The Sticky Yummy Tofu That Wowed My Friends and Me.
I made this on a whim for a last-minute low-key dinner party, and my friends texted the next day asking for the recipe.
It was SO good.
I needed something very easy that would deliver on flavor (I’m having dejavu). My brain did some thinking, and I decided to base the meal around an absolute EASY crowd pleaser that hits every time: good ol’ bang bang sauce.
This sauce is embarrassingly easy and shockingly good.
- Mayo
- Sweet chili sauce
- Soy sauce
- Fresh garlic
Here’s the move: air fry the tofu (fastest way to get it supremely crispy) and then transfer to a skillet with some of the sauce so you get that sticky, caramelized texture that tastes like a restaurant.
Once the tofu looks golden and delicious, pile it on some rice with green beans (add some of that Costco udon noodle stir-fry, in my case) and go to town with that remaining sauce. The creaminess? The sweet heat with umami? The fresh garlic bite?! Come ON.
I’m not saying this is going to be a hit for all kids, but anecdotally, my girls really like this one! And the middle schoolers in attendance at our dinner party were raving.
Hope you like it!
Bang Bang Tofu
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Easy dinner alert! Crispy, sticky, beautiful bang bang tofu piled on top of steamy rice. So easy and SO good!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Crispy Tofu:
- 1 block extra firm tofu (I highly recommend the high protein tofu from Trader Joe’s – see notes)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
Bang Bang Sauce:
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- sesame seeds and/or green onions for garnish
For Serving:
- 1–2 cups cooked rice
- 12 ounces green beans, steamed or sautéed
Instructions
- Prep Tofu: Pull the tofu into craggly, bite-sized chunks with your hands.
- Coat Tofu: Toss the tofu chunks with the cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, and salt to coat (I find it easiest to use my hands). Toss again with the soy sauce and oil to coat.
- Air Fry Tofu: Air fry the tofu at 350 for 10 minutes. Shake or stir, then air fry for another 5 minutes at 375, or until the tofu is crispy and golden.
- Make Sauce: Whisk the sauce ingredients together.
- Sauce Tofu: Place the crisped tofu in a skillet over medium high heat. Add ¼ cup of sauce and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until the tofu is coated and caramelized. The sauce will melt into a glaze-like consistency on the tofu. If you want, you can repeat this process a few times to build flavor.
- Serve: The tofu should already be sticky and delicious. Plate over rice, and drizzle or dollop the remaining sauce over the tofu. Top with sesame seeds or green onions! I also like to serve this with green beans. YUM.
Notes
In my experience, the high protein tofu from Trader Joe’s does not need pressing (!!) which is why I love it! It comes right out of the package pretty dry to begin with – I just blot the outside dry. However, if you’re using a different brand or type of tofu, you’ll want to wrap it in a clean towel and press it several times to remove excess moisture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Keywords: tofu recipe, bang bang sauce, crispy tofu, tofu bowl, easy tofu recipe
