Sweet and Spicy Air Fryer Tofu

Move over Chicken Wings, this recipe for Sweet and Spicy Air Fryer Tofu is just the thing for an easy lunch, snack, game day recipe or healthy dinner. The Tofu is Air Fried to crispy perfection on the outside and super tender inside. I then toss it in my homemade sweet and spicy sauce.

Air Fryer Recipes

I’ve had my Air Fryer for about 2 years now, and I think I’ve made about 50 different things in it. I had no idea there were so many different recipes that you can make in an Air Fryer. From healthy vegetables like these Air Fryer Broccoli and Cauliflower recipes to Asian Cuisines like this General Tso’s Chicken and Orange Chicken. Just when I think I’ve made about EVERYTHING you could think of in my Air Fryer, a light bulb comes on and I think of something new!

And that is just what happened with this Air Fryer Tofu Recipe. I’ve got to be honest with you, I’ve never been much of a Tofu guy. I’m not a vegan or vegetarian, nor do I practice a gluten-free or other specialized diet. So, I really had no need for Tofu in my life. But that is all changing now that I’ve figured out how to make Tofu n the Air Fryer.

Sweet and Spicy Air Fryer Tofu

One of my favorite Air Fryer Recipes that I’ve made are these Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings. I love the combination of sweet and spicy in my recipes. When I decided to make Air Fryer Tofu, I thought I’d toss them in a Sweet and Spicy Sauce.

Before Air Frying them, I coated them with Corn Starch and a couple other seasonings. This made the outside extra crispy while keeping the inside nice and soft. But, if you need to skip out on the outside coating, these Air Fried Tofu cubes will taste great with just a bit of salt, a spray of oil and then a tossing of the sauce.

Here are the ingredients that I used:

TOFU:

• Extra Firm Tofu, cubed and pressed
• Corn Starch
• Paprika
• Salt
• Onion Powder

SWEET AND SPICY SAUCE

• Soy Sauce
• Sesame Oil
• Olive Oil
• Garlic, Minced
• Garlic Chili Sauce ( I use Simbal Oelek)

What Kind Of Tofu Is Best To Use In An Air Fryer?

You definitely want to be using an extra firm tofu. Not the softer, “Silken” variety. A softer Tofu will absolutely fall apart in your Air Fryer and you’ll have a mess on your hands. You want to make sure you have Tofu that is firm enough to hold it’s shape when cubed, tossed in corn starch and then cooked in the Air Fryer.

You also want to make sure you properly press your Tofu. A great way to do this is buy purchasing a Tofu Press like this one. If you don’t want to do that, simply putting it on a paper towel on a flat surface (like a cutting board) and stacking a heavy skillet or cast iron pan on top of it will do. Let it sit for about 20 minutes and most of the moisture will be pressed out of it.

Other Notes, Tips and Suggestions:

• DON’T CROWD YOUR TOFU!- An important part of your Air Fryer cooking the food properly is that the Air can move around it freely. So, make sure you aren’t cramming your Tofu in the basket. If needed, do two batches.
• ALL AIR FRYERS COOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT- The time I put on this recipe works well for my Air Fryer, which I use often and know well. I have another Air Fryer that I sometimes use. This Air Fryer cooks everything a little faster and a little “hotter” no matter what I set it on. So, keep an eye on your Air Fried Tofu. You’ll know it’s done when it gets nice and crispy and golden on the outside.
• OIL VARIATIONS- It is good to use an oil with a high smoke point in Air Fryers. Both oils that use, Olive and Sesame, have pretty high smoke points (410 and 450 degrees, respectively). If you really wanted to sub out these oils, you could. Just make sure they have a higher smoke point. Some options could be Grapeseed oil, Peanut Oil, Avocado Oil or Sunflower Seed Oil.

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Air Fryer Tofu. Let me know how it turns out for you in the comments section. Take care!

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Sweet and Spicy Air Fryer Tofu

Move over Chicken Wings, this recipe for Sweet and Spicy Air Fryer Tofu is just the thing for an easy lunch, snack, game day recipe or healthy dinner. The Tofu is Air  Fried and is crispy on the outside and tender inside. I then toss it in my homemade sweet and spicy sauce. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Chinese

Keyword Air Fryer, Tofu

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Servings 2 People

Calories 403 kcal

Ingredients

For The Tofu

• 1 14 Ounce Package Of Extra Firm Tofu
• 1/4 Cup Corn Starch
• 1/2 Tsp Paprika
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder

For The Sweet and Spicy Sauce

• 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp Sesame Oil
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Chili Sauce I use Simbal Oelek

Instructions

1. Preheat your Air Fryer to 375 Degrees

2. Cut your Tofu into 8 slices. Lay them down on a cutting board lined with a paper towel. Put a paper towel on top of it and then lay down a heavy pan or iron skillet. Or use a Tofu press if you have one.

   

3. Cut each slice into 8 pieces. Put into large ziplock bag.

4. Put cornstarch into bag.

   

5. Put Paprika, Salt and Onion Powder into bag and shake to make sure all the Tofu is evenly coated.

   

6. Cook in Air Fryer for 10-12 minutes.

   

7. While Tofu is cooking. Mix Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, Olive Oil, brown sugar and Garlic Chili Paste together.

   

8. Toss the cooked Tofu in the sauce. Serve immediately.