The crispest air-fried tofu – just 15 minutes! It’s straightforward, very versatile, and a must-have for a weeknight.

This air-fried tofu is fantastic.

The crunchy 15-minute tofu blew my mind.

You can do many things with tofu to make it blow your mind, but oh man! Textures! I can’t even believe you can get this delightfully crisp and rugged crunch with such low energy and effort.

Why I like this:

• You’ll get a crisp, golden exterior that looks and tastes like it’s breaded and fried
• It has a lot of saltiness without any distinctive flavor, which makes it usable in many recipes
• It’s a beautiful canvas of sauces – they stick to every nook, cranny, and cranny of the golden exterior

And! If you buy tofu in vacuum packs, you don’t need to press it. I repeat: Do not press!

You rip open a piece of tofu, toss it into the batter, and fry it in the air for less than 15 minutes. St. Smoke.

In my life, air-fried tofu has come to be affectionately known as AFT, like the vegan cousin of air-fried Chicken (AFC): both are incredibly simple and versatile, and definitely my go-to cook multiple times a week.

• Throw it in a curry – yes.
• Season it and put it in the rice bowl — yes.
• Toss it in the noodles. – Of course.
• Dip it in your favorite sauce, like chicken nuggets – yes. My girls love it. I especially like to eat it with hot sauce.

My favorite sauce right now is the hot sauce of Air-Fried Chicken, and yes, it’s still on the train. I’ll add it again in the notes to the recipe. I just throw the crispy tofu in with a little sauce, and it melts—it’s amazing. Have fun!

Welcome to my home! Let’s make air-fried tofu.

1. Stir the sauce well.

Cornstarch, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and oil. Add a little spice. Look! Here’s your batter.

2. Rip your tofu and throw it in.

I like to tear the tofu apart because it gives you some gripping, bumpy edges that stick to the batter. So just… Rip it, toss it in, and give it a gentle stir to coat it.

3. Air fry for 10-15 minutes.

I usually heat it at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Then give it a shake and fry for another 5 minutes until it’s golden and delicious.

1. Whisk the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the nutritional yeast, cornstarch, soy sauce, oil, and spices to form the batter. It should be pretty loose and fluid.
2. Coat the tofu: Tear it into large pieces and put them directly into the batter bowl. Using a wide spatula, gently lower the tofu into the batter until it is completely coated.
3. Air frying: Air frying at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes (see note 5). Stop and shake. Now fry at 400 degrees for another 5 minutes until you get the golden crisp you want!
4. Sauce and serving: When serving, mix your favorite sauce (curry! Stir the fries! Rice bowl!) Or just put these guys in a dip, like a little nugget. It’s unbelievable.