Just 7 ingredients and 5 minutes prep to make The Best Air Fryer Tofu everrrrr! This tofu has a lightly crispy super flavorful chicken-like seasoning on the outside and is fluffy on the inside. This will become a new go-to recipe! This tofu is delicious all on its own as a snack, or you can serve it as a main with some sides, on pasta, on salad, on rice in a wrap, in a taco, or anywhere you want more scrumptious tofu (which is everywhere)!
I'll let you in on a little secret: I love my air fryer. Like, really love it. I think I use it at least once a day, whether it's to make a full meal or just blast something back to life. Something else that I love? TOFU! I have over 65 tofu recipes here on my blog, and even more recipes in my two cookbooks, Fuss-Free Vegan, and Fast Easy Cheap Vegan. So yes, I love tofu.
So with this recipe, I combined my two favorite loves: air fryer + tofu. I have been making this crispy air fryer tofu recipe on repeat because it is so easy to whip up and so tasty that I have become completely obsessed with this! The flavor, the texture, the yumminess... Now technically you can store this tofu in the fridge for later and it will keep fresh for a few days, but I wouldn't know anything about that, because every time I make this air fryer tofu, it's gone within a few minutes! You have been warned.
And for those who asked, I have (and LOVE) the Breville Joule Air Fryer Smart Oven! (Not sponsored). 
Common Questions:
How long should I air fry tofu? About 20 minutes seems to be the perfect amount of time for this recipe. The result will be a golden, crisp, super tasty tofu!
What type of tofu is best for air frying? Extra-firm tofu is best. It will hold it's shape and won't break apart when shaking the basket. In a pinch, you can use firm tofu as well, but anything softer than that won't likely hold up well.
Is it OK to air fry tofu? Not only is it ok, but it's delicious! It's definitely one of my favorite ways to prepare tofu.
Do I have to press the tofu before frying? I don't find it necessary to use a tofu press. Pressing the tofu removes extra water, but since the air fryer will dry out the tofu anyways, pressing it is just an extra step that isn't needed for this recipe.
How to make the best air fryer tofu:
Preheat your air-fryer to 350F (180C).
In a large bowl, mix together the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, soy sauce (or tamari if preferred), olive oil, garlic powder, and cayenne (if using) to make a thick paste-like sauce.
Feel free to sub the olive oil for another flavor of oil you like, such as avocado oil, or 1 - 2 teaspoons of sesame oil for Chinese-inspired flavors. If you are oil-free, you can sub the oil for water or vegetable broth.
Add the tofu cubes and toss gently to evenly coat in the sauce.
Spray the heated air fryer basket with cooking spray oil, then spread the tofu in a single layer in the basket, allowing space between each tofu cube for the best airflow. Air fry the tofu for about 20 minutes, shaking 1 to 2 times, until golden. If desired you can sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
Serve hot or store in an airtight container in the fridge, or freeze to use later. Great as main, as nuggets, on salads, in sandwiches, in tacos, on pasta, on nachos, with a side of broccoli, brussels sprouts, or cauliflower, added to a stir fry, on any dish you like, the options are endless! See the recipe for the full nutrition breakdown.
This air fryer tofu is...
- crispy
- SUPER tasty
- easy to make
- a new staple recipe
More tofu recipes to try:
Quick & Easy Vegan Tofu Bacon
Vegan Tofu Fillets
Easy Sticky Teriyaki Tofu
Vegan Tofu Bacon Bits
Brown Sugar & Mustard Glazed Tofu
Vegan BBQ Shredded Tofu
If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram. You can also follow me on Pinterest or Facebook. 🙂
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
The Best Air Fryer Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 (350g/ 12.3oz) block extra-firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, (gluten-free if preferred)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne, (optional for spice)
Instructions
- Preheat your air-fryer to 350F (180C).
- Make sure to have your tofu cubed and ready to go. If the sauce sits for a while it can thicken and be difficult to coat the tofu. Once your tofu is prepped, in a large bowl, mix together the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic powder, and cayenne (if using) to make a thick paste-like sauce. Add the tofu cubes and toss gently to evenly coat.
- Spray the heated fryer basket with spray oil, then spread the tofu in a single layer in the basket, allowing space between each tofu cube for the best airflow. Air fry the tofu for about 20 minutes, shaking 1 to 2 times, until golden.
- Serve hot or store in an air-tight container in the fridge, or freeze to use later. Great as main, as nuggets, on salads, in sandwiches, in tacos, on pasta, on nachos, the options are endless!
Notes
Nutrition
More amazing tofu recipes and variations you might enjoy:
Emilie Levesque says
Hi! For the nutritional yeast, can I use yeast flakes instead and smash them a little?
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Yes they should dissolve right into the mixture.
Eileen VanTassel says
This recipe has good flavor! I found however, the paste became immediately too thick to toss the tofu in without breaking them to pieces. I added more a little more oil, soy sauce and water til it was stirable (is that a word?) but still thick, then proceeded with the rest. They turned out very good! We had a few cubes left which I refrigerated for a couple of days, then put back in the air fryer for a few minutes til they were hot and crispy again for my husband's lunch. Will make again! Thank you Sam!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Thanks for your tips!
Nicole sul says
Easy and so yummy!!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Yay!
