Vegetable Tofu Balls (Air Fryer) – How to Make the Best (and Firmest) Tofu Balls

Tofu balls are delicious and versatile. Use in stir-fries, toss in sweet and sour sauce, top pasta in place of meatballs, or serve as an appetizer. These tofu balls are firm and hearty, with a healthy serving of vegetables mixed in.

This post explores how to make tofu balls with the best texture – that is, tofu balls which are firm and do not fall apart.

In short:

For those who eat egg: use egg and rice flour.

For those who do not eat egg: use more rice flour.

EFFORT SCALE RATING:  4.3 EFFORTS.  Medium-low effort if air fryer employed.

[Calculation: +0.5 for grating; +0.5 for squeezing; +0.5 chopping; +1.3 for mixing and forming into balls; +0.5 for air frying (+1.5 if pan frying); +1 for cleanup]

Ingredients to make tofu balls

Grated vegetables: I like to use zucchini and carrots. Vegetables which can be finely shredded with a grater are good choices for tofu balls. Carrots are especially good because they do not leak too much moisture, thereby affecting the texture of the tofu balls. Zucchinis are very tasty, but should be squeezed of excess moisture if incorporating into the eggless version of tofu balls.

Chestnuts: Optional, but highly recommend. Chestnuts will give the tofu balls more structure and also provide some nice variance. Ready to eat chestnuts are usually packaged in small metallic pouches and can be found in Asian grocers in the unrefrigerated aisles.

Firm Tofu: Yes, firm tofu instead of extra firm! This kind of tofu usually comes in a square plastic package submerged in water. You can easily sub with extra-firm tofu, but tofu balls made with firm tofu will have a finer texture. See category below on tofu.

Scallions: A classic aromatic in Chinese cuisine.

White pepper powder: A cousin of black pepper. Taste wise, white pepper is more bright and sneeze-inducing. It is also more finely ground than black pepper. White pepper is a staple in Chinese cooking and can be found in Chinese or Asian grocers.

Cornstarch: So many potential substitutions! See category below on binders.

Egg: Optional. Egg contributes to a firmer texture, which I prefer, but can be omitted without issue. See discussion below: egg or no egg.

Variations

This recipe for tofu balls is very versatile and adaptable. There are so many potential vegetables you can use instead of zucchini and carrots. Pick vegetables that hold their shape well instead of watery vegetables like leafy greens. Here are some suggestions:

• Parsnips
• Daikon
• Sweet potato
• Squash
• Broccoli stems
• Mushrooms

For flavor variations, try adding chili powder or other spices.

Our favorite variation is curry tofu balls. To make curry tofu balls, mix 1 tablespoon curry powder into the tofu mixture and air-fry as usual.

Egg or no egg?

Tofu balls can be made with or without eggs. The difference between the two lies in the texture. While the crust will be equally crispy once air fried, tofu balls made without eggs will have a softer inside.

Tofu balls made with the addition of egg are more robust and holds its shape well even when zucchini is not wrung out. If you consume eggs/animal products, I find that adding an egg helps the texture significantly – more so than varying any binders.

While I have not tested tofu balls with flax egg, flax is unlikely to have a stiffening effect on the balls. Although flax is good at absorbing moisture, it does not harden up during cooking like egg does.

If you do want a firmer tofu ball without the egg, I recommend upping the amount of binder. While each type of binder affects texture (see here), the biggest factor affecting firmness is the ratio of binder to moisture.

For a firmer, no-egg plant-based tofu ball, I recommend making the following changes:

• Use rice flour (or a mix of predominantly rice flour and another flour) as the binder;
• Increase the amount of binder to 6-8 tablespoons; and
• Use grated veggies that do not leak moisture (i.e. zucchini is probably not the best choice unless it is wrung out thoroughly).

Firm tofu or extra firm tofu?

This recipe works with both firm and extra firm tofu. Again, the difference lies in moisture and resulting texture.

Firm tofu produces tofu balls with a finer texture. The tofu granules will be smaller and easier to combine with the veg and binders. This means that the tofu mixture will also be more thoroughly combined.

Extra firm tofu will be more crumbly and make tofu balls with bigger tofu granules.

Whichever type of tofu you use, make sure to squeeze out the tofu’s extra moisture using a cheesecloth.

What is the best binder for tofu balls?

The contenders

I tested out six different binders, mixing around half a teaspoon of binder with 1.5 tablespoons of crumbled tofu.

Tapioca starch, glutinous rice flour, and cornstarch all produced tofu balls with soft middles. Rice flour, wheat flour, and chickpea flour produced tofu balls with a firmer texture that can be sliced cleanly in half.

• Tapioca starch: This made a tofu ball with a very soft inside. I thought it was comparable to the cornstarch tofu ball in terms of texture, but Nick thought that tapioca was the worst of the bunch by a small margin.
• Glutinous rice flour (aka mochiko): I had high hopes for glutinous rice flour. This flour, made from sticky rice, is often used to make mochi. Dango (rice dumplings) can also be made with silken tofu and glutinous rice flour. I had hoped that these tofu balls would be bouncy like dango. Alas, I was wrong. These balls were very soft inside.
• Rice flour: Flour ground from regular (not sticky) rice. Again, high hopes, this time affirmed! The tofu balls were the right amount of firm. Imagine if cooked rice and firm tofu had a baby.
• Wheat flour (bread): I had low expectations, but these balls were surprisingly good. The gluten from the flour likely helped.
• Chickpea flour: Also produced tofu balls with a firm texture. Unlike the other contenders, chickpea flour does not have a neutral taste. However, the texture was not bad. The protein in chickpea flour likely helped. I would definitely use chickpea flour again in the future, especially if making something more heavily flavored like curry tofu balls.
• Cornstarch: The control. Surprisingly, the cornstarch tofu ball held its shape better than the balls made with tapioca starch and glutinous rice flour, despite all three being similar in texture on the inside.

