Salt and pepper tofu air fryer recipe
Crispy Salt and Pepper Tofu made in an air fryer with no cornstarch is an easy healthy Chinese appetizer, plus a salt pepper seasoning!
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the tofu:
- 16 oz extra firm tofu cut into ½-inch cubes
- 0.5 tsp coarse sea salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- ¼ tsp ginger powder
- ¼ tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 4 tbsp potato starch or tapioca starch, divided
- Avocado oil spray for air fryer basket
For the aromatics:
- 2 whole spring onions finely chopped
- 0.5 oz garlic cloves finely minced, 4 large cloves
- 1 whole fresno chili pepper seeds removed, finely chopped
- 0.5 tbsp avocado oil
For the salt and pepper seasoning:
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- ¼ tsp five spice powder
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder
Instructions
- Drain the tofu and pat it dry with paper towels. Slice it into a little larger than ½-inch cubes. Pat them dry again with clean paper towels.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the seasonings from salt to peppercorn powder. Add the cubed tofu and gently toss with a rubber spatula. Add the oil and sprinkle in the starch 2 tbsp a time until all sides are coated evenly.
- To air fry, preheat the air fryer following your default setting temperature. Once preheated, spray the basket with avocado oil. Add the tofu and spread the pieces evenly in the basket with some space between them. Air fryer at 400°F (204°C) for 10 minutes. Carefully flip the tofu, spray more oil on top and air fryer for an additional 5 minutes. The tofu should be golden brown and a little crisp outside. Set them aside.
- In the meantime, chop the spring onions, garlic, and chili pepper in a bowl. Reserve some spring onions and chili pepper aside for garnish. Prepare salt and pepper seasoning in a separate bowl.
- In a preheated saute pan, add the oil and saute the aromatics over medium heat for 1 minute with a sprinkle of salt.
- Add the tofu. Sprinkle in half amount of the salt and pepper seasoning. Toss to combine for 30 seconds.
- Transfer them to a serving plate. Garnish with reserved scallions and chili pepper. Sprinkle in more salt and pepper spice and serve with extra on the side. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- For the fresh red chili pepper, I use Fresno chili pepper. You can also use Thai chili pepper or serrano chili. Remove the seeds so they are less spicy.
- For a non-spicy version, use diced red bell pepper or sweet pepper.
- Pan-frying method: Add 3-4 tbsp of oil to a pan and preheat over medium heat until the oil simmers. Add the tofu one by one and shallow fry them until golden brown on all sides. Use a splatter guard to prevent splatter.
- Can you make this dish without the Sichuan peppercorn powder? The dish will taste less authentic without it. You can grind the whole Sichuan peppercorn into powder.
- If you can’t find Sichuan peppercorns, you can use Ground black pepper mixed with coriander seeds or lemon pepper seasoning to get an approximate flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 949mg | Potassium: 290mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg