Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, this three-ingredient Air Fryer Tofu is melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
Air Fryer Tofu is a 3-ingredient recipe that is completely irresistible!
With just a few minutes of prep work and an air fryer, you'll be on your way to the crispiest 15-minute tofu bites.
If you want the ultimate crispy partnership, pair a batch of these crispy tofu squares with a plate of air fryer brussel sprouts.
Trust me, your taste buds will thank you!
What I love about this tofu recipe is that it 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!
Ingredients Needed for this Tofu Air Fryer Recipe:
It's amazing what you can do with 3 simple ingredients!
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 that makes for a tasty marinade, adding that umami flavor that makes these bites so delectable.
It can typically be found in the condiment or baking section of your local natural foods store, but if you can't find it, or can't do coconut products, you can use gluten-free soy sauce.
Keep in mind that most soy sauces contain gluten due to the process of fermenting soy with crushed wheat, so be sure to find one that is certified gluten-free.
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 Cook Crispy Tofu in Air Fryer
This tofu air fryer recipe is super simple!
The key to getting ultra-crispy tofu is pressing all of the moisture out before marinading and cooking.
*Note: 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 marinade for about 10 minutes.
- Next, add the marinated tofu squares and cornmeal to a large zip lock bag. Seal the bag and shake to evenly coat the tofu in the cornmeal.
- Place the breaded tofu cubes into the basket of your air fryer.
- Air fry the tofu for 12 minutes or so, depending on the model of your air fryer, then serve and enjoy!
Tips for Making Crispy Tofu
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 to a generous crispy crunch, so don't skip this step! I recommend pressing your tofu for around 12 minutes.
If you like, you can spray the breaded tofu with your favorite cooking spray before frying.
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.
This step will allow any excess oil or moisture to drain and evaporate, leaving you with the yummiest, crispiest tofu, ever!
Try these other irresistible vegetarian Air Fryer recipes!
We have so many air fryer recipes to choose from!
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!
Pro Tips
- Use Any Air Fryer: This recipe can be made in an air fryer unit with a basket or an air fryer oven. If you're using an air fryer oven, place your food on the middle rack and select the "air fry" function.
- Check your food as it cooks! Since each air fryer runs differently, sometimes air frying is a trial and error-process. When cooking a new recipe, be sure to check on your food often. This will help you avoid over or undercooking, and help you learn your air fryer's specific ways!
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Air Fryer Tofu
Equipment
- EZ Tofu Press
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu
- 4 tbsp coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce
- ¼ 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
Air Fryers can vary greatly. Please take the time to learn your specific air fryer. You may need to adjust times and temperatures based upon your air fryer. All though this website attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, the information should only be considered an estimate. Varying factors such as different product types, different brands, etc. can change nutritional information. It is your responsibility as a consumer to read all labels to make sure the ingredients fit your dietary needs as well as calculate your own nutritional information as a double check.
