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.
This General Tso's Tofu is a healthier and lighter version of the classic General Tso's Chicken. Besides, it's made with tofu instead of chicken and the tofu is not deep-fried, just sautéed in a little bit of oil.
For those of you who don't know General Tso's chicken, it's a sweet, deep-fried chicken dish that is served in North American Chinese restaurants.
I've used only a little bit of oil to cook the tofu and also made a less spicy version, but add as much oil and red pepper flakes as you want.
You can also make this recipe oil-free (just read the pro tips or recipe notes) and omit the red pepper flakes if you're not into spicy food.
As you can read in the recipe description, this is one of my all-time favorite tofu recipes, but it's also one of the most popular recipes on the blog!
How to make General Tso's tofu - Step by step
- Place the tofu cubes in a bowl or shallow dish (photo 1).
- 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 (photo 2).
- Drain the tofu (photo 3) and discard the marinade.
- Transfer ⅓ of the tofu cubes to a freezer or plastic bag with 2 tablespoon of cornstarch and toss to coat (photo 4). Repeat this step with the rest of the tofu cubes and cornstarch. Add more cornstarch if needed.
- Once the tofu cubes are coated with the cornstarch (photo 5), heat some oil in a skillet and add the tofu cubes (photo 6). I used extra virgin olive oil, but any oil will do.
- Cook the tofu cubes over medium-high heat until all sides are golden brown (photo 7). Remove the tofu from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the garlic to the skillet (photo 8) with a little bit of oil if needed and cook over medium-high heat for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently until golden brown (photo 9). Set aside.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl (photo 10). Set aside.
- Add the sauce to the skillet where you had your cooked garlic and cook over medium-high heat until it thickens, stirring frequently (photo 11).
- Finally, add the tofu cubes, stir and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes (photo 12).
- 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.
Pro tips
- Depending on your taste buds and the type or brand or vinegar you're using, you may want to add less vinegar to the sauce. Some readers love the recipe just like this, but others prefer the sauce with less vinegar. Add only 1 tablespoon of vinegar at first and add more vinegar if needed.
- 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've never tried to use soft or silken tofu myself, but I don't think it's going to work.
- If you don't want to use a freezer or plastic bag, just add the cornstarch to a shallow dish, then the tofu cubes and toss to coat.
- If you don't eat soy, you could use cauliflower instead. I've seen some recipes online, but I've never tried it myself. Tamari or soy sauce can be replaced by coconut aminos.
- For an oil-free version of this recipe, bake the tofu at 350ºF or 180ºC until golden brown.
- Feel free to use any type of vinegar, starch or sugar you have on hand.
What foods go well with General Tso's tofu?
- For a complete meal, I like to serve my General Tso's Tofu with some type of carb and also with veggies.
- My favorite carb to serve Chinese food with is rice, especially white rice, but brown rice or any other grain will do.
- Any dish of veggies is okay, but I prefer to serve it with some Chinese or Asian-style vegetable dish, like bok choy or Thai cucumber salad.
- Another good choice, if you don't want to eat any carb, is to serve this with some cauliflower rice instead of white rice.
What type of tofu should I use to make General Tso's tofu?
You should use firm or extra firm tofu. I've always used firm tofu, but extra firm is also okay. Silken tofu is so delicate, so it will fall apart and it hasn't the texture we're looking for either.
Looking for more tofu recipes?
Did you make this General Tso's tofu recipe?
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General Tso's Tofu
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.
Servings:
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Ingredients
For the general Tso's tofu
- 10 ounces firm tofu, cubed
- 2 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 6 tablespoon cornstarch
- Oil of your choice, I used extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
For the sauce
- 3 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, see notes
- 3 tablespoon vegetable stock or water
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
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.
- Drain the tofu and discard the marinade.
- Transfer ⅓ of the tofu cubes to a freezer or plastic bag with 2 tablespoon of cornstarch and toss to coat. Repeat this step with the rest of the tofu cubes and cornstarch. Add more cornstarch if needed.
- Once the tofu cubes are coated with the cornstarch, heat some oil in a skillet and add the tofu cubes. I used 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. Set aside.
- 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.
- Add the sauce to the skillet where you had your cooked garlic and cook over medium-high heat until it thickens, stirring frequently.
- Finally, add the tofu cubes, stir and cook for 1 to 2 more 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 or vinegar you're using, you may want to add less vinegar to the sauce. Some readers love the recipe just like this, but others prefer the sauce with less vinegar. Add only 1 tablespoon of vinegar at first and add more vinegar if needed.
- 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've never tried to use soft or silken tofu myself, but I don't think it's going to work.
