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    Home » Tofu Recipes

    Crispy Air Fryer Tofu

    Published: Oct 29, 2021 Updated: Oct 29, 2021 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Air Fryer Tofu

    Air fryer tofu is the perfect way to enjoy your favorite comfort food without all of that deep frying. It’s crispy, loaded with flavor and so easy to make.

    Air fryer tofu with chopped green onions on a white plate with ranch dressing.

    When we first bought our air fryer we barely used it. It sat there for months until we figured out how EXTREMELY useful this machine is.

    Now it’s in daily use! We love it for crispy and delicious vegan goodies like vegan burgers, sausages and nuggets.

    This air fryer tofu is our new favorite. It tastes like something deep fried, without needing nearly so much oil. It’s ultra crispy and just so delicious, it’ll be your new favorite meal, or snack, too.

    For more delicious crispy tofu recipes try our crispy baked tofu and our crispy fried tofu.

    Ingredients You’ll Need:

    Photo of the ingredients needed to make air fryer tofu.

    Ingredient Notes

    • Firm tofu – or extra firm tofu are both great to use. We still go ahead and press it for 30 minutes to make it ultra firm so that it’s ultra crispy after air frying. Definitely don’t try this with silken tofu as it will just fall apart.
    • Soy sauce – can be switched for tamari if you’re gluten-free.
    Air fryer tofu with ranch dressing and chopped green onions on a white plate.

    How To Make Air Fryer Tofu – Step By Step

    You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.

    • Press the tofu for 30 minutes. It’s ideal if you use a tofu press. If you don’t have a tofu press you can place your tofu on a plate, with another plate on top and then stack something heavy on top of that, like a heavy pot or stack of books.
    • When it’s pressed cut it into cubes.
    Two photo collage showing tofu pressing in a tofu press and then cut into cubes on a wooden board.
    • Add sesame oil, soy sauce and maple syrup to a measuring jug and whisk together into a sauce.
    Two photo collage showing ingredients for a sauce added to a measuring jug and whisked together.
    • Place the tofu cubes into a container with a tight sealing lid.
    • Pour the sesame oil, soy sauce, maple syrup mix over the top of the tofu.
    Two photo collage showing tofu cubes added to a bowl and sauce poured over the top.
    • Place the lid onto the container and rotate it a few times, gently tossing the tofu with the sauce.
    Two photo collage showing bowl with lid on being rotated.
    • Add cornstarch, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and ground black pepper to a small bowl and mix together.
    Two photo collage showing cornstarch and spices added to a small bowl and mixed together.
    • Sprinkle half the spice mix over the tofu.
    • Put the lid on the container and rotate it a few times to gently toss the tofu in the spices.
    • Then sprinkle the rest of the spice mix over the tofu, seal the container again and rotate it a few times again to toss the tofu in the spices.
    Collage of two photos showing dry spices added to tofu and sauce in bowl and rotated in the bowl until well mixed.
    • Now place the blocks of tofu into the air fryer in a single layer with space between each block. Make sure they don’t touch.
    • We cooked ours in two batches but depending on the size of your air fryer you may be able to do it in one batch.
    Two photo collage showing the tofu cubes coated in sauce and spices in a bowl and then laid out in the air fryer.
    • Cook at 400°F for 10 minutes until golden and crispy.
    Blocks of tofu in an air fryer.

    Serving Suggestions

    Serve topped with chopped green onions or chives with vegan ranch dressing on the side for dipping. They are also great dipped in ketchup or vegan BBQ sauce.

    You can also add them to a salad for some extra protein or throw them into your vegan stir fry.

    Air fryer tofu with chopped green onions and ranch dressing on a white plate.

    Storing Tips

    Store leftovers in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat them in the air-fryer at 400°F for 5 minutes to crisp them up beautifully again.

    Air fryer tofu with ranch dressing and chopped green onions on a white plate.

    More Delicious Tofu Recipes

    1. Crispy BBQ Tofu
    2. Tofu Steaks
    3. The Best Marinated Tofu
    4. Tofu Satay
    5. General Tso’s Tofu
    6. Kung Pao Tofu
    Air fried tofu dipped in ranch dressing.

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Air fryer tofu on a white plate with chopped green onions and vegan ranch dressing.

