/2021Updated: 01/23/2022

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Tofu and chopsticks, text overlay reads "air fryer crispy tofu, rachelcooks.com"
Tofu and chopsticks, text overlay reads "air fryer crispy tofu, rachelcooks.com"
Tofu and chopsticks, text overlay reads "air fryer crispy tofu, rachelcooks.com"
Tofu and chopsticks, text overlay reads "air fryer crispy tofu, rachelcooks.com"

Making crispy cubes of tofu has never been easier! You’ll love how air fryer tofu turns out and in half the time of baked. 

Crispy piece of tofu held between brown chopsticks.
Table of Contents
open
  • 1 How to eat crispy tofu
  • 2 About this Recipe
  • 3 What you need
  • 4 FAQs
  • 5 Make It Your Own
  • 6 Make-Ahead Ideas
  • 7 Storage and Reheating Tips
  • 8 Easy air fryer recipes
  • 9 Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Tofu – Super Crispy!

Crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, air fryer tofu turns out perfect every time. We just can’t get enough air fryer recipes! If you’ve been baking tofu, now’s the time to try air frying it. It takes half the time and you really get a nice crisp exterior.  

If you’re new to the world of tofu, air fryer tofu is a great introduction. Most people love the crispy texture of the cubes, with the creamy interior (even people who don’t normally love tofu).

And let me tell you, we tested this recipe five…six times? I lost count. We wanted to make sure it was perfect. We ate a lot of tofu in the process.

How to eat crispy tofu

What do you do with crispy tofu cubes? Add them to a salad or Buddha bowl in place of meat or cheese. Add tofu to a Vegetarian Curry with Cauliflower & Chickpeas to up the protein.

Tofu is also great in a stir-fry with flavorful sauces. Instead of chicken, add tofu to this Sweet Chili Chicken Stir Fry or Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry for a meatless or vegetarian entree. You’ll find that crispy tofu is perfect as a healthy snack to munch on.

Why eat tofu?

Why eat tofu? Tofu, made from condensed soy milk, is a low calorie source of protein and is one of the few plant-based proteins that contains all the amino acids your body needs, along with lots of vitamins and minerals. Look for a a non-GMO, organic brand, if possible. If you’d like to learn more, Healthline has a good summary of benefits and concerns.

Close up of cubed, crispy tofu on a plate, topped with green onions.

About this Recipe

First of all, let’s talk about pressing. To make this recipe work, you’ll need to press some of the liquid from the block of tofu so that the tofu will retain its shape when it’s cut and fried.  Some of you may have a tofu press which is made just for this purpose.

Tofu in liquid

How to press tofu without a tofu press

If you don’t have a tofu press, you can easily improvise by placing the tofu on a wire rack, with a tray underneath to catch the liquid, and setting something heavy on top of the tofu. I like to use my cast iron skillet but anything heavy will work. Put a layer of paper towels on the tofu before setting the skillet on top and give it about thirty minutes to drain.

Cubed uncooked tofu.

After you’ve pressed the tofu, cut it into evenly sized cubes. Coat the cubes with a mixture of soy sauce and oil.

Tofu in marinade.

Turn your air fryer on to preheat for five minutes, and then lightly toss the tofu cubes with cornstarch (gently, they’re pretty delicate!).

Tofu tossed with cornstarch.

Place the cubes on the rack and fry for just fourteen minutes, shaking the basket once to ensure it cooks evenly.

Tofu in an air fryer basket.

That’s how it’s done. It’s such a simple process and the result is so delicious. We tested several variations of this recipe so you can be confident that your tofu will turn out just perfect.

Very close up view of crispy cooked tofu.

What you need

  • Extra Firm Tofu – It’s important to get extra firm tofu; different types of tofu will be too soft for this recipe.
  • Soy Sauce – We recommend using low-sodium soy sauce. Tamari will also work if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Olive Oil – Avocado oil is a great alternative if you prefer, grapeseed oil is also a good option.
  • Cornstarch – This is the secret to a crisp exterior! We tested it with and without cornstarch, and while it was good without, it was better with it. If you’re in a rush, you could skip it, but we think the extra step is worth it for a superior end result.
Overhead view of ingredients.

FAQs

What temperature should I fry tofu?

Set your air fryer for 375°F and preheat it for five minutes.

Is fried tofu bad for you?

Deep frying tofu adds a lot of calories and fat but using an air fryer eliminates the need for excess oil. You’ll only use one tablespoon of healthy olive oil.

What is the healthiest tofu to buy?

Firm tofu has more than twice as much protein as silken tofu because silken tofu has way more water in it. Silken tofu has less calories and fat for the same reason. Either type is still a healthy choice. Buy the variety that works best for your recipe. 

Tofu cube between chopsticks, with a drip of sweet chili sauce dripping off it.

