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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
NOTE: Recipe modified to include texture improvements November 9, 2020.
General Tso’s Tofu Stir-Fry
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
* Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without additional sides, such as rice or broccoli.
Nutrition (1 of 2 servings)
rosh says
You had posted this on Instagram and on a whim I decided to make it because I had most of the ingredients besides the rice vinegar. I’m a tofu fanatic but have never been able to make good tofu at home….until NOW. So glad i tried this recipe (first MB recipe btw). Hopefully, it reheats fine cuz I made this at 11 last night and decided it wouldn’t be right to eat then.
I’d like to echo others on the calories, sodium and sugar tho. Wish this were a litttttle bit more healthy and guilt-free.
Laura Van Deusen says
WOW!!! Thank you! This is the first recipe with tofu that I’m completely in love with. Takes a little prep time, but totally worth it.
Gina says
Wonderful recipe!!!
For a novice cook who was afraid to stir fry outside her comfort zone, this recipe delivered the goods! It was easy to follow, had a wonderful flavor, and reminded me of my favorite Chinese take out. My husband, who is a meat eater, also found this dish delicious and has even requested it again.
Thank you Dana for a great recipe!
I love it!!!
Annie says
I have all the ingredients to make this except the tofu. Do you think it would work with cauliflower instead?
Annie says
I made this tonight with cauliflower since I didn’t have tofu and IT WAS AMAZING! Because I used an entire head of cauliflower I doubled the recipe for the tofu seasoning and the Gen Tso’s sauce. Great recipe and my hubby who has eaten at least double his weight in Gen Tso’s from Chinese food places absolutely LOVED this recipe! Definitely going to add this to the arsenal especially for cold nights this winter when we are looking for some comfort food! Thanks MB! I love your recipes!
Yes it would totally work, Annie!
Annie says
I’m literally making this for the second time this week per my hubby’s request!!!!
Elizabeth says
This was delicious and the sauce was pretty spot on. It actually has a slightly more complex flavor than takeout General Tso’s tofu, but I think if I make it again I’ll add a little more rice vinegar. I substituted brown sugar for the maple syrup because it was what I had on hand, but next time I will use agave because it has a lighter flavor.
Katheryn says
I made this last night and was amazed at how crispy the tofu was, how decadent and flavorful the sauce was, and really just how darn pretty the whole dish looked! It was a bit of a 3-ring circus to pull together, but I followed the instructions verbatim, which included cues to the timing, and it worked perfectly. Substituted sautéed baby bok choy for the broccoli, which was a great compliment to the tofu. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Lou says
This was yum!! Any time I want to make something new I make one of your recipes because they’re guaranteed to be delicious. Thanks :-)
Claire Price says
Oh my goodness, I just made this and it was DELICIOUS! My go-to Tofu dish had been Ottolenghi’s Black pepper tofu which I basically make without so much black pepper but this recipe is surely going to become a family favourite. I’m pretty sure my 3 yr old son is going to love this!
Meg says
This was delicious! I read through the comments before making, so I made a few tweaks based on that and what I had in the kitchen
Rather than just browning the tofu in the pan and then cooking it again in the sauce, I cooked the tofu a little longer in just the oil so it was pretty crispy and brown. I then removed the tofu from the pan, and added raw broccoli to the skillet. I cooked the broccoli for a couple minutes, then added the sauce straight to the broccoli and cooked for another minute or two. Then, I turned off the heat and with the pan still hot, mixed the tofu back in for about 30 seconds or so before plating. I skipped the remaining steps of adding the chilis, etc to the tofu, purely because I didn’t have any, and it came out great! The broccoli really absorbed the sauce and paired great with the tofu, so I didn’t lose too much of the crispiness.
Also, as an aside, I noticed a lot of very unhelpful comments just crapping all over the recipe. I just wanted to say, Dana, that I for one appreciate all you do for this blog and I really love your recipes! You’ve been a huge help in getting me to make healthier eating decisions.
Jessica says
This is one of my favorite recipes, I make it at least once a week and occasionally for lunch at work! The tofo is delicious!
Angela W Broyles says
OMG this is so YUM! The texture of the tofu came out so wonderful- crispy on the outside yet creamy on the inside! I used firm tofu but pressed it for a longer period of time. The sauce tastes just like the real deal! Kids thought it was a bit spicy and I thought it was a bit sweet… will adjust next time!
David says
This was seriously AMAZING!!!!. Thanks so much for this recipe.
Alison says
6 Tablespoons of soy sauce for one package of tofu? Geez. You’re better off ordering Chinese takeout
Jackie says
Way too much ginger and soy sauce.
Jackie says
With Chinese and other Asian inspired cuisine, balance is key. Unfortunately this recipe does not meet this requirement. 1 Tbsp ginger is far too much for this amount of tofu. All I could taste was ginger. Altogether 4 Tbsp soy sauce is also too much for 1 small package of tofu. I think the author is doing a disservice by posting this recipe without having tried an authentic version. Wasted ingredients. Very disappointing.
