The
air fryer has made all things crispity, crunchity easy to recreate in home kitchens everywhere. This tofu recipe is a perfect example! To get crispy tofu you’d typically need to heat up a bunch of oil, worrying about over cooking or a messy cleanup. But, the air fryer makes getting perfect golden brown tofu a cinch.
The basic steps of this recipe are to marinade the tofu, dredge it in cornstarch, air fry and then toss in sauce. What marinade and sauce is entirely up to you but we happen to love this soy marinade and spicy sauce (that might remind you bang bang shrimp). But you could just as easily toss the tofu in barbecue sauce, or a sauce of equal parts ketchup and gochujang. The options are endless!
Just make sure you shake off the excess cornstarch so that the tofu doesn’t have a dusty exterior. Otherwise this recipe is foolproof. Tried making it? Let us know how it came out in the comments below!
Ingredients
- 1(14-oz.) block firm tofu, cut into 1½” cubes
- 2 tbsp.low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tsp.toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp.garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp.hot or smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp.onion powder
- 1/2 c.cornstarch
- 1 tsp.kosher salt, plus more
- 1/4 tsp.freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 1/4 c.mayonnaise
- 1/4 c.Thai sweet chili sauce
- 2cloves garlic, grated
- 2 tbsp.sriracha
- Steamed white rice, sliced scallions, and sesame seeds, for serving
Directions
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- Step 1
In a large bowl, toss tofu, soy sauce, oil, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Step 2In a medium bowl, whisk cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss tofu in cornstarch mixture until coated, shaking off any excess.
- Step 3Working in batches if necessary, in an air-fryer basket, arrange tofu in a single layer; spray with cooking spray. Cook at 400°, tossing halfway through, until golden and crispy, about 15 minutes.
- Step 4In a large bowl, whisk mayonnaise, chili sauce, garlic, and sriracha; season with salt. Toss tofu in sauce to coat.
- Step 5Serve tofu over rice. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.
- Step 1
