Air fryer tofu with sticky sesame sauce is a quick and easy dish to make. The tofu is crispy on the outside, tender in the middle and coated in an irresistible sweet and savoury vegan sauce. It's a healthy and delicious dish, perfect for a weeknight dinner or as a side dish to complement your favourite Asian-inspired meal.
Prep Time13 minutesmins
Cook Time12 minutesmins
Marinading Time5 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: air fryer, quick, sesame seeds, sticky, tofu
Drain the tofu and press it for thirty minutes if it's not an extra firm variety. Pat dry with a sheet of kitchen towel.
280 g extra firm tofu
Tear into bitesize chunks with your fingers (roughly 2 cm (¾ inch)) and place in a bowl. If you prefer even pieces cut it into cubes or rectangles with a knife, but it won't turn out quite as crispy.
Add the tamari, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and garlic, then give the tofu a good stir until it's evenly covered. Leave to absorb the flavours for five minutes.
Heat your air-fryer to 200℃ (400℉). Scatter the arrowroot over the tofu and stir, again making sure the pieces are evenly covered. Tip the lot into your air-fryer basket. Air-fry for 12-15 minutes. The tofu is done when it's well coloured and crispy all over. Shake the basket a couple of times whilst it's cooking.
1 tbsp arrowroot
Sticky Sesame Sauce
Meanwhile, prepare the sticky sauce.
Warm a large saucepan over a moderate heat. Add the toasted sesame oil, followed by the tomato paste. Stir-fry the paste until it bubbles.
1 tsp toasted sesame oil*, 1 tbsp tomato paste
Add the date syrup, tamari, chilli sauce (hot sauce), vinegar and one tbsp of the water. Stir until smooth.
1 tbsp date syrup, 1 tbsp tamari (affiliate link), 1 tbsp brown rice vinegar*, 1 tsp chilli sauce
Stir 2 tbsp of the water into the arrowroot until you have a smooth paste. Add this to the pan and stir well whilst it heats up. Let it cook for a minute or two, then add the remaining 3 tbsp of water. Cook for another minute until you have a thick and sticky sauce, but not so thick that it sticks to the bottom of the pan. Cook for a bit longer if runny or add a little more water if too thick.
2 tsp arrowroot
Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over a moderate heat for 4-5 minutes until they're golden and fragrant.
1 tbsp whole sesame seeds
Trim the spring onion and thinly slice it at an angle.
1 spring onions (scallions)
As soon as the crispy tofu is cooked, add it to the pan of sauce and stir to coat.
Turn out onto a warmed serving plate and scatter the sesame seeds and spring onion over the top.
Serve with sticky rice and steamed greens, if liked.
Notes
Both the crispy air fried tofu and sticky sesame sauce can be used as stand alone recipes.You’ll find additional tips and info about this recipe in the main body of the post.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on serving size and exact ingredients used. Please refer to my nutrition disclaimer for further information.