Made with just 10 ingredients and ready in 25 minutes, this Easy Air Fried Tofu recipe is a fuss-free recipe that results in crispy and tasty tofu that can be served as a side dish with your favorite sauces, in salads, and in bowls.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

My sister’s main complaint about the tofu recipes I post on here is that draining the tofu takes too much time and too many paper towels. So, this recipe omits any elaborate moisture extraction processes. You do not have to press tofu dry until all the liquid has been removed

After the tofu is removed from its packaging, using your hands, squeeze the block of tofu a bit to drain any excess moisture. You can use a kitchen towel to wipe off some of the liquid as well. But, the tofu does not have to be extra dry for this recipe, which makes this recipe so easy to prep and prepare.

What are the ingredients needed to make this easy air-fried tofu recipe?

For this air fryer vegan tofu recipe, you will need the following 10 ingredients:

1. Extra-firm tofu
2. Arrowroot powder (also referred to as arrowroot starch or arrowroot flour)
3. Coriander
4. Smoked paprika
5. Cayenne
6. Onion powder
7. Garlic powder
8. Turmeric powder
9. Cinnamon
10. Salt (I don’t usually include salt in the ingredient list, but in this case, it is being added in before the tofu is air-fried)

Substitutions

Extra firm tofu is the best type of tofu for this recipe. The other, less firm, tofu variations might fall apart when they are torn and tossed with the other ingredients.

If you do not have any arrowroot powder, you can use an equal amount of cornstarch. I use arrowroot often (like I did in this oven-baked sheet pan tofu) when I want crispy tofu.

As for the coriander, smoked paprika, cayenne, onion powder, ginger powder, turmeric, and cinnamon, they can be substituted with whatever other combination of spices you may have on hand. If you happen to have some Harissa, use 2 tablespoons of that mixed in with the arrowroot powder and some black pepper. If you would rather use Italian seasoning instead of the spice combo I have specified, please feel free to do so. This is another one of those recipes that I hope you experiment with and have as much fun prepping as eating.

You could omit the salt if you are watching your salt intake. However, I would highly encourage keeping the salt in, as salt is such a unifier of all the other flavors.

How do you prepare tofu in the air fryer so it is crispy?

Once you have your tofu, spices, arrowroot or corn starch, and salt, this recipe is easy to prep.

After I removed the tofu from the container, I drained it to remove any excess liquid. I then set it on a kitchen towel while I tossed the arrowroot starch, spices, and salt together. You do not need to press the tofu for this recipe.

Then, cut the tofu into cubes, or simply tear it apart into bite-sized pieces and add them to the spice/arrowroot mixture. I have found that tearing the tofu gives it more ridges and nooks for the arrowroot and spices to stick to, making this tofu even more crispy

Then toss the tofu with the spice mix. The arrowroot or cornstarch is the key element for the tofu to crisp up.

Place these coated pieces of tofu on an air fryer and lightly spray with any spray oil you may have. I have used coconut oil and avocado oil in the past while making this tofu recipe.

I made sure that the tofu pieces were spread apart well. As, if they are crowded together and touching, they won’t crisp up as well.

Then, air fry for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Toss the tofu pieces over and air fry for another 10 minutes.

Let the tofu cool down for about 5–10 minutes, and it will be ready to devour.

In this recipe, what happens if you don’t press tofu?

In most other recipes, when you don’t press the tofu, it tends to retain some water, which can affect its texture and the way it absorbs the flavor of the other spices or herbs it is combined with. However, for this Easy Air Fried Tofu recipe, you don’t need to press the tofu extensively, just a gentle squeeze to remove any excess moisture will suffice. The slight moisture left in the tofu helps the arrowroot or cornstarch adhere to the tofu, resulting in a crispy texture when air-fried.

How do you keep the tofu from sticking to the air fryer?

If your tofu sticks to the air fryer, then gently spray the air fryer basket before adding the tofu pieces to it.

What do you serve with this Easy Air Fried Tofu?

I love to eat this crispy tofu with a combination of honey mustard and BBQ sauce. My daughter introduced me to this concoction of honey mustard and BBQ sauce when I visited her last, and now I am hooked on it. You could also serve this with some soy sauce or coconut aminos, some sweet chili sauce, or even some chutney.

This crispy air fryer tofu can also be enjoyed in a bowl with rice, steamed broccoli, avocados, shredded carrots, peas, and turnips, or any other veggies.

It can also be tossed into your favorite salad or enjoyed as a side dish.

How do you store leftovers of this dish?

You can store leftovers of this dish in an airtight container, in your fridge for up to 5 days.

What’s the best way to reheat cold leftovers of this?

I have found that the best way to reheat this tofu is to place it in an air fryer preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, for 3 minutes or so.

Can you make this air-fried tofu in the oven?

Yes! If you do not have an air fryer or would rather make this in your oven. Instead of cooking the tofu in your air fryer, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the tofu for 25 minutes.

I am not a vegetarian, but I love a good tofu dish, and this is one of my favorite tofu recipes. It is so easy, quick (with a total time of 25 minutes to prep and prepare), tasty, and fuss-free.

I love the texture of tofu cooked this way. I must admit, though, my boyfriend isn’t a tofu lover and I couldn’t convert him with this recipe, so I won’t say this recipe is as appealing as deep-fried chicken might be. However, I will say that this dish is packed with plant protein and is a tasty gluten-free side dish that your vegan and vegetarian friends and family are sure to enjoy.

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