Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (2024)

Last modified: . Originally posted: By Sophia DeSantis

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This vegan tofu General Tso recipe is bursting with flavor, easy to make and a perfect healthier alternative to the traditional restaurant variation.

Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (1)

Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (2)This post originally published on May 13, 2018.

This is a cookbook review written by me on behalf of Chloe Coscarelli, for which I received a free copy of the book and a kit by Nasoya. All the opinions and text are all mine.

This vegan version of General Tso is awesome. Really easy to make, and super versatile! The sauce is simple but full of flavor, and leftovers can be used with so many things!

Vegan General Tso's Tofu

Going out to Chinese food was always one of my favorite, but as I got healthier, my stomach couldn't take the fried food and loads of salt frequently found in these restaurants. In comes Chloe Flavor, the new cookbook by vegan celebrity chef Chloe Coscarelli.

Can we just start with how cute this book looks on my cookbook shelf? The spine is the perfect yellow, and has a photo of pink, yellow and white donuts. Swoon. I love the mouthwatering colorful photos and all the action shots. It makes me want to jump in and eat with her!

What really drew me in though was the fun titles she uses for the sections. You must have fun titles to really grab my attention. A few of my most favorites are:

  • but first, breakfast & brunch
  • oh, the pastabilities
  • fork it, bowls & plate it dishes
  • sweet yo' self

And the tagline for the book is: saucy, crispy, spicy, vegan. It's like this book is talking to me. I need Chloe to be my friend.

Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (3)

Now we can all make this delicious, indulgent, but secretly healthy dinner right in our own kitchen! I am including how to alter this recipe in order to satisfy my no-oil crew, and I added a bunch of my current favorite veggies into the mix because extra veggies are awesome.

Is General Tso's tofu vegan?

This version is! Tofu is a great vegan alternative to the traditional chicken. If you buy your General Tso's sauce from the store, you'll want to double-check the ingredients but you will love this variation!

What is General Tso's sauce made of?

The usual General Tso's sauce is made of soy sauce, wine, vinegar, chicken stock, sugar, sesame seed oil, and cornstarch. But in this recipe, the sauce is made up of maple syrup, tamari, sriracha, orange juice, and cornstarch.

What does tofu taste like?

Tofu doesn't have any taste! Which makes it perfect for these kinds of recipes. The tofu really soaks up the flavor of the sauce and tastes delicious! To get the best flavor, pressing your tofu is important. Pressing releases the liquid inside, allowing the tofu to suck up any other liquid.

Chloe partnered with Nasoya to help launch this cookbook so I also got a tofu press along with the book. I was blown away by how cool a tofu press is! I know, I'm late to the show, but it is my new favorite tool!

What does General Tso's taste like?

General Tso's has a nice gingery flavor to it. It also has a nice tart flavor with just a hint of sweetness. It is loaded with yumminess and the sauce could also be used for other things, and even just plain on veggies and/or rice!

Can you prep this ahead of time?

You can definitely make some of the parts ahead of time, but since you want a nice crispy tofu, that part is made fresh. If you want to prep ahead, here is what I would do:

  • Make the sauce. Put in an air tight container in the fridge until ready to use.
  • Press tofu and marinade it, place in fridge until ready to bake the next day.
  • Prep rice.
  • Day of, bake tofu and veggies. Heat up sauce in a pan and then continue following the recipe by adding the tofu.

How to Make a Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe

This is fairly simple to make, the newest thing for many of you will be pressing your tofu if you want the ultimate flavor. It is easy to do, and you really just need to get used to it.

  1. Press and marinate tofu.Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (4)
  2. Make the sauce.Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (5)
  3. Roast the tofu and extra veggies if you are adding them. Instead of frying the tofu I baked it similar to my recipe for crispy baked tofu. I then added it to the sauce once it was all thickened in the pan. The crispiness maintained perfectly.Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (6)
  4. Serve!Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (7)

If you're looking for a delicious soy free Chinese takeout at home recipe, try my Chinese Style Vegan Orange Cauliflower recipe!

Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (8)

Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (9)

Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe

Sophia DeSantis

Shared with permission from the amazing new cookbook Chloe Flavor by Chloe Coscarelli.

This vegan tofu General Tso recipe is bursting with flavor, easy to make and a perfect healthier alternative to the traditional restaurant variation.

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Shop Ingredients

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 4 (see note)

Calories 337 kcal

Ingredients

Tofu:

Stir-Fry:

Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

Instructions

Make the tofu:

  • In a large zip-top bag, combine the tofu, tamari, and cornstarch. Toss to coat—the cornstarch will become goopy

Make the stir-fry:

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, tamari, sriracha, orange juice, and cornstarch until the cornstarch has dissolved

  • In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat

  • When it shimmers, add the tofu, working in batches as needed, and sear for about 3 minutes on each side, until crispy all over

  • Return all the tofu to the skillet and add the scallions, orange zest, garlic, and ginger. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the scallions begin to break down

  • Add the sauce and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 5 minutes more, until the sauce thickens

  • Serve over rice, garnished with sesame seeds

For oil-free option:

  • Make the tofu in a zip-top bag as stated. Then spread it out on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 450 F (230 C) for 25 minutes or until crispy. Then skip to the 4th direction under making the stir fry and cook thescallions, orange zest, garlic, and ginger as stated but on their own. Add the sauce, and then once it is thickened add the baked crispy tofu and mix.

  • I also baked my veggies (see notes) at the same time as the tofu. Bake on a separate parchment lined cookie sheet. You can continue to roast the veggies once the tofu is done if needed.

