This Crispy Tofu is such a tasty dish and has great texture. You’ll love having this fried tofu as an addition to any stir fry or as a gluten-free option to eat on its own.
This post contains affiliate links and is sponsored by the EZ Tofu Press.
Crispy Tofu
I can’t tell you how super easy this tofu recipe is. It’s such a simple way to have an awesome tofu taste without the hassle and worry of making a huge meal.
While the taste is out of this world good, the golden brown color is quite appealing as well. I’ve found that cooking this crispy tofu using extra firm tofu is a simple way to get a stellar taste and texture every single time.
How to make crispy tofu
My secret trip? I use our Air Fryer versus a deep fat fryer for cooking our super firm tofu every single time. First off, I really think that deep-frying makes it a bit greasier than it truly needs to be. Secondly, I just love the fact that the Air Fryer gives it that crisp that makes it perfect for biting into or dipping into a homemade peanut sauce, or try my Thai Salad Dressing.
Many people tend to shy away from using an Air Fryer, and I was probably right along with them in the beginning…but the truth? Once I got over that worry, I literally can’t imagine cooking our vegetarian meals without it. Food just tastes better and “lighter” than the traditional frying method.
Looking for some awesome Air Fryer recipes?
How to cook tofu (other ways)
As this post tells you, I like to cook my tofu in an Air Fryer, but there are a lot of different ways that you can cook tofu actually. This post talks about 6 different ways to cook tofu!
Some of the other common methods are:
- Sauteing
- Stir-fry
- Pan Frying
And truth be told, I actually use all of these methods depending on what the recipe is that I’m cooking. (but I will say that my favorite method is the Air Fryer method!)
Crispy Tofu Benefits
Cooking up a block of tofu and turning it into Crispy Fried Tofu actually has a ton of benefits. Some of the best benefits of tofu that I can think of are:
- Tofu is low in fat and high in protein. (many people actually cut out meat altogether and have tofu be one of their main sources of protein!)
- In addition to the benefits listed above, it is said that tofu also has increased cardiovascular strength, lowered risk of cancer, treatment of menopausal symptoms, and prevention of type II diabetes.
- If you’re asking me, eating tofu a few times a week is definitely worth the added benefits!
Crispy Fried Tofu with the EZ Tofu Press
Anytime I cook with tofu, I use my EZ tofu press. Literally every single time. I’ve had such a great success using it that there’s no reason for me to stop.
Wondering what the EZ Tofu Press does? With your tofu being packed in water, you’re going to need to have a way to remove all that moisture so it cooks correctly. This is where the tofu press comes into play. It removes the water from your tofu for better flavor, taste, and texture. Pressing your tofu is one of the most important steps you can take for making crispy tofu!
How to make Crispy Tofu
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Prepare your tofu by pressing it for 10-12 minutes, turning the knobs tighter every 3-4 minutes. Once tofu is pressed, remove from the press and cut into cubes. In a shallow serving platter combine the tofu cubes and the coconut aminos. Marinate for 10 minutes.
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Using a gallon sized baggie, combine the tofu cubes (not the marinate liquid) and the cornmeal. Gently toss to combine. The tofu cubes should be coated well.
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Place tofu cubes into your air fryer basket. Optional: You can give a little spray of oil to the cubes to help them brown and crisp better. Cook at 370 degrees F at 12 minutes. Be sure to shake the air fryer basket mid way through. (You can also give the tofu cubes another spray of oil when you shake it.)
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When time is completed, remove the crispy tofu from the air fryer basket. Enjoy!
Tips for Crispy Tofu
- Pick the correct kind of tofu when making crispy tofu. I use Firm or Extra Firm Silken Tofu. While the textures are very similar, the extra firm is the one that tends to hold out the best. It stands up to lighter cooking and holds together a little bit better.
- Press the tofu with your EZ tofu press to remove the liquid and get it ready to cook.
- Season your tofu so that it has taste and flavor. In this recipe, we used coconut aminos, but you can use a soy sauce as well. We also coated with cornmeal. Keep in mind that the tofu takes on the flavor of what you season it with. This means that you control the flavor outcome 100%.
