Tofu Manchurian is a super saucy Asian-inspired meal straight from the air fryer! Toss this crispy tofu in homemade Manchurian sauce for a delicious weeknight dinner at home.
TOFU MANCHURIAN RECIPE
This post is sponsored by the EZ Tofu Press. You might noticed the Air Fryer Eats logo on the pictures. It is a recipe that uses the air fryer, so you will also be seeing it on Air Fryer Eats soon!
Did you know you can make the crispiest tofu in the air fryer? It's true! I love this Tofu Manchurian recipe because it's super crispy and the sauce comes together in minutes.
You only need 3 ingredients to make the crunchiest tofu. Cover it all in this sweet and spicy Manchurian glaze made with soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, honey, ketchup, and garlic. It's so yummy, your whole family will be begging for more.
INGREDIENTS IN TOFU MANCHURIAN
Tofu: You'll want firm of extra firm tofu for this Manchurian recipe. Be sure to press it before chopping for the crispiest tofu.
Soy sauce: This salty Asian condiment is the base for this Manchurian sauce! Swap it for coconut aminos to make it gluten free.
Cornmeal: For the crispiest breading, you'll want to make sure all your tofu cubes are coated in cornmeal.
Oil: A little oil helps the onions and bell peppers soften perfectly for this Manchurian sauce.
Onion: Raw onions are sharp, but softened onions have a definite sweetness. Make sure your onions are finely diced and similarly sized.
Bell pepper: Any color of bell pepper will work. I usually use green, but orange, yellow, red, or even a mix is fine.
Garlic: There's no recipe that can't be improved with garlic! Mince it up for this luscious sauce.
Hot peppers: You can use whatever peppers you want for this spicy Manchurian sauce! I like to use jalapeños, habaneros, or serranos.
Green onions: You'll only need the green parts of these spring onions. Use them in the sauce, plus save a few to garnish for that yummy crunch.
Sweet chili sauce: This is my favorite part of the sauce! It's a little spice, a little sweet, and a perfect addition.
White vinegar: You just need a little acid to brighten this sweet chili soy sauce.
Honey: You need a little sweetness for this Manchurian sauce. If you want to keep it vegan, swap it for maple syrup!
Ketchup: This is such a great sauce ingredient! It's got so many flavors all in one bottle, and brings a subtle richness.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP!
HOW TO MAKE TOFU MANCHURIAN
- After pressing your tofu, cut it into cubes, then place it in a bowl with coconut aminos. Toss the tofu to coat, and let it marinate for several minutes.
- Next, add the marinated tofu squares and cornmeal to a large ziptop bag. Seal the bag and shake to evenly coat the tofu in the cornmeal.
- Place the breaded tofu cubes into the basket of your air fryer.
- Air fry the tofu until it's perfectly crispy.
- To make the Manchurian sauce, sauté the onions and bell peppers until they've softened.
- Then, mix the garlic, hot peppers, green onions, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, white vinegar, and honey in the skillet and warm it up for a couple minutes.
- Now, add the ketchup and simmer over low heat. Keep stirring!
- When the tofu is done, take it out of the air fryer basket.
- Finally, add the tofu to Manchurian sauce skillet and stir for a few minutes until everything is totally coated.
- Serve over rice, and enjoy!
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH TOFU MANCHURIAN
To get the most out of my Manchurian sauce, I always serve my Tofu Manchurian over white rice. You can also use brown rice or even quinoa!
When you're done with the air fried tofu, make some super simple fried rice in the air fryer, too! It's the best Asian side dish.
Make the crispiest frozen egg rolls in the air fryer in just 6 minutes.
WHAT IS MANCHURIAN SAUCE MADE OF?
Asian-inspired tofu dishes are some of my favorites! The soy protein really absorbs all the yummy sauces and flavors for the best Asian recipes.
Simply put, Manchurian sauce is a flavored soy sauce with chili sauce, garlic, pepper, onions, and bell peppers.
I also add a little white vinegar, honey, and ketchup to the mix. If you're on a vegan diet, swap the honey for maple syrup.
If you're on a gluten-free diet, use coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
HOW TO PRESS TOFU
There are two ways to press tofu. You can use a Tofu Press or you can press your tofu by balancing heavy objects on top of it.
I prefer the tofu press method. It has been almost a decade that I have been using the EZ Tofu Press. I use it weekly and it continues to do an amazing job!
The EZ Tofu Press takes the liquid out of your firm or extra firm tofu easily, quickly, and with less mess than using plates and cans. This press utilizes simple mechanics and quality materials to ensure that it’s long-lasting and easy to use.
HOW LONG TO PRESS TOFU
I press my tofu (using the EZ Tofu Press) for 10-12 minutes. I turn the knobs tighter on the press every 3-4 minutes.
There's no need to press silken tofu. It will just fall apart.
MORE YUMMY TOFU RECIPES
If you love Asian-inspired vegetarian recipes, try my honey sriracha tofu. It's the perfect combo of spicy and sweet with a super sticky glaze.
Get a little spicy tang with this homemade buffalo tofu! You can use vegan ingredients to keep it plant-based, too.
Tofu noodle soup has all the comfort of the original with none of the meat. You'll love this vegan chicken noodle soup!
Skip the restaurant and make easy Tofu Sofritas at home. This easy vegan recipe is the perfect filling for bowls, burritos, tacos, nachos, and more.
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Tofu Recipes: Tofu Manchurian
Equipment
- Tofu press
- Air Fryer
- Small bowl
- Large skillet
Ingredients
Air Fried Tofu
- 1 block firm or extra firm tofu
- 4 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos
- ¼ cup cornmeal
Instructions
- Press your tofu for 10 to 12 minutes, turning the knobs every 3 to 4 minutes. Dice into cubes.
- In a shallow dish, mix the tofu cubes with some soy sauce. Marinate for 10 minutes.
- Mix marinated tofu with cornmeal in a gallon ziptop bag. Toss to combine until evenly coated.
- Air fry tofu at 370 degrees F for 12 minutes. Shake basket halfway through cook time.
- While tofu cooks, make Manchurian sauce. Sauté onions and peppers until softened.
- In a small bowl, combine garlic, spicy peppers, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, white vinegar, and honey. Whisk to combine, then add to skillet with onions and bell peppers, and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Stir in ketchup. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add air fried tofu to the skillet and let it simmer another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Notes
- Serve over rice.
- To make vegan, swap honey for maple syrup.
- If not on a gluten-free diet, can swap regular soy sauce.
I absolutely love the sauce on this tofu. So delicious!
Another recipe to try in my new air fryer. It looks so tasty!
Even though I'm a meat-eater, I do love good tofu especially when it is firm and crispy. I'm quite intrigued by the flavors and this looks like something I'd really love. Thanks for sharing this inspiring recipe. I can't wait to make it soon.
I have never come across this recipe and just had to try it. It really did taste good. I am so picky when it comes to tofu. This passes the test!
So glad you liked it!
What a unique and unexpected dish! Adding this to my dinner line up for the week; looks too good to pass up, indeed!
How much bell pepper?
I apologize for the delay in my response, I was out ill. I've updated the recipe card, it is 1/2 cup bell peppers