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General Tso’s Tofu (Vegetarian)

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General Tso’s Tofu will have you forgetting about the meat and devouring dinner! This is the BEST vegetarian version of the famous General Tso’s dish. 

General Tso's Tofu will have you forgetting about the meat and devouring dinner! This is the BEST vegetarian version of the famous General Tso's dish.

General Tso’s Tofu is one of my favorite dishes, mostly because I love Chinese take out, but sometimes it’s hard to find a great version at Chinese restaurants. It’s not a problem though, because it’s very easy to make Vegetarian General Tso’s Tofu at home. It’s great knowing exactly what ingredients go into the recipe (no MSG like a lot of restaurants add), and it’s majorly delicious! General Tso’s Tofu is the perfect vegetarian version of General Tso’s Chicken. Add Sesame Bok Choy, Garlic Ginger Spinach, or Air Fryer Roasted Broccoli to the side along with some homemade crab rangoon and you have the perfect dinner!

General Tso's Tofu will have you forgetting about the meat and devouring dinner! This is the BEST vegetarian version of the famous General Tso's dish.

For General Tso’s Tofu, I like the tofu to be crispy. This means you have the option to fry or bake it, but I like to use a method called ‘shallow’ frying, which means the whole object isn’t submerged in oil; basically just the bottom and you turn flip it around on each side to get the desired crispness. 

How to make General Tso’s Tofu:

**scroll down for full directions and printable ingredient list.**

  • Tofu needs to be pressed before you use it. Make sure all the water is pressed out of the tofu.
    • Cut the tofu bloc in half, then set the halves onto a paper towel or clean kitchen towel. Place another towel/paper towel on top of the tofu, then place a heavy object on top in order to weigh down the tofu. Leave it for at least 20 minutes, but the longer the better. This will help press the water out of the tofu, and the water will be absorbed with the towel/paper towel. 
  • To get crispy tofu, we are going to coat the tofu in cornstarch, then shallow fry it. 
  • Heat the oil in a heavy bottom skillet, then add the tofu being careful not to crowd the pan. Flip the tofu around every few minutes and you will see it developing a nice browned crispy crust on the outside. 
  • Make the sauce while the tofu is cooking.
      • to adjust the spice level, reduce or add more red pepper flakes.
  • Once the tofu is done, remove from the pan and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Carefully wipe the skillet out (it’s hot), then place back on stove and add sesame oil. Then add the ginger and green onions to the skillet and cook for a minute. Pour the sauce into the skillet and cook another minute, then add the tofu into the skillet and toss to coat. 

General Tso's Tofu will have you forgetting about the meat and devouring dinner! This is the BEST vegetarian version of the famous General Tso's dish.

How to serve General Tso’s Tofu:

What is the best Tofu for cooking General Tso’s Tofu?

Definitely use firm or extra firm tofu for this recipe. The tofu needs to be firm to stand up to the coating and frying. Using a soft or silk tofu will result in the tofu falling apart while trying to coat and cook it.

Where do I find tofu at the store?

Tofu is generally kept in the produce section of the grocery store. If your grocery store has a natural foods area, it could also be there. It will always be in a cooler or refrigerated. If you can’t find it, just ask. Most grocery stores stock firm tofu regularly. 

If you like TOFU as much as I do, be sure to checkout these other Tofu recipes:

  • Honey Sesame Tofu is the perfect dinner for meatless Monday or vegetarians. The tofu is fried crispy and then tossed in a delicious sweet sauce!
  • Copycat Bang Bang Tofu is a vegetarian spin on the popular Bang Bang Shrimp!! Spicy, sweet, and delicious!
  • Easy Baked Tofu will become a staple in your home. Add sauce, throw it in salads, the sky is the limit for this versatile basic tofu recipe. 
  • Panda Express Copycat Firecracker Tofu with Brown Rice is a delicious take-out style dinner!
  • Spicy Asian Eggplant & Tofu Bowls are the perfect healthy dinner! Delicious Japanese Eggplant, Bok Choy, and tofu drenched in a spicy Asian Sauce! Takes less than 30 minutes, too!

