General Tso's Tofu is a sweet, sour, and spicy Chinese dish. It is the adapted version of classic General Tso's Chicken in which the fried tofu is stir-fried in a delicious General Tso Sauce. The recipe I have shared here explains how to make General Tso's Tofu with easy step-by-step instructions for you to try and enjoy at home.
I have also shared a detailed video of this recipe to make the cooking process simple and clear. This General Tso's Tofu is a perfect vegan-friendly side dish when you are looking for a meatless meal and tastes great over rice or noodles for lunch and dinner.
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What is General Tso Tofu?
General Tso's Tofu is an authentic Chinese dish made with tofu and delicious Tso sauce. It is the modified version of General Tso Chicken and is prepared with extra firm tofu, spices, and deliciously sweet, and sticky sauce.
Even though the chicken version is popular across the globe, this vegan-friendly tofu dish is perfect for a meatless meal. And the best part is it can be served over rice, noodles, or dishes of your choice for a party, get-together, lunch, or dinner.
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need to make General Tso Tofu should be easily available in most Asian groceries around. And I would recommend checking the labels for vegan or vegetarian-friendly sauces if you want to enjoy a vegan-friendly dish.
- Extra Firm Tofu - Firm or extra firm tofu works great for this recipe. But make sure to drain and press all the water from the tofu before marianting them
- Spice Powders - I have used garlic, ginger and pepper powder here but you an also add chili or paprika powder to increase the spice level
- Flour - Corn starch and all purpose flour gives the perfect coating to the tofu which helps to keep in the spices while the tofu is fried
- For the General Tso Sauce - Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vegetable broth and I have mentioned the other ingredients in the recipe card for this recipe
How to make General Tso's Tofu?
This General Tso Tofu is the adapted version of chicken and it delivers a perfect taste and flavor similar to most Asian or Chinese take-out. I have prepared the dish from scratch that involves making homemade Tso sauce, frying the tofu, and stir-frying them in the sauce.
Following are the high-level instructions to make this recipe but for detailed step-by-step instructions with photo and video, please check out the recipe card below.
- Marinate the Tofu - In a bowl, add the cut tofu, garlic, ginger and pepper powder, salt, corn starch, and all-purpose flour. Mix well until the seasonings coat well on the tofu
- Pan-Fry the Tofu - In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and add the marinated Tofu pieces one by one. Fry the Tofu pieces until it turns golden brown on both the sides
- Reserve the Tofu - Remove the fried Tofu from oil and reserve it for later use
- Make General Tso's Sauce - I have a detailed recipe for this sauce in my earlier post, and you could find the full recipe here at General Tso Sauce. But I have also listed the steps for this tofu recipe in the recipe card as well
- Stir Fry the Fried Tofu - Now add the fried Tofu pieces into the prepared General Tso's Sauce and mix until the sauce coats well on tofu pieces
- Remove and Serve - Finally, sprinkle some sesame seeds and give a final stir. Now the delicious General Tso Tofu is ready for you to taste and enjoy. Serve this Vegan-Friendly General Tso's Tofu with white rice, fried rice, noodles, or dishes of your choice
Tips
- For Crispy Tofu - Draining the water thoroughly from tofu and marinating them with spices and flour gives perfect crunchy tofu when they are fried
- Frying Methods - Even though I have pan-fried the tofu here, you can also air fry, or bake them for similar results
- Making Sauce - Making the General Tso's Sauce from scratch gives the perfect sweet, sour, spicy, and sticky sauce every time. And I would suggest using vegan-friendly soy, hoisin sauce for the perfect vegan-friendly dish
- Serving - Serve this delicious General Tso Tofu over white rice, fried rice, noodles, or dishes of your choice
Calories
This General Tso Tofu that I have shared here contains 656 calories per serving and it is an estimation by the nutrition calculator. The calorie count may change if you change, substitute, or alter any of the ingredients. You could also find the detailed nutritional information in the recipe card below.
Storage Suggestions
This dish tastes great when served warm as soon as it is prepared. But you can also store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Always make sure to store it in a closed airtight container to retain its freshness.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this vegan-friendly dish with a bowl of white rice, brown rice, fried rice, noodles, or other dishes of your choice.
