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    Home » Entertaining » Crispy Air Fryer Tofu

    Crispy Air Fryer Tofu

    Published: Sep 27, 2021 Modified: Sep 28, 2021 by GG

    37 shares
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    air fryer tofu on green platter with text overlay

    Crispy Air Fryer Tofu is flavored with sesame oil and soy sauce and cooks into crispy tofu nuggets in just minutes.

    air fryer tofu on green platter
    Look how crispy!

    Air Fryer Tofu

    Tofu transforms into crispy bites with just a few ingredients and your air fryer. Bring on Crispy Air Fryer Tofu with Sesame flavors please!

    Flavored with toasted sesame oil and soy sauce, these bite-size morsels pack a punch of flavor.

    A quick 30 minutes of marinating in a simple sesame sauce is all it takes to flavor the tofu.

    Toss with cornstarch so they crisp up and you’re all set to start air frying.

    Our sesame tofu is delicious served over a salad, as a side dish or as an appetizer with a dipping sauce.

    Our crispy tofu recipe is an easy meatless meal too!

    Our easy basil pesto and a homemade tzatziki sauce will both taste delicious served as a dipping sauce alongside these crispy tofu nuggets.

    I make commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

    So I highly recommend investing in an air fryer. You’ll be so happy that you did and actually my favorite air fryer is very affordable.

    Be sure to check out the Swirls of Flavor Amazon Storefront for GG's kitchen recommendations!

    collage of steps to make air fryer tofu
    Gather ingredients; marinate tofu; toss with cornstarch; air fry util crispy.

    How to make air fried tofu

    Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below

    1. Press the tofu between paper towels to remove excess liquid.
    2. Cut tofu into bite size pieces.
    3. In a large bowl, combine tofu, olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, kosher salt and pepper, tossing until evenly coated. Let stand 30 minutes.
    4. Meanwhile, preheat air fryer to 400F.
    5. Toss tofu in cornstarch.
    6. Arrange half of the tofu in a single layer in air fryer basket.
    7. Air fry 12 minutes or until crispy.
    8. Repeat with remaining tofu.
    crispy tofu on parchment paper with cilantro sprigs

    Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips

    • Be sure to get as much liquid out of the tofu as you can so they are able to become crispy
    • Firm or extra firm tofu will work best with this recipe
    • Toasted sesame oil is much more flavorful than just sesame oil

    Substitutions

    • Replace the sesame oil and soy sauce with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for an Italian
    • Substitute smoked paprika for the paprika to add a smokey note

    Air fryer recipes for beginners

    • Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
    • Air Fryer Cauliflower
    • Air Fryer Roasted Garlic
    • Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
    • Air Fryer Chicken Legs from Jersey Girl Cooks
    • Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken from Grumpy’s Honeybunch
    overhead photo of crispy tofu on green serving platter

    What to serve with tofu

    A delicious way to serve our crispy tofu is with your favorite dipping sauce.

    • Kale Pesto
    • Chimichurri Sauce
    • Green Goddess Dressing and Sauce
    ingredients for air fryer tofu

    Ingredients for crispy tofu

    • firm tofu
    • olive oil
    • toasted sesame oil
    • soy sauce
    • garlic powder
    • paprika
    • kosher salt
    • pepper
    • cornstarch

    I make commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

    air fryer tofu on green platter
    Print
    5 from 16 votes

    Air Fryer Tofu

    Air Fryer Tofu is flavored with sesame oil and soy sauce and cooks into crispiness in just minutes.
    Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine Asian
    Keyword air fried tofu, air fryer tofu, sesame tofu
    Prep Time 40 minutes
    Cook Time 12 minutes
    Total Time 52 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 164kcal
    Author Gwynn Galvin

    Ingredients

    • 1 package firm tofu
    • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
    • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

    Instructions

    • Press the tofu between paper towels to remove excess liquid.
    • Cut tofu into bite size pieces.
    • In a large bowl, combine tofu, olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt and pepper, tossing until evenly coated. Let stand 30 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, preheat air fryer to 400F.
    • Toss tofu in cornstarch.
    • Arrange half of the tofu in a single layer in air fryer basket.
    • Air fry 12 minutes or until crispy.
    • Repeat with remaining tofu.

