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
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and let me know how it was!
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.
Erin says
amazingly delicious and super easy. this is my go-to for meal prep or an easy dinner.
Iosune says
Hi Erin! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you liked it!
Erica says
We loved this! It's positive vegan experiences like this that help move us closer to being both vegetarian and vegan. Thank you for sharing this recipe, really. So much flavor. 🙂
Iosune says
Hi Erica! You're so welcome 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
claudia says
This recipe is sooo good! My daughter does not eat tofu and she had no idea that I was feeding it to her 🙂 Another winner from your site (thai soup is also the bomb!)
Iosune says
Hi Claudia! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you like our recipes!
Natasha says
Good, but my sauce didn’t turn out the same color or taste of a traditional Tso sauce. It did not resemble the picture at all. It was dark brown and not orange. Still good though.
Iosune says
Hi Natasha! Did you use the same ingredients and followed all the steps?
Jules says
This was....amazing! I'm not vegan but when I'm in a rut, I pick up tofu. One boring stirfry later...meh.... This toally changed my opinion on tofu. Totally need to check out your recipes. 🙂
Iosune says
Hi Jules! I'm so happy to hear that 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it so much!
Anette says
OMG OMG, i have no words for that. It's looks and taste delicious. THAT is definitly a favorite recipe for me. Thanks a lot.
Iosune says
Hi Anette! Thank YOU so much 🙂 Have a nice day!
Erin says
I was exremely surprised how delicious this meal is!!! The tofu had an amazing texture, firm on the outside and soft on the inside. The sauce was very tasty. We cooked it in sesame oil instead and used rice vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar. We served it with cauliflower rice and Asian veggies. Will definitely make this again! Thank you 🙂
Iosune says
Hi Erin! Sounds great 🙂 Thank YOU for giving my recipe a try!
BLSimmons says
Yummy. So easy to make. My mom who doesn’t love tofu really ENJOYED this recipe. Thanks.
Iosune says
Hi! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you guys enjoyed it!
Joanne says
I just made your recipe for two's tofu and I had it with rice. Totally delicious. I can't wait to try more of your recipes.
Thank you for sharing,
Joanne
Iosune says
Hi Joanne! I'm so happy to hear that 🙂 Hope you enjoy our recipes!
Lauren says
I’ve made this recipe twice and it is amazing, thank you so much for sharing! My husband never thought he’d ask for tofu but because of this he does!! It is very forgiving, I didn’t have enough soy sauce and a little teriyaki substitute worked perfectly. Especially delicious with snow peas, carrots, and boy choy.
Iosune says
Hi Lauren! You're so welcome 🙂 Sounds great!
Syreeta says
Just made it, me and my daughter are eating it now. It is amazing. Thanks for the recipe!
Iosune says
Hi Syreeta! You're so welcome 🙂 So glad you guys liked it!
L. R. says
Made this for my 16 yr old daughter who is venturing into vegetarianism. Really really good. The tofu crisped up nicely, the sauce was great with brown rice. It was our first time cooking with tofu and the only issue is getting all the dang water pressed out. My daughter used half a roll of paper towel. Any suggestions on how to get the tofu prepared would be great.
Iosune says
Hi! I never press the tofu, I think it's not necessary 🙂
Em says
Tofu is like a sponge. The more water inside it, the less it can absorb. So pressing tofu removes the water and makes it greedily suck up marinades and sauces. Pressing is the key to flavorful tofu.
Iosune says
Hi Em! I think tofu tastes also amazing and you can save a step and some time, but it's up to you 😉