Crispy Air Fryer Tofu cooked in just 10 minute with simple spices. Perfect for snacking or adding to your favorite vegetarian bowl or main entree.

A plate with Air Fryer Tofu and sauce drizzled on top.

Tofu is a powerhouse protein and you won’t believe how tasty it is when cooked crispy in the air fryer! You can add it to your favorite Stir fry or try it on top of this flavorful Buddha Bowl! It’s a delicious protein packed snack that we love to dip in sweet and sour sauce, Ranch dressing or even BBQ Sauce. Check out all my Vegetarian recipes for more tasty inspiration and let me show you how to use an air fryer!

What I love about the recipe:

Crispy and flavorful: Crispy without all the extra fat and calories from deep frying.
Quick: Only 10 minute cook time!
Kid Friendly: My kids love eating these tofu “nuggets”!

Ingredients:

  • Extra Firm Tofu– Make sure you get extra firm and not silken tofu!
  • Cornstarch– This is a secret ingredient that gives the tofu extra crunch.
  • Garlic powder, Onion Powder, Salt, and Pepper – Tofu is great at soaking up flavor! When I plan to add sauce to my final dish, i like to keep the tofu seasonings plain.  If you wanted to have it as a snack and add more flavor, there’s a million ways to mix it up by adding different seasonings to your cornstarch mixture. You can find some fun variations below!

How to Make Air Fryer Tofu:

  • Press tofu: The secret to extra crispy tofu is removing the excess liquid. If you don’t have a tofu press cut your tofu slab in half lengthwise and wrap each half in several paper towels. Lay the halves side by side and place a large cutting board over top.  Place something heavy on the cutting board (a block of knives, a few cans, etc.) and let it sit for 15 minutes while the liquid is pressed out of the tofu.  The more liquid you remove, the crispier it will be able to cook.
Four process photos for squeezing liquid out of tofu and then chopping it into cubes.
  • Mix: Mix cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a ziplock bag.
  • Coat: Cut tofu slabs into ½’’ cubes. The thickness of your tofu cubes will determine how crispy  they are on the outside vs. how soft they are inside.  (If you like extra crispy tofu, cut the tofu into even smaller cubes). Place tofu pieces in cornstarch mixture and gently toss to coat on all sides.
  • Air Fry: Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F. Place tofu in single layer in air fryer. Spray the top of the tofu with cooking spray. Cook for 5 minutes, flip, and spray tops again if you see cornstarch.  Air fry 5 more minutes  or until crisp to your liking.
Chopped tofu pieces mixed with cornstarch and seasonings in a bag, then added to an air fryer.

Variations:

The possibilities are endless; simply add different seasonings to your cornstarch mixture including:

  • Mediterranean: Za’atar or Harissa
  • Italian: Italian Seasonings
  • Cajun seasoning
  • Thai or Indian: Curry powders
    Toss with sauce afterwards!!

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: Tofu can be pressed and cut up to a day or two in advance. Once pressed store in airtight container in the refrigerator.

Store: Cooked tofu can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer or in a hot pan for a few minutes.

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Recipe

A plate of crispy air fryer tofu with chopsticks and a side of sweet and sour sauce.
Prep 30 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Total 40 minutes
Save Recipe

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Press Liquid From Tofu: Either use a Tofu press or cut your tofu slab in half lengthwise and wrap each half in a several paper towels. Lay the halves side by side and place a large cutting board over top.  Place something heavy on the cutting board (a block of knives, a few cans, etc.) and let it sit for 15 minutes while the liquid is pressed out of the tofu. The more liquid you  remove, the crispier it will get.
    Four process photos for squeezing liquid out of tofu and then chopping it into cubes.
  • Mix Seasoning: Meanwhile, mix cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a ziplock bag.
  • Cut Tofu: Cut tofu slabs into ½’’ cubes. The thickness of your tofu cubes will determine how crispy  they are on the outside vs. how soft they are on.  (If you like extra crispy tofu, cut the tofu into even smaller cubes). Place tofu pieces in cornstarch mixture and gently toss to coat on all sides.
  • Air Fry: Pre-heat air fryer to 400 degrees F. Place tofu in single layer (trying to separate them so that they don’t touch) in air fryer (you may have to do 2 batches). Spray the top of the tofu with cooking spray (this will help control the powder left over from the cornstarch). Cook for 5 minutes, flip, and spray tops again if you see cornstarch.  Air fry 3-5 more minutes or until crisp to your liking. Coat in desired sauce or enjoy plain!
    Chopped tofu pieces mixed with cornstarch and seasonings in a bag, then added to an air fryer.

Notes

Variations: The possibilities are endless; simply add different seasonings to your cornstarch mixture including:
  • Mediterranean: Za’atar or Harissa
  • Italian: Italian Seasonings
  • Cajun seasoning
  • Thai or Indian: Curry powders
    Toss with sauce afterwards!!
Make Ahead Instructions: Tofu can be pressed and cut, up to a day or two in advance. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator.
Storage Instructions: Cooked tofu can be stored covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer or in a hot skillet for a few minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 7gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.3gSodium: 354mgPotassium: 162mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg

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About The Author

Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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