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    Home » Recipes » Chinese Takeouts

    General Tso's Tofu

    Published: Jun 3, 2020 / Modified: Jun 24, 2023 by Mei / This post may contain affiliate links / Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    This General Tso's Tofu is everything you'd want in a vegetarian version of General Tso's Chicken. The tofu is crispy and the sauce is sweet, tangy, and spicy. Perfect with some egg fried rice or Chinese garlic green beans!

    Close top down shot of general tsos tofu on plate with rice.

    If you’ve made this recipe or any recipes from our blog, please tag us on Instagram using #twoplaidaprons! You can also tag us in your Instagram stories using @two_plaid_aprons. We would love to see your creations! It absolutely makes our day! 🥰

    Ingredient notes

    Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!

    • Tofu - Either firm or soft tofu can be used for this tofu recipe. Firm tofu is more forgiving and can handle tosses and stirring, while soft tofu gives the dish better texture but can quite fragile to handle.
    Side by side package of soft and firm tofu.
    • Cornstarch - Unlike flour, cornstarch will make the tofu very crispy. If you don't have cornstarch, potato starch is a good substitute.
    • Ketchup - This is the base of the General Tso's sauce that provides both the color and sweet and sour flavor.
    • Water - For thinning out the sauce.
    • Sugar and vinegar - Granulated sugar and white vinegar is added to the sauce to make the sweet and tangy flavor more intense.
    • Soy sauce - A little bit of soy sauce helps to add the touch of needed savory note in the sauce and also make the red more intense. If you're looking for a gluten free substitute, tamari and a pinch of salt is a good option.
    • Red pepper flakes - This is for adding some heat to the General Tso's sauce. Feel free to use more or less to your preference.
    • Green onions and whole dry chilies - The green onion adds extra complexity to the sauce and also serves as garnish along with the dry chilies.
    • Oil - Any neutral oil, for cooking.
    • Sesame seeds (optional for garnish)
    Ingredients for General Tso's Chicken sauce.

    How to make General Tso's tofu

    Please scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and instructions!

    1. Dry the tofu. Drain the tofu and pat it as dry as possible using clean towels.

    Drying out the block of tofu.

    🌟 Pro tip: To make the tofu as try as possible, use a tofu press or place a weight (like a plate) on top of the tofu and allow it to be pressed in the fridge overnight. This method extracts the most amount of moisture.

    2. Prepare the sauce. Combine ketchup, water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Whisk until evenly combined and no clumps of cornstarch is visible. Set aside until needed.

    3. Cut the tofu evenly into 1 inch cubes.

    Cutting the tofu into cubes.

    4. Coat the tofu with cornstarch on all sides. You can do this on a plate or in a gallon resealable bag. If using the bag method, be sure to shake gently to prevent the tofu from breaking.

    Covering the tofu in corn starch.

    🌟 Pro tip: Try to coat the tofu as close to when you are ready to fry. Cornstarch clumps up very easily when it comes into contact with moisture, and coating the tofu too early will likely cause the coating to become too wet.

    5. Fry the tofu. Heat 1 to 2 inches of oil to 350°F. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu and fry until crispy and pale gold in color, about 5 minutes. Remove the tofu and allow it to drain on some paper towels. Fry in batches if needed.

    Frying the tofu until crispy.

    6. Make the General Tso's sauce. In a large pan over medium heat, add a small amount of oil. When the oil is hot, add the whites of the green onions, pepper flakes, and whole dry peppers. Saute until fragrant.

    Cooking the sauce.

    Give the prepared sauce mixture a good stir and add to the pan. Allow the sauce to cook until bubbly, glossy, and thickened. Make sure to stir often.

    Sauce thickened.

    7. Toss the tofu with sauce. Once the General Tso's sauce is ready, add the crispy fried tofu. Gently toss and stir until the tofu are evenly coated with sauce.

    Adding the tofu into the sauce.

    8. Enjoy! Serve the General Tso's tofu immediately with some white rice or egg fried rice and garnish with the greens of the green onion, if desired.

    Side shot of general tsos tofu.

    Recipe tips

    • Use firm tofu easier handling. Firm tofu is more forgiving and will allow more tossing and mixing. However, the texture is a bit coarser.
    • Use soft tofu for silky texture. Personally, we find that soft tofu gives the dish a better texture, however, it really is up to your preference. The challenge with soft tofu is that it tends to release more moisture and it is more fragile to work with.
    • Dry the tofu as much as possible. Use paper towels to dry the tofu well. This prevent having an excessive amount of cornstarch coating and oil popping when frying.
    • Coat with cornstarch as close to frying time as possible. Cornstarch tends to clump and become a slurry when it comes into contact with moisture. So try to coat the tofu with cornstarch when you're ready to fry.
    Picking up general tsos tofu with chopstick.

