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No cornstarch is needed to make this flavorful air fryer tofu! Drying the tofu well before marinading in a next-level seasoning blend is all it takes to get crispy tofu in your air fryer (no cornstarch needed here – just five simple ingredients).
Pair it with my Marry Me Chickpeas or toss them on a Veggie Wrap for a complete meal!
save this recipe!It’s the conundrum every tofu-eater has had at some point…“How do I make my tofu taste better?”
Well wonder no more, friends! I’ve unlocked the secret to the very best tofu…air frying! I’ve been cooking tofu in the air fryer multiple times per week for years, so you can be sure this tofu will turn out perfectly for you!
Not to be dramatic but this air fryer tofu is life-changing
- It’s a bit crispy on the outside but pillowy on the inside
- It doesn’t rely on cornstarch to make it crispy (I’ve got three tricks that help give it that perfect texture!)
Reader rating
“I started an air fryer tofu recipe before realizing I was out of corn starch…so I landed here. I was pleasantly surprised at the level of crisp I got without a starch! Easy and delicious!” —Lola
Here’s what you’ll need
This crispy tofu has two main components: the tofu (of course) and the marinade (big yum). Jump to the recipe card for measurements!
- Tofu: Use extra-firm tofu, which has more water squeezed out of it than the soft or silken varieties. Less water = more crisp!
- Soy sauce: Soy (or tamari for gluten-free) adds a rich and salty flavor that levels up your tofu. Feel free to use a low-sodium soy sauce.
- Oil: We’ll use a blend of sesame and olive oil to add flavor and enhance the crispiness. I wouldn’t recommend cutting out the oil completely, but you could use sprayable oil if you’re looking to reduce fat.
- Garlic: I use this for quick and simple flavor in the marinade. Feel free to go crazy with it and at your own blend of spices or herbs!
Secrets to air fryer tofu
There are actually three secrets to making crispy tofu without cornstarch or bread crumbs.
Secret 1 – Press the tofu: Pressing your tofu before cooking with it removes excess moisture (which would otherwise make for soggy, not-at-all-crispy tofu). I recently got this tofu press and absolutely love it, but you can also press your tofu by setting a heavy pan (like a cast iron) on top of your tofu and letting the moisture drain out.
Secret 2 – Air frying: My cooking obsession and the ultimate way to cook anything that needs to be crispy, air frying! I use this air fryer which has held up well with the many (many) kitchen experiments I’ve thrown in it.
Secret 3 – Freeze your tofu: This is optional but highly recommended. Freezing and then thawing your tofu before cooking with it improves the texture and allows it to soak up even more flavor from the marinade!
Want to skip pressing?
You can skip pressing the tofu altogether by buying vacuum-packed tofu! This is the firmest variety and the pressing has already been done for you. Just cut into tofu cubes, flavor, and fry!
The Very Best Air Fryer Tofu (No Cornstarch!)
Ingredients
- 1 16-oz block extra-firm tofu, 453 g
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 30 mL
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil*, 15 mL
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, 15 mL
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
- Press: Press 1 16-oz block extra-firm tofu for at least 15 minutes, using either a tofu press or by setting a heavy pan on top of it and letting the moisture drain. When finished, cut tofu into bite-sized blocks and transfer to a bowl.
- Flavor: Combine 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil*, 1 Tbsp olive oil, and 1 clove garlic (minced) in a small bowl. Drizzle over tofu and toss to coat. Let tofu marinate for an additional 15 minutes.
- Air Fry: Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Add tofu blocks to your air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to promote even cooking.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
The flavor was good, but the tofu pieces did not crisp up, and they were cooked for 20 minutes. Not sure why they did not turn out as expected
Sorry to hear it! Did you make sure the tofu was super dry (i.e. with paper towels and/or a tofu press)? That’s usually the difference between crispy tofu and “meh”.
Do you have to refrigerate any not eaten?
Yep, it’s best to keep this in the fridge!
Impressed! I made a miso mushroom dish that was good on its own but still needed a little somethin-somethin’ added to it. This was that somethin’! Easy to make, nice crisp to the tofu. And I like the subtleness of the sauce. Perfect and will be making again! Thank you for sharing.
So happy to hear it, Georgia! That miso mushroom dish also sounds amazing. 😀
Great Recipe! I had to make many tweaks though due to my own errors and equipment. I accidentally got too impatient when pressing my tofu and squashed it. It also might not have been the right firmness to start anyway… So now with half-smooshed tofu it was difficult to make cubes and so I settled on a few small cubes and lots of crumbles. My air fryer also happens to be a multipurpose pressure cooker, and the rack that it came with for airfrying is almost always has gaps too wide, so my tofu just sat at the bottom. I preheated by air fryer for five minutes at 375, then cooked my marinated tofu for 6 minutes at 385. Stirred, reset for 6 minutes at 385. It wasn’t looking crunchy yet (and a bit wet still) so I sprinkled some cornstarch on it and stirred, then reset for 7 more minutes at 390. It came out nice and golden brown and crispy! A lot of the crumbles stuck together but it didn’t really affect how I was using them. In the future I would actually cook them just a few minutes longer.
So happy to hear you could make it work, crumbles and all! I’ve had that before with some tofu – it could have just been too soft or the brand. Thanks for dropping in to let us know how it went! 😀
Followed your recipe exactly and the tofu turned out delicious! I recently received an air fryer as a gift and ran across your recipe online. You didn’t specify soft, med or firm tofu. I used soft because I love PF Chang’s so much, crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth inside. I’ve never been able to duplicate it, until now! Thank you for your recipe!
So happy you liked it, Tracy!! 😀 The tofu firmness indeed doesn’t matter a ton for this recipe. I like firm, but soft is also tasty!
Haven’t made it yet because I have a question. I’m new to cooking vegan or vegetarian meals. I have all of the ingredients on hand and an air fryer. What could I eat with this? Can you recommend a side or something I can put it on? Thanks!
Great question, Tamara! I like this as a main with veggies on the side (like air fryer veggies). You can also add it into curries (like in place of chickpeas in this tikka masala, or this Thai curry). Or you can use it to add some protein and pizzazz to salads and pasta dishes (like these zucchini noodles). 😀
Hi Sarah,
Great recipe. I’m on a diet so trying to figure out the calories. It looks like you are saying 212 calories for a 4 oz serving, or 848 for 16 ounces. My extra firm TOFU, without the oils, is 400 calories for 16 oz, and most TOFUs seem to be in the 350-400 cal, 16 oz range. Am I reading your nutrition facts wrong?
Thanks!
Hi Steve! Thanks so much for pointing that out, I think the numbers were a little off, as you mentioned. I’ve updated the nutrition information to reflect a more accurate calorie count (though you can safely add the calories from your specific tofu + about 200 from oils, and that will give you a good indication as well). Thanks again for dropping in!
It was the best and healthiest crispy tofu I ever had….and the soy-sauce gave it that crispiness and the color like a deep fried tofu without any oil.
So happy to hear it, Kris! 😀
OMG!!! Thank you so much!!! This will definitely be a permanent guest in our house 🙂
So happy to hear it! Enjoy! 😀
I’m stunned. Pressing tofu, who’d’ve guessed. Good thing I came across this recipe because it would’ve been a disaster otherwise. I dropped the temperature to 180 C for the second batch and that worked just as well for crispiness, but the garlic didn’t burn so that was a plus. The sound the cubes made when I shook them in a dish… I never thought tofu could sound like crystal bells.
Anyway. Thanks so much. Gonna scour your site now for more unsuspected heavenly bites.
Aw, so happy to hear you liked it, Micha! 😀