Extra crispy air-fried tofu is tossed with a sweet chili glaze for a perfectly sweet, spicy, and crunchy snack.
Oh, sweet chili tofu, how I love thee.
Sweet, spicy, and crunchy. Has ever a better combination existed? Something magical happens when those three adjectives join up to describe tofu. And this sweet chili tofu is all of those things. Tofu is air-fried until extra-extra crispy and then quickly tossed with a simple, warm, sweet chili sauce. Eat it as a snack, serve it on rice, or serve it as a satisfying vegan option at your Super Bowl party!
How to make sweet chili tofu
You only need a few ingredients, an air fryer, and a little patience. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can make the tofu following the pan-fried method outlined in my Best Crispy Fried Tofu recipe.
What you need
- Sweet potato starch: If you don’t have sweet potato starch, use cornstarch instead. You’ll use this to coat the tofu and to thicken the sweet chili sauce.
- Tofu: Use extra-firm tofu and press it for 30 minutes before starting.
- Seasonings: I keep it simple with just salt and white pepper. If you do not like white pepper, use black pepper instead.
- Sweet chili sauce: I’ve made this with both Mae Ploy and Frank’s RedHot Sweet Chili Sauce, but you can use your favorite brand.
How to make it
- Step 1: Press the tofu. You want to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Step 2: Season the tofu and coat it with sweet potato starch. Toss gently to combine. Try not to break up the tofu too much, but it’s okay if a few edges crumble off; the scraggly edges actually get even crispier in the air fryer, so it’s okay if the cubes break a little around the corners.
- Step 3: Air fry the tofu. Preheat the air fryer to 450ºF. As a note, my air fryer reaches 480ºF. Many conventional air fryers have a max temperature of 400ºF. If you can preheat yours to 450ºF, that is ideal. Otherwise, a temperature of 400ºF will yield similar results. Place a piece of parchment paper in the air fryer and carefully spray it with oil. You want it to be nicely coated but not excessively so. Just enough for a thin layer of oil.
- Step 4: Spray the tofu with oil and arrange it in an even layer in the air fryer. Air fry for 24 to 27 minutes. It seems like a long time, but it’s worth it, I promise! Check the tofu after 12 to 15 minutes and adjust the timing as needed. The tofu is done when it releases easily from the parchment and the edges are very crisp and brown. In the middle photo above, that was the tofu at 24 minutes. The next photo is at 27 minutes. I preferred the 27-minute time, though I could have removed them at 24 minutes; I wanted them to be extra-extra crispy!
Look how crunchy this tofu is! You’ll have to fight the urge to eat it all like popcorn!
- Step 5: Make the sweet chili sauce. Pour the sweet chili sauce into a saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Once it bubbles, add a sweet potato (or cornstarch) slurry and turn the heat to low. Simmer until it thickens.
- Step 6: Transfer the crispy tofu to a large bowl and pour the sweet chili sauce on top. Toss or swirl the bowl to coat the tofu evenly.
From there, you can transfer the tofu to a serving platter and enjoy it as a snack or serve it over rice for a comforting dinner!
Sweet Chili Tofu
Extra crispy air-fried tofu is tossed with a sweet chili glaze for a perfectly sweet, spicy, and crunchy snack.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 356kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound extra-firm tofu
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ⅓ plus 1 teaspon cup sweet potato starch
- ½ cup sweet chili sauce
- Spray oil
For serving:
- 1 tablespoon cilantro minced
- 1 scallion trimmed and minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
Press the tofu:
- Wrap the tofu in paper towels and place it between two plates. Place a heavy book or flying pan on the top plate and press the tofu for 30 minutes.
- Remove the paper towels. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and transfer to a large bowl.
Preheat the air fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF.
Season the tofu:
- Season the tofu with salt and white pepper. Add ⅓ cup sweet potato starch and toss gently with a spatula to coat the tofu. Try not to break up the tofu too much, but it’s okay if the corners crumble. Set aside.
Air fry the tofu:
- Spray a piece of parchment paper evenly with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and place it in the air fryer basket. Spray the tofu with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. Transfer the tofu to the parchment paper in an even layer. Air fry for 20 to 25 minutes. After 20 minutes, see if the tofu will easily release from the parchment paper. If not, continue air frying for 5 to 7 minutes more. The tofu should release easily from the parchment paper.
- Carefully remove the tofu from the air fryer. Some pieces may need to be peeled off, but they will still be extra crunchy!
Prepare the sweet chili sauce:
- While the tofu air fries, place the sweet chili sauce in a small saucepan. Turn the heat to medium. Meanwhile, combine 1 teaspoon sweet potato starch with 2 tablespoons of water and whisk until a slurry forms.
- As soon as the sweet chili sauce bubbles, add the sweet potato starch slurry and lower the heat. Whisk until combined. Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
Glaze the tofu:
- Transfer the crispy tofu to a large bowl. Pour the warm, sweet chili sauce on top.
To serve:
- Transfer the sweet chili tofu to a serving platter. Garnish with minced cilantro, scallions, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 935mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 18g
