General Tso’s Tofu Stir-Fry

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Dinner bowls filled with our General Tso's Tofu recipe alongside broccoli and rice

This is one of those comfort food dishes that you make when a serious takeout craving hits, but you still want to cook at home to save a few calories and dollars.

My General Tso’s tofu is the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and savory. It is loaded with protein (20+ grams per serving!) and comes together in just 30 minutes!

Making sauce for our sweet and spicy General Tso's Tofu recipe
Marinating cubes of tofu in gluten-free vegan sweet and spicy sauce

This recipe is a reader request – thanks Marshette!

Much like Singapore Noodles, I had never actually tried General Tso’s stir fry before. But from what I hear, it’s traditionally lightly battered and fried chicken tossed with a savory-sweet sauce, and cooked with green onion and dried red chilies for heat.

I think I can get on board with that.

Origins of General Tso’s Stir-Fry

It’s believed that General Tso’s Chicken stir-fry was created around the 1950s by a chef named Pang Chang-kuei. He was born in the Hunan province of China and went to Taiwan after the Chinese civil war.

He says the dish was inspired by flavors of Hunanese cuisine and named after a Hunanese general. Pang later moved to New York and opened his first restaurant. He adapted his recipe to cater to his new audience and the dish quickly spread in popularity.

Using a cast-iron skillet to make crispy tofu

To keep my version plant-based, I went with tofu. If you’ve followed this blog for long, you’ve probably seen my favorite way to make tofu taste good.

Well, even though I still love that method, I may love this new method even more (one I adapted from The Kitchn)!

Simply marinate the tofu in a bit of soy sauce, maple syrup, and chili garlic sauce before dredging in cornstarch and pan-frying in a little oil. The result is a flavorful tofu that’s crispy on the outside, tender (not mushy) on the inside, and comes together in about 20 minutes!

Sautéing green onions and red chilies in a cast-iron skillet

This dish gets some serious heat from dried red chilies, which you can find in most traditional and Asian grocery stores. However, if you have trouble locating some, either use fresh red chilies or extra chili garlic sauce.

Whatever you do, don’t skip the heat! That’s what makes this dish balanced and delicious.

Cast-iron skillet filled with our 30-minute gluten-free vegan General Tso's Tofu recipe

I think you guys are going to LOVE this fake-out takeout dish. It’s:

Extremely flavorful
Perfectly spiced
Not too sweet
Satisfying
Comforting
Quick
& Dang delicious

This would make the perfect entrée to make when you’re craving takeout but want to stay in and make it a little healthier! Don’t get me wrong – I wouldn’t call this “health food.” But it is much lighter than what you’ll find at restaurants. Plus, 20 grams protein per serving!

Big bowl of our General Tso's Tofu recipe alongside rice and broccoli for a protein-packed vegan meal

If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!

Using chopsticks to pick up a piece of our delicious General Tso's Tofu

NOTE: Recipe modified to include texture improvements November 9, 2020.

General Tso’s Tofu Stir-Fry

Extremely flavorful, General Tso’s Tofu Stir-Fry in just 30 minutes! Spicy-sweet, protein-packed, and a healthier spin on takeout!
Author Minimalist Baker
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Wooden spoon resting on a skillet filled with our General Tso's Tofu Stir Fry recipe
4.75 from 290 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 (Servings)
Course Entrée
Cuisine Chinese-Inspired, Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? 2-3 Days

Ingredients

FOR SERVING optional

  • 4 cups cooked white or brown rice
  • Steamed broccoli

STIR-FRY SAUCE

  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced (2 cloves yield ~1 heaping Tbsp)
  • 1 Tbsp ginger, minced
  • 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (or sub white vinegar)
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
  • 1 Tbsp water

TOFU

  • 12 ounces extra-firm tofu
  • 3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce (tamari for gluten-free eaters)
  • 1 tsp chili garlic sauce
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 4-5 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 Tbsp neutral oil (such as grape seed or avocado)