How to season tofu
Seasoning tofu us something that each person has total control of. What this means is that whatever you choose to season with, you’re going to have control of the outcome and flavor.
Tofu tends to do a great job at taking on the tastes and flavors so keep that in mind when you’re starting to season it. It’s not like some meats that require a ton of seasoning…a little bit of seasoning goes a very long way.
How to fry tofu
If you’re going to fry tofu on the stove instead of in the Air Fryer, the steps are pretty simple.
Once you’ve used your EZ tofu press to get out the water, you’ve marinated and coated the tofu, you can pan fry the crispy tofu! Add 1-2 T oil to your skillet and cook tofu on all sides (over medium heat) until the coating crisps and turns golden brown!
Pin this crispy tofu recipe for later:
Vegetarian Air Fryer Resources – We have a vegetarian air fryer newsletter, which you can subscribe to here. We also have a specific vegetarian air fryer recipes group on facebook. You can find that Veg Air Fryer FB Group here.
If you are looking for vegetarian recipes beyond air fryer ones, we have a Vegetarian Newsletter as well as a Vegetarian Recipes facebook group. This newsletter and FB group offers up recipes that on the stove, in the oven, on the grill, in the instant pot and more!
Other Resources:
- Air Fryer Calculator (convert oven recipes to air fryer)
- Common Air Fryer Mistakes
- Air Fryer Cooking Times Cheat Sheet
- Can You Put Foil in the Air Fryer
- How to Clean Your Air Fryer
- Tips for Your Air Fryer
- Cosori Air Fryer Reviews
More Air Fryer Goodies:
- Meat + Veg Newsletter
- Air Fryer Recipes – Facebook Group (large + fast paced – meat/veg)
- Air Fryer Recipes for Seniors – Facebook Group
- Gluten Free Air Fryer Recipes – Facebook Group
- Air Fryer Eats – Facebook Group (slower paced)
What to serve with your crispy tofu:
- Zucchini Corn Cakes (aka Zucchini Fritters)
- Worlds Best Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Greek Salad with Avocado
Other tofu recipes:
- Air Fryer Tofu Tacos
- Tofu Skewers with Satay Sauce
- Pineapple Ginger Tofu
- Balsamic Tofu and Mushrooms
Get your crispy tofu recipe here:
How to make Crispy Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 block tofu extra firm
- 4 T coconut aminos or gluten free soy sauce
- 1/4 c cornmeal
Instructions
- Prepare your tofu by pressing it for 10-12 minutes, turning the knobs tighter every 3-4 minutes.
- Once tofu is pressed, remove from the press and cut into cubes. In a shallow serving platter combine the tofu cubes and the coconut aminos. Marinate for 10 minutes.
- Using a gallon sized baggie, combine the tofu cubes (not the marinate liquid) and the cornmeal. Gently toss to combine. The tofu cubes should be coated well.
- Place tofu cubes into your air fryer basket. Optional: You can give a little spray of oil to the cubes to help them brown and crisp better. Cook at 370 degrees F at 12 minutes. Be sure to shake the air fryer basket mid way through. (You can also give the tofu cubes another spray of oil when you shake it.)
- When time is completed, remove the crispy tofu from the air fryer basket. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pick the correct kind of tofu when making crispy tofu. I use Firm or Extra Firm Silken Tofu. While the textures are very similar, the extra firm is the one that tends to hold out the best. It stands up to lighter cooking and holds together a little bit better.
- Press the tofu with your EZ tofu press to remove the liquid and get it ready to cook.
- Season your tofu so that it has taste and flavor. In this recipe, we used coconut aminos, but you can use a soy sauce as well. We also coated with cornmeal. Keep in mind that the tofu takes on the flavor of what you season it with. This means that you control the flavor outcome 100%.
Nutrition
All though this website attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, the information should only be considered an estimate. Varying factors such as different product types, different brands, etc. can change nutritional information. It is your responsibility as a consumer to read all labels to make sure the ingredients fit your dietary needs as well as calculate your own nutritional information as a double check.
Drop me a comment below telling me if you have made tofu before? Have you ever eaten crispy tofu? Did you like the texture?
