Crispy Keto Fried Tofu Sticks

These keto fried tofu sticks are low-carb, vegan, gluten-free, and insanely easy to make. They are chewy on the inside and unbelievably crispy on the outside. You can make them either in an Air Fryer or in the oven.

Even though not many people like tofu, with the right ingredients, it can become a delicious appetizer. And when it comes to choosing what to eat on keto, tofu can be quite a game-changer since it is low-carb and is a great way of increasing your daily protein intake.

You can serve these keto fried tofu sticks whichever way you like: with a bowl of fresh salad or with some vegan dipping sauce (check out an amazing vegan & keto sauce recipe below). Or, you can use keto salsa or keto kimchi, if you prefer.

Table of Contents

• Is Tofu Keto Friendly?
• How to Choose the Right Tofu
• Needed Ingredients
• How to Make Keto Fried Tofu Sticks
• Best Vegan Tofu Dipping Sauce
• Storing Instructions 
• Recipe

Is Tofu Keto Friendly?

Yes, tofu is an acceptable product on a keto diet. It is a meat replacement, which makes it perfect if you're looking to cook something that's both vegan and low-carb.

However, if to compare the number of carbs to the amount of fat in tofu, you should be careful with how much tofu you consume on a keto diet.

How to Choose the Right Tofu

It may get a bit overwhelming when choosing the tofu type for your meals. But, actually, everything's very simple — the optimal kind of tofu for this recipe is the extra firm tofu.

There are two main things that you should remember when buying tofu for this keto fried tofu sticks recipe:

1. It should have a low moisture content.
2. It should have a dense texture.

If the tofu that you buy has both of those things, it won't fall apart when you fry it. However, don't get super-firm tofu since it may dry out more quickly.

Needed Ingredients

This keto tofu recipe requires just five ingredients. Here's what you need to make these fried tofu sticks:

• Extra-firm tofu: this is the best tofu type option since it will be both moist enough and won't fall apart that easily;
• Soy sauce: if you want these fried tofu sticks to be also gluten-free, make sure that you choose a gluten-free soy sauce (you can also replace soy sauce with coconut aminos);
• Olive oil: avocado oil and sesame oil are also great options;
• Almond flour: this ingredient is essential for that amazing crust (or you can substitute it with coconut flour). If you're not following the keto diet, you can use cornstarch instead;
• Garlic powder: this is what gives more flavor to the tofu;

Also, depending on your preferences, you can add some salt to the tofu marinade.

How to Make Keto Fried Tofu Sticks

Overall, it'll take you about 30 minutes to make this keto fried tofu. The cooking steps are pretty straightforward. The cooking process entails using an air fryer. But if you don't have one, you can definitely use your oven instead.

Here's what you should do to make these low carb tofu sticks:

1. Drain the tofu. Open the tofu container and drain the water. Take the tofu out of the container and place it on a piece of paper towel. Then place some more paper towels on top and put some weight on top of it to remove excess moisture from the tofu.
2. Cut the tofu. After draining it for about 10-15 minutes, cut the tofu into sticks.
3. Prepare the tofu marinade. In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, oil, garlic powder, and some salt. Mix it with the tofu.
4. Coat each tofu with almond flour.
5. Place the tofu in a single layer in your air fryer. Cook it for about 15 minutes (don't forget to flip them halfway through).

If you decide to cook the tofu sticks in the oven, do everything the same as described, only instead of placing them in the air fryer, place them on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F. Cook them for about 15-20 minutes.

Best Vegan Tofu Dipping Sauce

There are many delicious vegan and low-carb dipping sauce types that you can buy. But there's nothing better than a homemade dipping sauce, am I right?

Here's what you need to make my favorite dipping sauce:

• Sriracha: 1 or 2 tablespoons will be more than enough (depending on how much heat you want the sauce to have);
• Vegan mayo: start by using ½ cup and make more after;
• Garlic: mince 2 or 3 garlic cloves;
• Lime: juice ½ lime;
• Salt and pepper to taste;

Just combine all of the ingredients for the best vegan dipping sauce ever!

Storing Instructions 

I recommend eating these air fryer tofu sticks right away after making them (so that they still have that crispiness). If you have leftovers, you should store the keto fried tofu sticks in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Whenever you wish to serve them, just throw the fried tofu in the air fryer for a few minutes to reheat them and get back the crispiness.

Recipe