Notes

Tip CRISPY TOFU: The key to having crispy tofu cubes is to not flip them over too soon. Let each piece get nicely browned before flipping it to the other side

My alterations:

  • Follow the additional instructions on how to make this oil-free, I did not use the oil mentioned in the ingredients.
  • I added 4 cups of veggies (I roasted 2 cups broccoli, 1 cup fennel and 1 cup radishes at the same time I baked the tofu when making the oil-free version). This made my recipe come out at 4 servings instead of 2 (as is in the original recipe).
  • I also added 2 cups of brown rice for serving.
  • I did not use all the sauce, save extra for future use.
  • Nutritional info is done for my version of 4 servings (including the veggies and brown rice listed above). Double it if doing the 2 servings of the original recipe.

Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 14gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0gMonounsaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 668mgPotassium: 548mgFiber: 4gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 490IUVitamin C: 66.4mgCalcium: 117mgIron: 2.5mg

Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.

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Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (10)

Vegan Tofu General Tso Recipe - Veggies Don't Bite (2024)

FAQs

What is vegan General Tso made of? ›

Just toss tofu in soy sauce and pepper, and crisp it up in the skillet. Then, make the General Tso's sauce with everyday ingredients and thicken it up, add veggies and add the tofu back, and it's ready to serve. Dish this up with rice, quinoa, other cooked grains, or noodles.

Is General Tso tofu good for you? ›

For every serving, you get 9g of protein, 4g carbs and 3g fat (2.5g unsaturated, 0.5g saturated). Frying the tofu adds more fat but also adds a ton of flavor. Worth it! We love this as a quick weeknight dinner.

Can you cook frozen tofu? ›

For Frozen Soft Tofu

Cut it into pieces and let it simmer in a soup, stew, or anything saucy to let it soak up the flavour. I used it in this Thai sukiyaki soup recipe and it was delicious. Just add them at the end and let it simmer for just a few minutes so the tofu can heat through and absorb that flavour. Hot pots!

How long do you steam tofu for? ›

Prepare your steamer or a pan. I simply used a pan, added some water, and placed my footed serving dish over the water on the pan. I covered the pan and left the water to boil until it creates a good steam. Leave the tofu to steam for 8-10 minutes.

Should you marinate tofu? ›

Tofu has very little flavour itself but soaks up almost every flavour you add to it. When you put tofu in a stew or simmer it in a broth, you don't need to marinade it beforehand, as it absorbs all of the flavours during cooking. But for all other types of preparations, it's better to marinate the tofu first of all.

What's the difference between bean curd and tofu? ›

Tofu starts with soaking dried soybeans. They are ground and boiled to make soy milk, which is then coagulated (much like dairy milk is to make cheese). The resulting curds are pressed into blocks, hence the term “bean curd.” Firm tofu has had some of the liquid pressed out of it for a more solid texture.

What is the downside of eating too much tofu? ›

The significant disadvantages of Tofu may cause allergies in some people. The symptoms of soy allergies include skin rash, inflammation, itching, fainting, breathing difficulty, abdominal pain and throat swelling. In rare scenarios, Tofu may cause osteoporosis and estrogen-related cancer.

Why do Chinese eat so much tofu? ›

This probably coincided with the spread of Buddhism as it is an important source of protein in the vegetarian diet of East Asian Buddhism. Li Shizhen, during the Ming dynasty, described a method of making tofu in the Compendium of Materia Medica.

How unhealthy is fried tofu? ›

Frying tofu can give it a crispy texture, but comes at a cost – it can be high in calories, up to three times more than baked or air-fried tofu. This is because frying requires added oil as a heat conductor, which cooks the tofu evenly but also makes it absorb more oil, resulting in more fat and calories.

Why does tofu turn yellow when frozen? ›

As you can see from the image above, the frozen tofu color is a bit more yellow. Don't worry, this is totally normal, it's just what happens when the soy protein freezes. If you go for option two, make sure to squeeze or pat down your tofu to press some of the water out.

Can I eat raw tofu? ›

Eat it raw: Tofu is completely safe to eat raw. Whether you press it or marinate it, you can use raw tofu in salads, smoothies, or have it as a protein-packed snack. Marinating: Since tofu has a bland flavor, marinating it is very popular.

What does pouring boiling water over tofu do? ›

It may seem counterintuitive to add water to something you're trying to dry out, but boiling water will actually cause the tofu to squeeze out more moisture, bringing it to the surface and making it easier to blot off, while the salt gently seasons the slices.

Do I need to soak tofu before cooking? ›

Many cooking experts champion a quick soak as a way to give the protein more texture and flavor. “Simmering cubed tofu in salted water for 60 seconds pulls out excess moisture and tightens the proteins on its surface,” Lukas Volger told Bon Appétit in 2021.

How do you know when tofu is done? ›

If you're cooking slices or cubes, cut the tofu into slices, layer them between paper towels and weigh down the individual slices. The finished tofu should be spongy yet dry (you'll need to weigh it down for 30 minutes to 2 hours).

What is General Tso made of? ›

Basic ingredients include: Sauce: soy sauce, rice wine, rice-wine vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, dried red chili peppers (whole), garlic. Batter / breading: egg, cornstarch. Dish: broccoli, chicken dark meat (cubed).

What is vegan on Chinese menu? ›

Tofu Vegan

Chinese classics on its extensive menu include wonton soup, Cantonese sweet and sour “chicken”, dim sum, and Peking “duck”.

Is Chinese mock chicken vegan? ›

In Chinese cuisine, fried gluten is used to make imitation meat dishes for people who are intolerant to meat products, or people who prefer vegetarian dishes over meat. Here you find Wu Chung brand's 290g canned mock chicken which is a good vegan alternative for chicken dishes.

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