For more Asian inspired recipe, CLICK HERE.

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5 from 18 votes
Print
General Tso's Tofu
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
 

General Tso's Tofu will have you forgetting about the meat and devouring dinner! This is the BEST vegetarian version of the famous General Tso's dish. 

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: asian
Keyword: general tso's tofu
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Tofu
  • 1 brick extra firm tofu
  • 3-4 TBS cornstarch
  • 1-2 TBS canola or vegetable oil
For the sauce
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3 TBS hoisin sauce
  • 3 TBS rice vinegar
  • 3 TBS ketchup
  • 2 TBS soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 shakes red pepper flakes (optional, 2 shakes turns out pretty mild..add more for more spice or you can leave out for less)
  • 1 TBS sesame oil
  • 4 green onions , chopped
  • 3 TBS fresh ginger , finely chopped
Instructions

  1. Drain tofu of excess water pressing between the counter and heavy object. **I use 2 clean kitchen towels, one folded up the size of the tofu brick on the bottom (place under tofu), and then one on top. Then I place my cast iron pan on top of the top towel, and sometimes place something else in the pan to hold it down. You do not want the tofu to collapse, if it's breaking take some weight off. Let sit 20 minutes. to drain**

  2. While waiting for tofu, mix together the first 7 ingredients and set aside.

  3. Heat a skillet on medium with about a 1/2 inch of vegetable oil inside. While heating, slice tofu into 1/2" slices, then cut each slice into thirds. Coat each cube lightly with cornstarch and then place into pan until browned and crispy. You may have to turn up the heat under the pan a bit. Remove from frying pan and set aside on paper towels.

  4. Wipe pan clean with paper towel and add sesame oil, onions, and chopped ginger. Cook about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add sauce mixture to pan, bring to a boil, and simmer about 2 minutes. Add tofu back to mixture, toss to coat. Top with green onions if desired.

General Tso's Tofu will have you forgetting about the meat and devouring dinner! This is the BEST vegetarian version of the famous General Tso's dish. >

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. That looks really good, and I don’t even like tofu! Always looking for meatless meals. I’ll tell you how it turns out 🙂

    Reply

  3. I love tofu, but sometimes it gets boring with just soy sauce. Pinning this. Would love for you to come and linkup tomorrow for the Let’s Get Real Blog Hop at 5PM EST. mypinterventures.com

    Reply

    • I totally agree that you need creative recipes to make tofu work and not get bored with it! This one totally revived my love for tofu! Thanks for the invite, I will check it out 🙂

      Reply

  4. Hey, everybody! I ended up making this exactly as written and it turned out PERFECTLY! Husband ate 3 helpings, even my picky toddler boy loved it. Will be making again.

    Reply

  6. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe. I made this tonight for dinner and served it with rice noodles and a few drops of saracha on top. It wil surely become a staple!

    Reply

    • You are most welcome, Karen! We love it over here too, and it is a staple too! The sauce is delicious over other things as well, and we often add veggies in with out tofu and rice now! yum!

      Reply

  7. Where in Atlanta? There is an amazing place in Alpharetta called Lin’s that does AMAZING things with Tofu!

    Reply

  8. This recipe is amazing! Followed the recipe exactly and served over wild rice. I’ll definitely be making this one again. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Alicia, I am so happy you tried it out and liked it! It has definitely become a staple in our house, we totally love it, too! Thanks for coming by to let me know!

      Reply

  9. You are MY hero, that’s for sure! I must try this very soon.

    Could I interest you in sharing your recipe and photo in return for a link back to your blog? Please email me if so. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Hi Chessie- my photos and recipes are both copyright. If you want to mention the recipe that is fine, but you cannot post the recipe and photo. You can mention it and then post a link back to my blog for the complete recipe.

      Reply

  10. This looks amazing! I was wondering about the corn starch – would you also dredge chicken in it as well? Does the corn starch make for the bubbly crispy coating? Thank you SO much for sharing the recipe!!

