Our Air Fryer Crispy Tofu is deliciously crunchy, guilt-free, and super easy to make. This recipe requires six ingredients and can be cooked and ready in under half an hour. Serve as a vegan salad bowl component or snack with sriracha mayonnaise.
We enjoy using the air fryer to prepare tofu. It creates a perfectly crispy exterior with a soft, silky centre. It requires less oil than traditional frying methods and is faster than the oven.
I recently published a blog post on how to bake a jacket potato in the air fryer, and I plan to use my air fryer more in the coming months, so be sure to come back and check out more delicious air fryer recipes.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Protein - tofu is packed with protein and is a great meat alternative.
- Plant-based - we use flour and water mixed instead of eggs for coating the tofu.
- Very versatile - see serving suggestions below for ideas on how to enjoy crispy tofu.
Recipe Ingredients
Note: The full ingredients and quantities are shown in the recipe card below.
Key Ingredients
- Tofu - use FIRM tofu only. Do not use silken tofu; otherwise, it will fall apart.
- Breadcrumbs - use panko breadcrumbs.
- Flour paste - plain flour and water mixed together to form a runny paste so the breadcrumbs stick. We prefer to use this instead of lightly beaten egg yolks.
How to Cook Crispy Tofu in the Air Fryer
Note: This is a summary of the instructions. The full ingredients and instructions are shown in the recipe card below.
- Mix the flour and water to form a runny paste. Cut the tofu into 2.5-3cm cubes and dip them into the flour mixture.
- Shake off the excess flour liquid from the tofu, then coat them in the panko breadcrumbs.
- Arrange the tofu in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 12 mins at 190°C (350°F), shaking the basket halfway through.
- You may need to do this in batches if you have a small air fryer.
Recipe Variations
- Spicy - add ¼ teaspoon or more of cayenne pepper to the panko breadcrumbs.
Serving Suggestions
We enjoy serving tofu with our homemade sriracha mayonnaise. It's also a great chicken substitute for katsu curry.
Storage
Crispy tofu tastes better fresh whilst it's still warm. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
More Tasty Air Fryer Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Crispy Tofu
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 400 g firm tofu, cut into 2.5-3 cm cubes
- 80 g plain flour
- 150 mls cold water
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 80 g panko breadcrumbs
- olive oil for spraying
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer (if it has a preheat function).
- Add the flour and water to a mixing bowl and stir to form a runny paste. Scatter the panko breadcrumbs and salt on a large plate.
- Cut the tofu into 2.5-3 cm cubes, dip them into the flour paste, then coat with panko bread crumbs.
- Arrange the tofu in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray olive oil over the top. Air fry for 12 minutes at 190℃ (350℉), shaking the basket halfway through (at 6 mins). You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Serve the tofu warm with a dipping sauce or as a main meal. It's excellent in a salad bowl or as a chicken substitute in katsu curry.
Notes
Storage
Crispy tofu tastes better fresh whilst it's still warm. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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