This air fryer tofu is ultra crispy, easy to make and coated in a sticky honey garlic and ginger sauce. It’s perfect with rice & veggies and makes for a simple vegetarian dinner!
I have officially entered that stage of owning an air fryer where I am thoroughly obsessed and make absolutely everything and anything in it. Salmon, veggies, chicken, everything! There’s not much an air fryer can’t do!
Tofu is the BEST thing to make in an air fryer because you don’t have to deal with an oily sticky mess on your stove or oven and it gets SO crispy.
We’ll be finishing off this air fryer tofu with a sticky honey garlic and ginger sauce that is absolutely delicious.
This recipe is also super quick and easy to make, only requiring about 15 minutes of cook time! You can serve it alongside some fresh jasmine rice and steamed broccoli or just enjoy it as is! Try my peanut tofu wraps or peanut butter noodles next!
Key ingredients
TOFU. I highly recommend extra firm tofu for this recipe, but if you only have firm tofu, that will work too.
BREADCRUMBS. We”ll first coat the tofu in soy sauce, then toss with some spices and cornstarch to absorb excess moisture, then toss in breadcrumbs to give the tofu a really crunchy exterior.
I used gluten free breadcrumbs, but regular work too.
SAUCE. This simple honey garlic soy sauce is perfectly sweet, salty and spicy.
How to make tofu in the air fryer
Remove the tofu from the package and drain off the excess water. Wrap in a towel to remove the liquid. If you want ultra crispy tofu, press it for about 20 minutes with a heavy object.
I skip this step most of the time with no issues 🙂
Cut into 1 inch cubes and toss with the soy sauce. In a small dish, whisk together the corn starch, paprika and garlic powder. Add to the tofu and toss to combine. Toss in the breadcrumbs until well coated.
Spray your air fryer basket and add in the tofu. Set the air fryer to 375 Fahrenheit and set the timer to 20 minutes. Remove the basket and shake every 5 minutes to ensure nothing sticks and everything cooks evenly.
At the 15 minute mark, check the tofu. It will be pretty crispy at this point, so stop it now if it is done enough for you, but I usually leave it in for the full 20 minutes.
While the tofu is cooking, add the minced garlic and sesame oil to a small pot. Saute until lightly golden brown.
Add in all remaining sauce ingredients and whisk really well. let simmer over low heat until thick. If after 5 or so minutes it isn’t thickening, whisk in an extra tablespoon of cornstarch.
When both the tofu and sauce are done, let cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer the tofu to a large bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy with rice & veggies or just as is.
Oven instructions
If you don’t own an air fryer, you can absolutely make this recipe in a regular oven.
To do so, follow all of the same instructions, but instead of air frying it, bake at 400 degrees Fahreneheit for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Then, let it cool for 5 minutes and toss with the sauce.
Does it keep?
Unfortunately, baked or air fried tofu of any kind doesn’t keep very well. The crispiness tends to go away after a few hours so it is best served fresh.
However, if you have leftover, it will store in the fridge for up to 2 days, it just won’t stay crispy. You can reheat it in the air fryer or oven to get back some crispiness!
Do I have to press tofu?
You can, but to be honest, I usually don’t! I’m impatient when it comes to cooking but I will admit, pressing tofu for even just 15 minutes will help make it crispier.
You can just use a heavy object like a cast iron pan and place it on top of the tofu if you have the patience. But don’t worry, the tofu will be plenty crisp if you skip this step!
Try these next!
- Vegan Sushi Bowl
- Orange Cauliflower
- Peanut Tofu
- Air Fryer Sesame Cauliflower
- Lemon Pepper Tofu
Lastly, if you try this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out! Be sure to follow me oninstagramandsubscribe to my newsletterfor more recipes.
5 from 32 votes
Air Fryer Tofu
by: claire cary
This air fried tofu is ultra crispy, easy to make and coated in a sticky honey garlic and ginger sauce. It's perfect with rice & veggies and makes for a simple vegetarian dinner!
/ /
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 20 minutes mins
Total: 30 minutes mins
4
Ingredients
Tofu
- 1 14 ounce block extra firm tofu
- 1 tsp tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic
- ¼ cup gluten free breadcrumbs can use regular if not GF
Honey Sauce
- 5-6 tbsp honey (can sub maple syrup) see notes
- ¾ cup vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp sriracha or more to taste
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2-3 tsp corn starch
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes optional for more spice
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Remove the tofu from the package and drain off the excess water. Wrap in a towel to remove the liquid.
If you want ultra crispy tofu, press it for about 20 minutes with a heavy object. I skip this step most of the time with no issues 🙂
Cut into 1 inch cubes and toss with the soy sauce. In a small dish, whisk together the corn starch, paprika and garlic powder. Add to the tofu and toss to combine.
Toss in the breadcrumbs until well coated.
Spray your air fryer basket (OR use a parchment liner to make clean up easy! these have holes in them to keep the cooking process the same) and add in the tofu in a single layer.
Set the air fryer to 375 Fahrenheit and set the timer for 15 minutes. Remove the basket and shake every 5 minutes to ensure nothing sticks and everything cooks evenly. At the 15 minute mark, check the tofu.
It will be quite crispy at this point, so stop it now if it is done enough for you, but I sometimes give it a few extra minutes if I want it ultra crispy.
While the tofu is cooking, add the minced garlic and sesame oil to a small pot. Saute until lightly golden brown.
Add in all remaining sauce ingredients and whisk really well. let simmer over low heat until thick. If after 5 or so minutes it isn't thickening, whisk in an extra teaspoon of cornstarch.
When both the tofu and sauce are done, let cool for about 5 minutes, then transfer the tofu to a large bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy with rice & veggies or just as is.
Notes
You are welcome to scale back on the honey for a low sugar version! The lowest I would suggest going is 3 tablespoons. On the other hand, you can absolutely add more if you prefer it really sweet!
If you don’t own an air fryer, you can absolutely make this recipe in a regular oven. To do so, follow all of the same instructions, but instead of air frying it, bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Then, let it cool for 5 minutes and toss with the sauce.
Serving: 1cup / Calories: 217kcal / Carbohydrates: 33g / Protein: 10g / Fat: 6g / Fiber: 3g / Sugar: 21g
