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Veggies Save The Day » Vegan Main Dish Recipes » Air Fryer Lemon Tofu (Oil-Free)

Air Fryer Lemon Tofu (Oil-Free)

By: Amy Katz · Published: Mar 8, 2018 · Last modified: Nov 1, 2019 · About 4 minutes to read this article. · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Skip the deep-fried food and enjoy Air Fryer Lemon Tofu! It has all of the flavor with none of the oil. And it’s naturally vegan and gluten-free.

Overhead of Air Fryer Lemon Tofu (Oil-Free)

If you’ve tried Air Fryer Orange Tofu, this recipe for Lemon Tofu may remind you of it.

But I actually created this recipe first.

It came out of necessity since our Meyer lemon tree was weighed down with fruit.

Every day we tried to think of a new way to use all the lemons.

This was one of the first ideas I had.

I remember loving the lemon sauce in Chinese restaurants, but, of course, whatever it was on was deep fried and greasy.

But not anymore, thanks to the amazing air fryer!

Air Fryer Lemon Tofu and Stir Fried Sugar Snap Peas

Air Fryer Lemon Tofu is simple to make with only a few ingredients.

 

After I made it the first time and declared it a success, I put the scrap of paper I had written the recipe on aside.

Since I used Meyer lemons to create the sauce, I wanted to test it with the standard lemons that are commonly found in the supermarkets.

Have you ever tried a Meyer lemon?

They are a tad bigger and rounder than regular lemons with bright yellow skin.

But the main differing characteristic is that they have a slightly sweeter taste.

This is because Meyer lemons are a cross between a standard lemon and a mandarin orange.

If you can find them, pick some up and give them a try. They are wonderful in desserts and salad dressings.

And you can also use them to make this recipe.

Asian-inspired meal of Air Fryer Lemon Tofu, steamed rice, and Stir Fried Sugar Snap Peas

You can still make Lemon Tofu if you don’t have an air fryer.

 

While I love how crispy the tofu becomes without using any oil, if you don’t have this handy small appliance, you can either bake the tofu or stir fry it.

I recommend using a neutral-flavored oil with these methods.

Refined coconut oil would be a good choice.

I like to serve this tofu with rice and a vegetable such as Sauteed Fresh Green Beans with Mushrooms.

And if you’re looking to try more Asian-style tofu recipes, check out these favorites:

  • Peanut Sauce Tofu
  • Air Fryer Orange Tofu
  • Baked Teriyaki Tofu

Now let’s make Air Fryer Lemon Tofu!

Air Fryer Lemon Tofu (Oil-Free)

Air Fryer Lemon Tofu

Skip the deep-fried food and enjoy Air Fryer Lemon Tofu! It has all of the flavor with none of the oil. And it's naturally vegan and gluten-free.
5 from 1 vote
Print Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Air Fryer Lemon Tofu
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 112kcal
Author: Amy Katz

Ingredients

  • 1 pound extra-firm tofu drained and pressed, or use super-firm tofu
  • 1 Tablespoon tamari
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, or arrowroot powder

For the sauce:

  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 Tablespoon organic sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch, or arrowroot powder

Instructions

  • Cut the tofu in cubes.
  • Place the tofu cubes in a quart-size plastic storage bag. Add the tamari and seal the bag. Shake the bag until all the tofu is coated with the tamari.
  • Add the tablespoon of cornstarch to the bag. Shake again until the tofu is coated. Set the tofu aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile add all the sauce ingredients to a small bowl and mix with a spoon. Set aside.
  • Place the tofu in the air fryer in a single layer. You will probably need to do this in two batches.
  • Cook the tofu at 390 degrees for 10 minutes, shaking it after 5 minutes.
  • After you're done cooking the batches of tofu, add it all to a skillet over medium-high heat. Give the sauce a stir and pour it over the tofu. Stir the tofu and sauce until the sauce has thickened and the tofu is heated through.
  • Serve immediately with rice and steamed vegetables, if desired.

Notes

If you use Meyer lemons instead of the lemons commonly found in the market, you may not need as much sugar. Try adding half the sugar and give the sauce a taste before adding more as needed.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 294mg | Potassium: 250mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin C: 8.5mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1.3mg

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    About Amy

    Amy Katz is a vegan recipe developer, photographer, and Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach. She loves sharing delicious plant-based Mediterranean diet recipes that home cooks of all levels can enjoy. Her easy vegan recipes have been featured on NBC News, Parade, VegNews, BuzzFeed, MSN, Greatist, PureWow, Brides, LIVEKINDLY, Insider, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more. She lives in Orange County, California with the love of her life, Brad, and their adorable black cat, Ozzy.

    Previous Post: « Basmati Rice Pilaf with Chickpeas and Dried Fruit
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    All commentsI made thisQuestions
    1. Jack Smith | BBQRecipez.com

      March 11, 2018 at 11:57 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent, followed the recipe exactly. Baked the tofu. My 5 yr. old grandson loved it also. New to your blog. Have shared it with friends. Thanks again.

      Reply
      • Amy

        March 12, 2018 at 9:53 am

        I’m so happy you and your grandson loved it! Thank you!

        Reply
    2. Jules

      April 03, 2018 at 9:22 am

      Do you have a recommendation for an Air Fryer? I’m overwhelmed by all of the options and would love your input.
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Amy

        April 03, 2018 at 10:42 am

        Hi Jules! These are the two I recommend: If you don’t want to spend too much money, this is the one I would get: https://amzn.to/2Gv4A7J. And if you want to spend a little more money, I would get this one, which is the one I have: https://amzn.to/2IpcHip. I hope this helps!

        Reply
    3. Caitlyn

      July 23, 2018 at 4:42 pm

      HI! How do you get your tofu to not stick to the air fryer basket?

      Also, Is there a trick for keeping the tofu crisp? Once I mix it with the sauce, it gets soft again.

      Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Amy

        July 24, 2018 at 12:39 pm

        Hi Caitlyn! It sounds like you need to cook the tofu a little longer in the air fryer. A few more minutes should make it more crispy and it shouldn’t stick. I hope this helps!

        Reply
    4. Lacey

      July 25, 2019 at 8:22 am

      Sounds amazing! Do you recommend any other substitutes for the tamari? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        July 25, 2019 at 10:47 am

        Thanks Lacey! You can use soy sauce or coconut aminos in place of the tamari.

        Reply

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    Hi! I’m Amy Katz

    As a Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach, my passion is creating vegan Mediterranean diet recipes to inspire everyone to choose plant-based meals more often. At Veggies Save The Day you’ll find simple delicious recipes that are easy to make any night of the week. Click here to join the FREE 3-Day vegan Mediterranean diet challenge

     

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