Air Fryer Spicy Garlic Tofu
Back with another Air Fryer recipe – Spicy Garlic Tofu, seriously SO good! Spicy Garlic Tofu is crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, coated with the BEST spicy garlic sauce, and requires ZERO deep-frying. If you’re looking to elevate your tofu game and tantalize your taste buds, look no further than this Spicy Garlic Tofu!
This delightful dish combines the satisfying crunch of perfectly cooked tofu with the bold flavors of spice and garlic, creating a mouthwatering experience that even non-vegans will crave.
If you want more TOFU recipes, I also have a bunch of them that are easy to recreate at home!
Spicy Garlic Tofu Ingredients
- 1 pack Medium-firm Tofu
- 1.5 tbsp Homemade Chilli Oil
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 3 tbsp Black Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Crushed Red Chilli Flakes
- 0.5 tbsp Sesame Seeds
- 1 green onion separate white and green
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tbsp HOT oil heat until smoking
- Cilantro to garnish
Secret to Extra Crispy Fried Tofu
The secret to making air fryer spicy garlic tofu is salt water. Soak the tofu in salt water for at least 5-10 minutes, which will help the tofu air-fry extra crispy! The salt draws out extra water from the tofu, especially on the surface. This also helps season the tofu and get rid of that raw soy taste, allowing the tofu to absorb the sauce better. This trick also works well when you are pan-frying or deep-frying the tofu. The longer you soak it, the crispier the tofu will become. If you have extra time, soak the tofu for even longer, up to overnight!
Spicy Garlic Suace
The star of this Spicy Garlic Tofu recipe is the savory homemade spicy garlic sauce drizzled on top. The sauce is the copycat spicy garlic sauce you find at night market but 100 times better. If you have any leftover sauce, drizzle it on top of the steamed vegetables and dumplings, or toss it with noodles, and you will thank me later! All you need is soy sauce, black vinegar, red chili flakes, chili oil, sesame seeds, white parts of the green onion, LOTS of garlic, and HOT OIL. This sauce goes well with EVERYTHING, but especially on top of this crispy air-fried tofu!
Air Frying Tofu
I am using an Air Fryer today to make my Spicy 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!
How To Make The Crispiest Air Fryer Spicy Garlic Tofu
- 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, add in 2 tbsp of Soy sauce, 3 tbsp of Black Vinegar, 1.5 tbsp of Homemade Chilli Oil, Crushed Red Chilli Flakes, Sesame Seeds, white parts of the green onion, and the top layer, minced garlic.
- Once the oil is hot, pour the oil over the sauce ingredients, mix well. You can test if the oil is hot by dipping in a wooden utensil. If it bubbles, it’s ready.
- Line the air fryer with the tofu and air fryer at 400F for 25 minutes, flipping halfway. Optional – 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 28-30 minutes.
- Drizzle the sauce over the tofu and garnish with cilantro.
Do you want more AIR FRYER recipes? Here are some of my go-to recipes that you will LOVE!
- Creamy Stuffed Portobello Mushroom
- Ginger Glazed Salmon Bites
- Air Fryer Bread Pudding
- Honey Glazed Pork Belly
Air Fryer Spicy Garlic Tofu
By Tiffy Cooks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pack Medium-firm Tofu
- 1.5 tbsp Homemade Chilli Oil
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 3 tbsp Black Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Crushed Red Chilli Flakes
- 0.5 tbsp Sesame Seeds
- 1 green onion separate white and green
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tbsp HOT oil heat until smoking
- Cilantro to garnish
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, add in 2 tbsp of Soy sauce, 3 tbsp of Black Vinegar, 1.5 tbsp of Homemade Chilli Oil, Crushed Red Chilli Flakes, Sesame Seeds, white parts of the green onion, and the top layer, minced garlic.
- Once the oil is hot, pour the oil over the sauce ingredients, mix well. You can test if the oil is hot by dipping in a wooden utensil. If it bubbles, it's ready.
- Line the air fryer with the tofu and air fryer at 400F for 25 minutes, flipping halfway. Optional – 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 28-30 minutes.
- Drizzle the sauce over the tofu and garnish with cilantro.
What brand of tofu do you use?
I need to to thank you for this excellent read!!
I absolutely loved every little bit of it. I’ve got you saved as a favorite to look at new stuff you post…
How much garlic should we be adding? I didn’t see it listed in ingredients.
How much garlic? I didn’t see in the recipe? Looks great I’m gonna eyeball and hope it works!
What is five star?
Hi Eleanor! Five Star is Star Anise. Thanks for asking!
Do you press the tofu or straight out of package soak it?
Hi Nina! You can press it a bit after taking it out of the package to get rid of that water, that way your tofu can absorb the salt water better. Great question!
Hi,.the tofu with the spicy sauce looks yummy. I would just like to ask what kind of hot oil can I use? Thank you
You can use Canola, Olive, or Avocado, just make sure that you heat it up in a pan before hand.