Spicy air fryer tofu is a delicious and flavorful dish that combines the crispy texture of tofu with a kick of heat. It is a popular vegan or vegetarian option that can be enjoyed as a main course, a snack, or added to various recipes.
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Thought you didn’t like tofu? You’ve got to try this recipe. Serve as an appetizer, add to your salad or buddha bowl, or mix it into your vegetable stir-fry. There are so many ways you can enjoy this spicy air fryer tofu!
The air fryer is the best and easiest way to get crispy tofu with great texture! All it takes is 10 minutes for perfectly crispy spicy tofu! All the excess oil drips away, leaving you with a healthier low calorie high protein meat-alternative! Adjust the spice level to your preference, or leave it out completely for those that don’t like the heat.
💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 5 simple ingredients
- Uses my special tofu trick to improve consistency
- Super crispy outside, nice and firm on the inside
- Full of Asian flavors
- Top on salads
- Serve as an appetizer
- Throw into your buddha bowl
- Stir into your vegan stir-fry
🥣 Ingredients and Notes
Extra Firm Tofu: Be sure to use extra firm tofu. This will ensure that you have the best texture and consistency.
Low-Sodium Soy Sauce: Adds a touch of salt and seasoning. If you are gluten-free use tamari or coconut aminos instead.
Sesame Oil: Using sesame oil gives the tofu a nutty flavor, and an Asian influence. However, if you don’t have sesame oil, you can use olive oil instead.
Garlic: Enhances the overall flavor. I recommend one clove of minced garlic, but if you really love garlic, use up to 3 cloves.
Sriracha: This spicy Asian sauce brings the heat. A little goes a long way!
🛠 Tools You’ll Need
Tofu Press: The key to getting crispy tofu is to press all the excess water out of it first. This allows the tofu to act as a sponge, soaking up all the flavors of the marinade, and allows the tofu to become crispy and firm on the outside, and pillowy soft on the inside. See below for my simple method for pressing tofu, or use a tofu press.
Air Fryer: There are many types of air fryers on the market. Choose the one that best means your needs by weighing the air fryer pros and cons.
👩🏻🍳 How to Press Tofu
The key to crispy tofu with texture is to press it first. You can use a tofu press or this easy method.
- Sandwich tofu between several sheets of paper towel on a plate or baking sheet.
- Place a heavy pan on top of the tofu with 3-4 heavy cans on top of the pan.
- Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
- If this is challenging to balance, another option is to cut the tofu into large cubes. line paper towels on baking sheet, and sandwich the tofu cubes with paper towel. Then place another large cookie sheet on top with heavy cans, and allow to press for 30 minutes
🥘 How to Make Air Fryer Tofu
- Press Tofu-Using a tofu press or method above.
- When tofu is pressed slice into 1 inch cubes.
- Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and sriracha in small bowl. Pour over tofu. Allow to marinate for 15-30 minutes. Flip tofu halfway through marinating time to make sure all sides soak up the marinade.
- Place tofu in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 375 F. Toss at the 5 minute mark. It should be golden brown.
📝 Expert Tips
- Firm or extra-firm tofu works best for achieving a crispy texture. Silken tofu is too delicate and won’t crisp up as well.
- Cut the tofu into evenly sized cubes or slices. This ensures that the tofu cooks evenly and allows for consistent crispness.
- Tofu absorbs flavors well, so marinating or seasoning it before air frying adds extra taste. A light coating of cornstarch will give it a sticky like texture on the outside.
- It’s important to preheat the air fryer for a few minutes before adding the tofu. This helps create a hot cooking environment and contributes to the tofu’s crispiness.
- Place the tofu pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket or tray, making sure they aren’t touching or overcrowded. This allows for proper air circulation and even cooking.
- Air fryers can vary, so keep an eye on the tofu while it cooks. If it’s not crispy enough, you can cook it for an additional few minutes until it reaches your desired level of crispness.
❓ Recipe FAQS
Yes, tofu is healthy. Here are some of the health benefits of enjoying tofu. High in Protein-A good source of plant protein. There’s 10 grams of protein per serving in this recipe. Low in Saturated Fat-A good source of monounsaturated fat, and low in saturated fat. Monounsaturated fats are healthy fats that can help with weight loss, reduce risk of heart disease, and decrease inflammation. Cholesterol Free-An excellent source of protein without any cholesterol. Which is good for heart health and may reduce risk of heart disease. High in Vitamins and Minerals-Contains iron, potassium, manganese, selenium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, and copper.
