Easy 20 Minute Agedashi Tofu (Air Fryer Recipe) (2024)

Easy 20 Minute Agedashi Tofu (Air Fryer Recipe)

For a delicious appetiser that’s crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, look no further than Agedashi Tofu! This simple air fryer version of the traditional Japanese deep fried tofu recipe is paired with a tsuyu sauce of dashi, mirin and soy sauce.

• ▢ 300 g medium firm tofu drained, moisture wiped off, sliced into 6 cubes
• ▢ 2 tbsp cornstarch / cornflour sub potato starch
• ▢ ¾ cup dashi stock or 3/4 tsp dashi powder in ¾ cup warm water
• ▢ ¼ cup mirin
• ▢ ¼ cup soy sauce
• ▢ vegetable oil or cooking spray

Optional garnishes:

• ▢ 1 spring onion / green onion finely sliced
• ▢ 1 tbsp bonito flakes / katsuobushi
• ▢ shichimi togarashi to taste
• ▢ 2 cm daikon radish finely grated

For the Tsuyu Sauce:

• To make the agedashi tsuyu, pour the dashi stock into a medium saucepan along with the mirin and soy sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then turn off heat and set aside.

  ¾ cup dashi stock, ¼ cup mirin, ¼ cup soy sauce

For the Agedashi Tofu:

• Drain the tofu and wrap in a piece of paper towel to absorb any excess water.

  300 g medium firm tofu

• Slice into 6 even cubes, and gently wipe each piece with paper towel to dry.

• Coat each piece of tofu in cornstarch and tap off any excess. Spray or brush air fryer basket with oil, then preheat for 2 minutes at 200˚C / 390˚F.

  2 tbsp cornstarch / cornflour

• Place tofu pieces into the air fryer, making sure there’s plenty of space around each piece for the hot air to circulate, then spray or brush each piece with oil. Air fry for 6 minutes, then spray or brush once again with oil. Air fry for a further 6 minutes then flip over each tofu piece. Cook for a further 2 minutes until lightly browned and crispy!

  vegetable oil

• Transfer tofu onto serving plates. Gently ladle tsuyu into the dish (for the best presentation, don’t pour it straight over the tofu), then top with spring onion, katsuobushi, shichimi, daikon and/or your other chosen garnishes.

  1 spring onion / green onion, 1 tbsp bonito flakes / katsuobushi, shichimi togarashi, 2 cm daikon radish

• Extra Crispy Coating – Always wipe away any moisture from the surface of the tofu pieces using a piece of paper towel or cloth to avoid it becoming soggy. Don’t forget to lift the lid half way through and reapply more oil if required for an extra crispy finish!
• Make it Spicy – Add a drop or two of rayu chilli oil or a tiny smear of yuzu kosho.
• Make Yudofu Instead – Simmer fresh tofu (without the cornstarch coating) in the dashi broth instead. This is known as yudofu – hot simmered tofu.
• Tofu – You can also use silken tofu.
• Dashi – Make your own dashi stock using kombu and/or bonito flakes, or use powdered dashi stock for convenience.
• Mirin – A sweet rice wine for cooking. Sub with 1/2 tsp of sugar.
• Soy Sauce – Use regular or light soy sauce – avoid dark soy sauce as this will make the tsuyu sauce too salty.
• Cooking Oil Spray – This helps to brown the outer coating on the tofu and crisp it up. Use a high quality cooking oil spray such as extra virgin olive oil for the best flavour. If you don’t have a spray, just use regular oil and lightly brush it over the tofu and air fryer cooking basket with a basting brush.
• Garnish – Traditional options include thinly sliced green onion and dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi). You can also top with a small dab (½ to 1 tsp) of freshly grated ginger, onion or daikon radish to taste.

Nutrition Facts

Easy 20 Minute Agedashi Tofu (Air Fryer Recipe)

Amount per Serving

% Daily Value*

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.