Name: Crispy Breaded Air Fryer Tofu
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 12 oz extra-firm tofu; 2 tablespoons tamari ((or soy sauce)); ¾ teaspoon garlic powder; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; ⅔ cup panko breadcrumbs ((more if needed, see note 1)); Oil spray ((olive oil or grapeseed oil)); Black pepper ((ideally coarsely ground)); Salt ((optional))

Golden brown and crispy tofu made with barely any oil! This breaded air fryer tofu recipe uses panko breadcrumbs to mimic a deep-fried crust. Season with pepper for a delicious snack or use as a plant based protein in rice bowls and salads. (Vegan, Gluten Free option)

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Close up of crispy breaded air fryer tofu with panko breadcrumb crust

If you love crispy tofu—but don't want to deep fry at home—then you HAVE to try air fried tofu. We've tested a lot of different ways of cooking tofu over the years. Long story short: this crispy breaded air fryer tofu is a total game changer!

A panko breadcrumb crust mimics a deep-fried exterior. Tamari is used to season the tofu—and it also hydrates the cornstarch to make sure there's no starchy mouthfeel after baking. This breaded air fryer method yields golden brown, crispy cubes of tofu. They're perfect for snacking (especially when seasoned with lots of black pepper!), or as a source of plant-based protein in grain bowls and salads.

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Why make tofu in an air fryer
Recipe ingredients
Step-by-step instructions (with photos)
Recipe video
Serving suggestions
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Why make tofu in an air fryer

An air fryer rapidly circulates hot air in a small area, so it can cook and crisp foods faster than a conventional oven. In our side-by-side tests, the air fryer usually created a crisper and more evenly browned crust—all in a fraction of the time of an oven.

Lately, we've been cooking all the things in our air fryer (especially these Broccoli Tater Tots). And surprise, surprise, the air fryer also does wonders for tofu. Even if tofu was the only food we cooked in our air fryer...it'd be worth it. Yes, this crispy air fryer tofu tastes THAT good!

One of the biggest benefits of air frying is that you can get great results without much oil. In fact, this recipe is almost oil free. The only added oil is the light spray over the panko crusted tofu, right before baking. The spritz of oil helps the panko bake to an even golden brown color. It's amazing how little oil it takes to create a crispy crust in an air fryer!

Recipe ingredients

Ingredients to make crispy air fryer tofu: cubed tofu, garlic powder, panko breadcrumbs, cornstarch, tamari, and oil spray

You may already have most (if not all of the ingredients) at home already. Here's what you need to make this recipe:

Extra-firm tofu: This is usually the most compact tofu sold at conventional grocery stores. If you can find "pressed" tofu—or if you have the time to press the tofu yourself—feel free! But we usually just use extra-firm tofu, straight from the package, because it's fast and convenient.
Tamari (or soy sauce): The tofu will absorb most of the tamari, which helps season the tofu on the inside. Any unabsorbed tamari will help coat the outside of the tofu—to hydrate the the cornstarch (so that it doesn't look or taste powdery) and help the panko crust stick.
Garlic powder: Helps to flavor this very quick marinade for the tofu. If you can't eat garlic, you could leave this out.
Cornstarch: A bit of cornstarch helps create a crispy coating. It also helps thicken the unabsorbed tamari, so the panko coating sticks better. (If you're interested, this article is great at explaining the magic of cornstarch in cooking).
Panko breadcrumbs: Panko is flakier and crunchier than regular breadcrumbs, so it makes the perfect "cheat" for a deep-fried coating—without the oil. You can use gluten-free panko if you'd like; but do not substitute with the panko for regular breadcrumbs.
Oil spray: This recipe uses barely any oil! The only added oil is a quick spray over the breaded tofu, before it hits the air fryer. The oil helps the panko turn evenly golden brown. And, oil adds flavor, so a little bit on the crust is very much worth it. Use either olive oil or grapeseed oil spray (avoid PAM, if you can).
Pepper (and salt): We highly recommend seasoning the fresh-from-the-air-fryer tofu with a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. And add salt if it needs it.

Step-by-step instructions (with photos)

Find the recipe card below for the complete recipe, including all ingredients and instructions.

A hand tossing cubed tofu and tamari until the tofu is well coated — 1. Pour tamari and garlic powder over tofu—and use your hands to gently toss to combine.

Cubed tofu sitting in a shallow glass dish of tamari to marinate — 2. *Before marinating:* This is the tofu immediately after tossing it with the tamari and garlic powder. Now, let it sit for 6 to 8 minutes to absorb most of the tamari.

Cubed tofu that has absorbed tamari after marinating in a shallow clear glass dish — 3. *After marinating:* After 6 to 8 minutes, turning the tofu cubes every couple of minutes, most—but not all—of the tamari has been absorbed. You want to have a bit of tamari leftover at the bottom of the dish. If the tofu has absorbed all the tamari, don't worry! Just add a splash of extra tamari before moving onto the step of adding cornstarch.

Cornstarch sprinkled over tamari coated tofu, with a hand tossing to mix everything together — 4. Sprinkle with cornstarch and use your hands to gently toss the marinated tofu to mix.

A woman's hands tossing cubes of tofu with tamari and cornstarch, until the cornstarch is no longer visible — 5. Keep mixing until there is no longer any white powdery cornstarch visible.

A hand putting tofu into a dish of panko breadcrumbs to create a crust — 6. Working with one piece of tofu at a time, dip it into a small bowl of panko breadcrumbs.

A hand coating tofu in crispy panko breadcrumbs — 7. Use your hand to press the panko into the tofu, if needed.

8. Arrange the breaded tofu in a single layer in an air fryer basket. Give it a spray of oil, so that the panko can brown evenly.

Recipe video

Serving suggestions

Salt and pepper tofu

The simplest way to enjoy this tofu is to season it with a very generous amount of freshly ground black pepper (and salt, if needed)....then dig in. This salt and pepper tofu hits the spot when we're craving a salty but healthy snack. And the protein will hold you over until your next meal.

When it comes to how much black pepper to use, the answer is A LOT! Add what you think looks like a good amount of pepper...then add even more. Growing up, I loved crispy salt and pepper dry ribs, so this tofu combo brings back nostalgic memories.

A couple pro tips for seasoning breaded tofu: Firstly, the salt and pepper will stick better when the tofu is fresh from the air-fryer. So season while it's hot. And secondly, if you can give the tofu another quick spray of oil once it's out of the air fryer—then sprinkle with the pepper and salt, it'll stick even better.

Other serving ideas

Crispy breaded foods are best enjoyed immediately, while they're still hot and crispy! Here are some ways you can use this Crispy Breaded Air Fryer Tofu:

Tucked into a grain bowl
Tossed in a salad
- We usually add the tofu after tossing the salad with dressing, to keep the tofu as crisp as possible
Served on the side of stir-fried veggies and rice
- We prefer to add it on the side or scatter on top, because tossing the tofu with saucy, steamy veggies will soften the crispy tofu coating.
As "nuggets", with ketchup or another sauce for dipping
On their own as a protein-rich snack with lots of coarse black pepper (see above)
In tacos, as a plant-based filling
In lettuce wraps, drizzled with sauce

Let us know how else you'd eat this crispy breaded tofu—we'd love to hear your ideas!

Baked crispy breaded air fryer tofu in an air fryer basket

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