It takes about 10 minutes to get crispy air fryer tofu when you use an oven temperature of 375-400° Fahrenheit.
The reason your tofu is not crispy is probably because you did not press all of the excess water from the tofu block. Be sure to give the tofu at least 20 minutes to press. Another reason your tofu might not be crispy is if you didn’t use any oil. A small amount of oil helps to get the edges super crisp.
🍴 How to Serve
Crispy tofu is best enjoyed immediately while it’s still hot and crunchy. Serve it as a standalone snack, add it to stir-fries, salads, or tacos, or dip it in your favorite sauce.
⏲ How to Store
If you have leftovers, allow the tofu to come to room temperature. Transfer the cubes to an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to reheat, warm in the microwave, or place back in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit.
⚖️ Serving Size
This recipe uses one block of tofu. Typically one 12 ounce block of tofu is 4 servings.
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Recipe
Air Fryer Tofu
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz block of extra firm tofu
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ tsp sriracha
Instructions
- Press Tofu-Use a tofu press, or line a plate with paper towels. Place block of tofu on top and place more paper towels on the top of the tofu so that the tofu is sandwiched between paper towels.Place a heavy pan on top of the tofu with 3-4 heavy cans on top of the pan. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
- When tofu is pressed slice into 1 inch cubes.
- Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and sriracha in small bowl. Pour over tofu. Allow to marinate for 15-30 minutes. Flip tofu halfway through marinating time to make sure all sides soak up the marinade.
- Place tofu in air fryer basket in a single layer. Don't overcrowd. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 F. Toss at the 5 minute mark.
Notes
- To make oil free eliminate olive oil and use rice wine vinegar.
- Keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the microwave of the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350 F. Firm or extra-firm tofu works best for achieving a crispy texture. Silken tofu is too delicate and won’t crisp up as well.
- Tofu absorbs flavors well, so marinating or seasoning it before air frying adds extra taste. A light coating of cornstarch will give it a sticky like texture on the outside.
- It’s important to preheat the air fryer for a few minutes before adding the tofu. This helps create a hot cooking environment and contributes to the tofu’s crispiness.
- Place the tofu pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket or tray, making sure they aren’t touching or overcrowded. This allows for proper air circulation and even cooking.
- Air fryers can vary, so keep an eye on the tofu while it cooks. If it’s not crispy enough, you can cook it for an additional few minutes until it reaches your desired level of crispness.Cut the tofu into evenly sized cubes or slices. This ensures that the tofu cooks evenly and allows for consistent crispness.
Debra Lupo
Do you need to press the tofu again after marinating?
Alison Corey
No, you do not need to press the tofu again after you marinate it. Just the once, before marinating.
Kathy Kroemer
How well does this store? If I were to prep a batch of it to use for various recipes will it keep well and what is the best way to store it?
Alison Corey
The tofu will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. It won’t be as crispy when stored as it will be if eaten fresh. However, you can make a large batch, then store in an airtight container. When you’re ready to eat it again, pop it in your air fryer for about 5 minutes at 350 and it will crisp back up!
Leah
How much rice vinegar should you use in place of oil? Do you add it to marinade?
Alison Corey
You will add 1 tablespoon of the rice wine vinegar to the marinade. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Amy
I love crispy tofu and this version looks so good!
Michelle
The only way I can get my family to eat tofu is if it’s crispy! This is such a great idea and now I have a very good reason to get an air fryer! This will be the first thing I make!
Alison Corey
Awesome! I’m so glad you’re going to give the air fryer a try! It’s really a cool little gadget!
Anjali
I’ve been looking for a simple way to make crispy tofu (without deep frying it) and this recipe was absolutely perfect!! The tofu was crispy on the outside but creamy on the inside and worked really well in a stir fry I made later that evening! Thank you for this recipe!
Alison Corey
I’m so glad you like this recipe! I love the versatility of tofu!
Jayne
Did you say Air fryer and Tofu…..What. I can’t get enough of this one. Thank you for sharing.
Anita
This is a great way to prepare tofu in an air-fryer. I love the simple seasonings too. 🙂