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An overhead shot showing a closeup of a bowl of air fried tofu with a fork, broccolini, a bowl of rice and sauce on the side.

Air Fryer Tofu (Crispy, Easy and Versatile!)

5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 2
Author: Christin McKamey
This recipe for Air Fryer Tofu is easy to make, requiring just 7 simple ingredients. It's much healthier than fried tofu, but just as crunchy and golden. It's also super versatile, and goes well with many flavor combinations, as well as a variety of dips and sauces.
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Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients

  • 1 15-ounce block extra-firm organic tofu - pressed overnight*- see instructions below
  • 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup unsalted vegetable broth

Instructions

  • Press the tofu (remove moisture). *To do this, first drain the tofu. Then either 1) add tofu to a tofu press for at least 30 minutes (or overnight if possible)- example in photo below, or 2) slice the tofu in half lengthwise (into 2 pieces) and then place on a cutting board covered in a few pieces of paper towel. Cover the tofu with another few pieces of paper towel and add something heavy on top of it, such as a cast iron skillet. Let sit for about 15 min.
    A plastic tofu press on a cutting board, with tofu inside.
  • When the tofu is fully pressed, cut into cubes by first cutting in half lengthwise, then cutting into 1 inch strips, then small cubes.
  • Meanwhile, you can prepare the marinade. To do so, to a shallow baking dish, add the soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine, then add the tofu cubes to the sauce. Shake around to coat the tofu completely and let sit for about 30 minutes.
    2 photos showing a bowl of marinade and another with tofu cubes added to the marinade.
  • When ready, save and drain the liquid from the tofu (you'll be using it later to coat the tofu bites, if desired). You can do this by using your hands to remove the tofu or using a colander/strainer. 
  • Next, spray the air fryer basket with nonstick oil, if preferred. Add the tofu cubes to the crisper plate in a single layer (depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to do 2 batches). Add the basket to the air fryer and set to 10-15 minutes at 390 F. Press 'Start' to begin.
    Press 'Pause' halfway through the cooking time to shake the pan to toss the tofu around in the basket. Then press 'Start' again to resume.
    When the time has elapsed, check for doneness. Note that the time needed to make this tofu will vary by a few minutes, depending on how pressed the tofu is (the longer you press, the shorter the cooking time). If you prefer your tofu crispier, you can air fry another 2-3 minutes until desired crispiness.
    2 photos showing tofu cubes in an air fryer basket, and another image showing it cooked.
  • Remove the tofu from the air fryer basket (by either dumping them out, or using tongs) and if desired, transfer to the bowl of sauce. Stir to coat. There will be quite a bit of sauce so you can discard about half or use to mix in with rice, etc. Serve!
    A white plate filled with air fryer tofu with broccolini and white rice in the background of the plate.
  • Storage and Reheating Instructions: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days. To reheat, you can pop back into the air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 390 F.

Video

Notes

  • Most air fryer’s have different options to cook the ingredients on. For this recipe, it’s HIGHLY recommended to use the included crisper plate/tray, as it’s designed to make food crispy. Because the food is elevated, this allows for the air to go under the plate and evenly crisp the tofu. See the FAQ section above for further information (and a photo). 
  • The seasoning for this recipe is very basic so this tofu can be mixed with all sorts of sauces and combinations.
  • To make the tofu even more crispy, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of sesame oil, olive oil, etc. to the sauce. 
  • You can also freeze the tofu once and thaw, then remove the moisture. This will give it a "meatier" texture.
  • Some air fryers recommend preheating for a few minutes before cooking. We haven’t found much difference in preheating for this recipe, so this step is not needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5block | Calories: 244kcal | Protein: 23.2g | Fat: 11.2g | Sodium: 511mg | Sugar: 2.8g
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