General Tso's Tofu, ready in just 30 minutes. It’s spicy-sweet, healthier than the classic Chinese takeout dish, and one of my favorite tofu recipes.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
General Tso’s Tofu (marinade)
10 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed
2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Cooking the tofu
6 tablespoons potato starch for coating the tofu
Oil of your choice; I use 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic minced
General Tso's Sauce (premix before you start cooking)
3 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar -see notes for optional 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable or beef stock or water (we like the flavor with stock)
3 tablespoons brown sugar (you can use white sugar as well)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional but we like the bit of heat
Instructions
Place the tofu cubes in a bowl or shallow dish.
Add the marinade ingredients (2 tablespoon of tamari and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar), stir and let rest for at least 5 minutes, preferably overnight.
Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl (tamari or soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, vegetable stock or water, sugar, cornstarch and red pepper flakes). Set aside.
Fully drain the tofu and discard the marinade. I put it in a strainer to dry it a bit.
Transfer 1/3 of the tofu cubes to a freezer or plastic bag with 2 tablespoons of potato starch and toss to coat. Repeat this step with the rest of the tofu cubes and cornstarch. Add more potato starch if needed.
Once the tofu cubes are coated with the potato starch, heat some oil in a skillet and add the tofu cubes. I use 2 T extra virgin olive oil, but any oil will do.
Cook the tofu cubes over medium-high heat until all sides are golden brown. Remove the tofu from the skillet and set aside.
Add the garlic to the skillet (add more oil if needed) and cook over medium-high heat for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently until golden brown and fragrant.
Add the sauce to the skillet where you had your cooked garlic and cook over medium-high heat until it thickens, stirring frequently. This will go quickly so don't walk away.
Finally, add the tofu cubes, stir, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Serve with some cooked white rice and garnish with some sesame seeds and chopped chives (optional). Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Depending on your taste buds and the type or brand of vinegar you're using, you may want to add more vinegar to the sauce. Add only 1 tablespoon of vinegar at first and add more vinegar if desired.
I never press my tofu because I prefer to save some time and also think it's not necessary, but it's up to you. I just drain the tofu and discard the liquid.
Firm or extra-firm tofu works great. I tried medium-firm tofu and while it worked, it was very soft and fell apart when tossed in potato starch.
If you don't want to use a freezer bag, just add the potato starch to a shallow dish, then the tofu cubes, and toss to coat.
If you don't eat soy, you could use cauliflower instead. I have never tried this yet, but it worked well in cauliflower shawarma.
For an oil-free version of this recipe, spritz them with some oil and air fry at 400F (200C) for about 10-12 minutes, flipping them once in the middle. You can also bake the tofu at 350ºF until golden brown (start checking at 10 minutes).
In a pinch, feel free to use any type of vinegar, starch, or sugar you have on hand.
Estimated Nutrition Info
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 45.3g | Protein: 16.6g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2.2g | Sodium: 2589mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 15.1g