Air Fryer Crispy Garlic Tofu (20 Minutes!)

Back with another 20 Minute Air Fryer recipe – Crispy Garlic Tofu. My Crispy Garlic Tofu is crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and requires ZERO deep-frying.

You can make air fryer crispy garlic tofu at home with a few secret tips. Also sharing my addicting and delicious spicy garlic sauce that tastes amazing with anything! If you want more 20-minute recipes, I am currently doing a 20-minute recipe series where I share easy recipes for 23 days! 

The secret to making air fryer crispy garlic tofu is SALT WATER. Soak the tofu in salt water for at least 5 minutes, which will help the tofu air-fry extra crispy!

This trick also works well when you are pan-frying or deep-frying the tofu. If you have extra time, soak the tofu for ever longer, up to overnight! The longer you soak it, the crisper the tofu will become. 

The star of this Crispy Garlic Tofu recipe is the savory homemade garlic sauce drizzled on top.

All you need is vegetarian oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and freshly grated garlic. This sauce goes well with EVERYTHING, but especially on top of this crispy fried tofu!

The sauce is the copycat garlic sauce you find at night market but 100x better. If you have any leftover sauce, drizzle it on top of the steamed vegetables, and you will thank me later! 

I am using an Air Fryer today to make my Crispy Garlic Tofu since it saves time and is mess-free.

I’m going to be honest; I was a little skeptical about the hype when I first heard about air fryers and didn’t realize how EASY it was to make delicious meals with them.

As I incorporate air fryers more and more into my cooking arsenal, I realize how useful they are! I did a blog post breaking down and comparing the top 4 selling air fryers on Amazon based on pricing, size, function, and even a crispy chicken wings test! So if you are interested in buying an air fryer, check out the blog post! 

If you want more AIR FRYER recipes, here are some of my go-to recipes that you will LOVE! 

• Air Fryer Miso Glazed Salmon
• Creamy Stuffed Portobello Mushroom
• Honey Glazed Pork Belly
• Taiwanese Street Corn

Ingredients 

• 1 Pack of Medium-firm Tofu 
• 2 tbsp of Minced Garlic 
• 1 tbsp of Soy Sauce
• 2.5 tbsp of Vegetarian Oyster Sauce 
• 1-2 Green Onion (chopped) 
• 1 Red Chili (chopped)
• 0.5 tbsp of Sesame Seeds 
• 1 tbsp of Sugar 
• 1-2 tbsp of Cilantro (chopped) 
• 4 tbsp of HOT oil 

1. In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 cups of water. Cut tofu into bite-size pieces and soak tofu in water for at least 5 – 10 minutes. 
2. Heat up 4 tablespoons of oil and prepare the sauce by mixing garlic, chopped green onion, chopped red chili, and sesame seeds in a bowl. 
3. Once the oil is hot, pour the oil over the ingredients, and add in soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, and sugar. Mix well and set aside. 
4. Line the air fryer with the tofu and air fryer at 400F for 15 minutes, flipping halfway. Make sure to brush on or spray oil on top of the tofu, which will help crisp up the tofu. 
5. Depending on your air fryer, you may need to increase the cooking time to 20-23 minutes. 
6. Drizzle the sauce over the tofu and garnish with cilantro. 

Print

5 from 2 votes

Crispy Garlic Tofu

Back with another 20 Minute Air Fryer recipe – Crispy Garlic Tofu. My Crispy Garlic Tofu is crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and requires ZERO deep-frying. You can make air fryer crispy garlic tofu at home with a few secret tips. Also sharing my addicting and delicious spicy garlic sauce that tastes amazing with anything! If you want more 20-minute recipes, I am currently doing a 20-minute recipe series where I share easy recipes for 23 days!

Prep Time5 mins

Active Time15 mins

Keyword: 20 Minute Recipes, Air Fryer, air fryer recipes, Appetizers, Asian Food, Asian Recipe Easy, Asian Recipes, crispy, crispy tofu, dinner Ideas, Easy, Easy Recipes, Fried Tofu, garlic, garlic tofu, quick and easy recipe, QUICK RECIPES, Tofu

Materials

• 1 Pack of Medium-firm Tofu
• 2 tbsp of Minced Garlic
• 1 tbsp of Soy Sauce
• 2.5 tbsp of Vegetarian Oyster Sauce
• 1-2 Green Onion chopped
• 1 Red Chili chopped
• 0.5 tbsp of Sesame Seeds
• 1 tbsp of Sugar
• 1-2 tbsp of Cilantro chopped
• 4 tbsp of HOT oil

Instructions

• In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 cups of water. Cut tofu into bite-size pieces and soak tofu in water for at least 5 – 10 minutes.
• Heat up 4 tablespoons of oil and prepare the sauce by mixing garlic, chopped green onion, chopped red chili, and sesame seeds in a bowl.
• Once the oil is hot, pour the oil over the ingredients, and add in soy sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, and sugar. Mix well and set aside.
• Line the air fryer with the tofu and air fryer at 400F for 15 minutes, flipping halfway. Make sure to brush on or spray oil on top of the tofu, which will help crisp up the tofu.
• Depending on your air fryer, you may need to increase the cooking time to 20-23 minutes.
• Drizzle the sauce over the tofu and garnish with cilantro.