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Unreal. I’ve been making tofu for 15 years and I have never been able to achieve texture like this. It is chewy without being rubber-like. I made it without nutritional yeast, but I’ll be getting some ASAP. I also cut the oil in half.
10/10, Lindsay!!
Maggie V
This Crispy Air Fryer Tofu Is Bonkers Amazing.
This crispy, craggly 15-minute tofu is honestly blowing my mind.
There’s only so much you can do with tofu to get it to knock your socks off, but OH MY! the texture! Like, I can’t even believe you can get this kind of delightful crisp and ruggedy crunch with such low effort and energy.
Why I love this:
- You get a crispity, crackly golden exterior that looks and tastes like it’s breaded and fried
- There’s lots of savory saltiness without any one distinct flavor, making it extremely versatile for use in tons of recipes
- It is an absolutely elite canvas for sauces – they cling to every nook, cranny, and crevice of that golden exterior
AND! If you buy the vacuum-packed tofu, there is no pressing. I repeat: NO PRESSING!
You’re just ripping apart a block of tofu, tossing it in a quick little batter of sorts, and air frying for less than 15 minutes. Holy. Smokes.
My favorite sauce for this at the moment is the gochujang sauce from the air fryer chicken post – yep, still on that train. And this bang bang tofu (that sauce!).
Have fun!
How To Make Air Fryer Tofu
1
Whisk up your sauce.
Cornstarch, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and oil. Add a pinch of spice mix. Voila! It’s your batter.
2
Rip Your Tofu and Toss It In.
I like to rip the tofu apart because it gets those fun craggly edges that hold onto all the batter. So just… rip, toss it in, and give it a gentle stir to coat.
3
Air Fry for 10-15 Minutes.
I typically do 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Then give it a shake, and finish for another 5 minutes to get it extra nice and golden.
Ways To Serve This Tofu
This air fryer tofu is already affectionately known in my life as AFT, like the vegetarian cousin to the air fryer chicken (AFC): both extremely easy, versatile, and an absolute go-to that I make multiple times each week.
- Toss it in a curry – yes.
- Sauce it up and add it to a rice bowl – yes.
- Throw into a noodle stir-fry – absolutely.
- Dip it in your favorite sauce like a chicken nugget – big yes. My girls love this. I especially love it with this incredible gochujang sauce. Or make it a bowl with this sticky gochujang tofu.
- Toss it with sauce and top on a salad.
Video For How To Make This Tofu
Crispy Air Fryer Tofu Recipe
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
Description
The crispiest air fryer tofu – in 15 minutes! Extremely easy, incredibly versatile, and an absolute weeknight go-to.
Ingredients
Air Fryer Tofu:
- 1 block extra firm tofu (look for one that is vacuum-packed so you don’t have to press it! I get mine at Trader Joe’s but Target has it as well. See note 1)
The Batter:
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 1/2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (see note 2)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce (more as needed)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 2–3 teaspoons all-purpose spice blend (see note 3)
For Serving:
- your favorite sauce for serving (see note 4)
Instructions
- Mix The Batter: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the nutritional yeast, cornstarch, soy sauce, oil, and spices into a batter. It should be fairly loose and runny. If your batter is too thick (like a paste), add 1-2 teaspoons more soy sauce as needed to loosen it.
- Coat The Tofu: Tear the tofu into chunks and place them directly into the batter bowl. Using a wide spatula, gently toss the tofu in the batter until it’s entirely coated.
- Air Fry: Air fry at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes (see Note 5). Stop and give it a shake. And now air fry at 400 again for another 5 minutes until you reach your desired level of golden crispiness!
- Sauce and Serve: To serve, toss the tofu in your favorite sauce for a recipe (curries! stir fries! rice bowls!) or just pop these guys into some dipping sauce like a little nugget. Incredible.
Notes
Note 1 on Tofu: The vacuum sealed extra firm tofu is amazing because it’s not only firm but drier than the kind that comes sitting in water. If you can’t find the vacuum sealed tofu packages, that’s fine – look for extra firm tofu and then press the tofu for a bit to remove excess moisture. To do this, I cut the block of tofu into a few slices, lay them flat with paper towels on top and bottom, and set a heavy pan on top for a few minutes. I find that this tofu also crumbles more easily – so when you’re tossing the tofu in the batter, use a wide spatula and just make a few gentle turns in the bowl to avoid crumbling the tofu entirely (but don’t worry, some breaking is normal and will form delicious crumbles – promise).
Note 2a on Making This Without Nutritional Yeast: Change the ingredient amounts to what’s listed below.
