Air Fryer Tofu Recipe

Overhead view of an oval platter of crispy air fryer tofu with a bowl of dip. A linen napkin beside it.

Crispy Air Fryer Tofu is an easy recipe, perfect for sprinkling on salads, tucking into wraps, or serving with stir-fry! It’s made with 6 common ingredients and easy-to-follow steps, resulting in savory tofu with a crunchy exterior and pillowy center.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 14

Total Time 54

Servings servings

Calories 87kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

6-quart air fryer

Ingredients

1 (14-ounce, 397g) package extra firm tofu
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon sriracha optional
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons sesame oil

Instructions

Cut the tofu into 1-inch pieces. Place it in a single layer on a double-layered paper towel-lined plate. Cover with another two layers of paper towels, then set a heavy skillet on top. Let drain for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk to combine the garlic powder, soy sauce, and sriracha, if using.
When the tofu is drained, add it to the bowl with the soy sauce mixture and gently stir to coat evenly. Sprinkle half of the cornstarch over the top of the tofu and mix gently to combine. Repeat by sprinkling the remaining cornstarch, and gently mix once again to coat all the tofu pieces evenly.
Drizzle the sesame oil over the tofu and gently stir until all of the oil is absorbed.
Place in a single layer in the basket of an air fryer, leaving space between each piece.
Cook at 400°F for 8 minutes. Shake the basket to turn the pieces over, and cook for another 6 minutes until the tofu is golden and crispy. Season with salt to taste.

Notes

Air fry in a single layer. Leave plenty of space between the cubes. This allows the hot air to circulate evenly around the cubes, evaporating the extra moisture and developing a crisp exterior, preventing soggy tofu. If you have a smaller air fryer, you may want to cook the tofu in batches.
Shake the basket. About halfway through the cooking time, shake the basket to turn over the pieces before cooking the remaining time for even cooking and browning.
Don't worry about breakage. Pressing helps prevent the pieces from falling apart as they cook, but if little pieces break off while stirring, that's okay! Once air-fried, they give the final dish a great texture.
Doubling the recipe. If doubling the recipe for a larger crowd or meal prep, cook the tofu in batches to prevent crowding the basket. If you have an oven with an air fryer, you can cook in one batch if it can accommodate a full baking sheet of spread-out cubes.
Optional seasoning variations. Play around with the seasonings and use spices like onion powder, smoked paprika, dried herbs, or your favorite spice blend. You can switch up the oil, too, for avocado or olive oil or cooking spray.

Nutrition