Air Fryer Tofu
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Make delicious, crispy tofu in the air fryer in under 15 minutes! Air Fryer Tofu is the easiest way to guarantee tasty and crispy tofu, every time.
Never eat bland tofu again. Give people something to talk about! This tofu recipe is seasoned with my favorite blend of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Crispy air fryer tofu is perfect for a quick and easy vegan meal, adding to salads, featuring as a side dish, or for meal prepping.
Vegan eating doesn’t have to be hard – check out some of my other recipes like this Avocado Risotto or this Loaded Vegan Lasagna next.
Easy Air Fryer Tofu Recipe
Whether you are making a side dish or a main dish, this air fryer tofu will stand out!
It’s not often you hear people talking about “delicious tofu.” In fact, you might not hear people talking about tofu much at all.
Tofu although plain and pretty much tasteless by itself is one of my new favorite ingredients to cook with. It takes on the flavors of whatever you are cooking it with, making it the perfect protein for any dish.
It also comes in a variety of firmness, so depending on what you are making you might use extra firm or silken tofu.
So, say goodbye to tofu no longer being the star of main dishes, this simple air fryer tofu recipe is here to put a new spin on tofu and get you excited about an ingredient that is packed with protein, essential amino acids, and more!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Tofu
Tofu: I recommend using extra firm tofu because there is less water/moisture in the tofu. It’s perfect for air frying because it will get crispy faster.
Herbs and spices: no one likes boring tofu; flavor your tofu with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper for an unforgettable taste.
You can also make a tofu marinade if you’re looking for a different variation.
*For a detailed list of ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.
How to Make Air Fryer Tofu
Making tofu has never been so easy, and in under 15 minutes, the results will shock you! Get ready for the best bite of tofu you’ve ever had.
1. Preheat the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 375° F.
2. Press tofu. Meanwhile, press tofu using a tofu press or with a heavy pan (see notes).
3. Season tofu. Cut the tofu into 1-inch blocks and season with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
4. Air fry tofu. Place seasoned tofu in the air fryer and cook 12-15 minutes, turning halfway.
Tofu Tips and Tricks
Whether you have made tofu before or not, there are some important things to remember when making air fryer tofu.
- Silken tofu. Don’t use silken tofu for this recipe, this will give you the wrong texture and consistency. For example, when you go to press it, it will break apart.
- Tofu needs space. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you might need to break this up into 2 or 3 batches. Don’t try to jam it all in at once. You want to give your tofu space (in a single layer) so it gets crispy. Over-filling your basket will cause the tofu to steam instead of fry.
- Press your tofu. Don’t forget the tofu press! This is an essential step in cooking with tofu. If you don’t press your tofu before getting started your tofu might have too much water or be too moist and it won’t air fry correctly.
- Dry your tofu. After you press your tofu, you are going to want to make sure you also dry it after squeezing out all of that excess water. To dry your tofu you can use layers of paper towels, a clean kitchen towel, or a clean dish towel.
- Change it up. You don’t have to season your tofu the same every time you make it. Consider changing up the flavor by using different seasonings like Italian seasoning and dried parsley, oregano and dried basil, bbq seasoning, cajun seasoning, soy sauce, sesame oil, maybe even some old bay seasoning – the choice is up to you!
- Add sauce. If you are making tofu as a side dish, appetizer, or mid-day snack, consider adding dipping sauce based on the flavor you are making your tofu. Some great options include barbecue sauce, peanut sauce, spicy mayo, and more.
What is an Air Fryer?
If you are new air frying, an air fryer is a small countertop high-powered convection oven. If you follow me on Instagram, you will see me use it often; more than I use my oven!
The cooking process of an air fryer is really simple. Whatever you place in the air fryer is cooked by hot air circulating around the food.
This process keeps the food moist while using minimal to no oil at all.
Buying an Air Fryer
If you are new to air frying, don’t own an air fryer, or are looking to purchase one for yourself or as a gift, be sure to read some of my helpful articles like What Is The Best Air Fryer To Buy? and Air Fryer 101!
What is the healthiest tofu to buy?
Did you know there is more than one type of tofu? There are actually 5 types of tofu and they are categorized by: silken, regular, firm, extra-firm, and super-Firm.
Silken tofu is going to be the softest type of tofu you can buy. For comparison, this would be like super soft cheese.
Firm tofu, a bit softer than when I recommend for this recipe, is the most common tofu and has a similar consistency to feta cheese.
On the complete far end of the spectrum, there is super-firm tofu which has the least amount of moisture. The consistency is comparable to meat.
In terms of health, silken tofu is going to be your healthiest option. It contains the least amount of calories and fat. However, it does contain the most amount of water/moisture.
If you are looking for something packed with protein, you are going to want to choose firm, extra firm, or super firm.
Why Should I Air Fry Tofu?
For the crispest results, you are going to want to air fry your tofu. What I love about air frying is that this process involves only a spritz of olive oil or avocado oil just to ensure nothing sticks to the basket.
Deep frying uses a ton of vegetable oil or sometimes fat in order to get that perfect crisp. In doing so, you eliminate all of the health benefits of the food you are preparing.
If you don’t have an air fryer and you don’t want to deep fry, there are a few different ways you can prepare tofu as well. Consider baking it in the oven, stir fry it on a pan, or pan-frying with a cast-iron skillet.
What temperature should I fry tofu?
When deep-frying tofu, it’s fried with an oil temperature of 360 – 375 degrees F. However, when air frying, a temperature of 375 degrees F is recommended.
I don’t recommend exceeding 375 degrees, because you increase the risk of burning your tofu or it cooking unevenly.
What to Serve With Tofu
Serving your tofu as a side dish? Here are some excellent entrees to serve alongside your tofu:
- Citrus Soy Asian Salmon
- Salmon Cakes With Lemon Dill Sauce
- Drunken Tequila Lime Shrimp
- Air Fryer Shrimp And Peppers
- Baked Eggplant Steaks
- Avocado Corn Salad
- Vegetarian Fajitas With Mushrooms
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Air Fryer Tofu
Ingredients
- extra firm tofu
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 375° F.
- Meanwhile, press tofu using a tofu press or with a heavy pan (see notes).
- Cut the tofu into 1 inch blocks and season with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Place seasoned tofu in the air fryer and cook 12-15 minutes, turning halfway.
Video
Notes
- Gently pat tofu dry with paper towels to remove moisture.
- Wrap the tofu in dry paper towels and carefully set a heavy pan (I use my cast iron) on top of the tofu and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.
- Change paper towels as needed.
These turned out sooo well! I loved the crispy edges and it was such an easy recipe, too!
I love how simple this was to make! The seasoning blend is perfect and the air fryer gets them perfectly crispy!
Loved how easy and delicious this air fryer tofu was!! A weeknight staple for us!
It can be hard to get tofu crispy so I’m sold on this idea! The spices are perfect too.
What green dip/sauce is pictured with the tofu? It looks delicious!
Hi! It’s the green goddess dressing/sauce from whole foods. It’s in the refrigerated section and goes great with lots of things!