    Storage

    General Tso's tofu is best enjoyed freshly made as the sauce will make the coating on the tofu soggy as it sits. If there are leftover General Tso's tofu, allow it to cool before covering and refrigerating. It will stay good for up to 3 to 4 days.

    If you wish to mix together the ingredients for the General Tso's sauce ahead of time, it will stay good for up to 1 week in the fridge.

    General tsos tofu in wok.

    Reheating

    The best way to reheat leftover General Tso's tofu is simply microwaving it. Make sure to cover and heat until warmed through. Do note that the coating on the tofu may peel off.

    If the dish is not assembled, the fried tofu can be fried again at 350°F for about 3 to 5 minutes until crispy or air fried at 400°F until warmed through and crispy.

    top down shot of general tsos tofu on plate.

    FAQ

    What does tofu taste like?

    Tofu on it's own tastes pretty bland, like plain soy milk. But because it is bland, it is the perfect complement for strong flavor sauces, like this General Tso's sauce.

    Can I air fry the tofu?

    Although you can air fry the tofu after generously spraying with oil, the texture will not be quite as good as fried ones. So if possible, we highly recommend frying over air frying.

    What can I use instead of cornstarch?

    Potato starch is a good substitute for cornstarch.

    📖 Recipe

    General Tso's tofu on plate with rice thumbnail shot.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    General Tso's Tofu

    This General Tso's Tofu is everything you'd want in a vegetarian version of General Tso's Chicken. The tofu is crispy and the sauce is sweet, tangy, and spicy. Perfect with some egg fried rice or Chinese garlic green beans!
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time25 minutes mins
    Yield: 2 servings
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    For the tofu:

    • 14 ounces tofu firm, medium, or soft (usually 1 block)
    • ¾ cup cornstarch or as much as needed
    • Oil any neutral oil, as needed for frying and cooking

    For the General Tso's sauce:

    • ¼ cup ketchup
    • ¼ cup water
    • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 1½ tablespoons white vinegar
    • 1½ teaspoon soy sauce
    • 1½ teaspoon cornstarch
    • 1 stalk green onion sliced (separate the whites and greens)
    • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to your preference
    • 4 pieces whole dry chili pepper (optional)

    Instructions

    • Drain the tofu from its container and and pat dry as much as possible with paper towels. Then cut the tofu evenly into 1 inch cubes.
      *You can also press it overnight to get more moisture out, for crispier fried tofu.*
    • In a bowl, combine ketchup, water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Whisk until evenly combined and no clumps of cornstarch is visible. Set aside until needed.
    • Heat 1 to 2 inches of oil to 350°F and prepare a plate lined with paper towels.
    • Coat the tofu with cornstarch on all sides. You can do this on a plate or in a gallon resealable bag. If using the bag method, be sure to shake gently to prevent the tofu from breaking.
      *You want to do this as close to frying time as possible.*
    • Once the oil is hot, add the tofu and fry until crispy and pale gold in color, about 5 minutes. Remove the tofu and allow it to drain on some paper towels. Fry in batches if needed.
      *If you prefer, you can pan fry the tofu in a pan with about ½ inch of oil.*
    • In a large pan over medium heat, add a small amount of oil. When the oil is hot, add the whites of the green onions, pepper flakes, and whole dry peppers. Saute until fragrant. Give the prepared sauce mixture a good stir and add to the pan. Allow the sauce to cook until bubbly, glossy, and thickened. Make sure to stir often.
    • Once the General Tso's sauce is ready, add the crispy fried tofu. Gently toss and stir until the tofu are evenly coated with sauce.
    • Serve the General Tso's tofu immediately with some rice and garnish with the greens of the green onion and/or sesame seeds, if desired. 

    Notes

    Please refer to the post above for step by step photo reference, tips, and FAQs!
    • Tofu - The type of tofu used is totally up to your personal preference. Although, the softer the tofu, the more gentle you'd need to handle it.

    Equipments Recommended

    Liquid Measuring Cup
    Dry Measuring Cup
    Spider Strainer
    Saute Pan

    Nutrition

    Calories: 784.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 157.5g | Protein: 42.6g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 534.7mg | Potassium: 120.8mg | Fiber: 12.4g | Sugar: 42.5g | Vitamin A: 362IU | Vitamin C: 36.9mg | Calcium: 370.4mg | Iron: 10.8mg
    Keywords: asian tofu recipe, chinese take-out, easy tofu recipe, vegan, vegetarian
    Tried this recipe?Mention @two_plaid_aprons or tag #twoplaidaprons!

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    Pin of crispy General Tso's Tofu.
    Pin of pan-fried tofu and General Tso's Tofu with white rice.