Name: Sweet Chili Air Fryer Tofu Slices
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 13 min
Total time: 28 min
Ingredients: 16 ounces extra firm tofu (sliced into 12-16 pieces of desired size); 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce

Just 3 ingredients, these sweet chili air fryer tofu slices get crispy in under 15 minutes. Great for sandwiches, noodle bowls, stir fry or snacking.

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🧄 Very useful ingredient notes

Ingredients on counter for Sweet Chili Air Fryer Tofu Slices: super firm tofu, cut, sweet chili sauce and soy sauce

Super firm tofu - I recommend using super firm (sometimes called extra firm) tofu here because it saves so much time! No need to press it, as most of the moisture has already been pressed out. (If you decide to use firm tofu or if your extra firm tofu is very wet, consider pressing it to remove more of the moisture.)
Soy sauce - Brings umami and saltiness to flavor the tofu. Our favorite brand is Pearl River Bridge and we find it at H-Mart. Use tamari for gluten-free or coconut aminos for soy-free.
Sweet chili sauce - Sweet, spicy and a little tangy. *Chef's kiss* I usually buy a big bottle of the Mae Ploy brand at H-Mart. You could sub with prepared general tso's sauce or asian orange sauce for an easy variation.

Batch Cook - Ingredient Prep

Double the tofu recipe, so you have extra tofu later this week for sandwiches, poke bowls or spring rolls.
Prep extra marinaded tofu to keep in the refrigerator, so it's ready to pop in the air fryer.
Or, air fry extra, so it's all ready to go. It's delicious cold or hot!

🔪 Instructions

Step 1: First, prepare your super firm tofu by gently squeezing the liquid with a clean dish towel or paper towel. Now, cut your tofu into 12-16 pieces of your desired shape.

Step 2: Mix together ¼ cup of soy sauce (substitute in gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos, if you wish) and ½ cup of sweet chili sauce in a bowl.

Process - tofu before baking in air fryer

Step 3: Marinate the sliced tofu in a small flat baking dish for at least 10 minutes. You can marinate it longer, up to overnight covered in the refrigerator, for more flavor to seep inside. Then, place tofu pieces on a parchment-lined air fryer basket. Try not to let too much marinade pool on the parchment, since it'll burn.

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Step 4: Air fry at 400℉ for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until it starts to brown on the edges. Repeat with second batch, if necessary. If you don't have an air fryer, or you want to bake the whole batch in one go, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake your tofu at 400℉ for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Process - brushing tofu with remaining marinade

Step 5: Remove from air fryer basket and brush with remaining marinade.

Finished Sweet Chili Air Fryer Tofu Slices on white plate

Step 6: Serve hot!

Expert tips

Marinate this sweet chili tofu in a small baking dish, since it has a flat, wide, surface. Pour a thin layer of marinade at the bottom of the dish, then layer your cut pieces of tofu over the marinade. It's okay if they touch, but it would be best if you can make just one layer. Then, pour the rest of the marinade over the top of the tofu. Allow to marinate for at least 10 minutes. You can marinate it longer, up to overnight covered in the refrigerator, for more flavor to seep inside.
Line your air fryer basket with parchment paper (or spray with oil). Even though my previous air fryer basket was non-stick (my new air fryer has a stainless steel basket), I found I still needed to do this to prevent the tofu from sticking.

Common baked tofu shapes

My favorite shapes to cut tofu are:

Slices - thin, flat rectangles - great for veggie sandwiches
Strips - long, rectangular "fingers" - great for spring rolls and banh mi
Triangles - thin, flat triangles - so pretty in vermicelli bowls or rice bowls!
Cubes - versatile for rice bowls, noodle bowls and snacking

👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Serving suggestions

This sweet chili air fryer tofu is perfect inside banh mi sandwiches, inside spring rolls or atop rice and noodle bowls.

Thin, flat rectangular slices of baked tofu make an excellent filling for veggie sandwiches.

Store any leftover tofu in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

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