Anyone can whip up this crunchy and delicious air fryer tofu katsu recipe within just a few minutes. Its vegan, low in refined oils and is the perfect definition of comfort food.
To add to the list of reasons why I love this recipe so much… Its so versatile! You can serve it with warm and tasty noodles, in between toasty burger buns, on a bed of rice and shredded cabbage, or overtop some sumptuous stir-fried vegetables.
Since we’re already on the topic of what it goes well with, lets keep going. This tofu katsu pairs well with Japanese Katsu curry sauce (no doubt), teriyaki sauce, BBQ sauce, sweet and sour sauce and the list goes on….
Check out my sweet and sour tofu and teriyaki broccoli recipe for more Asian inspired dishes.
What is Katsu?
Tonkatsu (とんかつ) is a popular Japanese dish that includes coating pork cutlets with panko, deep frying them in oil and then serving it on a bed of rice and shredded cabbage. Another commonly enjoyed version of the dish is chicken katsu.
To get into the specifics a bit, the word Katsu (カツ) literally means cutlet. Traditionally, the cutlets used are pork, chicken, fish or even vegetables. They are breaded, fried, cut into strips and then paired with a savory sauce.
Notes on the Ingredients needed to make Vegan Tofu Katsu:
Extra firm tofu is a great vegan replacement for pork or chicken as it provides a great meat-like texture, especially when you freeze it before use.
Panko is a Japanese style of breadcrumbs and is necessary because it gives the katsu its characteristic crunch and flavor.
Unsweetened plant-based milk adds flavor to the recipe
Cornstarch binds the ingredients in the coating together and helps make the panko adhere to the tofu
Salt enhances the flavor of the other ingredients
Liquid aminos/ soy sauce adds an umami flavor to the recipe and a little colour.
Garlic powder and Onion powder together enhances the flavor of the tofu cutlets.
All purpose flour is easy to find and allows the panko to adhere to the tofu.
Oil– I used only minimal amounts of oil in this recipe because it helps to improve browning and to prevent the tofu from sticking to the basket of the air fryer. I recommend using an oil neutral in flavor and has a high smoke point such as avocado oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil or sunflower oil.
How to make Air Fryer Tofu Katsu
- Press firm tofu, freeze overnight, allow to thaw, and press again. You can press the tofu using a tofu press or wrap it in a dish towel and place a heavy pot on top of it like I did.
2. Cut tofu into squares or irregular shapes, if desired.
3. Dry toast panko breadcrumbs in a skillet for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously, until lightly golden brown.
4. Prepare flour mixture.
5. You can now dredge the tofu in the flour mixture, panko and make sure all sides are evenly coated.
6. Air fry at 375º F for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
7. Serve immediately with a side of rice, noodles or veggies with your favorite sauce.
Substitutions and variations:
Firm tofu- You can use firm tofu instead of extra firm tofu. But, you will have to press it for a longer time and the final product will not have the same bite as the original recipe.
Regular breadcrumbs– while I highly recommend that you use panko, you can attempt this recipe using breadcrumbs but will not yield as light and crispy of a crust.
You can replace unsweetened plant-based milk with Water to make the flour mixture.
You can use any staple seasoning mix of choice instead of the onion powder and garlic powder.
How you can store and reheat Vegan Tofu Katsu:
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. I recommend reheating in the air fryer for 10 minutes at 375ºF, flipping halfway through. You can also reheat it in a greased skillet over medium heat.
This vegan airfryer tofu katsu is:
Crispy
Light
Easy to make
Child friendly
Better than takeout
Low in refined oil
Tofu Katsu ( Air fryer + Vegan)
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 block tofu extra firm
- ½ cup panko
- ½ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- 2 tbsps. Cornstarch
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder optional
- 1 tsp onion powder optional
- 1 tbsp. liquid aminos/ soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. oil
Instructions
- Prepare the block of tofu by pressing it for 30-40 minutes, place it in the freezer overnight. Allow it to thaw and then press for 60 minutes. If you are making the recipe right away. Press tofu until most of the water has been squeezed out. Slice the tofu into four squares or irregular shapes to resemble a traditional cutlet.
- In a skillet over medium heat, dry toast panko while stirring continuously for 1-2 minutes until slightly golden then transfer to a plate or shallow bowl. This will help to give the tofu katsu a beautiful golden brown color with minimal use of refined oil.
- In a mixing bowl, combine unsweetened plant-based milk, cornstarch, flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and liquid aminos/soy sauce and oil until it creates a runny pancake batter-like consistency.
- Preheat air fryer at 375ºF.
- Dip the tofu slices into the flour mixture, flip it to make sure that all sides are covered then place the tofu in the breadcrumbs ensuring that all sides are evenly coated.
- To prevent the tofu from sticking to the air fryer basket, liberally spray or brush the basket and the tofu with oil. This will also allow for a beautiful golden brown crust on the tofu.
- Place the tofu slices in the air fryer and allow to cook for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Serve immediately alongside noodles, rice or stir-fried vegetables with your favorite savory sauce, if desired.
Notes
Made this recipe? Let me know how it went by leaving a comment below
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