Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, this 3 ingredient Air Fryer Tofu is melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
“Made this tonight. It was perfect! Thanks for a simple and delicious recipe.”
ingredients you’ll need
- A block of tofu – I like to buy extra-firm tofu. It’s soft on the inside, but the firmness of the tofu allows it to hold its shape while frying.
- Coconut aminos – Coconut aminos is a soy-free alternative to soy sauce. It can typically be found in the condiment or baking section at the grocery store. You can use gluten-free soy sauce.
- Cornmeal – Try a super fine cornmeal to help your tofu get super crispy. Bob’s Red Mill brand has a good option, but when in doubt, the finer the better.
How to Make This Tofu
The key to getting ultra-crispy tofu is pressing the moisture out before marinating and cooking. I recommend the EZ Tofu Press. It’s my go-to tool for making amazing tofu recipes!
- After pressing your tofu, cut it into cubes, then place it in a bowl with coconut aminos. Toss the tofu in the coconut aminos to coat, and let it marinate for about 10 minutes.
- Add the marinated tofu squares and cornmeal to a large zip lock bag and shake to evenly coat the tofu.
- Place the breaded tofu cubes into the basket of your air fryer.
- Air fry the tofu at 370 degrees F for 12 minutes, depending on the model of your air fryer, then serve and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Be sure to press as much of the moisture out of the tofu as you can before dicing and air frying. Moisture is the enemy of a generous crispy crunch, so don’t skip this step! I recommend pressing your tofu for around 12 minutes.
- A light coating of oil will help crisp these air-fried tofu bites right up.
- After air frying your tofu, remove the basket from your air fryer and let the tofu cubes rest for a minute or two before serving.
Serving ideas
If you want the ultimate crispy partnership, pair a batch of these crispy tofu squares with a plate of air fryer brussel sprouts.
This tofu recipe can also be added to your favorite Asian-inspired vegetarian dinner.
Make a Chinese-style orange tofu with rice or add it to Thai-style tofu noodle bowls. There are so many possibilities!
If you are having trouble figuring out which one to try next, we suggest: Air Fryer Baked Potato, Air Fryer Broccoli, Air Fryer Sweet Potato and Air Fryer French Fries. Or you can tweak this Tofu Tenders to make in your air fryer!
Air Fryer Tofu
Equipment
- EZ Tofu Press
- Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu
- 4 tbsp coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
Instructions
- Prepare your tofu by pressing it for 10-12 minutes, turning the knobs tighter every 3-4 minutes.
- Once the tofu is pressed, remove from the press and cut into cubes. In a shallow serving platter combine the tofu cubes and the coconut aminos. Marinate for 10 minutes.
- Add the marinated tofu cubes and cornmeal to a gallon-sized zip lock baggie. Seal the baggie and gently toss to combine. The tofu cubes should be coated well.
- Place the tofu cubes into your air fryer basket. Optional: You can give a little spray of oil to the cubes to help them brown and crisp better. Cook at 370 degrees F for 12 minutes. Be sure to shake the air fryer basket mid way through. (You can also give the tofu cubes another spray of oil when you shake the basket for extra crispiness.)
- When the air frying time is completed, remove the crispy tofu from the air fryer basket. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Looks super good! Can’t wait to try it.
THanks Katie!
I have had never had fried tofu before! Looks delicious. 🙂
I hope you enjoy this air fryer tofu, Carrie!
This looks soooo yum and probably goes great with a stir fry!!
Thank you!
What a great tip about pressing the moisture out of the tofu. I enjoyed the crispy texture.
Yes, pressing the tofu is key!
That doesn’t look air-fried..wow..Love it
Thanks for the compliment on our air fryer tofu!
This. looks so good, got to try!!!
Thanx!
Thanks Jenny!
This looks great! I love tofu and have tried it in many ways. I don’t have an air fryer yet but when I get one I think this will be the first thing I would make in it. I have made something similar in the oven and it was fantastic.
oh, we LOVE our air fryer! I hope you get one, they can do so many things!
Really good content!! Setup guide and recipe. I really enjoy this article.
Thank you Trotter 🙂
Made this tonight. It was perfect! Thanks for a simple and delicious recipe.
Hi Sammy, that is great, glad you loved it!
This was truly delicious even my kids loved it!
Thanks Tamara! So glad you loved it!
Crispy tofu is the best I added Panko bread crumbs to this like you said in the Facebook group. My family loved it.
Thanks Jennifer! So glad your family loved it!
This has become a staple for my family! We love to eat it with bbq sauce!
Hi Kristy, so glad it has become a staple for you!
Could I make this with Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs as well?
Yes you could! I do that often. Usually when I do that, I press the tofu, dice it, place into a gallon zip lock baggie, add 1-2T of oil, some smoked paprika, garlic powder and 3/4 cup of bread crumbs. Then shake to coat and dump into air fryer 🙂
I have a tofu press and agree with you about squeezing out the fluid if you want the outside of the tofu crisp.
I marinated in teriyaki because that is all I had and it was so good.
Another time I just sprayed oil on the squeezed tofu and after browning it in the air fryer, we dipped it in marinara sauce. So tasty.
Thanks for your recipe.
Hi Lisa – Your welcome and thanks for the tips!