- If you don't want to use a freezer or plastic bag, just add the cornstarch to a shallow dish, then the tofu cubes and toss to coat.
- If you don't eat soy, you could use cauliflower instead. I've seen some recipes online, but I've never tried it myself. Tamari or soy sauce can be replaced by coconut aminos.
- For an oil-free version of this recipe, bake the tofu at 350ºF or 180ºC until golden brown.
- Feel free to use any type of vinegar, starch or sugar you have on hand.
- The amount of sodium is not accurate, as you're going to discard part of the tamari or soy sauce of the marinade.
- Nutritional info has been calculated by using 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 45.3g | Protein: 16.6g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2.2g | Sodium: 2589mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 15.1g
Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!
Update Notes: This post was originally published in December of 2017, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions and tips in June of 2019.
Roslyn says
Very good i forgot about the chives though
Iosune Robles says
Hi! I'm so glad you liked it 🙂
Lori FM says
We really enjoyed this! (Used 2 T of the cider vinegar.) The best part was learning the technique to flavor the tofu and use cornstarch to coat it - it came out really crispy and chewy. Also, this recipe seems pretty flexible, and I definitely see using it as a starting point for other flavors that have been suggested, such as orange or sesame. I will also mention that I used a 16 oz. box of extra-firm tofu, but did not increase the sauce - worked fine for us, but I want to mention that that fed 3 people exactly. Thanks again for the recipe!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Lori! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
Vera says
Amazing! Thank you for a great recipe! Our 14 year old teenager tried tofu for the first time because of your delicious recipe!
Best wishes!
Iosune Robles says
Hi Vera! That's good 🙂 I'm so glad you all liked it!
Kelly says
Fantastic! Made it tonight exactly as written. I agree with other commenters that, for my personal preference, next time I’d use less vinegar. Next time I will add more red pepper flakes or sriracha as I like a little more heat than this provided. Served it with steamed broccoli and white rice. Recipe is so easy to follow it’s a winner for nights you are craving take-out, don’t want to spend the money, but also don’t feel like taking a lot of time in the kitchen. Thanks for sharing this!
Iosune Robles says
Thanks for your kind comment Kelly! Have a nice day 🙂
Sara Mae says
Absolutely delicious. I doubled the garlic and added a splash of orange juice and about a tbsp of agave. It was perfect! Exactly what I was looking for. I served it over white rice and broccoli and found it very difficult to stop myself from eating the whole pan myself.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Sara! I'm so glad you liked our general tso's tofu recipe 🙂
Karen says
Absolutely delicious and so easy and quick
Iosune Robles says
Thank you so much Karen 🙂
Brendan Casey says
Absolutely delicious. So easy to make and so, so tasty. One to make again and again.
Iosune Robles says
Thanks for your kind comment Brendan 🙂
Hannah says
This was absolutely incredible! I’m still in disbelief. You could’ve fed me this telling it’s chicken and I swear on my life I would believe you. My meat-loving brother devoured so much. I cannot recommend this recipe more.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Hanna! Thank you so much! I'm so glad you all liked it 🙂
Britt says
I'm not too experienced with tofu and ended up with crumbles. Where did I go wrong?
Iosune Robles says
Hi! What do you mean with crumbles?
Kimberly says
This was a great recipe, very tasty! I would like to respectfully, however, suggest alternatives to the plastic bag. For those who might be vegan for environmental reasons and/or because we love animals, I think we can shake up the tofu in a reusable container. That’s what I did, and it worked just fine. Maybe tossing in a bowl would also work. I’m sorry. I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but there is way too much plastic in the world, particularly in the Pacific Garbage Patch. 🙂
Iosune Robles says
Hi Kimberly! Thanks for your kind advice/suggestion 🙂
Noell says
We made it tonight and it was incredible. Best version of General Tsos Tofu I've had so far! I liked this recipe because it was a little more simplified than other versions, quicker, and the tofu came out perfectly. I realized I don't need to press the tofu and this saved me a ton of time. A+!
Iosune Robles says
Hi! I'm so glad you liked our recipe 🙂
Kai says
Thank you for this recipe, it did turn out great. I was starting to freak out after I was heating up the sauce and it started to get clumpy and dark. OH NO, what's happening?!? Oh, this is the thickening. Brilliant. Really crept on me.
For the marinade portion, was that a separate pool of ACV and Tamari to not be taken away from the amounts in the sauce?
Iosune Robles says
Hi! I'm so glad you liked our recipe! I don't quite understand your question? Would it be possible to write us again? Sorry for the inconvenience!