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 or 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 tbsp of tamari and 1 tbsp 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 1/3 of the tofu cubes to a freezer or plastic bag with 2 tbsp 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
- 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 Dishes To Serve With This Recipe?
- 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.
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PrintGeneral Tso’s Tofu
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2–4 1x
- Category: Main dish
- Cuisine: Asian, Vegan
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.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave us a review Ingredients
For the general Tso’s tofu
- 10 ounces firm tofu (275 g), cubed
- 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 6 tbsp cornstarch
- Oil of your choice, I used extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp vegetable stock or water
- 3 tbsp cane, coconut or brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Place the tofu cubes in a bowl or shallow dish.
- Add the marinade ingredients (2 tbsp of tamari and 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar), stir and let rest for at least 5 minutes, preferably overnight.
- Drain the tofu and discard the marinade.
- Transfer 1/3 of the tofu cubes to a freezer or plastic bag with 2 tbsp 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
- 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.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 237
- Sugar: 7.4 g
- Sodium: 1054 mg (see notes)
- Fat: 13.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 8.1 g
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.
This was my first time making a recipe using tofu, thank you for then easy to follow, step-by-step instructions AND TIPS! It turned out great …only wising there weren’t so many pop up ads and videos.. thanks 💕
i know that this is one of your most popular recipes, but i could not eat this at all. the tofu came out great, the sauce thickened up beautifully but the taste itself was just awful for me. followed this recipe exactly, i think the amount of ACV is too much. ended up throwing everything out and ordering take out. very disappointed.
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The recipe was easy to follow and made some bangin general tso on a first attempt. Added some red chili paste to the sauce for a little more spice. Perfect!
★★★★★
it was ok, i found it a bit salty… not sure if it was the soy sauce i used or what..
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How long do you leave the tofu in the freezer?
Haha I had the same confusion as I read that line over and over. Then I realized she was referring to a freezer bag OR plastic bag! 🙂 I think it was the use of bold on those parts of the sentence that made us read it wrong.
This was so delicious!!! I have Celiac and haven’t had general tsos in a very very long time. I was just looking for a tofu recipe that my husband wouldn’t be disgusted by… And this was it. He went back for seconds 🙂
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Hi Leila! So glad you guys enjoyed it 🙂
So yummy!!
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Hi Renee! Thank you so much 🙂
One week into eating vegan. Kinda scary. I made this today. Pretty good. A little too vinagary for me so next time more amino and less vinagar. I didn’t use red flakes. Probably should have. I will make this again.
Hi Jenni! So glad you liked it 🙂 If you subscribe to our email list you’ll get a vegan guide for beginners. Have a nice day!
This was an easy and delicious recipe that I will continue to use regularly. I do recommend extra firm tofu and soaking it in the marinade overnight if you have the time. It even comes out beautifully in the sir fryer (just dont forget to spray with oil).
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Hi Dacia! SO glad you like my recipe 🙂
This was awesome. We just went vegan a couple days ago. Really delicious recipe. Thank you!! Made it for whole family (3 sons). Everyone loved it.
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Hi Chelsea! Thanks a lot 🙂 Congratulations on going vegan! SO glad you guys enjoyed it!
This was my first go at making tofu and it was SO YUMMY! I don’t think I cooked the tofu long enough the first go because it was quite squishy at the end of it all but the flavor was perfect!
★★★★★
Hi Elicia! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
It was fine except too tart, may be less apple cider next time. I did find the whole thing to be quite messy though, with oil splatter everywhere.
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Hi Sar! I’m so sorry it was too tart for you, I guess it’s because of the type or brand of vinegar you use, mine wasn’t tart at all. Did you follow all my steps? It’s no messy at all. Have a nice day!
Made this tonight in my steel carbon wok….it was delicious! Served it with steamed broccoli and rice noodles. No issues with sticking. Will definitely be making this again, family loved it. Thank you!
Hi Alex! So glad you guys enjoyed it 🙂
Also how’d you get yours to look so red mine looks like a very deep burgundy color.
Hi Joe! It depends on the ingredients, I’ve used another brands and my sauce was brown 🙂
Very good recipe. I’d personally suggest pressing the tofu at least to get some of the water out. As the author said it’s not needed and is a personal preference. Found it a bit too soggy for my liking
★★★★★
Hi Joe! Thanks a lot for your comment 🙂 So glad you liked it!
Same here, I used every pan in the house, stuck to everything!
Hi Sara! I’m so sorry to hear that, but I promise you this recipe works. It’s actually one of the most popular recipes on the blog. Did you use a non-stick skillet? If so, try to add more oil 🙂
First time Ever tofuing, and I did it. Wife even liked it, I loved it. We’re new plant basers. I’ll even use the proper tofu next time.
★★★★★
Hi Mike! So happy to hear that 🙂
After my epic fail last week when it stuck & I dumped it, I tried again the next night. I made several changes but used the same nonstick skillet. I made sure the oil was hot before adding the tofu, for starters. I also used medium heat, despite the directions saying medium-high heat. It turned out excellent. Crispy & definitely worth making again.
★★★★
Hi Ari! I’m SO glad to hear that 🙂 So happy it worked!