How to Make the Perfect Crispy Tofu Cubes in the Air Fryer

Crispy Tofu Cubes in the Air Fryer are delicious and easy to make. The tofu cubes will stay crisp for several hours after being cooked. Cooking tofu cubes in the air fryer makes these crispy treats quick and convenient.

Tofu you Should Use

There are two main kinds of tofu that you can buy: silken tofu and regular "block" tofu. The more water pressed out of the tofu, the firmer it is.

Silken tofu is usually used in things like smoothies, creamy desserts, sauces, or cold East Asian tofu dishes.

Extra-firm tofu can be cooked in a pan, stir-fry, on a grill, or in the oven. It's a great way to get tofu to get crispy.

Super-firm tofu is best for grilling or other uses where the tofu needs to stay very dense and compact.

How to increase the texture and taste of tofu?

Firm and extra-firm tofu can be made less watery with these three methods. This has two main benefits. First, it helps the tofu crisp up better. Second, it allows the tofu to soak up the flavors of what it's cooked in (e.g., marinade, sauce, etc.).

Press the tofu. When using a firm or extra-firm tofu for stir-frying, frying, baking, or grilling (or another method where you want the tofu to get crisp), it is usually best to press the tofu (don't press soft or silky tofu).

A tofu press can be used to press tofu. Or push like in the old days. Drain the tofu and wrap it in several paper towels or a thin dish towel. Use your heaviest cookbook or a cast-iron pan to press down on the tofu.

If you need to, put a couple of cans of beans under the book or skillet to spread the weight out. Let it rest for tweleve minutes and as long as 30 minutes whenever you can, and change the towels.

Freeze tofu. Freezing tofu makes it more porous, which gives it a chewier texture and helps it absorb flavors better.

You can freeze a whole package of tofu that hasn't been opened (it needs about 8 hours to completely freeze). Then, put the frozen tofu in the fridge to thaw (it takes a full day; you can speed it up by leaving it on the counter for up to 2 hours during this time). You can also put it in oven for 1 minute at a time until it is no longer frozen.

Cook tofu. If you don't have frozen tofu, you can also improve the texture of cubed tofu by boiling it for 2 minutes in a pot of heavily salted water. This makes it chewier and better able to soak up flavors.

How to make Crispy Tofu Cubes in the Air Fryer

Crispy tofu cubes are a vegetarian alternative to chicken nuggets. They're made with tofu and breaded with panko breadcrumbs, giving them a crunchy texture. In this recipe, we'll show you how easy it is to make crispy tofu cubes in an air fryer.

Recipe 1

Ingredients

1. Extra firm tofu–This recipe will only work with extra firm or firm tofu. Make sure to press out all of the extra water first, or the cubes won't be as crispy. This can be done on the weekend to make weeknight meals easier.
   
2. Cornstarch–This is how tofu gets crunchy when you cook it in the oven. When the tofu is cooked, the cornstarch sticks to the outside of the cubes and makes a very light and crisp coating. The same thing can be done with arrowroot starch.
   
3. Soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free.
   
4. Rice vinegar
   
5. Sesame oil– You can use olive oil or vegetable oil if you don't have sesame oil.

Cooking Directions

The tofu marinade is easy. you only have to use soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Mix it up by stirring in maple syrup, sriracha, favorite hot sauce, fresh garlic, dried herbs, and any other condiments or seasonings you love.

You can find the measurements, temperatures, and baking times on the recipe card below.

Make sure to squeeze all the extra water out of the brick of tofu before you start. You can either use a tofu press or put something heavy on top of the tofu cubes and cover them with a clean towel.

Let about 15 minutes pass while the water drains out.
After that, put the tofu cubes in a large bowl. Sprinkle the tofu with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.

Next, put cornstarch on top of the tofu. Mix to cover.
Put the tofu in the air fryer in a single layer. If the cubes are too close together or piled up, they won't get crispy. If you have to, work in groups.

Ten to fifteen minutes on high heat in the air fryer, shaking the basket after ten minutes. Once the tofu is golden and crispy, it's ready to eat.

Recipe 2

Ingredients

1. 14 ounces of extra-firm tofu, dried and cut into cubes
2. 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3. Two tablespoons of Black Pepper
4. 1/2 teaspoon of sriracha
5. One teaspoon of cornstarch, if you want to.

Cooking Directions

Set the oven to 425°F and put parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Mix the olive oil, tamari, and sriracha with the cubed tofu. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the tofu and gently toss to coat. This will make the extra tofu crispy.

Spread the tofu on the Parchment sheet in an even layer—air fry for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges are browned. Take out and serve hot.

