Crispy Air Fryer Tofu is flavored with sesame oil and soy sauce and cooks into crispy tofu nuggets in just minutes.
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.
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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!
How to make air fried tofu
Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below
- 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, 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.
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 Chicken Legs from Jersey Girl Cooks
- Air Fryer Rotisserie Chicken from Grumpy’s Honeybunch
What to serve with tofu
A delicious way to serve our crispy tofu is with your favorite dipping sauce.
Ingredients for crispy tofu
- firm tofu
- olive oil
- toasted sesame oil
- soy sauce
- garlic powder
- paprika
- kosher salt
- pepper
- cornstarch
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- 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
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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.
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
That looks so good! I will make it for my kids next week
So crispy!
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.
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.
Looks easy and delicious. I had no idea you could cook this in an air fryer. I can't wait to try this.
This looks so flavorful and delicious! I love the spices you added in here too, looking forward to this!
The air fryer has changed the tofu game and this recipe is a winner! Love how easy and flavorful it is. Thanks for sharing!
Another great recipe for my air fryer! Enjoyed this for dinner and it turned out perfect; even my picky eaters gobbled this up!
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!
I'm sure they will love it! Happy air frying!
The crispy bits are the best!
Oh this tofu would taste delicious with a sweet chili dipping sauce. Now I'm off to give that a taste!
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!
The air fryer is my new best friend in the kitchen!
Hooray for picky eaters eating! Lol
You're very welcome! It makes me so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!
I never knew you could make Tofu in the air fryer!
Yes, and it's so easy too!