Wheat flour versus cornstarch (no egg, with veg)

In the binder test, wheat flour felt noticeably firmer than cornstarch. Despite the results from the binder test, the textural differences were negligible once vegetables were added to the tofu balls.

While the firmness level was comparable, the texture between the two were different in the following way. Though not the most appetizing description, imagine wheat flour and cornstarch as glue that binds the tofu particles and vegetable shreds together, much like the stuff you put between bricks. The wheat flour tofu balls have mushy pasty glue, and the cornstarch tofu balls have translucent gooey glue.

From this, we can conclude that when there is no egg in the mix, the texture of the tofu balls will most likely still be quite soft whichever type of binder is used, unless a larger amount of binder is added to compensate for the moisture from the zucchini.

Cornstarch versus rice flour (with egg and veg)

Finally, I tested tofu balls made with cornstarch as compared to rice flour using the full recipe, with the addition of egg, flavorings, and shredded vegetables.

The tofu balls made with cornstarch had a gooier texture inside (think cornstarch slurry). I think the translucent goo feeling was still noticeable in the cornstarch tofu balls even when an egg is in the mix, but to a much lesser degree than the no egg version.

The tofu balls made with rice flour were firmer, and the combination tofu ball using half cornstarch and half rice flour was somewhere in the middle for firmness.

Overall, rice flour is preferable. Rice flour was less noticeable and more well amalgamated, providing the tofu balls with a sturdier texture which mimics extra firm tofu.

Note that these are all very minor textural differences and these tofu balls tasted very similar overall (unlike the question of egg or no egg, which had more noticeable effects).

Why rice flour works as a binder and stiffening agent

Both glutinous rice flour and rice flour are very hydroscopic, meaning that they absorb moisture very well. Furthermore, if you heat up a rice flour slurry, the texture changes from a thick liquid to a soft solid. This is exactly what we want when selecting a binder that firms up tofu balls.

Air frying versus pan frying

If you don’t have an air fryer you can definitely still make tofu balls by frying in a pan with some oil. Air-frying is the more low-effort method. Personally, I also prefer the texture of tofu balls which are air fried, but it is a matter of preference and circumstance.

Air fryer

• Pros: Hands off cooking. Balls are sturdy and hold up better.
• Cons: Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to work in batches.
• Texture: Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Crust is sturdy and not greasy.

Pan frying

• Pros: Accessible. Can make all the balls at once.
• Cons: Some sticking is almost inevitable. Vigilance required for frying and turning the balls.
• Texture: Balls are softer than air-fried variation. Crust is thin and greasy.

Though I have not tested this, baking could potentially work better than panfrying.

Print Recipe

Vegetable Tofu Balls (Firm)

Tofu balls that are firm and hearty, with a healthy serving of vegetables mixed in. These gluten-free tofu balls use classic Chinese flavors and ingredients, including chestnuts. Delicious and versatile, use in stir-fries, as a main protein or a finger-food appetizer.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Stir-fry

Cuisine: Canadian, Chinese, Fusion

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: Air fryer, Carrots, Chestnuts, Dairy-free, Make-ahead, Stir-fry, Tofu, Versatile, Zucchini

Servings: 12 balls

Equipment

• Cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel
• Grater
• Air fryer

Ingredients

• 2 zucchinis or carrots around 1 cup to 1.5 cups loosely packed grated vegetables (if using zucchini, squeeze out extra moisture, especially if not using egg – see note 1)
• 2 scallions thinly sliced
• 1 package 100 g peeled and ready to eat chestnuts (optional)
• 1 package 454 g firm tofu
• 4 tablespoons rice flour sub 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons rice flour for slightly softer texture – See note 2
• 1 egg optional
• ¼ tsp salt or to taste
• 1/8 tsp white pepper or to taste

Instructions

• Using a cheesecloth, squeeze out moisture from the firm tofu. The tofu should form into a ball and crumble somewhat inside the cheesecloth. You should aim to squeeze out a good amount of moisture. The tofu will be suitable to use when water no longer comes out of the cheesecloth bundle. The texture will be similar to, but slightly finer and moister than crumbled extra firm tofu. The amount of water that comes out may vary depending on your brand of firm tofu.
• Combine the wrung-out tofu, grated vegetables, scallions, chestnuts, cornstarch, salt, white pepper and egg (if using) in a large mixing bowl. Mix with your hands until well combined, breaking up the chestnuts as you mix. Most of the chestnuts should be mashed and combined with the tofu mixture, but leave some chunks for textural contrast.
• When ready, the tofu mixture should be soft and pliable. You should be able to form the mixture into balls without it falling apart. If you are unable to form the mixture into balls because it is too soft, add more rice flour or cornstarch, half a tablespoon at a time, until the right texture is achieved.
• Form into 12 balls (more or less), then fry in air fryer at 390 degrees for 15 minutes, flipping at the 10-minute mark. When ready, the balls should be slightly puffed up and golden. (See note 3.)
• Tofu balls are now ready to eat. Serve by themselves with a dip or use in stir-fries or other dishes.

Notes

1. I recommend squeezing out the zucchini if you are not using egg. To do so, simply wring it out using the same cheesecloth used to wring out the tofu before combining with everything else. The cup measurement indicates loosely packed grated vegetables, measure after moisture is wrung out for zucchini only. Amount is flexible and may vary depending on the size of your vegetables.
2. If firmer balls are desired, and you are not using egg – up the amount of binder to 6-8 tablespoons.
3. For darker balls, air fry for 3 minutes longer or air fry at 400 degrees instead.