Chinese · 400°F · 16 min
Air Fryer Sesame Chicken
Crispy cornstarch-coated chicken cubes in a savory sesame sauce in about 30 minutes, weeknight-friendly, no deep fryer.
Air Fryer Crispy Tofu
Crispy tofu without a wok of oil. Press the block, toss with cornstarch and a mist of oil, then blast until the edges go golden. Sauce at the end so the crust stays crunchy. A fast vegetarian protein that actually browns.
Press first
Wet tofu steams. Wrap in towels and weigh it down for 15-20 minutes, or use a tofu press. The drier it is, the crispier it gets.
Cornstarch, not a thick batter
A light dusty coat is enough. Heavy wet batter puddles in the basket and never crisps.
Sauce off the heat
Toss with peanut sauce, teriyaki or chili-garlic in a bowl after cooking. Saucing in the basket softens the crust.
Air Fryer Crispy Tofu
Prep 25 min · Cook 14 min · Total 39 min · 3 servings
Crowding. One layer of cubes. Crowding makes soft tofu, not crisp tofu.
Step-by-step instructions
Follow each step in order. Photos show what to look for so the basket finish matches the plate.
Prep
Press the tofu 15-20 minutes, then cut into 3/4-inch cubes. Toss with soy sauce, sesame oil and garlic powder. Sprinkle on cornstarch and toss until every side looks lightly dusty.
Tofu cubes coated in cornstarch before air frying
Air fry
Preheat the air fryer to 390°F (199°C). Arrange cubes in a single layer and mist with oil.
Cornstarch-coated tofu cubes in the air fryer basket Cook 7 minutes. Shake the basket and cook 5-7 minutes more until the edges are deep gold and crisp.
Transfer to a bowl and toss with your sauce, or serve sauce on the side.
Finish with scallions and sesame seeds. Eat right away while the crust is loud.
