Air Fryer Recipe
Parmesan Crusted Tofu
A delicious and easy-to-make Parmesan crusted tofu recipe, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 1 block of firm tofu (approximately 400g)
- 75g of grated Parmesan cheese
- 50g of breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons of plain flour
- 2 eggs
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Cooking spray or a light drizzle of olive oil
Method
- Drain and press the tofu to remove excess moisture.
- Cut the tofu into even slices or cubes, approximately 1 cm thick.
- In a shallow dish, combine Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper.
- Place flour in one bowl, beat eggs in another, and set the cheese and breadcrumb mixture in a final shallow dish.
- Coat each piece of tofu lightly with flour, then dip into beaten eggs, and roll in the Parmesan and breadcrumb mixture.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (356°F) for 5 minutes.
- Arrange the coated tofu pieces in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving space between them.
- Spray or lightly drizzle olive oil over the tofu.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
Why this works in an air fryer
Pressing tofu lowers surface moisture so the flour can adhere rather than turn pasty. The flour-egg-crumb sequence forms a mechanical crust; Parmesan browns fast through Maillard reactions, while the air fryer’s forced convection dries and crisps the breadcrumb layer with only a thin film of oil.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket holding the tofu in one spaced layer; in a smaller single-drawer cook in batches, while a dual-zone fryer may need the zones swapped or shaken more firmly at halfway because the inner edges brown faster than the outer edges.
Common pitfalls
- Coating slides off in patches before cooking? The tofu surface is still wet; press longer, pat dry thoroughly, and use only a light dusting of flour so the egg can grip.
- Crust is pale and dusty at 15 minutes? Too little oil has reached the crumbs; mist again lightly and cook 3–5 minutes longer, checking that the tofu pieces are not touching.
- Cheese tastes bitter or the edges go very dark before the centre crisps? Parmesan is scorching; drop to 170°C and extend the cook by 3–4 minutes.
- Tofu feels rubbery with a hard shell? Pieces are too thin or overcooked; cut nearer 1 cm thick and pull them as soon as the crust is evenly golden.
Variations & substitutions
- Use panko instead of standard breadcrumbs for a rougher, lighter crust; it may brown a little faster, so start checking from 12 minutes.
- Swap Parmesan for finely grated Pecorino for a saltier crust; reduce added salt and watch browning closely as hard cheeses darken quickly.
- Add smoked paprika, dried oregano or garlic granules to the crumb mix; dry spices toast well in the air fryer but can catch if the oil spray is uneven.
- For an egg-free version, use a thick plant milk and flour slurry; the crust will be slightly less rigid, so turn or shake more gently.
Storage & reheating
Keep leftovers chilled for up to 3 days and reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 4–6 minutes until the crust re-crisps and the tofu is hot through.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
