Cooking tofu in an air fryer can be simple and delicious. While it can sometimes be tricky to get just right, it’s worth giving a try!
Crispy air fryer tofu is a tasty and easy way to achieve a crispy exterior with a soft, light interior in every bite.
AIR FRYER TOFU BITES RECIPE
If you’ve been keeping up with my other air fryer recipes, you already know how much I adore using this appliance. Any doubts or skepticism I once had about loving it are completely gone now.
The Air Fryer is a GREAT way to cook many things, and tofu is one of them! You can serve this Crispy Air Fryer Tofu with some air fryer broccoli or air fryer corn.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE CRISPY AIR FRYER TOFU
- Air fryer tofu is easy to make!
- The health benefits of tofu are numerous!
- You can season it with the spices you enjoy!
- You can adjust the cook time to get your personal desired texture of the tofu!
- It makes dinner a snap!
INGREDIENTS IN CRISPY AIR FRYER TOFU
Extra Firm Tofu – Pressed to remove any extra moisture and cut into cubes.
Corn Starch – this is the thing that helps the tofu cubes crisp up with that beautiful crust.
Smoked Paprika – The flavor of this spice is so good on everything. I love the barbecue vibes I get from it.
Salt and Pepper – to season your tofu properly
Oil – This is optional, but a little bit of spray oil can help with the crispiness.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP!
CRISPY AIR FRYER TOFU TIPS AND TRICKS
- Always press your tofu!
- Check in on your tofu while it’s cooking. Adjust cook time as needed. This is not a set and forget recipe.
- Want more flavor? Crank up the spice measurements and add in additional spices!
- Use oil to crisp up your tofu! Spray oil directly on tofu chunks when you “shake” the basket mid way through cooking.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CRISPY AIR FRYER TOFU
Vegetarian Instant Pot Baked Beans go well with the smoked paprika flavors of this tofu as well as this delicious Summer Squash Zucchini Mac and Cheese.
Air Fryer Green Beans or Air Fryer Broccoli would be a perfect veggie side dish.
WANT TO KICK UP YOUR TOFU FLAVOR? TRY MARINATING THE TOFU
If you’ve never tried your hand at marinading tofu before, now’s the time! It’s a super simple process. Here’s how to do it:
- Add the marinade ingredients to a bowl.
- Mix everything together using a whisk.
- Press your tofu using a tofu press like the EZ Tofu Press (see my instructions above for how to do this!).
- Dice your tofu into bite-sized pieces and place them into a large zip lock bag. Pour the marinade over the tofu, seal the bag, and massage the marinade into the tofu bites.
- Spread your marinated tofu onto a prepared baking sheet and bake as directed by the recipe.
- Serve with your favorite side dishes and enjoy!
5 TOFU MARINADES FOR AIR FRYER TOFU
BBQ Tofu – If you’re on the hunt for a creative vegetarian dinner recipe, look no further! This BBQ tofu marinade is easy to make and full of sweet and savory flavor!
Buffalo Tofu – My husband just loves anything with buffalo sauce, so these are a regular for gatherings or just an anytime dinner.
Sesame Tofu – Crispy tofu covered in a soy, honey, and sweet Thai chili sauce and garnished with sesame seeds.
Curry Tofu – Curry Tofu with Broccoli and Rice is a quick and easy dinner that will keep your tasting buds asking for more! You can adjust the curry flavor to your liking.
Tofu Manchurian – Tofu Manchurian is a super saucy Asian-inspired meal straight from the air fryer! Toss this crispy tofu in homemade Manchurian sauce for a delicious weeknight dinner at home.
This is only five options, but the sky is the limit. If you have a favorite marinade, please drop it in the chat. I would love to hear from you.
Yay! You have made it this far, and I am so glad! Hey, if you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review and star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook, too!
Crispy Air Fryer Tofu
How do you air fry tofu? Tofu can be tricky to cook, but don’t let that stop you! Crispy Air Fryer Tofu is a delicious recipe and a simple method for getting a crunchy outside and a soft inside for all your air fryer tofu bites.
Instructions
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Press your tofu to help remove extra liquid.
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After pressing the tofu, cut into squares or little bite sized pieces.
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Mix the cornstarch and smoked paprika together then sprinkle over tofu.
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Season with salt and pepper. Put into Air Fryer basket.
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Set temperature for 370 Degrees F. Turn on the Air Fryer for 12 minutes. (You may need to add a few minutes if you like crisper tofu) Your air fryer tofu is almost ready!
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Add a small amount of oil to the tofu square to give an extra crisp. I love to use the Avocado Spray. (Some air fryers may not need this – mine does!)
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Every 4 minutes remove the air fryer basket and “shake” to stir up the tofu. Every air fryer is different, be sure to monitor how it is cooking.
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Enjoy your crispy air fryer tofu!
Notes
- *If your tofu is not crisping, consider adding time to your cook time. Just add in small amounts and remember to shake*
- *If you are getting a chalky feeling to your tofu, be sure you are pressing the tofu for at least 10 minutes before hand in a tofu press. Then you can also lessen the amount of corn starch :)*
- *You can also SPRAY a small amount of oil onto the tofu when you are shaking it mid-way through. This will HELP your tofu to crisp up and get rid of any extra corn starch! *
Pro Tip: If you feel that your tofu is not crispy enough OR if the cornstarch is powdery you can spray the tofu with a spray oil in the that minute and that will fix the problem!
Side note: If you are in the market for an air fryer, I recently created a post about the best air fryers on the market. The post is based off of reviews from friends, family and online consumers! Be sure to check out the best air fryers on the market!
Crispy Air Fryer Tofu Tips:
- Be sure to press your tofu before adding your cornstarch and paprika.
- Be sure to coat your tofu on all sides so it cooks evenly.
- Be sure that you are using a firm or extra firm tofu for this recipe.
- Be sure to “shake” your air fryer basket during the cooking so that your tofu turns and cooks on all sides.
Nutrition
Calories: 74kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 7gFat: 2gSodium: 63mgPotassium: 192mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 860IUCalcium: 35mgIron: 1.5mg