Air Fryer Sticky Orange Tofu features cubes of crispy oil-free tofu smothered in a sweet and tangy orange sauce. It's delicious served with rice and your favorite vegetables. This family favorite is easy to make and ready in well under an hour.

Growing up, we loved eating at Chinese restaurants. Some were more authentic than others. And I image some weren't very authentic at all.
But now that I'm vegan and gluten-free, I try to recreate the dishes I remember eating as a child at home. Some of my favorites are Air Fried Lemon Tofu, Sugar Snap Peas, and Silken Tofu Salad.
I love putting an Asian spin on the Mediterranean diet by using ingredients like tofu, tamari, and fresh ginger in recipes. So now that deep-fried sticky sweet Orange Chicken of my youth has become Air Fryer Sticky Orange Tofu!
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Air Fryer FAQ
Do you have an air fryer? I absolutely love this small kitchen appliance!
Which air fryer is best?
I received a Philips air fryer for my birthday years ago, and used it several times a week for years. The basket, like in many models, is on the smaller side, so to cook a package of tofu, I needed to divide it into two batches.
Recently though I upgraded to the Ninja Foodi 8-in-1 Digital, Toaster, Air Fryer, with Flip-Away for Storage Multi-Purpose Counter-top Convection Oven. As you can imagine from the name, this appliance does just about everything! It has replaced my toaster, toaster oven, and original air fryer. And it even works as a dehydrator. And I can cook the entire package of tofu at once with room to spare.
But now there are more brands on the market than ever, in all different sizes and price ranges. Some of the those with the highest ratings are the following:
Friends of mine who have used these brands have reported great results.
Do air fryers really work?
Besides being wonderful for making crispy air fryer cheesy potato wedges and air fryer French fries, I believe it's the best way to prepare tofu, especially if you don't want to use any oil. Hot air is circulated around the food making it crispy on the outside.
I like to marinate cubed tofu in some tamari or coconut aminos, then dust it with a little cornstarch to prevent the pieces from sticking to each other.
It may seem like an expensive small appliance, but I promise you will really enjoy it once you get one. You can use it for heating frozen foods and baking desserts like small batch vegan air fried brownies. And I use it for making vegetable recipes like air fryer shishito peppers and air fryer green beans.
Do you put oil in an air fryer?
Instead of putting oil inside like you would with a deep fryer, oil is placed directly on the food to make it crispy. However, you can skip the oil completely, like in this air fryer tofu recipe.
Or you can spritz a very small amount of oil on the food, if you like. For example, when I make air fryer french fries, I use a few sprays of olive oil cooking spray.
Is cooking with an air fryer healthy?
It certainly can be if used in moderation. As Cleveland Clinic points out in the article Air-Frying: Is It As Healthy As You Think?
Although a low-fat, air-fried diet sounds enticing, you’d end up missing out on the wonderful benefits of plant-based fats such as avocado oil and olive oil. (It’s easy to forget that high-quality fat, in moderation, is critical for brain and hormone health.)
And we know these plant-based fats are an essential part of a Mediterranean diet. But it's perfectly fine to enjoy dishes like air fryer tofu once a week or so.
Air fried tofu
When making stir fries, I used to cook the cubes of tofu in a skillet with some oil. But I always managed to get oil sprayed around the range. Or on myself. That's why the air fryer is so perfect.
All you need to do to make the tofu crispy is coat it with a little cornstarch or arrowroot powder, then put it in the air fryer in a single layer. After 10 minutes you'll have perfectly browned crispy tofu!
Sticky Orange Sauce
The next step in this air fryer tofu recipe is to make the orange sauce. This part is really easy. All you do is mix these ingredients in a small bowl:
- Orange zest
- Orange juice
- Water
- Cornstarch (or substitute arrowroot powder)
- Red pepper flakes
- Fresh Ginger
- Fresh Garlic
- Pure maple syrup
Then when you're done cooking the tofu, you throw it in a skillet with the sauce, and stir until the sauce thickens and everything is heated through. It doesn't get much easier! Or more delicious.
And it's faster than calling and waiting for take out. Serve the crispy air fryer tofu with sticky orange sauce with rice and steamed vegetables and enjoy!
Storing
If you have any leftovers they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, do not freeze.
More easy tofu recipes
And if you're interested in more easy tofu recipes, try some of these favorites:
- Baked Tofu Steaks with Lemon and Garlic
- Tofu Kabobs with Teriyaki Sauce
- Mediterranean Tofu Tacos
- Baked Teriyaki Tofu
- Air Fryer Lemon Tofu
- Tofu Scramble with Vegan Pesto
And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.
If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★
📋 Recipe
Air Fryer Sticky Orange Tofu
Equipment
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 orange zest
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- ½ cup water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch, (or arrowroot powder)
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
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
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Dina
This sauce is so good!!!! I can make it as spicy as I like! Thank you! 🙏🏼