    Reply

    • It does! It should have the same effect on chicken and i’ve read that is actually makes the crispiest, most delicious chicken because it seals in all the juices! Just try to get an even coating (no big clumps) and fry that baby up! The sauce is the serious star here, so no matter how it turns out, as long as you cook up the sauce, you can’t go wrong! It’s also great served over veggies and rice!

      Reply

  11. Thanks for the amazing recipe! If there’s tofu, ginger and soy sauce in there I’m sold. Will most definitely be trying it out :D.

    Reply

  13. Great recipe! Thanks! To be sure though, as I’m simmering the sauce, do I need 4 onions or 4 TBSP of chopped onions?

    Reply

  14. I thought Tofu was disgusting before eating this dish. If it wasn’t fried I would eat this everyday… OMG amazing and it tastes just like it’s from the Chinese restaurant. I used to love General Tso Chicken before I became a vegetarian. I was actually sad when my plate was finished. Thank you!

    Reply

  15. I just made this for dinner and it was delicious! I did find it a bit sweet, so next time I think I’ll reduce the sugar and increase the spice a bit. Thank you for the great recipe!

    Reply

    • I am so happy y’all liked it! It’s definitely a staple over here! I have lots of yummy tofu recipes coming up in the next few weeks so check back for those!

      Reply

    • I am so happy you LOVED it!! We love it over here too! Stay tuned because I have several more tofu recipes coming soon!

      Reply

  18. I pinned this awhile back to try. I finally prepared it last night and WOW! Even my confirmed-carnivore fiancé went back for seconds! Loved, loved, LOVED it! The sauce is fantastic. The trick really was to get the tofu well dried and use hot oil to get it crisped up. He said, “You outdid yourself on this one, girl,” so I’m passing that compliment on to you, too! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

    • Wow!! I am so happy y’all loved it! I am telling you, people always say they don’t like tofu, but I swear it’s because they don’t know how to cook it! This recipe is SO good, I think any non tofu-liker like it, it’s so awesome! Have you tried my other Tofu recipes? The Bang Bang Tofu (https://domesticsuperhero.com/2015/01/19/copycat-bang-bang-tofu/)
      I just posted on Monday is equally delicious (and I have a lot of other asian inspired tofu recipes coming soon, so check back or sign up for emails!). Thanks so much for stopping by to tell me how it turned out!

      Reply

      • Thanks! I’ll be checking those other recipes out! I’m really excited to find some good recipes for tofu. My fiancé’s been very open minded about trying it, but he’s a big eater. Thankfully, he likes veggies, as well, so we always feature a lot of those, too. In addition to the health benefits, tofu is also cost effective for the grocery bill. So we’ve been working in a (filling) vegetarian meal once a week. I think it’s been good for our digestion – and our wallets!

        Reply

  20. i’m in atlanta, too, and canton cooks II (just outside the perimeter) is literally the best i’ve ever had. may or may not compare with nyc, but it’s worth a shot nonetheless.

    Reply

    • Hmmm, your first letter is on lowercase, are you sure it’s forcing caps?! Anyway, I see the recipe, at the bottom of the page under everything. Can you see it? If not, send me your email and I can email it to you!

      Reply

      • Thanks. I think I toggled the all caps while trying to figure things out but even now my comment appears to be in all caps. anyways, i see the recipe now. it must have been a temporary glitch because the others are back now, too. thanks for the quickie reply!

        Reply

  22. I made this tonight and it was good. I didn’t use 1/2 inch of oil, just enough coconut oil to fill the bottom of the pan. The coconut oil worked well. One note, when saying “brick” of tofu, can you add the ounces? I ended up pulling out another container of my Trader Joes tofu at the last minute because my one brick seemed like a small amount compared to the sauce. I ended up only using half the sauce on the tofu and then the rest on the chicken for the kiddos. Thanks for sharing your love of food with me!

    Reply

    • You are so welcome! Thank you for the tips, I will go ahead and add the ounces. There is a lot of sauce in this recipe, because we love having lots to put on the rice, veggies, or whatever else – it’s SO good!