STIR-FRY

  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 bundle green onions (bulbs removed, roughly chopped)
  • 4-7 dried Thai red chilies (omit for less heat // or sub 1 Tbsp chili garlic sauce // more or less to taste)
  • Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • If serving with rice and broccoli, begin preparing at this time. Cook the rice on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot, or in a rice cooker. Steam the broccoli in a steamer basket set over boiling water for ~4-6 minutes. Otherwise, move onto the next step.
  • Drain tofu and wrap it in a clean, absorbent towel. Set something heavy on top to absorb excess moisture, such as a cast iron skillet (or use a tofu press). Let rest for about 10 minutes.
  • Prep/chop green onions, garlic, and ginger at this time. Set aside.
  • While tofu is pressing, prepare stir-fry sauce by combining sesame oil, cornstarch, minced garlic, minced ginger, rice vinegar, maple syrup, tamari or soy sauce, and water in a small mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed (I left mine as is).
  • Heat a large metal or cast iron skillet (mine is 10”) over medium heat. In the meantime, unwrap tofu and cut into even pieces, about 3/4-inch cubes (see photo).
  • Add tofu to a shallow mixing bowl (see photo) and top with 3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce, 1 tsp chili garlic sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp maple syrup (adjust amounts if altering number of servings // DO NOT ADD CORNSTARCH AT THIS TIME). Toss to combine. Let rest 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Use a slotted spoon or fork to transfer tofu to a quart-size or large freezer bag (or tupperware container), leaving the remaining marinade behind (can be drizzled over rice and broccoli for serving). Add cornstarch 1 Tbsp at a time and toss to coat. Continue adding more cornstarch and tossing until tofu is coated in a gummy, white layer – about 4-5 Tbsp (adjust amount if altering number of servings).
  • To the hot skillet, add 2 Tbsp neutral oil (adjust amount if altering number of servings) and let warm for 30 seconds. Then use a slotted spoon or fork to add tofu to the pan (leaving any excess cornstarch behind).
  • Cook tofu on all sides for ~1 minute, or until light golden brown. You don’t want it blackened or burned, as you’ll be cooking it again later with the sauce. Aim for a consistent golden brown crust (see photo). Remove tofu from pan as it’s finished browning. Set aside.
    NOTE: If you prefer firmer / crispier tofu, option at this time to transfer tofu to a 375 degree F (190 C) oven in a cast iron pan or parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes (or more) to dry it out. This will create a firmer, chewier tofu in the final dish. However, it does make it more than a 30 minute recipe.
  • Return skillet to burner and increase heat to medium-high. Add 1 Tbsp sesame oil (adjust amount if altering number of servings), chopped green onions, and dried red chilies. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add the sauce and tofu. Cook, stirring frequently, to coat the tofu and vegetables for 1-2 minutes, or until warmed through and the sauce has slightly thickened (see photo).
  • Remove pan from heat and add sesame seeds (optional). Toss to coat.
  • Serve with rice and steamed broccoli (optional), or other desired sides. Best when fresh, though leftovers keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop or microwave.

Video

Notes

* Recipe loosely adapted from Pure Wow and Food.com. Tofu method adapted from The Kitchn.
* Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without additional sides, such as rice or broccoli.

Nutrition (1 of 2 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 632 Carbohydrates: 46.9 g Protein: 29.4 g Fat: 39.4 g Saturated Fat: 5.7 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 12.65 g Monounsaturated Fat: 17.13 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 3076 mg Potassium: 521 mg Fiber: 2.3 g Sugar: 21.9 g Vitamin A: 4241 IU Vitamin C: 6.81 mg Calcium: 689.76 mg Iron: 6.25 mg
Grabbing a piece of spicy, sweet gluten-free General Tso's Tofu

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  1. Mo says

    I made this last night. This is fantastic!!! I have struggled with finding tasty vegan meals, but this is the bomb!!!! I will be making this often. Thank you!!!

