We’ve been vegan for nearly 10 years and air fryer owners about 8 years, so we air fry a lot of tofu. In this post, we’re sharing our absolute go-to method for a basic air fryer tofu that can be used in a variety of dishes from stir fry to salads and wraps to a healthy grain and veggie bowl. You’ll need just a few common ingredients, and, unlike other recipes, this one is completely oil-free!

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　　We swear by our game-changing , but sometimes you don’t have time to freeze and marinate tofu. You need it now!

　　In these moments, I turn to our .

　　Air frying tofu is the quickest, easiest way to make deliciously crispy on the outside and meaty on the inside tofu!

　　It’s a beginner tofu cook’s dream. And you don’t even need oil most of the time!

　　If you’ve had trouble cooking tofu before, I highly recommend you give this method a try. I’ve been vegan for almost 10 years and vegetarian for years before that. I’ve made a LOT of bad tofu, so I know the struggle. This method is your redemption!

　　You only need 4 common ingredients to make this simple recipe! We’ll go over some ingredient details here, but you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!

　　You’ll also need an . We have been using (and LOVING) our Flip and Fry Air Fryer from Salton. Not only is it effective, but it’s also super pretty!

　　You can easily make tofu without ! Simply sub another starch like or . You can also follow our recipe for Air Fryer Sriracha Tofu for a completely starch-free method.

　　If you need an ingredient substitution, here are our best recommendations! Please remember, subbing an ingredient in any recipe may not always lead to an optimal result. Let us know if you try any of these (or other subs) in the comments!

　　For the extra firm tofu: Some varieties of Firm tofu (especially those found outside the US) will work fine with this recipe! Stay away from soft tofu and of all kinds. This is not the recipe for that! We have not tried this with chickpea tofu or other non-soy tofus.

　　For the bouillon powder: Feel free to sub your favorite seasoning here depending on what you’re using the tofu for. Ranch seasoning or chili seasoning could be an interesting twist. Our Cheesy Garlic Blend could also be fun! If you still want that chickeny vibe, you can do ½ chicken seasoning ½ seasoning of choice. You can also just use a mix of whatever spices you have in your cabinet like , black pepper, and . Have fun with this part!

　　For the : You can sub tamari, liquid aminos, or a low-sodium to reduce the sodium if needed. Vegan worcestershire or sesame oil can also be used for a slightly different, beefier vibe. You can also add something like hot sauce or red miso broth!

　　This easy recipe may just be the simplest thing you’ve ever made in the ! It’s a method we keep in our back pocket for busy work night dinners.

　　Serve immediately over rice or veggies. You can serve this tofu on its own or tossed in your favorite sauce like peanut sauce, coconut curry sauce, or even pesto!

　　You can also serve them like tofu nuggets for lunch or a snack alongside a dipping sauce like ranch, teriyaki sauce, pesto, or hot sauce!

　　Meal Serving Ideas:

　　You can store these crispy tofu cubes in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

　　I haven’t tried freezing this tofu after it’s cooked yet. It would probably work, but the tofu texture would change slightly, and you could risk it being too crumbly. Not that that would make it inedible though, so it’s worth a try!

　　In this section, we’ll answer some of the most common air fried tofu questions! If you have a question we haven’t answered here, please leave it in the comments, so we can make this post a more complete resource for future readers!

　　You do not need a tofu press to make tofu in the , but it can help! Personally, we do not use a tofu press. We just place our tofu on one of those roasting pans with a paper towels on top. Then, we place a small cutting board on top with a heavy tile on top of that.

　　You can also use a large book (one if fine, don’t pile them up). You just want a heavy object to create consistent weight on the tofu to gently press out the excess water without breaking it. We let it sit like this for 15-30 minutes before air frying!

　　Your tofu may not be crispy because you’re cooking it at the wrong time/texture. We like to cook tofu at 375F for 25-30 minutes, stopping to shake the basket every 5-10 minutes.

　　For extra crispiness, you can try tossing the tofu in and/or spraying the basket lightly with oil. You can also marinade the tofu in an based tofu marinade for 1-24 hours before air frying.

　　Yes, you can definitely put tofu in the ! In fact, the is our favorite way to cook tofu quickly because it’s easy and creates the best texture!

　　Yes, you can use instead of for tofu. White rice flour works too, or try other starches like potato starch, , or !

　　To keep tofu from sticking to , you can try spraying your basket with a little oil before adding the tofu or use specific parchment liners!

　　If you’re excited to try more tofu recipes, we have a few to get you started!

　　I hope this crispy tofu recipe becomes just as much a staple in your home as it has in ours! And I can’t wait to hear all the magical ways you find to use it.

　　When you try the recipe, can you do me a favor? Leave a star rating and review on the recipe below. This helps our recipes reach more people like you and is an easy way to support our small business!

　　We also just can’t wait to hear about your experiences because we love when you invite us into your kitchen!