Crispy Air Fryer Tofu

Use this Crispy Air Fryer Tofu to make perfect, crispy, seasoned tofu in an air fryer. Serve this crispy tofu with a savory peanut sauce.

Can you make tofu in an air fryer?

My favorite way to make perfectly crispy tofu is to cook it in my air fryer. I toss cubed extra firm tofu in arrow root starch and simple spices. Then, I crisp it up in my air fryer.

In less than 20 minutes a block of extra firm tofu can go from boring and bland to crispy and flavorful. Air fried tofu is the perfect way to get deep fried crisp without the extra oil of deep frying.

Even people who swear they hate tofu will love this recipe. They will be reaching for seconds especially when you serve it with that creamy peanut sauce.

kitchen tools

• Air fryer
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons and measuring cups
• Tofu press or items to weigh down tofu

Serving suggestions

There are many ways to serve this air fried tofu. In this air fryer tofu recipe I share a delicious savory peanut sauce that you can drizzle over the cooked tofu.

I like to serve the crispy tofu with brown rice or quinoa, fresh veggies and lots of that creamy peanut sauce. The peanut sauce is also perfect with roasted veggies and the crispy tofu cubes

You could also serve this crispy tofu on a salad with a homemade ranch dressing. Or use them in place of chicken for this buffalo bites recipe.

ingredients

You will be amazed at how easy it is to make this delicious crispy tofu in an air fryer.

• Extra firm tofu
• Arrowroot starch or cornstarch
• Salt and pepper
• Garlic powder
• Smoked paprika
• Peanut butter
• Lime juice
• Sesame oil
• Rice vinegar
• Sriracha
• Coconut aminos or soy sauce

Firm tofu vs. extra firm tofu

The difference between firm tofu and extra firm is the amount of water in the final product. The more firm the tofu is, the lower the water content.

Extra firm tofu is best for this crispy air fryer tofu recipe. The lower water content allows it to crisp up faster.

Ingredient Substitutions

This recipe is pretty straightforward, but there are some changes you can make! To make this recipe completely gluten free, be sure to use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce and arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch.

You can swap the dried seasonings listed here for any seasoning blend you like. Feel free to use something like a curry powder, Greek seasoning blend or Italian seasoning blend depending on the flavor profile you are looking for.

How to make Air Fryer Tofu

Step 1: Press tofu, cube and season

To begin, drain package of extra firm tofu and press tofu for 20 minutes. You can do this in a tofu press or wrap tofu in a clean towel and place under a heavy weight like books or a large pan.

Once it is pressed, cut the tofu into 1″ cubes.  Then, combine arrowroot starch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.

Toss cubed tofu in this mixture until each cube is evenly coated.

Step 2: Air fry tofu

Then, place seasoned tofu in an air fryer basket in a single layer. Spray tofu on all sides with a spray oil. Preheat air fryer to 400F.

Next, place tofu in air fryer and cook at 400F for 8 minutes. Remove tray from air fryer and toss shaking the basket until the tofu has rotated. Return tofu to air fryer and cook for an additional 7 minutes. 

Step 3: Prepare peanut sauce and serve

While the tofu cooks, prepare the peanut sauce. Whisk together peanut butter, lime juice, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sriracha, water and coconut aminos.

Finally, serve crispy air fried tofu with quinoa or brown rice, fresh veggies, peanut sauce and green onions.

Storage and reheating

Once cooled, transfer cooked crispy tofu to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Store the peanut sauce separate from cooked tofu to keep the tofu crispy. Reheat the tofu in the air fryer, oven or toaster oven.

Check out these other crispy air fryer recipes

• Air Fryer Pickles
• Popcorn Chicken in Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
• Air Fryer French Fries

You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!

Recipe

Crispy Air Fryer Tofu

★★★★★ 4.9 from 11 reviews

Crispy tofu made in the air fryer

Recipe By: Madeline

Prep: 20 minutesCook: 20 minutesTotal: 40 minutes

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Servings: 2 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Air Fryer Tofu

• 1 block of extra firm tofu
• 1 tbsp arrowroot starch (can sub cornstarch)
• 1 tso salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• Spray oil – I use avocado

Peanut Sauce

• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 tbsp coconut aminos

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Instructions

1. Drain package of extra firm tofu and press tofu for 20 minutes. You can do this in a tofu press or wrap tofu in a clean towel and place under a heavy weight like books or a large pan. When tofu is pressed cut into 1″ cubes. 
2. Combine arrowroot starch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Toss cubed tofu in this mixture until each cube is evenly coated.
3. Place seasoned tofu in an air fryer basket. Spray tofu on all sides with a spray oil. Preheat air fryer to 400F.
4. Place tofu in air fryer and cook at 400F for 8 minutes. Remove tray from air fryer and toss. Return tofu to air fryer and cook for an additional 7 minutes. 
5. While the tofu cooks prepare the peanut sauce by whisking together peanut butter, lime juice, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sriracha, water and coconut aminos
6. Serve crispy air fryer tofu with quinoa or brown rice, fresh veggies, peanut sauce and green onions

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.