Related Recipes
You could also find similar Tofu Recipes below and more at Vegan Recipes.
More Chinese Recipes
- General Tso Sauce
- General Tso's Chicken
- Szechuan Chicken
- Szechuan Shrimp
- Kung Pao Shrimp
- Vegetable Stir Fry
- Schezwan Fried Rice
General Tso's Tofu Recipe video
I have also shared a detailed video of this General Tso Tofu below that I hope will help you make a restaurant-style vegan dish at home. And you could also find this recipe in a story format.
📖 Recipe
General Tso's Tofu
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb Tofu, extra firm
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Ginger Powder
- ½ tsp Pepper Powder
- Salt, as needed
- 2 tsp Corn Starch
- 2 tsp All Purpose Flour
- 2 tbsp Oil
To make Tso Sauce
- 1 tsp Ginger, minced
- 2 tsp Garlic, minced
- 2 tsp Brown Sugar
- 2 tsp White Sugar
- 2 tsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 4 Red Chili, dry
- ½ cup Vegetable Broth
- ¼ cup Soy Sauce, low sodium
- 2 tsp Hoisin Sauce
- 2 tbsp. Sesame Oil
- 3 tsp Corn Starch Slurry, 1 tsp corn starch diluted in 3 tsp water
Instructions
To Marinate Tofu
- In a bowl, add the cut tofu, garlic, ginger and pepper powder, salt, corn starch, and all-purpose flour. Mix well until the seasonings coat well on the tofu
To Fry the Tofu
- In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and add the marinated Tofu pieces one by one
- Fry the Tofu pieces until it turns golden brown on both sides
- Remove the fried Tofu from oil and reserve it for later use
To make General Tso's Tofu
- I have a detailed recipe for this sauce in my earlier post, and you could find the full recipe here at General Tso Sauce. But I have also listed the step for making the sauce here as well. In a pan with medium heat, pour oil, and add ginger, garlic, and dry red chili. Sauté until they turn aromatic
- Add white and brown sugar and mix well until it caramelizes
- Now add soy sauce, hoisin sauce, red pepper flakes, rice vinegar and mix well
- Pour in the vegetable broth and give a quick mix. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 to 2 minutes
- Now add corn starch slurry and mix well until the sauce thicken
- Now add the fried Tofu pieces into the General Tso's Sauce and mix until the sauce coats well on tofu pieces
- Finally, sprinkle some sesame seeds and give a final stir. Now the delicious General Tso's Tofu is ready for you to taste and enjoy
To Serve
- Serve this Vegan-Friendly General Tso's Tofu with white rice, fried rice, noodles, or dishes of your choice for lunch and dinner
Video
Notes
- For Crispy Tofu - Draining the water thoroughly from tofu and marinating them with spices and flour gives perfect crunchy tofu when they are fried
- Frying Methods - Even though I have pan-fried the tofu here, you can also air fry, or bake them for similar results
- Making Sauce - Making the General Tso's Sauce from scratch gives the perfect sweet, sour, spicy, and sticky sauce every time. And I would suggest using vegan-friendly soy, hoisin sauce for the perfect vegan-friendly side dish
- Serving - Serve this delicious General Tso Tofu over white rice, fried rice, noodles, or dishes of your choice
Nutrition
FAQ
General Tso Tofu is a sweet, sour, and spicy Chinese stir-fry dish. It is the modified version of Tso's chicken made with vegetarian or vegan-friendly ingredients. This Tofu version is also made with the authentic Tso Sauce and is usually served over rice or noodles.
No, it is not healthy as the dish is prepared using high sodium content sauces and fatty oil. But the homemade version is light compared to the dishes from restaurants because you know how much oil and sauces go into your dish.
Yes, of course, you can fry the tofu in an air fryer.
This General Tso Tofu that I have shared here contains 656 calories per serving and it is an estimation by the nutrition calculator. The calorie count may change if you change, substitute, or alter any of the ingredients. You could also find detailed nutritional information in the recipe card above.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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