Do you ever go through kicks with your meals? For example, you try something, it turns out Worth the pot, and then you start making it over and over again, on repeat.

That’s what happened with this spicy tofu. I was experimenting with my air fryer tofu recipe and wanted to create a new flavorful sauce to pair with it. We ended up enjoying this dish for dinner and have been loving it ever since.

Aside from being especially good, it’s satisfying, a great source of plant-based protein and straightforward to make. I also love that I can have a satisfying dinner on the table in under 30 minutes with minimal mess or clean up. This spicy tofu is a total worth repeating!!

using chopsticks to grab a cube of spicy tofu

Ingredients needed:

This tofu recipe is made with simple ingredients and packed with flavor thanks to a simple sweet chili sauce! Here’s what you’ll need:

For the Tofu

Extra firm tofu. Be sure to use “extra firm”. This ensures that it will hold together in the air fryer and become crisp, instead of crumbly.
Olive oil + soy sauce. Helps the cornstarch stick to the tofu. Olive oil adds richness and soy sauce adds flavor.
Cornstarch. This is the trick to making the tofu extra crispy!

For the Sweet Chili Sauce

Sweet chili sauce. Adds a bit of sweetness and a bit of spice to the sauce – it holds up, it’s savory!
Soy sauce. Adds great umami flavor to the sauce.
Water. For thinning out the sauce, so it doesn’t turn into one big clump.
Sesame oil. Gives the sauce a welcome toasty, nutty flavor.
Garlic powder + ground ginger. So much satisfying flavor! Feel free to use grated garlic and grated ginger, if you have those on hand.
Cornstarch. To thicken the sauce slightly, so it clings to the tofu.

How to Make Spicy Tofu

This is an straightforward, yet especially well-seasoned tofu recipe that comes together in under 30 minutes. Simply follow the steps below and you’ll have a flavor-packed dinner in no time at all! Scroll down to the recipe card for the full printable recipe.

Prep the tofu. Press the tofu according to THESE detailed directions. Next, cut it into ½” cubes and place them in a large bowl.
Coat the tofu. Drizzle over the olive oil and soy sauce and toss gently to combine. Add the cornstarch and toss to combine. Spray your air fryer basket with olive oil spray and add the tofu in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the basket.
Air fry tofu. Cook the tofu at 400ºF for 10 minutes. Then, remove it from the air fryer and place it in a large bowl.

You can entirely make this spicy tofu recipe without an air fryer! Simply follow THESE directions and then use the sweet chili sauce from this spicy tofu recipe.

How to Make Sweet Chili Sauce

While the tofu is cooking, you can make the sweet chili sauce.

Cook sauce. Place all of the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
Cool. Allow the sauce to cool for 5 minutes or until it is no longer steaming. This will help prevent the tofu from becoming soggy.
Combine sauce with tofu. Toss the sauce with the tofu until each piece is evenly coated.
Serve. Enjoy the spicy tofu paired with rice with your choice of garnishes.

Tips for Spicy Tofu

This spicy tofu recipe genuinely is a breeze to make, but here are some tips to make sure you serve up savory crispy tofu every time!

This dish is dependable served immediately, as the crispy coating will start to soften on the tofu when it soaks up the sauce.
Be sure to cut your tofu in similar-sized cubes, so they cook evenly. I recommend cutting them into 1/2-inch cubes.
This is the air fryer that I use and highly recommend!
Looking to lower calories or carbs? Try serving this spicy tofu recipe over cauliflower rice instead of long-used rice!

spicy tofu served with chopsticks in a small white bowl with white rice

Once you try this spicy tofu, you won’t want to eat tofu any other way! It’s Deeply good! There is a little extra work to press your tofu, but the end results are well worth it.