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 1/2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 2–3 teaspoons all-purpose spice blend (see note 3)
Note 2b on Making This Without Nutritional Yeast (Photo): The photo below shows two versions – the top is made with only cornstarch, and the bottom is the original with cornstarch and nutritional yeast. Here are the main differences:
- Cornstarch only version doesn’t coat quite as evenly – it has a slightly more spotty exterior.
- Nutritional yeast version covers really evenly, makes it super golden, and gives it a uniquely salty, nutty, umami flavor.
Note 3 on Spices: I use and love this rotisserie chicken seasoning for both the air fryer chicken and now this air fryer tofu. If you don’t have a spice blend that you like, use 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. And if you are using a spice blend that doesn’t have salt, you may want to add an extra pinch of salt to the tofu batter.
Note 4 on Sauces: I have been hung up on this gochujang sauce for a minute. It’s so good to toss with the crispy tofu. Mix the following: 1/2 cup mayo, 2 tablespooons gochujang sauce (not paste), 1 clove grated garlic, a shot of soy sauce, a dash of rice vinegar, and salt and pepper. I cover the tofu in sauce and toss it together after the tofu is done let it sort of melt in so it creates almost a glaze-like consistency on the outside of the tofu. It’s SO good on a rice bowl. Other sauces I like: this store-bought mango chutney, this honey mustard, or this peanut sauce.
Note 5 on Air Fryer Temp: I have both a Cosori 4 quart air fryer as well as a Ninja 5 quart air fryer (affiliate links). My Cosori does this tofu perfectly at 400 degrees with the timing above, while the Ninja does it perfectly at 390 degrees. If you stop and shake the tofu after 8 minutes and you feel like it’s a tad too dark golden at 400, just reduce the temp slightly for the last 5 to find your perfect temp. I would shoot for anything in the 375-400 range. Air fryer temps and performance will vary slightly!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: tofu recipe, air fryer tofu, crispy tofu, quick and easy tofu, vegetarian recipe
Frequently Asked Questions About Air Fryer Tofu
Yes! Baking the tofu at 400 degrees for 20 minutes should achieve a similar effect. Here’s how it turned out with our testing.
Yes! You can either replace it with an additional tablespoon of cornstarch, or an equal value of breadcrumbs. If you use a bit of extra cornstarch, your batter might be a bit thicker, more like a paste. That’s fine, just coat the tofu as best as you can and it’ll still air fry up with lots of nice texture for you.
Yes! It should work the same.
Yes! As with any “fried” food, it will lose a bit of its crispiness and the texture changes a bit, especially if it has already been tossed or served in a sauce. That said, I have never not liked it when re-toasted in the air fryer or re-heated. 🙂
I’ve got a recipe for that! Here’s some Ridiculously Good Air Fryer Chicken (similar recipe, but with chicken).
Many years ago I had a cookbook called Tofu goes West. From that book I learned to freeze tofu. Now I always do. Extra firm tofu, cut into pieces and frozen. When ready to use it, thaw and press between a dish towel. Freezing makes it easy to press out the water and the tofu becomes even chewier. Give it a try if you haven’t.
My sauce for coating the tofu was runny. I used a “premium quality extra sieved” corn flour (it was the only one on the shelf, usually I buy a Coles brand!) and I think it made all the difference. This recipe was good and I look forward to experimenting with the seasonings to win over the whole family.
These turned out delicious!! I almost ate the whole batch in one sitting. Some things I changed: I used lite soy sauce, extra garlic powder because I love garlic, and I did add some water and extra soy sauce to thin out the batter, but the flavor is delicious and they came out with the texture of nuggets. Loved it and I will be making it again soon!
hi!!! I wanted to try some new air fryer tofu recipes bc I was getting bored and found this one via a Google search and OMG. I’ve made it 3x now! I love it! the batter as such easy ingredients that taste just lovely and the tofu comes out perfect. ty so much!
So glad I’m not the only one with pasty sauce. I should have thinned with water or milk or even broth… Too late now — hoping it turns out well!
This recipe looks really interesting. I recently got an air fryer (Ninja Crispi) and have been experimenting with making a crispy tofu dish. Some people cook the tofu with the marinate already mixed in. Others simply cook the tofu in cornstarch and oil, then add the glaze mixture afterwards and cook the glazed tofu for a few more minutes. Your recipe suggests that you are applying the glaze after cooking the tofu but not putting the glazed tofu back in the air fryer; just serving it immediately. Am I interpreting that correctly?
Thanks for you help.
