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General Tso’s Tofu: Spicy-Sweet and Healthy
Looking for a flavorful but healthy Chinese dish? 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. Also, it’s made with tofu instead of chicken and the tofu is not deep-fried, just sautéed in a little bit of oil.
Crafted after the well-known Chinese dish, General Tso’s Chicken, our version offers a sweet, yet lighter, healthier version. By using just a small amount of oil to cook the tofu, we keep the fat content lower than the original version, too.
Avoid those spicy foods? We use the term “optional” for the red pepper flakes for just that reason. Add a lot, a little, or none at all, according to your preferences.
Sides for General Tso’s Tofu Recipe
Of course, you might enjoy this simply with a bit of rice. But we usually include broccoli, lightly steamed, as an accent vegetable. In fact, the broccoli highlights the sweet, spicy flavors of the dish.
Since most Chinese dishes include rice, we usually pair our tofu with brown rice, too. Sure, white rice might seem more traditional. However, we opt for the added nutrition and fiber of the whole brown rice.
Is General Tso’s Tofu always an entree?
Yes, this dish began as a poultry-based entree. But Indeed, it doesn’t need to be. In fact, this dish stands out well as an appetizer, too. Truly, imagine a smaller portion of the tofu dish, perhaps a half-sized amount. Pair it with Miso Soup and perhaps a garlic broccoli dish.
Our General Tso’s Tofu Recipe
General Tso's Tofu
Ingredients
For the General Tso’s tofu
- 16 ounces tofu extra-firm, frozen, thawed, drained, pressed, then cubed.
- 4 tbsp soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 10 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
For the sauce
- 6 tbsp soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos
- 6 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 4 tbsp vegetable stock or water
- 6 tbsp Swerve or use cane, coconut or brown sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes optional
Garnish
- ¼ cup sesame seeds optional but they really add flavor and texture
Instructions
Tofu Instructions
- In a small bowl or dish, mix the marinade ingredients (4 tbsp of tamari and 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar), stir to mix.
- Place the tofu cubes in the marinade and turn to coat. Allow to marinate at least 5 minutes. For a deeper flavor, let marinate overnight in your refrigerator.
- Drain the tofu and discard the marinade.
- Put the cornstarch in a separate dish. Add the tofu cubes and turn gently to coat each piece. If needed, add more cornstarch.
- Heat the oil in a wok or skillet to medium-high temperature.
- Add the tofu cubes and cook until all sides are golden brown. Be careful not to turn the pieces until they are browned. Turning more frequently results in mushy cubes, rather than the desired texture. 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, sweetener, cornstarch and red pepper flakes).
- Add the sauce to the wok or skillet that you cooked garlic in. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
- Now, add the tofu cubes. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 more minutes.
- Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve with vegetable of your choice and brown rice.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Notes
If you prefer to change out the tofu, try making this with cauliflower pieces or gluten cubes. We've used both with excellent results! Prefer to go oil-free? Just bake the tofu at 400°F until golden brown, turning when one side browns. The amount of sodium shown in the nutrition analysis is not accurate, as you discard the marinade.Nutrition
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This looks and sounds delicious. I haven’t cooked with tofu before so I’m a little unsure of the texture and how it will fare but you make it sound easy so I’m up for giving it a go. One question about how to store tofu – can you freeze it and how long does it last in the fridge?
Tofu does indeed freeze well. In fact, we freeze ours when we purchase it for at least overnight. This helps give it a meatier type texture. Then defrost and use according to the recipe.
In the fridge, your tofu will probably last a week to 10 days, unopened. Like most foods, once it is opened, it does deteriorate more quickly. If you have an unused amount that you need to store, I find that the glass storage containers keep it fresh the longest (make sure they seal tightly)
I have always enjoyed the General Tso’s Chicken. But I started a diet this year on January and was looking for healthier options. I am glad I found General Tso’s Tofu. I like that it can be ready to serve in half an hour and also that we can get a spicy-sweet but also healthy Chinese dish.
Yes, the chicken-based recipe is indeed a bit less healthy and has more fat than our tofu version. When you try the recipe, please share your comments with us!
I do like how you have highlighted and outlined more about Tofu, the vivid description is a guideline to those interested in cooking a delicious Chinese meal, though haven’t tasted the meal yet at least have got a clue on how to go about, will try this recipe though will pair with spaghetti will that really work for me?
Thank you for your comments. I believe this might pair well with a noodle pasta such as spaghetti. When you make it, please leave us a comment. Thanks!
Hey great recipe!
So simple and quick yet scrumptious! Just the looks are enough to get my stomach rumbling. Going to save this as it’s a great healthy dish, plus the ability to spice the dish up easily is awesome!
So if I was to swap this with other foods would I need to change the measurements depending on what food I’m using?
It depends on the other foods you use. If you are changing out the oil, for example, and using sesame oil in place of the olive oil, the measurements should be approximately the same.
When you try the recipe, let me know what changes you make and how it turns out. Thanks!
As one of the few people I know that eats Tofu, this really hits home and I can do this immediately. I have not seen this brand before but I will definitely hunt for it. The recipe seems simple. One of the great things about Tofu is that you can use any spices or seasonings in the wok and during the cooking session the tofu really absorbs all the different flavors and takes on an identity all its own. A question I have is can you use coconut oil instead of olive oil? I like that there is a baking option for those who do not want to use a wok, but I prefer the cook top and all the great smells coming out of this and similar tofu recipes. I will definitely be looking out for this brand.
Warren
Always happy to hear from another person who enjoys tofu!
Yes, you can substitute other oils for the olive oil. We sometimes use coconut oil or even sesame oil (I love that hint of toasted sesame). I know some choose to simmer in a light vegetable broth, leaving out the oil altogether.
When you try our recipe, please leave us a comment.
Hello,
I enjoy tofu, especially when it is grilled or sautéed. However, I never saw a recipe like yours. And it seems yummy! I’ll definitely bookmark your website and follow your recipes. I’ve never bought General Tso’s Tofu though I saw it on a shelf in a Chinese grocery in Paris, some time ago. I’ll try your recipe with the tofu one of these days. Thank you!
Yes, tofu is delicious grilled or sautéed, but since it has little flavor of its own, using it in dishes such as General Tso’s Tofu creates a great texture and flavor combination. When you try the recipe, we’d like to hear your opinion in our comments.
Usually when I am at home I do cooking as a hobby. But I have never tried this recipe. I thought it was very difficult to make tofu. But according to your post, it’s very tasty and not too hard to make. I will definitely try this. Thanks a lot for this post. Keep posting interesting recipes like this. Thanks so much for this post
Thank you for your comments. Yes, tofu is actually quite easy to work with. And since it has little flavor of its own, it picks up the flavors we add to it. When you try the General Tso’s Tofu recipe, or others on our site, please write back and let us know your comments!