Make It Your Own

  • Add seasonings of your choice: salt and pepper, garlic or onion powder, taco seasoning, chili powder, curry powder, you name it, it’s wide open to you. How you season it will depend on what you’re adding it to.
  • Don’t have an air fryer? Try all purpose baked tofu. The end result is nearly the same.
  • Looking for a tofu with sauce? You’ll love this tangy/sweet Baked Sesame Tofu!
Cooked tofu on a plate with sweet chili sauce and green onions.

Make-Ahead Ideas

The most time consuming part of this recipe is pressing the tofu. You can do that ahead of time if you like or just press it in the fridge all day. You won’t want to leave tofu on the counter for more than an hour or so. 

Storage and Reheating Tips

Cooked tofu can be stored in the refrigerator, properly covered, for five days or in the freezer for three months.

To reheat, if you’re planning on using the tofu in a stir fry, just toss it in near the end of the cooking time to reheat. If you’re adding it to a salad or bowl, reheat it briefly (just a couple of minutes) in your air fryer, toaster oven, or skillet on the stove, or reheat the tofu in the microwave for just 10-15 seconds.

Don’t overheat the tofu because it will become tough and chewy. (We determined this the hard way in one of our many tests of this recipe!)

Tofu being dipped into sauce, using chopsticks.

Easy air fryer recipes

Cooking has never been easier now that you have an air fryer. Try:

  • Air Fryer French Fries – so crispy!
  • Air Fryer Mushrooms with Garlic and Shallots – you’ll love how these turn out!
  • Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
  • Air Fryer French Toast Sticks
  • Air Fryer Chicken Thighs or if you prefer, Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
  • Air Fryer Chickpeas – any flavor you like!
  • Air Fryer Grilled Cheese Sandwich
  • Air Fryer Falafel
  • Air Fryer Salmon

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Pile of crispy air fryer tofu, one piece between two chopsticks.
Recipe

Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Tofu – Super Crispy!

4.67 from 6 votes
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 14 mins
Additional Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 49 mins
4 servings
Print Rate Recipe
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Making crispy cubes of tofu has never been easier! You'll love how air fryer tofu turns out and in half the time of baked. 

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg. (14-16 oz) extra-firm tofu
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions

  • Press tofu for 30 minutes using a press or by placing it on a rack set over a baking sheet to catch the liquid, and then placing a heavy pan on it.
  • Combine soy sauce and oil in a shallow dish.
  • Cut tofu into bite-sized blocks (about 1 inch), add to soy sauce/oil mixture, and turn to coat all sides.
  • Preheat air fryer set at 375ºF for 5 minutes. Whe air fryer is preheated, toss tofu with cornstarch.
  • Add tofu to air fryer in a single layer. Cook 14 minutes, or until lightly browned, shaking basket halfway through cooking time.
  • Serve immediately, if desired. Fried tofu can be refrigerated for five days, or frozen for 3 months.

Notes

  • Make ahead tip: Press the tofu, covered, in the refrigerator up to 24 hours in advance. It will be all ready to air fry.
  • Add seasonings of your choice: salt and pepper, garlic or onion powder, taco seasoning, chili powder, or curry powder. How you season it will depend on what you’re adding it to.
  • Substitute arrowroot for cornstarch if you want to make this tofu gluten-free.
  • Cooked tofu can be stored in the refrigerator, properly covered, for five days or in the freezer for three months.
  • To reheat, if you’re planning on using the tofu in a stir fry, just toss it in near the end of the cooking time to reheat. If you’re adding it to a salad or bowl, reheat it briefly (just a couple of minutes) in your air fryer, toaster oven, or skillet on the stove, or reheat the tofu in the microwave for just 10-15 seconds.
  • Don’t overheat the tofu because it will become tough and chewy. (We determined this the hard way in one of our many tests of this recipe!)

Nutrition Information

Calories: 43kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 267mg, Potassium: 15mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Calcium: 2mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Author: Rachel Gurk

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  1. Roy says

    May 16, 2022 at 3:05 pm

    4 stars
    For how much tofu is the nutritional information for (in grams)?

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      May 23, 2022 at 11:16 am

      4 ounces (113 grams). Hope that helps!

      Reply
  2. Dan Dolgin says

    January 18, 2022 at 8:46 pm

    Why do you say that cornstarch is not gluten free?

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      January 23, 2022 at 9:44 pm

      That is an error – thanks for pointing it out!

      Reply
  3. Gabriela says

    May 6, 2021 at 7:08 pm

    This tofu was SO good! I ate almost all of it in one sitting and couldn’t believe how easy it was to make! Will definitely be making this regularly, thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Rachel Gurk says

      May 10, 2021 at 7:20 pm

      I can never stop snacking on it either! So glad you liked it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!

      Reply

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