Recipe 3

Ingredients

1. One 16-ounce block of extra-firm tofu weighs 453 grams.
2. Two tablespoons of soy sauce 30 milliliters
3. 15 mL (1 tablespoon) toasted sesame oil
4. 1 Tbsp olive oil 15 mL
5. Two Green Onions
6. One clove of garlic cut up.
7. One Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Cooking Directions

Press: Press the tofu for at least 15 minutes, either with a tofu press or by putting a heavy pan on top of it and letting the moisture drain. When you're done, cut the tofu into small pieces that are easy to eat and put them in a bowl.

Flavor: Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the tofu and stir to coat. Let the tofu sit in the marinade for another 15 minutes.

Air fry: Set your air fryer to 375 degrees F and preheat it (to 190 C). Put one layer of tofu blocks in the basket of your air fryer—Cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

Serving suggestions

The great thing about tofu cooked in an air fryer is its versatility. Put it on a green salad, a meal prep bowl, or a vegan stir fry. It can add a tasty crunch and more protein to all meals.

Adding bang bang, orange, peanut, or barbecue sauce to the crispy tofu will take it to the next level. It would be a great addition to vegetable wraps or teriyaki noodleshttps://mildlymeandering.com/teriyaki-noodles/ now that it's saucy and extra tasty. But, again, there are a lot of options.

Recipe 4(Crispy Tofu Cubes in the Oven)

Ingredients and Substitutes

You'll need the following:

1. Tofu
2. Oven
3. Baking Sheet

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1/4 of the recipe (about four tofu cubes)

Calories: 67

Carbohydrates: 6.4g

Fat: 3.2g

Protein: 6.7g

Sodium: 20mg (1%)

Potassium: 200mg (5%) Fiber: 2.6g Sugar 0 g Vitamins A 0% Vitamin C 80% Calcium 10% Iron 8%

An air fryer is a fantastic kitchen appliance that allows you to make delicious food with very little oil. But if you don't have an air fryer yet or want to try something new, let's look at how to make crispy tofu cubes in the regular oven.

Cooking Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (or 200 C). If your range has a turntable inside of it (which most do), place it on its lowest setting so that it rotates around during baking time (this helps get more even heat distribution throughout the tray).

Next, sprinkle some salt onto each side of your block of firm tofu—just enough so that half gets covered with salt flakes but not too much where there are large chunks left behind after pressing down against each other (if this happens, then blot off some extra moisture before continuing).

You may also need additional seasoning depending on what kind(s) of spices/flavors go well with this dish--feel free to experiment! But keep in mind that both types tend towards blandness until appropriately cooked due to lack of texture before then - so start small.

Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan every so often to ensure everything cooks evenly and golden brown.

How do you make tofu crispy?

Use a high-heat oil.
Coat the tofu cubes in cornstarch or flour and cornstarch mixture before you air fry them. If you don't want to make your batter, there are brands of pre-made crispy tofu coatings available at most Asian markets that work well in recipes like this one.

Preparation tips and tricks

Use a non-stick baking sheet. Ensure the baking sheet you use is non-stick and has some lip so your tofu won't fall through.

If you don't have a special air fryer tray, I recommend using either an oven-safe wok or a metal baking sheet with slightly raised edges (like this one).

Make sure your tofu is dry and not wet at all! You can do this by pressing out as much liquid as possible before putting them in the oven or pressing them between two paper towels for 5 minutes.

They must be dry because they won't get crispy if they're too wet.
You can sub the sesame oil for olive oil if needed.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. To reheat, pop them back in the air fryer or a pan for a few minutes.

Watch How to make Crispy Tofu Cubes in the Air Fryer

How to make Crispy Tofu Cubes in the Air Fryer FAQs:

1. How do I add the seasoning?

The prep time includes the time to press the tofu. You can even switch up the seasoning mix.

2. What are the best seasonings for tofu?

Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground black pepper, and sea salt – these are a few simple seasonings that give your incredible tofu flavor.

3. Can I Press Tofu?

When using the firm or extra-firm tofu for stir-frying, frying, baking, or grilling it (or another method where you want the tofu to develop some level of crispness), it is generally wise to press the tofu (don't press soft or silken tofu).

4. How do I weigh my tofu?

Weigh the tofu with your heaviest cookbook or a cast iron skillet.

5. How do I freeze tofu?

You can freeze tofu (it needs about Four hours to freeze completely).

6. How do I defrost tofu?

it takes a full day, you can speed it up by leaving it on the counter for up to 2 hours).

7. How do I cook tofu slabs?

Tofu slabs get pan-fried until crispy, then coated in a sticky sauce that's sweet, tangy, and spicy.

8. What is Extra-Firm Tofu?

Extra-firm tofu is great, whether pan-frying, stir-frying, grilling, or baking.

9. What is Tofu?

It's a great source of protein, low in calories and is an excellent source of calcium and iron.

Conclusion