This recipe for General Tso’s Tofu is the BEST! It’s crispy, saucy and one of the most delicious ways you can enjoy tofu. It’s also ready in under 30 minutes for a quick and easy dinner recipe that is naturally vegan and has a gluten-free option!

General Tso's Tofu in a white speckled bowl with chopsticks on the side

General Tso’s Tofu is one of my favourite ways to eat tofu because it completely transforms it into these crispy delicious bites that are perfectly covered in sauce!

Tofu can be a little tricky to cook with sometimes, and if not cooked properly it can turn out bland and flavourless.

One of the best ways to cook tofu is to fry it until crispy and coat it in sauce. Since tofu doesn’t have much flavour on its own, it’ll easily take on the flavour of whatever sauce you coat it with!

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • The General Tso’s Sauce is SO delicious on the tofu and will quickly become one of your new favourite ways to eat tofu.
  • This recipe is quick and easy to make and comes together in under 30 minutes. It can be enjoyed on its own or severed on top of rice or with a side of your favourite veggies.
  • The sauce is super easy to make and you can make extras of it to store in the fridge and use in your favourite stir-fry recipes.

What is General Tso’s sauce made of?

This general Tso’s sauce is made from just a few simple ingredients. When combined together, these ingredients give the sauce a sweet, salty and sour taste that are key components to a great General Tso’s Sauce. This sauce is made with:

  • Ketchup: not used in every traditional recipe, but ketchup contains vinegar and sugar which makes for a delicious sweet and tangy sauce!
  • Rice vinegar: You can use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar too, but rice vinegar is a classic ingredient to use in Asian sauces.
  • Coconut sugar: The sweet element of our sauce! You could also substitute this for brown sugar or even maple syrup or honey.
  • Soy sauce: The salty element. Use gluten-free if needed.
  • Grated ginger: to give the sauce a little kick! This is the “secret ingredient”

How to make General Tso’s Tofu

Press as much liquid out from the tofu as possible then cut into even cubes. Toss with the tofu cubes with cornstarch then cook them in a pan with some oil and sliced green onions. You want to cook the cubes on each side until golden brown. This will take about 2-3 minutes per side.

cubed tofu in a frying pan

While the tofu is cooking prepare the sauce by mixing all the sauce ingredients together. Once the tofu is done browning on each side, lower the heat to medium and pour the sauce into the pan.

a hand pouring sauce into a frying pan of tofu

Toss everything together until the tofu is evenly coated. If the sauce begins to stick to the pan, use a splash of vegetable broth or water to deglaze the pan.

general Tso tofu in a frying pan

Serve immediately and top with some sliced green onions and sesame seeds. This dish can be enjoyed on its own or served over some rice.

A bowl of General Tso Tofu topped with green onions and sesame seeds

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

You want to make sure to use firm or extra-firm tofu for this recipe. You can also use a tofu press and press out as much liquid as possible from the tofu, which will help it become extra crispy. You can try out a few different brands of tofu to find your favourite. I always recommend buying organic tofu, since soy is a highly sprayed crop.

Tips for making this recipe perfectly

  • Use extra-firm tofu for crispy tofu bites and make sure to coat the tofu in cornstarch. The Cornstarch helps to create a crispy coating (almost like a bit of a breading) around the tofu and will help the sauce cling to each cube.
  • Preheat the pan! This is especially important if your pan isn’t non-stick. Preheating the pan will help prevent the tofu cubes from sticking to the pan while you’re cooking.
  • Serve immediately. This recipe is not a dish I recommend preparing in advance before you want to eat it. The tofu will not stay as crispy if you prepare this too far in advance. This recipe is the absolute best when enjoyed right away.
chopsticks picking up a cube of General Tso Tofu

More tofu recipes to try

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General Tso Tofu in a speckled ceramic bowl with wooden chopsticks on the side

General Tso’s Tofu

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Jess
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Stir-Fry
  • Cuisine: Chinese
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Description

This General Tso’s Tofu is the BEST! It’s crispy and covered in a sweet and tangy sauce for a delicious tofu dish that’s ready in under 30 minutes! 

Scale

Ingredients

Tofu:

  • 1 block extra-firm tofu
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch 
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil 
  • 2 green onions, sliced 
  • (optoinal) green onions and sesame seeds to top 

Sauce:

Instructions

  1. Drain the tofu, cut into cubes and toss with the cornstarch.
  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan on medium-high heat then add the sliced green onions and tofu cubes. Let the cubes cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. 
  3. While the tofu is cooking, prepare the sauce by mixing the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
  4. Once the tofu is crispy on all sides, lower the heat to medium and pour the sauce over the tofu, tossing until evenly coated. 
  5. Serve immediately. Optionally top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. 

Notes

Use firm or extra-firm tofu in this recipe for crispy tofu cubes. Don’t skip out on the cornstarch either, this also helps the tofu get nice and crispy and will help the sauce cling to each cube. 

If your pan isn’t non-stick, preheat the pan on the stove before adding the oil. This will help prevent the tofu cubes from sticking to the pan. 

This dish is best served immediately. If reheating, do so in the oven at 400 degrees. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
  • Calories: 155
  • Sugar: 9.5g
  • Sodium: 500mg
  • Fat: 8.5g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Carbohydrates: 15g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 6g

Keywords: vegan general Tso’s recipe, General Tso’s with tofu

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