I love crispy pan-fried tofu – it’s the texture difference between the crisp outer shell and tender insides. Sometimes I’ll crisp up a block of tofu and leave it in the fridge as meal prep. The tofu cubes taste great on salads, with noodles, or as little nugget snacks. But, as much as I love crispy tofu, sometimes I don’t have time to meticulously fry all six sides of a tofu cube.
Enter: the air fryer. I kept it super simple, just tofu and the tiniest bit of oil. I like to leave it plain and unseasoned so that it can take on the flavors of whatever I’m using it in, but feel free to add a bit of salt and pepper if that’s what you dig. It’s a simple process: drain your tofu, pat it dry with paper towels, cut it into cubes, lightly mist or coat with oil, then pop it into your air fryer at 400°F. Halfway through cooking, give it a shake and flip and boom! Instant crispy tofu cubes.
Oh, they do this weird thing when they get heated up where they look puffy like little tofu pillows. Don’t worry, that’s completely normal and they’ll de-puff after cooling down.
Crispy Air Fryer Tofu Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 block firm tofu
- cooking spray or neutral oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Special Equipment
- air fryer
Instructions
- Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into bite sized cubes and lightly mist with cooking oil or toss with a bit of oil.
- Place the tofu in the air fryer basket and set the air fryer to 400°F for 7 minutes. When done, give the basket a shake and take a peek and flip any pieces that need to be flipped.
- Continue to cook for an additional 7-8 minutes at 400°F or until crispy and to your liking. Use in salads, stir-fries, bowls, or enjoy as is!
What air fryer do you use?
hi rhonda,
it’s a zenchef! here’s the link!