Home » baked vs fried vs air-fried tofu: What are the differences in calories and taste?
There are several methods to choose from when cooking tofu, including deep-, pan-, and air frying, baking, grilling, steaming, and mixing it into stir-fries, soups, or curries. Baking and frying are the two most common methods used to prepare tofu. While all methods can result in a delicious flavorful tofu product, each has its own pros and cons. We have laid out both the differences in flavor as well as nutrition for frying, air frying, and baking tofu.
Frying your tofu adds calories
Frying tofu can give it a crispy texture, but comes at a cost – it can be high in calories, up to three times more than baked or air-fried tofu. This is because frying requires added oil as a heat conductor, which cooks the tofu evenly but also makes it absorb more oil, resulting in more fat and calories. While this may be helpful for those looking to bulk up, most people prefer to keep their calorie consumption in check. If you want to reduce the calorie content of your dishes, baking or air-frying are better options.
Air-frying is an excellent alternative to traditional frying methods, as it delivers the same delicious flavor and crispy texture without the added oil. This results in a product that is much healthier, containing significantly less fat and calories. In fact, air-fried foods can contain up to three times fewer calories than those that are deep-fried.
Baking tofu is an excellent way to relish its delicious taste while keeping the added fat and calories to a minimum. The mild flavor and firmer texture of baked tofu surpass those of both air-fried and deep-fried tofu. Although it may not be as crispy, you can still achieve a similar crunchiness with some recipes. Besides, baking tofu is one of the simplest ways to cook it. While air-frying tofu might appear to be as calorie-rich as baked tofu since it doesn’t require additional oil, it isn’t the case. Air-frying extracts a lot of moisture from the tofu, resulting in a much smaller final product than baking tofu. As a result, air-fried tofu is much more calorie-dense.
Conclusion
When it comes to cooking tofu, there are various methods to choose from. Air-frying offers a crunchy texture and delicious flavor without the added fat and calories of traditional frying, but it can leave the tofu calorie-dense due to the extracted moisture. On the other hand, baking tofu is a healthy alternative to frying, with much lower fat and calorie content, although it doesn’t offer the same crispiness. Ultimately, the choice is yours!
Sources used:
Rd, K. M. (2023, June 7). Why Are Fried Foods Bad for You? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-fried-foods-are-bad#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6
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