  2. Carmella says

    I’ve always wanted to make this and was feeling lazy and thought… I’ll just buy the pre-made sauce… I NEVER do that, but I thought I’ll just check out the ingredients first and your recipe was the one I clicked on. I had all the sauce ingredients at home so I did your recipe (I didn’t have green onions and chili’s though 😫) but the tofu was perfect, the sauce is amazing (I added more chili garlic sauce to the marinade because I wanted to have the heat from the chili’s and I’m so loving this dinner. Wow!! What an amazing recipe! Yay! I have NEVER had a MB recipe I didn’t love and I make a lot of your recipes so that’s saying something. Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful skill with the world!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Aw, we love that you’ve had so much success with our recipes, Carmella. Thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review! xoxo

  3. Mary says

    Very yummy! I made this with ingredients I already had at home, which was great to be able to do. The only thing I was missing were the optional dried peppers. I just left them out, and the dish was very nice! It might be fun to try the peppers in the future.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi TJ, What material is the pan you’re using? Cast iron and non-stick are best for tofu. We would also suggest making sure the pan is hot before adding it.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Sorry to hear it wasn’t what you were hoping for, Susan! If you were using soy sauce, you might prefer it with tamari – it’s usually less salty. For less sesame flavor, you could stir-fry the veggies in a neutral oil, such as avocado oil.

  4. Emma says

    This recipe was DELICIOUS! We loved it. That SAUCE, the crispyness of the tofu, well DONE. I made with a little less soy sauce on accident and it came out perfect!

  5. Candace says

    I love this recipe, however one thing keeps being an issue for me— whenever I put the sauce on the tofu after cooking it the crispy cornstarch coating dissolves! What am I doing wrong?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoy it, Candace! Hmm, it sounds like the sauce might need to be thicker or the tofu needs to be crispier. You could possibly try cooking the sauce briefly before adding the tofu or cooking the tofu longer so it gets more crispy. Or using the oven step if you’re skipping that! Hope that helps!

  6. Michelle says

    Hi! I would love to try this recipe this weekend but I cannot find the Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce in my local stores (or online, for that matter) and I was not able to pin down a viable substitute after searching online. Any suggestions for an alternative ingredient and/or recipe for something comparable? Thank you!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Fran, sorry for the confusion! We updated the recipe because we prefer maple syrup, but either coconut sugar or maple syrup will work. Hope that helps!

  7. Laura says

    I love the recipes on your site Dana and this recipe is one of the best I’ve made. It tasted like a restaurant meal. I followed the directions but only left off rice vinegar (I was out). It didn’t hurt the flavor. I don’t like tofu so I appreciate you always showing ways to make it better. This tofu I loved! Thank you for another great recipe!

  8. Anna says

    How long would you say the stir fry sauce is good for? I love this recipe so much and use the sauce in other recipes as well, and would really like to keep it on hand in the fridge depending on how long it keeps :) thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Ana, we’re so glad you enjoy it. We haven’t tried storing it, but our guess would be 1 week because of the ginger and garlic!

  9. Hannah says

    This is the greatest recipe of all time! We make it every single week. It’s our go-to meal when we’re cooking for meat eaters or trying to demonstrate to friends how good tofu can be!

  10. Caroll Flores says

    This was amazing! AMAZING!!! I was intimidated at first with all the different sauces/marinade but recipe turned out to be super easy to make. I have made it 3 times already! I used Coconut Aminos (instead of Tamari) since it had the lowest sodium content but otherwise, I followed the recipe as is. I promise, you will not be disappointed!

  11. Valerie says

    Thanks for the recipe. I used my cuisinart air fryer for the tofu; 15 minutes at 350 F. I agree w another commenter the Tamari/soy sauce could be less. One tblsp is enough. I misread the sesame oil amt and put a tablespoon. Don’t do this . Too hard to crisp up. But tasted good!