Description
This crispy vegan orange tofu is sweet, tangy, and easy to make. It is inspired by the Panda Express orange chicken, and will make anyone a tofu lover!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Tofu:
- 1 - 14 ounce packages of extra firm tofu
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 cup oil of your choice
For the Orange Sauce:
- 1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice*
- 1 tablespoon oil of your choice
- 1-inch fresh ginger, finely grated
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- Zest from one orange
- Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish
- Optional: 1/2 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on how much you like spice)
Instructions
- First prep the crispy tofu. In a large bowl, toss the tofu with the cornstarch and salt until it's well-coated. If pan-frying, preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu to the pan (being careful to not overcrowd the pan), and fry each side for about 3-5 minutes until the tofu is crispy. Remove the tofu from the pan and place it on a plate with a paper towel to soak up the extra oil. Whip the pan clean to use for the orange sauce. If baking, preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Now prep the orange sauce by whisking together the orange juice, maple syrup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and Chinese five-spice if using together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Add the oil, garlic, and ginger to a pan and sautee for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Then, pour in the orange juice mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- In a small bowl mix together the cornstarch and water to make a paste. Once the orange juice mixture comes to a boil, turn off the heat and mix in the cornstarch paste. Continue to mix the mixture and let it thicken for about 5 minutes.
- Toss in the crispy tofu and the orange zest and mix until all of the tofu is well-coated in the orange sauce.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, and serve over rice. Enjoy your homemade takeout!
Notes
The orange tofu will be tasty without the Chinese five-spice, but I highly recommend adding it if you can find it in your local grocery store. It really brings the flavor of this dish to the next level!
There will be extra sauce right after cooking. It will thicken as it cools, and it is super yummy to put over rice!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: about 1/2 cup of tofu
- Calories: 263
- Sugar: 17.3g
- Sodium: 1066mg
- Fat: 8.1g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Carbohydrates: 33.4g
- Fiber: 1.6g
- Protein: 10.6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
