Orange Tofu (Air Fryer Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

Should I marinate my tofu before air frying? ›

On its own, tofu is bland. Letting it sit in a marinade for as little as 15 minutes makes all the difference in the world. Cornstarch. I tested this air fryer tofu both with and without cornstarch.

Arrange the tofu cubes in a single layer in the air fryer basket, making sure to leave a little space around each one. If the cubes are too crowded in the basket, they won't crisp up as they cook.

After the hot water soak, it's still important to completely blot the pieces of tofu dry so that they don't stick to the air fryer. Combining the soak, thorough blot drying, and a good dusting of arrowroot powder will get you nicely crispy results! It only takes about 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

Here's the thing: even though tofu might be labeled firm or extra-firm, it contains a lot of water. This excess water can cause the tofu to crumble when you cook it, and it will also have a hard time crisping up. But when you press tofu, you remove the excess moisture.

Once the tofu is marinated, I use a cornstarch coating with some cumin powder in it. Not only does it create a super crispy result, but the seasoning further brings out the flavor of the tofu.

Frying tofu can give it a crispy texture, but comes at a cost – it can be high in calories, up to three times more than baked or air-fried tofu. This is because frying requires added oil as a heat conductor, which cooks the tofu evenly but also makes it absorb more oil, resulting in more fat and calories.

Coating your tofu with a mixture of cornstarch and salt will give it a crunchy coating with great flavor. You can also use potato starch, regular flour, or even gluten-free flour instead of cornstarch, but the cornstarch crisps up the best. You can bake, pan-fry, or deep fry your tofu.

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

A light coating of cornstarch will absorb even more moisture from the tofu's surface and contribute to a distinct coating. Sprinkle over the starch (potato starch, tapioca starch, and arrowroot all work too) a little bit at a time and toss the tofu, pressing gently so the starch adheres.

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

Which tofu is healthiest? ›

Silken tofu contains only about half the calories and fat, while firm tofu contains over twice the protein. The reason for this is water content. Silken tofu contains the most water, while firm tofu is drier and more dense.

Tofu is also known as bean curd in English. It is a traditional component of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines that has also been consumed in China for over 2,000 years. In modern Western cooking, it is sometimes used as a meat substitute.

Tofu is rich in nutrients, contains all essential amino acids and is low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Its adaptability allows for use in diverse dishes, whether as a meat substitute in vegetarian meals, blended into smoothies, or grilled, baked or stir-fried for added protein in a range of recipes.

Let the marination magic happen

You should aim to marinate tofu for at least 2 hours in the fridge. To infuse more flavour, you can leave it to marinade for up to 2 days before cooking up.

Considering that we often cut tofu into bite-size pieces with greater surface area (thus creating more points of entry for marinade), marinating can have a profound impact, seasoning the tofu not only at the surface but also deep inside.

Spice.

There's a reason that tofu gets flak for being bland, and that's because it is! Make sure you season it well. You can marinate it, or prepare it using the crispy baked tofu recipe below.

You can leave the tofu in the bag with the marinade for as little as 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. Can I marinate tofu overnight? Technically, yes, but in our tests, the tofu that marinated for longer than 4 hours absorbed too much of the marinade and ended up less flavorful and crispy.