    Air Fryer Tofu

    Air fryer tofu is the perfect way to enjoy your favorite comfort food without all of that deep frying. It's crispy, loaded with flavor and so easy to make.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 35 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 208kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    • 16 ounces Firm Tofu Pressed for 30 minutes
    • 2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
    • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
    • 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
    • 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
    • 2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
    • ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

    Serving (Optional):

    • Vegan Ranch Dressing
    • Green Onions or Chives Chopped
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Press the tofu for 30 minutes. It's ideal if you use a tofu press. If you don't have a tofu press you can place your tofu on a plate, with another plate on top and then stack something heavy on top of that, like a heavy pot.
    • When the tofu is pressed cut it into cubes.
    • Add sesame oil, soy sauce and maple syrup to a measuring jug and whisk together into a sauce.
    • Place the tofu cubes into a container with a tight sealing lid.
    • Pour the sesame oil, soy sauce, maple syrup mix over the top of the tofu.
    • Place the lid onto the container and rotate it a few times, gently tossing the tofu with the sauce.
    • Add cornstarch, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and ground black pepper to a small bowl and mix together.
    • Sprinkle half the spice mix over the tofu. Put the lid on the container and rotate it a few times to gently toss the tofu in the spices.
    • Then sprinkle the rest of the spice mix over the tofu, seal the container again and rotate it a few times again to toss the tofu in the spices.
    • Place the blocks of tofu into the air fryer in a single layer with space between each block. Make sure they don't touch.
    • We cooked ours in two batches but depending on the size of your air fryer you may be able to do it in one batch.
    • Cook at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes until golden and crispy.

    Notes

    1. Firm tofu – or extra firm tofu are both great to use. We still press it for 30 minutes so that it’s ultra crispy after air frying. Definitely don’t try this with silken tofu as it will just fall apart.
    2. Gluten-free – switch the soy sauce for tamari. 
    3. Serving – this is delicious served with vegan ranch dressing or vegan BBQ sauce or even just ketchup for dipping. 
    4. Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat them in the air-fryer at 400°F for 5 minutes to crisp them up again.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 548mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 2mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Stacey C. says

      October 03, 2022 at 12:54 am

      Wonderful recipe as usual! I made ours with a riced cauliflower jasmine rice mix, and dipped in a sweet chili sauce. So quick and delicious, thank you!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        October 04, 2022 at 11:12 am

        Sounds wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing and the awesome review Stacey!

        Reply
    2. Susan Aitchison says

      May 11, 2022 at 2:19 am

      Thank you Alison for another great recipe 😊
      Had half of them with a stir fry and remainder will be leftovers for tomorrow. So easy to make.

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        May 11, 2022 at 9:45 am

        Perfect! Thanks so much for sharing Susan!

        Reply
    3. Crystal Pollock-White says

      January 19, 2022 at 10:48 pm

      Love your recipes! This is first time doing tofu in air fryer and I love it! Thank you!!! Namaste5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        January 20, 2022 at 10:20 am

        Awesome! Thanks so much Crystal!

        Reply
    4. Stacey says

      January 12, 2022 at 10:58 am

      My kids LOVE these!! Great recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        January 13, 2022 at 1:17 pm

        Awesome! Thanks so much Stacey!

        Reply
    5. Jeanne Jain says

      January 08, 2022 at 2:44 pm

      We loved it! We preferred dipping the tofu in ketchup. I will make larger cubes next time as the smaller ones tended to be a little tough after frying.5 stars

      Reply
    6. Lisa says

      January 04, 2022 at 5:58 pm

      This crispy tofu is just delicious! I made a salad with romaine onions tomatoes cucumber and red leaf lettuce, and a homemade vegan ranch dressing, and put the tofu over it. I also used hot sesame oil for a good kick! The whole family loved it!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        January 07, 2022 at 6:01 pm

        That sounds amazing! Thanks so much for sharing and the awesome review Lisa!

        Reply
    7. Duane Hennessy from Australia says

      October 30, 2021 at 9:27 pm

      What a brilliant idea! We’ve had an air fryer for over a year now and after two failed attempts at air frying chips/fries we just gave up and it sits there collecting dust. Now, knowing how much we eat crispy tofu, we may have more success air frying tofu than starchy potato. Can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        October 31, 2021 at 11:19 am

        Awesome Duane, I think you will love it! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Itay says

      October 30, 2021 at 3:06 am

      This looks great!!

      Could I freeze / refrigerate before air frying, like a meal prep type deal?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        October 30, 2021 at 10:20 am

        Hi yes, you could definitely do this! You could prepare it up to the point of air frying and then just close the container and refrigerate for a day or two or freeze it, and then air fry when you’re ready.

        Reply
    9. Liza says

      October 29, 2021 at 4:39 pm

      Hi there. I love many of your recipes and would like to try this without the sesame oil. Is there a way to use aquafaba instead? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        October 29, 2021 at 6:21 pm

        Hi Liza, you could leave out the oil, it might be a little less crispy, but as long as there is enough liquid to coat the tofu, so that the spices will stick to it then it should be fine! 🙂

        Reply

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