We love all things Szechuan in our house! That spicy, tingly, mouth-numbing feeling comes from the use of Szechuan peppercorns, and we can’t get enough! Think tofu is bland? Not this Szechuan tofu! We marinate the tofu with tons of flavor before popping it in an air fryer to get nice and crispy, and then coat in a spicy Szechuan sauce. Total heaven!
I recommend serving with your favorite green veggie and some rice (or cauliflower rice).
Air Fryer Szechuan Tofu Ingredients
There aren’t a ton of ingredients in this dish, which means it’s important to include all them. Two items that might be a bit trickier to find are Szechuan peppercorns, and Toban Djan chili sauce. I was able to find both at our local Asian market, and I’ve seen them in the Asian aisle at some of the larger grocery stores, but if you’re having some trouble finding it, both are available on Amazon.
My husband and I love Szechuan peppercorn and will often add it to stir fries, steaks, or meat marinades. It adds such a unique flavor: a floral, mind-numbing, tingly sort of heat. YUM.
We take an additional step to really kick up the flavor in our spicy Szechuan tofu by first lightly toasting the whole peppercorns in a dry skillet (just 2 minutes, and you really tell a big difference) and then freshly grinding it before using in the recipe.
I use this cute mortar and pestle set that my husband bought for me, but you can use any spice grinder. My mom has a cheap coffee grinder that she uses exclusively to grind her spices and that works really well, too!
Step-by-step Recipe and Tips
My Szechuan tofu recipe is easy. You take your pressed and cubed firm tofu and place it in a bowl. Add in the rest of your marinade ingredients and gently coat to cover.
I like to air fry my tofu to get it nice and crispy. The trick to getting it crispy is to spread it out in a single-layer with plenty of space around each cube. I have a large air fryer; if yours is smaller, it’s best to do it in batches.
Air fry at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes, or until it’s nicely browned and crispy around the edges.
While the Szechuan tofu is cooking, I start the sauce. And then I add in the cooked tofu and let it simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.
Once the tofu is well coated and the sauce is nice and thick – it’s ready to serve!
Szechuan Tofu
Equipment
Ingredients
Sichuan Tofu Marinade
- 1 block (453 g) firm tofu, pressed
- 2 tsp (6g) cornstarch
- 1 tsp (8g) soy sauce
- 1 tsp (4g) sesame oil
- 2 tsp (12g) Toban Djan sauce
Sichuan Tofu Sauce
- 1 tbsp Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
- 1 tsp (4g) sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch piece ginger, grated
- 2 tsp (12g) Toban Djan sauce
- 2 tsp (6g) cornstarch, mixed in 1/4 cup of water
- 2 (18g) scallions, sliced
- 1 cup (218g) stock (chicken or vegetable)
Instructions
Toasting the Szechuan Peppercorn
- In a dry pan, place 1 tbsp of Szechuan peppercorns. Toast over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind the peppercorns and set aside.
Preparing Szechuan Tofu
- Take firm tofu out of package and wrap in paper towels. Place heavy pan on top of tofu to press out water for at least 15 minutes.
- Cut tofu into 1 inch cubes and place in a large bowl.
- Add sesame oil, soy sauce, Toban Djan sauce, cornstarch and mix gently to coat.
- Place in air fryer, making sure keep a bit of space around each cube of tofu. If you have a small air fryer, do this in batches.
- Air fry at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes.
- While tofu is cooking, we can prepare the sauce.
Szechuan Tofu Sauce
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add sesame oil.
- Add in the minced garlic and grated ginger and saute for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add in toasted and ground peppercorn, Toban Djan sauce, sliced scallions, cup of stock. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned bits.
- Let simmer for about 2 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix 2 tsp of cornstarch with 1/4 of water.
- Add cornstarch mixture and fried tofu to pan and stir to coat. Continue to simmer for an additional minute until sauce thickens.
- Serve with rice and your favorite sautéed vegetables!
NOTE
Nutrition information for this recipe is provided below. For more information on the nutrition facts provided on this site, please visit our nutrition disclaimer.
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