Crispy Air Fryer Tofu Recipe (Korean Style)

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy

Watch the recipe

YouTube ↗

Cooking With Anadi

12K subscribers · golden tofu cubes with gochujang sauce, crispy all over

Subscribe

Watch the full method on YouTube →

Crispy Air Fryer Korean Tofu

I admit that I haven’t had much tofu in my life. Last year, I shared my Easy Weeknight Tofu Noodle Stir Fry recipe, which was absolutely delicious and a great switch-up to dinner!

A year later I’m back with more tofu goodness - and trust me, the wait will be worth it!

As I mention in my free motivational guide to explore your potential in the kitchen, Make Cooking Fun!, seeking inspiration from your favorite meals from eating out can inspire you to try new creations! These fantastic Korean tofu cubes remind me a lot of one of my most frequent cravings, Korean Fried Chicken. I’ve been making Korean chicken thighs a lot at home by basing it off my air fryer Korean wings recipe, so when it came time to share a vegetarian protein option, I knew making Korean tofu was going to be the best choice. You’ll get super crisp tofu thanks to the help of the air fryer without the extra grease!

If tofu is a pesky protein for you and you’re new to Korean cooking, then I definitely encourage you to make this air fried Korean tofu as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! Get started on your cooking journey for free today by signing up to my email newsletter, plus you’ll get all of my latest recipes sent right to your inbox

To follow along with all the mistakes you can be making with your tofu in the air fryer and how to troubleshoot, be sure to watch the video! It would also mean a lot to me if you could please subscribe to my YouTube channel if you’re not already, and don’t forget to press the bell button to be notified when all my latest video recipes go live! Let's get air frying!

Why You’ll Love This Air Fryer Tofu Recipe

• Easy to make
• Quick to make
• Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free (if using gluten-free soy sauce or an alternative)
• Crispy tofu that’s so satisfying paired with an incredible sauce!

Tools Needed for Air Fryer Tofu

• Cutting board
• Salt crock
• Air fryer
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Baking tray
• Chef’s knife
• Mixing bowl
• Non-stick pan
• Garlic press
• Gloves
• Olive oil dispenser
• Ramekin

Ingredients for Air Fryer Tofu

You can find the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD with all ingredients and their quantities listed by scrolling to the bottom of this post or by pressing the “Jump to Recipe” button. You can also save the recipe for later and scale the recipe based on how much tofu you’re looking to make. By default, we’re working with a pound of tofu, which will be enough for about 4 bowls if you’re using these for rice bowls, as I’ll discuss later on in this post!

For the Tofu

• Tofu: You’ll see pretty much all recipes for crispy air fryer tofu use extra firm tofu. However, I chose firm tofu. The reason for that is because I actually like the little bit of bounce that comes from firm tofu, and I don’t want a totally hard block. Crispy firm tofu reminds me of paneer!
• Seasonings: The tofu will be seasoned with ginger powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Water
• Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is my top choice, but if you don’t have it then feel free to substitute with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. This and the water help the spices stick onto the tofu.
• Corn starch or potato starch: Either of these will help make the tofu crispy on the outside.
• Salt and pepper: Add these to taste.

For the Sauce

• Passata: Pureed tomatoes that are my go-to! If you only have fresh tomatoes to work with, then don’t worry! You can throw them into a blender to make a puree.
• Maple syrup: A touch of sweetness will balance out the heat of the sauce. You could also use honey if you would like.
• Garlic: I suggest freshly minced garlic cloves for the best flavor. You can get away with garlic powder if you don’t have fresh garlic, but I’ve tried both and fresh garlic is really superior!
• Soy sauce: Use tamari or coconut aminos if you need this to be gluten-free.
• Sesame oil: The aroma of the oil is absolutely amazing. If you want an even nuttier taste, you could use toasted sesame oil for a nuttier flavor.
• Gochujang paste: This is Korean red pepper paste, and I’m absolutely obsessed with it lately! This will be the main flavor of the sauce. If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, I suggest searching at an Asian grocery store or buy it online.

How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Tofu

Make the Sauce

In a pan, combine all of the sauce ingredients. Mix well and bring to a simmer. Once slightly thickened, remove from heat and set aside.

Prep the Tofu

Remove the tofu from the package and pat it dry with a paper towel to remove the moisture.

If time permits, add a large object to press the tofu down.

Then, cut into cubes and pat dry again.

In a large bowl, add the tofu, ginger powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cornstarch, water, and rice vinegar.

Mix well to coat the tofu cubes evenly.

Air Fry

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.

Place the tofu cubes in the basket in a single layer. Spray with a coat of olive oil and shake well.

Set the cook time to 15 minutes on the “Air Fry” setting.

Halfway through the cooking time, flip the tofu cubes and spray with a bit extra oil. Continue cooking until the tofu is crispy and golden brown.

Sauce and Serve

Transfer the cooked tofu to a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the tofu and toss until evenly coated.

Serve hot on their own or over a bed of rice with veggies and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions!

Enjoy!

Common Mistakes You’re Making with Air Fryer Tofu and How to Fix Them!

Excess moisture: With all of my air fryer recipes, I always say that moisture is the enemy! As you’ll notice, tofu is packaged in a ton of liquid. If you don’t take the time to pat the tofu dry, the tofu won’t be able to get crispy since there will be water in it. Really remove as much water as possible by patting it dry when it’s whole and when you’ve cut it into cubes. For even better results, press the tofu block with a heavy object to squeeze out even more moisture.

Not seasoning the tofu properly: If you just throw on seasoning and expect it to get coated perfectly with a light toss, unfortunately you’re mistaken! You really need to massage that tofu well to get the flavor to cover every single tofu cube perfectly.

Overcrowding the air fryer basket: If you don’t space out the tofu cubes in the air fryer basket, you won’t allow space for the circulation to get the tofu crisp and golden brown.

Not adding oil: Don’t be scared of oil! A light spray can really make the difference. The oil helps protect the coating of the tofu, so that it won’t over-cook in the air fryer. It will also help to get the golden brown color on the outside.

Cooking at too low of a temperature: If you cook the tofu at too low of a temperature, you’ll be steaming the tofu instead of “air frying.” The tofu will still be a bit wet or soggy if you cook at too low of a heat for not long enough. On the other hand, if you cook at too low of a temperature for too long, then the tofu may completely dry out. Blasting the heat will get you the perfect crust on the outside, and the coating and oil on top will protect the tofu from burning.

Even More Tips for the Crispiest Air Fryer Tofu

Don’t skip the cornstarch: Cornstarch helps to create a light and crispy coating over the tofu without deep frying.

Wear gloves: No need to worry about getting your hands dirty! Wear the gloves and really massage the seasoning on the tofu well so every piece is evenly and well coated.

Want even more flavor? Marinate the tofu in the seasoning for 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat the air fryer for best results: This ensure consistent cook times, and it will help your tofu because the air fryer will be at the correct temperature immediately to begin the crisping process.

Flip halfway through cooking: Guarantees that the crust is all over the tofu cubes.

Let the gochujang sauce cool slightly before tossing: It will cling onto the crispy tofu cubes better.

Add the sauce immediately before serving: This will prevent the tofu cubes from getting soggy.

Serving Air Fryer Korean Tofu

You can enjoy these Air Fryer Korean Tofu bites on their own as a snack or as part of a rice bowl, as I show here! I paired it with sushi rice and green beans (broccoli also works great!).

Then, I garnished with green onions, sesame seeds, and rice seasoning. Yum!