General Tso’s Tofu Recipe (Crispiest Ever)

This General Tso’s Tofu marries extra crispy tofu with a sticky, spicy tangy sauce and is ready in only 15 minutes. It’s vegan and gluten-free making it one of the best General Tso Tofu recipes out there that’ll beat any made in American Chinese Restaurants. 

Vegan friends, do you despise tofu? It may be because you’re not cooking it correctly. Tofu takes on the flavor of the sauce and/or seasonings you’re cooking it with. If you don’t use the right seasonings, it’s going to taste bland and boring. If you want to fall in love with tofu and learn how to cook it right, you must try this General Tso’s Tofu recipe. It’s the one recipe that will convince you to not give up on this special spongy protein.

🥘 INGREDIENT NOTES WITH SUBSTITUTIONS

• Extra-Firm Tofu – the essential ingredient in this better than Chinese takeout General Tso’s Tofu is of course, an extra firm block of tofu. Make sure you get extra firm, as anything else will crumble during the cooking process.
• Corn Starch – you can also use Agar Agar or Cream of Tartar. This ingredient is used as a thickener to make the tofu extra crispy.
• Maple Syrup – agave, coconut sugar or brown sugar can be used instead of maple syrup.
• Tomato Paste – you may substitute with an equal amount of ketchup.
• Tamari – if not gluten intolerant, regular or low-sodium soy sauce is the best substitute.
• Rice Vinegar – used in the sauce. You can substitute with any kind of vinegar you have on hand .
• Red Pepper Flakes – may be substituted with Sriracha Hot Chili Paste.
• Olive Oil – to make this a low fat tofu recipe, replace olive oil with vegetable broth. You can also use regular vegetable oil or sesame oil, instead.
• Garlic – I love using fresh heirloom garlic in this recipe but you can substitute with garlic powder if garlic is unavailable.
• Ginger – fresh ginger root is best, however, you can substitute with ground ginger if fresh is unavailable.
• Sesame Seeds – for garnish.
• Fresh Limes – for garnish, and also for a squirt or two of fresh citrus prior to serving. If unavailable, use organic lime juice.
• Green Onions – I love using chopped scallions for garnish, but you can also use cilantro, basil or parsley instead.
• Red Bell Peppers (not pictured) – slices of red bell pepper are optional, but add a nice pop of color. 
• Jasmine Rice – for serving. You can also use any fluffy white rice you have on hand, rice noodles like in these Garlic Chili Oil Noodles or Mashed Cauliflower for a fun twist.

🥣 Equipment Needed

• tofu press (if you want the crispiest tofu ever)
• large bowl
• wooden spoon
• small non-stick skillet
• large nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet.

🔪 How to Make General Tso’s Tofu Step-By-Step

To begin, press the tofu for at least 30 minutes to an hour prior to making this recipe. This removes excess water so the tofu can reach ultimate crispiness. I use this fabulous bamboo Tofu Press by HUFEEOH and it makes all the difference in the world in how crispy my tofu turns out. Alternatively, you can wrap tofu in a small, clean towel, or multiple paper towels, and place something heavy over it like a large textbook, for 30-60 minutes.

👩🏻‍🍳 COOKING TIPS

• For the crispiest tofu ever, you MUST press the tofu before you fry it. And fry it you should if your end goal is to have the crispiest tofu you’ve ever eaten.
• If your tofu isn’t as crispy as you expected, you can increase the amount of time tofu spends in the tofu press and/or increase the amount of frying time, being careful not to burn it.
• To retain it’s crispiness, this recipe is best served immediately after cooking. You may store leftover tofu in a separate, airtight container for up to 3 days and re-heat in microwave, but you should expect it to lose some crispiness during the storing and re-heating process.
•  If you prefer a thinner sauce, simply add a tablespoon of water at a time, while stirring on low heat and before mixing sauce in with the tofu, until it reaches your desired consistency. Another option is to cut the corn starch in half when making the sauce. 
• Recipe can be served with white or brown rice, rice noodles or over a bed of greens for an Asian-inspired salad. You can also try this Chopped Thai Salad if you’re looking to pair this recipe with a salad.
• If you love my General Tso’s Tofu and other quick and easy vegan dinner recipes, you’ll love my vegan Vegan Drunken Noodles and my Thai Basil Tofu.

💭Frequently Asked Questions

🥡 MORE ASIAN-INSPIRED RECIPES

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