Lisa says
Dear Sam, you nailed it again! I am a big fan for years, bought your first book in 2017 and cooking your recepies ever since.
I was a bit skeptical when I threw the coated tofu in my airfryer basket, but they came out perfectly!
And absolutely no mess (did spray the basket with oil)
I will be making these more often, play with the seasoning, yummy!
Many thanks and keep up the good work *applause* 🙂
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
That's fantastic! Thanks for the review, Lisa!
Janice Stuhlhacher says
I made this for dinner today and it was so good and super easy. I made a orange sauce along with steamed broccoli and rice. Delicious!!.
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Fantastic!
Christiane says
Fantastic!! The sauce is like a paste, but once you start mixing in the tofu, it works like magic and coats the tofu really well. Thank you for another great recipe.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it Christiane 🙂
Jack Dent Jr says
I was looking for an easy Country Fried Tofu recipe. Saw this one and made it earlier for dinner. SOOOOOOOOOOO fantastic!!! it's definitely my new go to!! Super crispy and flavorful!!!
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
We're thrilled you liked it so much!
Jalessa says
Soooo good! I could not stop eating it! I will definitely be making more of your recipes! From the comments I hear that the tofu bites are good. I’ll have to start with that.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it, Jalessa, and yes the tofu bites are a fan fave. I hope you enjoy many more recipes 🙂
Heather says
Mine did not turn into paste? It is runny. Does the tofu need to be pressed? It's in the oven, so I don't know how this will turn out. The only difference to the ingredients I used Tamari instead of soya sauce.
Sam Turnbull says
Nope, it should work just fine. ENjoy!
Krystal says
This tofu is amazing! I made it to add to a sheet pan veggie lo mein recipe. My family really enjoyed. I love, love, love your baked tofu bites recipe and am always looking for excuses to make that recipe, but now I’m torn between this recipe and that one. Guess I’ll just have to start eating even more tofu!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha, now you know why I eat tofu almost daily!!
Angela says
Five stars!
Mindy says
I tried making this sauce and it became a paste. Then, I tried it again by adding more olive oil and soy sauce. It’s cooking now. I think the recipe is off.
Angela says
I thought the same thing, but the paste totally worked, making the yumminess cling to the tofu.
Kathleen Wise says
Totally agree Mindy. This recipe is a mess. Next time I'll marinate the tofu in soy, garlic powder and spice then toss the pressed tofu in the nutritional yeast and cornstarch.
This thick paste does not coat the tofu.
Karen says
Sam, this is so delicious! I love your baked tofu bites, but this takes it up a notch. It is a little challenging to get the paste mixed onto all the pieces, but once you do, look out. Instead of cubes, I just pulled the tofu apart into chunks (like the bites recipe), and air fried them. SO crispy!! 😀
The second batch I made, I swapped out the garlic powder and some of the nooch for Trader Joe's Chicken-less Seasoning blend. That was a hit, although a little salty.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you love them even more Karen!
Julie says
Easy, crispy, delicious! Another hit!
Adam March says
Just made this - it’s easy and I love it! Wow!!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!
Angela says
Mine is not a sauce, it’s a paste. Hope it works Here goes nothing!
Angela says
WELL. I stand corrected by experience! I should have trusted you!! Since posting my passive-aggressive missive above (yes, it is more like a paste, so what?? the tofu mixed in beautifully), I have made this recipe TWICE and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!! Thanks, Sam. Sorry I ever doubted you. Even my chicken-flesh loving husband thinks this is delicious! (PS didn't have cayenne, so threw in a teaspoon of sriracha and it was fab)
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha, no worries at all! Thrilled you love it so much! I think I have to change my writing to say "paste" as there are several people confused!
Julie says
This is THE best tofu recipe ever! I cannot believe how much this tastes like fried chicken coating. Absolutely delicious! The only bad part is I come close to eating the entire block of tofu each time. Ha!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! I hear you Julie, me too! So happy you love it!
Selina says
This is sooo good! The paste was so thick that I added another tablespoon of oil. Even then it was thick, but at least I was able to coat the tofu by mixing carefully. I also cooked it for less that half of the time - maybe my air fryer just cooks faster?
Sam Turnbull says
Yep! It's a pasty sauce, haha
Vicki says
I made this tonight. It is delicious! Thank you! I don't eat garlic so I used curry in it's place and used chipotle powder instead of cayenne and I added a coating of sesame seeds and used sesame oil instead of olive. I love how versatile this is so we can add whatever flavors. It cooked up so crispy and tasty. I make air fried tofu for my salads all the time but just hadn't found it cooks as crispy as I want. This is exactly what I wanted. Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you loved it 🙂
Lara says
Do you need to press the tofu first? I'm excited to try this.
Sonya says
This will be delicious, I find that using a piece of parchment works incredibly well in airfryers, just make sure to trim the edges closely to your food so the parchment doesn't get blown over the sides of your food. No oil needed unless a small spray over top of food. thank you for another recipe.
Sam Turnbull says
Great tip! Especially for those who are oil-free. Thanks Sonya!
Alle says
The link to your air flyer is blocked on two browsers for me. Can you post it in the comments?
Sam Turnbull says
Sorry about that, Alle! The link should be working now, but you also click here 🙂