Does your family have Meatless Monday dinners or something similar? This Crispy Tofu with Hoisin Sauce is the perfect addition to any meatless dinner rotation! It’s a great way to add protein to the menu, with very little work!
TIPS
- Every air fryer/oven may be different so check on the tofu about 5 minutes before it’s supposed to be done.
- For the crispiest tofu, drain as much liquid as you can from it before air frying/baking.
- For even crispier tofu, toss the tofu in cornstarch before air frying/baking.
- Serious Eats mentions that it’s a myth that you can infuse flavor into tofu by marinading. So add sauce to the tofu AFTER air frying/baking to create a glaze to stick onto the exterior of the tofu! We’ve tried many different seasoning/sauces on this crispy tofu but my family’s favorite is Hoisin Sauce.
- Eat this crispy tofu as a side dish or add it to your rice or noodle bowl!
Crispy Tofu with Hoisin Sauce
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Air Fryer or Oven
Ingredients
- 2 blocks 14-16 oz medium to firm tofu
- 1 tbsp cooking oil canola, olive oil
- 2 tbsp cornstarch optional, for extra crispiness
- 2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
- salt to taste optional
Instructions
- Remove both tofu from their containers and rinse under the sink. Gently press the tofu to get out as much water as possible. Cut the tofu into cubes.
- Put down 2 layers of paper towels on a chopping board. Lay the cubes of tofu flat on the paper towel. Place another chopping board on top of the tofu and put additional weight on top of the chopping board (i.e. cast iron pan). Let the tofu rest like this for at least 10 minutes. If you don't have time to do this, just dab the tofu as dry as you can with paper towels – the more water that is drained out, the crispier the tofu!
- For crispier and more flavorful tofu (which takes extra few minutes and an extra bowl to wash)…Toss the tofu in oil and salt (or your desired seasoning). Sprinkle the cornstarch on top and toss until there are no more dry starch left.Oftentimes I skip this step out of laziness and just brush the tops of the tofu with oil before air frying/baking. The tofu turns out almost as good, especially after drizzling with some Hoisin sauce on top!
- For Air Fryer: Preheat to 350°FPlace as many cubes of tofu as can fit in your air fryer basket. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip at the half way mark, if desired, for more even browning.For Oven: Preheat to 400°FLine a baking tray with parchment paper. Place as many cubes of tofu as can fit on the baking tray. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Flip at the half way mark, if desired, for more even browning.
- When the tofu is browned on top, remove from the air fryer/oven onto a plate and top with Hoisin Sauce or your favorite sauce!
- Serve with rice & veggies & enjoy!