    Notes

    Makes 4 servings.
    Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
    • Be sure to get as much liquid out of the tofu as you can so they are able to become crispy
    • Firm or extra firm tofu will work best with this recipe
    • Toasted sesame oil is much more flavorful than just sesame oil
    Substitutions
    • Replace the sesame oil and soy sauce with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for an Italian
    • Substitute smoked paprika for the paprika to add a smokey note

    Nutrition

    Calories: 164kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 379mg | Potassium: 17mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 39IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 1mg

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    About GG

    Gwynn Galvin, known to many as GG, is the creative and talented chef and nutritionist behind Swirls of Flavor. Gwynn is an award-winning culinary professional with over twenty five years of recipe development, food styling, test kitchen management and culinary innovation experience. Gwynn's passion is gathering people around the table with her simple real food recipes to savor the moments together.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Maur

      September 27, 2021 at 5:01 pm

      5 stars
      That looks so good! I will make it for my kids next week

    2. Jill

      September 28, 2021 at 7:28 am

      5 stars
      So crispy!

    3. Claire

      September 28, 2021 at 11:14 am

      5 stars
      I cannot wait to give this a go. It looks like such a delicious way to enjoy tofu! Especially dipped into our favourite sweet chilli sauce.

    4. Eliza

      September 28, 2021 at 3:18 pm

      5 stars
      What a great recipe. I had no idea you could make golden brown, crispy tofu in the air fryer! Thanks for another winner from Swirls of Flavor.

    5. Beth

      September 28, 2021 at 3:55 pm

      5 stars
      Looks easy and delicious. I had no idea you could cook this in an air fryer. I can't wait to try this.

    6. Jamie

      September 28, 2021 at 4:25 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so flavorful and delicious! I love the spices you added in here too, looking forward to this!

    7. Traci

      September 28, 2021 at 5:43 pm

      5 stars
      The air fryer has changed the tofu game and this recipe is a winner! Love how easy and flavorful it is. Thanks for sharing!

    8. Sara Welch

      September 28, 2021 at 5:55 pm

      5 stars
      Another great recipe for my air fryer! Enjoyed this for dinner and it turned out perfect; even my picky eaters gobbled this up!

    9. Allyssa

      September 29, 2021 at 6:45 am

      5 stars
      This is really tasty and super easy to make! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing tofu recipe! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!

    10. GG

      September 29, 2021 at 12:01 pm

      I'm sure they will love it! Happy air frying!

    11. GG

      September 29, 2021 at 12:01 pm

      The crispy bits are the best!

    12. GG

      September 29, 2021 at 12:09 pm

      Oh this tofu would taste delicious with a sweet chili dipping sauce. Now I'm off to give that a taste!

    13. GG

      September 29, 2021 at 12:11 pm

      The cornstarch helps to make them crispy. I love the texture, crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside! And thank you for your kind words!

    14. GG

      September 29, 2021 at 1:16 pm

      The air fryer is my new best friend in the kitchen!

    15. GG

      September 29, 2021 at 1:17 pm

      Hooray for picky eaters eating! Lol

    16. GG

      September 29, 2021 at 1:19 pm

      You're very welcome! It makes me so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!

    17. Liz

      September 30, 2021 at 6:33 am

      5 stars
      I never knew you could make Tofu in the air fryer!

    18. GG

      September 30, 2021 at 2:18 pm

      Yes, and it's so easy too!

    Trackbacks

    1. 57 Easy Air Fryer Recipes - Appetizers to Dessert - Grumpy's Honeybunch says:
      December 5, 2021 at 9:37 am

      […] Crispy Air Fryer Tofu: cubes of tofu seasoned with sesame oil and soy sauce produce some lovely nuggets for the vegetarians in your home! […]

    2. General Tso's Tofu - Grumpy's Honeybunch says:
      January 19, 2022 at 2:00 am

      […] you wish, you can break out the air fryer to make Air Fryer Tofu instead of frying it. Just air fry, cook the sauce as directed and toss the […]

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