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.
Evalee says
I made this as my first tofu recipe ever. It was a great choice as my family loves General Tso's. It was simple & tasty. I paired it with Ginger Stir Fry vegetables.
Iosune says
Hi Evalee! Sounds amazing 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
Crystal says
Very yummy recipe and I’m usually not a fan of tofu. I made twice the amount of sauce because I like mine saucy and sautéed half onion, broccoli and green pepper It was DELICIOUS. Definitely going to be a staple in our house. My meat loving husband even liked this recipe 😉
Iosune says
Hi Crystal! I'm so happy to hear that 🙂 SO glad you and your husband enjoyed it!
Ellissa says
This recipe was so amazing! I wanted to try tofu for the first time and came across this recipe. It was such a success. I put in just a little too much cayenne pepper and let me tell you my tongue was burning. I will definitely be returning for more recipes to try. ❤️
Iosune says
Hi Ellissa! Thank you so much 🙂 SO glad you liked it!
Phil says
This recipe is getting 5 stars because it is the best recipe for tofu I've tried. It is delicious and we did not miss the chicken or pork. This will be a staple in our rotation. The time is a bit misleading; it takes longer than 30 minutes. You could probably use a full 16 ounce container of firm tofu and the other ingredients would be fine. Be sure to brown the tofu until crisp and brown. It only serves two with 10 ounces of tofu, but you may get three servings with a full package. Try this and I believe you will really enjoy it, even if you are not a tofu fan. Thank you for this fine recipe.
Iosune says
Hi Phil! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you liked it so much!
Candace Glover says
This meal was easy to make but it doesn’t taste like general TSO at all.
Iosune says
Hi Candance! It's not real meat, so it can't be the same. However, our readers LOVE it, as you can see in the comments 🙂
Sarah says
Yum! Ate with steamed broccoli and rice.
Iosune says
Hi Sarah! Sounds great 🙂
Jan says
I made this and I am not a vegan but had to go on a vegan diet for two weeks for medical reasons. I will tell you this, this dish is the best general tso that I have ever had. I am still in shock of how good it was. I will be making this again.
Iosune says
Hi Jan! I'm so happy to hear that 🙂 SO glad you enjoyed it!
Veronica says
I have made this recipe twice since finding it and it had been a huge hit. The first time i made it one non vegan friend at the table commented that it tasted like chicken LOL she said it was soooo good! Will make again! I added a little ginger both times when making.
Iosune says
Hi Veronica! So glad you guys liked it 🙂
Avery says
The tofu and sauce came out amazing, I chose to use double the amount of cayenne to get a bigger spice kick, which was perfectly balanced. I also chose to throw in a carrot, onion and bell peppers per the sweet and sour tofu recipe on this site, which filled out the meal and worked perfectly. Cheap, simple, and tasty!
Iosune says
Hi Avery! Sounds amazing 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
Hans says
Would it not be better to soak the tofu for an hour not 5 only minutes?
Iosune says
Hi Hans! Yes, it's better, but not necessary 🙂
A says
Most recipes require gettting the moisture out of the tofu before hand. I’m assuming you don’t suggest this?
Iosune says
Hi there! No, I don't. I never press tofu and it works for me, but it's up to you!
Edwi says
Absolutely delicious, my new favorite tofu recipe!
Iosune says
Hi Edwi! Yayyyy! So glad you liked it so much 🙂