My friends, please let me introduce you to my new favorite thing to air-fry: tofu.
Look, I get it, I thought tofu was gross for like 27 years of my life, but now I’m a freakin’ fan. I seriously think the key is just to make a good sauce and cook it so that it’s not soft and weird and gross – which THIS is not. This? Is awesome.
If you’re rolling your eyes at the fact that I’m posting yet another air-fryer recipe, I also get that. Not everyone has one, let alone the space in their kitchen to have one (these things are BIG). The good news is that you really don’t need an air-fryer for this, you can just as easily make it in your oven, so fret not?
There are two things, however, that you will need to make this recipe awesome: 1) extra firm tofu that you strain the excess water out of (directions below) and 2) these shirataki or “miracle noodles.” They are gluten-free, vegan, super low-calorie, and zero carb. They sound super bizarre and I’ve known about them for years but was hesitant to try them, but you GUYS. These are GREAT!
I promise they don’t taste weird, my only suggestion would be to rinse them and then let them soak up whatever sauce you’re using. I can’t imagine they’d taste great by themselves, so don’t try that…unless you really want to, of course. And by all means, if regular or whole wheat or chickpea pasta is more your speed, just swap it out for that, but I will say that I feel much better eating this big noodle dish for lunch or before bed since it’s not super heavy. But your call! We don’t judge here?
^ actual footage of my tofu draining on the kitchen counter under a pile of cookbooks…
Oh! And one more thing – before you go all crazy thinking I’m a liar for saying this recipe is super easy when you see that the ingredients list and directions are kind of long, I promise you this dish requires very minimal actual effort. It just takes a bit of time to do the tofu sitch and the air frying, but the ingredients are mostly the same for the marinade and the sauce, anyway. The really good news, though? The air-fryer (or oven) really does all the work for ya, I promise.
Air-Fried Tofu & Shirataki Noodles
1 package shirataki noodles
1 package extra firm tofu
Tofu Marinade:
1/4 cup coconut aminos
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt
pinch coconut sugar (optional)
Peanut Sauce for the Noodles:
2 tbsp hot water
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp coconut aminos
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp coconut sugar
sea salt to taste
green onions, sriracha or any other toppings you might like!
1. Press the water out of the tofu by cutting into thinner strips, placing it between paper towels on a plate, and then using weight to drain the excess water for at least 10 minutes. (I usually do this by putting a cutting board and a bunch of cookbooks on top!)
2. While the tofu is draining, mix together all the ingredients for your marinade in a medium sized bowl.
3. Once the tofu is done, cut it into small cubes. Toss the cubes in the bowl with the marinade and gently shake or use a spoon to coat it completely.
4. Air-fry the tofu for 15 minutes at 390 degrees fahrenheit, taking it out every 5 minutes to shake it up. **If you don’t have an air-fryer, bake your tofu for 20 minutes at 375 degrees fahrenheit.
5. While the tofu is frying, make your peanut sauce by putting all ingredients in a small bowl (or the one you’d like to eat your noodles in!) and whisk until as smooth as possible.
6. Open your shirataki noodles and drain them with a strainer. If you’d like your dish hot, simple put them in a pan and sauté them until warm (or microwave), otherwise put them in the bowl with the peanut sauce and toss to coat.
7. Once your tofu is done aka crispy on the outside by still slightly soft, add it to your bowl. Top with anything you’d like and dig on in!
Okay y’all, that is IS for today. I really do hope you try this in whatever form/variety works for you and your kitchen – it’s so delicious. And cheap! Super cheap.
Have a wonderful rest of your week!
xo Jordan