The glaze is put on before cooking.
I’m looking for plant based protein options I can prep ahead and freeze. Could I marinate the tofu (torn apart) and freeze into single servings? Then coat in cornstarch and cook in an air fryer?
This recipe is always amazing but tonight it’s the best version I’ve tried so far. I used garlic-infused olive oil, regular chicken knorr powder (I am not a vegetarian, just don’t always want meat) as the seasoning blend, and extra soy sauce in my batter to thin it out. I need to air fry it for an extra 5 minutes, and just check and toss it frequently.
Fantastic. I made as directed with two exceptions: I thinned the coating to a saucy consistency with 3-4 Tblsp water rather than with additional soy sauce and added nearly 2 Tblsp spice mixture because I want paying close attention. I will do those same things again! Used nutritional yeast and corn starch…I think all corn starch would require more thinning. My air fryer runs hot so did 10 minutes on 375. This is a keeper! Tastes just like breaded chicken. I also recommend freezing and thawing tofu prior to pressing and tearing into chunks – it gives it a meatier texture and holds together better when tossing with a coating.
This tofu was ridiculously good! Will definitely be on repeat!
Works with tofu ‘’cutlets’’, too. If you’re suddenly out of nooch and don’t object, all-purpose flour will sub for the yeast. Thanks.
A few notes:
Definitely use lower sodium soy sauce or it will be too salty.
I am certain I reduced the cornstarch to 1.5 or 2 tbsp. 2.5 tbsp was just too pasty. I might have also done 2 tbsp soy and .5 tbsp of water to cut back the sodium. twas a little salty even for me.
However the flavour was amazing and they were so crunchy. I am going to be making these next week, once I buy more “nooch”. It really adds so much to the flavour!
I made this tonight for the grown-ups to have for dinner, thinking my two-year-old would have a hot dog, but when he saw the tofu he demanded to taste it…an then ate half the batch. (He did not have any of the sauce, to which I added just a splash of chili crisp.) I just stared at him, slack-jawed. This is a kid who will turn down chicken nuggets! I love this recipe. Such a great use for the four-pack of tofu from Costco!
So good. This is definitely a keeper
My toddler and I can’t stop eating it straight from the basket! Too bad husband won’t get to try it hahaha
I agree with many of the other reviewers…mine came out very very pasty. And adding more soy sauce did nothing. Also, there was nothing crispy about it. It tasted fine, but this recipe needs a LOT of tweaking.
Insanely good, like all your recipes. Until now, I have been pretty tofu neutral/averse. This changed everything. It’s a favourite recipe now for easy meals. I always have a block in the fridge ( or freezer) so I can save lunch or dinner effortlessly.
Can you Air Fry the Tofu and store in refrigerator or freezer
Best to refrigerate and pop in air fryer for 2 minutes to reheat.
Made this following the main recipe with nutritional yeast, and used the suggested recipe for a spice/seasoning mix. Tearing (not cutting) the pressed tofu was a game changer, the craggly bits absorbed the batter well and crisped up nicely. Yes my batter was also very thick as others have noted (the ‘thin runny’ in the recipe is a bit misleading), but it’s runny enough to coat the tofu. I’d leave the salt out if the seasoning mix next time, it was over salty/salty enough with the dots sauce. Mostly, a great idea !
This is my go-to way to make tofu(made it 5x so far), I am the only plant-based eater in our house. So, I will make it and then reheat in the oven or air fryer (preferred). Note:
1) TOO THICK: thin out the sauce with water, 1/2 tbsp at a time.
2) Sodium conscientious: sub coconut aminos for soy sauce, eliminate salt from seasoning.
3) I cook it 5 mins at a time in the air fryer, shake the basket and go ahead. Total, maybe 12-15 mins to get it crispy. She disclosed each airfryer is different.
It’s still a win, love the easy prep.
Honestly, I didn’t have very high hopes, because I have never liked tofu in the past, but my daughter was begging to try tofu, so I bought some. I had seen Lindsay mention this recipe, so I knew this was the recipe I would try, and it was a hit! 5 stars!
End result: really tasty tofu
However, the batter was not “loose and runny.” It was oobleck, that non-Newtonian fluid that’s both solid and liquid. Struggled to get it to stick to the tofu, made a mess in the air fryer. Gotta play around with the ratios.
This is amazing! And so easy to make. I’ve made it multiple times and it’s perfect. It’s my go to lunch meal prep.
To thick . Maybe too much corn starch
Another awful tofu recipe that turns out sloppy and tasteless, due to the flavouring running down into the tray.