      Reply

  23. That was simply amazing! My husband asked if there was any left so he could have seconds. The flavor was perfect and not too spicy. Thank you.

    Reply

  24. Unfortunately, this did not taste like any General Tso’s that we’ve ever tasted. We used half of the ginger and we both thought this had a LOT of ginger in it still. The sauce never thickened up like it should have. As soon as the tofu hit the sauce, it became soggy. I would just use a traditional General Tso sauce and skip the tofu. If you can not make General Tso sauce yourself, most Chinese restraunts will sell you some sauce for a few dollars (maximum).
    This recipe is just very odd. Decent-ish recipe if you do not go into it thinking it will actually taste like General Tso. It just tastes like a gingery soy sauce.

    Reply

    • Also, we used twice as much red pepper flakes as recommended as well as several dried Thai bird eye chili peppers and it was still not very spicy.

      Reply

    • Yikes! I’m not sure what could have happened, but it sounds like you made a lot of changes in the originally written recipe, so maybe something went awry along the way. This recipe comes out perfect for us every time and all the other commenters have said the same. I am sorry it didn’t come out for you!

      Reply

  25. I tired this recipe a few days ago and it was SO good! I tried it again tonight and I tripled it and used soy “chicken” and it tastes exactly like Chinese takeout! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  26. 5 stars
    I made this for dinner tonight and loved it. First time I’ve ever gotten tofu to be crispy. Served it over rice with broccoli. Amazing.

    Reply

    • I am so happy you loved it! I always recommend this recipe to people who say they don’t like tofu, or don’t know how to cook it! We loooove it too!

      Reply

  27. I plan to make this next week! At Chinese restaurants I ask for a lighter amount of sauce with my dishes. Do you think the ingredients are enough for 2 packages of tofu for someone like me? If not maybe I could just times it by 1.5 instead of doubling the amounts.

    Reply

  28. 5 stars
    I have this made many times. Whenever I make this I always make another batch and substitute with chicken for non eating tofu hubby and pals. This is the easiest low maintenance recipe. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  29. I made this tonight and my boyfriend and our son loved it. Said it by far his favorite tofu recipe that I’ve made. Thank you for sharing this fabulous recipe.

    Reply

  30. 5 stars
    So delicious! Have made multiple times with tofu and with chicken. Has turned out wonderful every time – followed the recipe exactly. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!!!

    Reply

  42. This tastes and looks incredible. After sending my brother a snap of the dish, he asked for the recipe to try it out for himself!

    Reply

  43. 5 stars
    This was unbelievably good! I’ve been looking for a good General Tso’s tofu recipe. I made one last week from another blogger that was underwhelming, but this is absolutely fantastic! To make this healthier, I used a zero calorie sweetener in the sauce, and I air fried the tofu. I also sauteed a couple of cups of broccoli with the onions and ginger. Soooo good! I will be making this again. We aren’t vegetarian so I may try this with shrimp or chicken next time!

    Reply

  44. 5 stars
    This was sooo amazing! I used my air fryer to crisp up the tofu and I subbed Swerve for the sugar as I’m diabetic. I also added in two cups of chopped broccoli. I had tried other General Tsos recipes and didn’t love them, but this one is amazing. My partner loved it too, I will be making this again and again!

    Reply

  45. 5 stars
    Fan freaking tastic! We make this weekly now, although without ketchup. It’s a winner every time and the only meal I have trouble with saying “no” to seconds.

    Reply

  46. Ive3 made this is the past and its fantastic! I just got an aor fryer and I am dying to try tofu air fried do you jave any suggestions or tips?

    Reply

    • Heather- yes! I have been making. tofu in the air fryer for a while but haven’t posted it! I actually wouldn’t even coat it because it comes out crispy without the coating in the air fryer. Just squeeze out all the water, then let it marinade in the sauce ingredients. Then put the tofu in the air fryer at 375 degrees and 15 minutes. Shake the basket about halfway through! Then use the left over marinade to make the sauce in a pot on the stove…you can double the sauce if you want. Then just add the tofu in the pot once it’s heated and thickened a bit!

      Reply

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