Air Fryer Agedashi Tofu

Air fryer recipe summary: Agedashi tofu — pressed medium-firm tofu, dusted in potato starch, air-fried in smaller cubes until the crust sets, and served immediately in warm tentsuyu broth. Less oil, faster cleanup, a slightly thinner crust.

Prep Time20

Cook Time12

Total Time32

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: Agedashi Tofu, air fryer, tofu

Servings: servings

Calories: 73kcal

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

For the Tofu

14 ounce block medium-firm tofu
3 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch
2 teaspoons neutral oil optional for extra crispiness
pinch salt

For the Tentsuyu Broth

1 cup dashi instant is fine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
1 teaspoon sugar optional

Toppings

grated daikon
thinly sliced scallions
grated ginger
bonito flakes
Shichimi togarashi optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Press the Tofu

Remove the tofu from its package and set it on a double layer of paper towels. Cover with more paper towels and place a light weight on top — a small plate or cutting board is enough.
Press for 15 to 20 minutes. The tofu should feel noticeably firmer and the paper towels visibly damp when done.

Make the Broth

While the tofu presses, combine dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm until just below a simmer.
Taste — it should be savory, slightly sweet, and clean.
Add sugar only if needed to round. Keep warm on the lowest heat setting.

Preheat & Prepare

Preheat the air fryer to 375°F for at least 5 minutes.
A properly preheated air fryer produces a significantly better crust than one started cold.
Lightly mist the basket with neutral oil.

Cut Coat, & Arrange

Cut tofu into 8 to 10 smaller cubes than the deep-fry version — smaller pieces get more surface area exposed to the circulating heat, which compensates for the lower fat content.
Season with salt, dust evenly with starch, and shake off excess.
Arrange in a single layer in the basket with space between each cube. Do not stack.

Air Fry

Lightly mist the top of the coated cubes with oil.
Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping carefully at the halfway through.
After flipping, add a second light mist of oil.
The finished cubes should be pale golden — not deep brown. The crust will be thinner than that of deep-fried, but should feel set and dry to the touch.

Assemble & Serve

Same assembly as the deep-fry version. The air-fried crust is slightly more delicate — serve within 2 minutes of plating.

Notes

Nutritional information is automatically calculated using the WP Recipe Maker nutrition database and should be considered only an estimate. Actual values may vary depending on ingredient brands, product variations, substitutions, and portion sizes.

Nutrition