Josy says
I. AM. IN. LOVE!! This was some of the best food I have ever tasted! Thank you for a great great recipe. I even spaced part of the instructions and accidentally added the cornstarch to the tofu marinade –still turned out amazing. I love Chinese food and this is one of my favorite dishes and missed it so after becoming vegetarian.
Thanks again, Minimalist Baker!
Gabrielle says
I made this for dinner last night with dried ginger, chili flakes, and red sweet pepper instead of green onions (I only had one stalk though I did throw it in there). It took me closer to an hour to pull together but oh my gosh was it good! Love this meal and will definitely be making it again. Next time I’ll prob use one less tbsp of maple syrup for the sauce, but otherwise will keep everything as is. Thanks so much!
Kelsey says
Warning, don’t sub arrowroot powder for corn starch. I tried and it turned into a big inedible sticky tofu ball. :(
Abby says
I made this and it was wonderful! I ate more than I should have because it was so delish. I also added diced celery with the peppers and onions, which gave it a really nice crunch!
Guillemette says
I make this recipe at least once a month since something like a year or so and it’s always DELICIOUS.
I love it, thanks Dana!
Michele says
This far exceeded my expectations! I am not a fan of tofu or General Tso’s but your recipe won me over on both counts!!! This is a restaurant quality meal.
Marissa Kessenich says
Dana! This is so easy and so delicious! I’m not exactly your most adventurous or talented cook, but this was such an easy recipe that is pretty much impossible to mess up. Another win from Minimalist Baker!
(I also couldn’t find red chiles in my supermarket, so I just used the chili garlic sauce when I sauteed the green onions and it came out delicious!)
Tisha says
Third time making this and has my non vegan hubbies seal approval. I used a mixture of panko and cornstarch the third time and it tastes so yummy. ?
Nicole Mackie says
This is the most amazing dish I’ve had in a long time!! I love your recipes, Dana. in fact, now I ONLY make recipes from your site because all of them have turned out well.
Thank you for sharing your talent. I love eating good, wholesome food that is not too complicated to make :).
Kendra springer says
Love LOVE this recipe!!! I have been dieing to try this since switching to a vegan diet and it was a HUGE success with the fam. I didn’t have cornstarch so I used arrowroot powder instead and it worked liked a charm. I also had jasmine rice in the house and opted to make that instead of an additional trip to the store. Will for sure be making this dish again! Thanks again for the amazing recipe ??
Katelyn says
Can I use Arrowroot instead of cornstarch?
Yes that should work, Katelyn!
Josie says
Another hit! My husband, who has mocked tofu, said “this is delicious!” And could not stop eating it. Next time, I will make it spicier and make more sauce. There will definitely be a next time. Thank you for making our plant-based transition easy!
Karen Lothrop says
Does the calorie count include the rice?
Hi Karen! It doesn’t include any of the additional sides, such as rice or broccoli.
Lívia says
Really awesome!
Jennifer says
Absolutely delicious! I don’t think I’ve had better sauce in any restaurant! And the texture of the Tofu was wonderful. This will be my usual when I’m craving Chinese Food. Sorry, Orient Express, I’ve found that I can make better at home:)
Pat says
My daughter made this for us on Father’s Day (2017). We had just returned home from 5 hours on the road. A delicious dish made even more delicious by her thoughtfulness and expression of love. I’m planning to make it tonight.
Robin says
SUPER good! My newly vegan boyfriend even dug the tofu! I made the mistake of using extra firm tofu that had been previously thawed and then frozen, so it was super spongy and kind of a pain. We added in snow peas and served it with rice and steamed broccoli! Loved it!
NevadaCity Cook says
I enjoyed creating this tonight, served with coconut rice and steamed broccoli. The wimp in me left out the red peppers, but I know next time I’ll live dangerously and add a few. Your recipe and photos were helpful, detailed and clear. It turned out just like in the picture – which rarely happens. Thanks for creating and sharing!
Alex says
This recipe is insane! love love love it!
Laura Alvarez says
Did you try hemp tofu?? What kind do I have to use for this recipe?
We haven’t tried it, Laura! If you do, report back on how it goes :D
Molly says
I made this tonight–YUM! Tofu is not in my wheelhouse but I have a feeling this might be a gateway recipe. Thanks!
Ashley says
I’ve used this recipe for tofu and tempeh & it turns out delicious either way everytime
Sandra says
Do you think this would freeze reasonably well once prepared?
Hi Sandra! I think the tofu would freeze well but am not sure about the entire meal. If you give it a try, report back on how it goes!
Erin says
Just found your blog and this recipe. I was so excited about this recipe I picked up all the ingredients shortly after finding it. Made it for dinner and my family loved it. This is the first time my husband and kids have ever tried tofu and they loved this meal. Thank you!
Markie says
Wow! We all loved this–even my 14 year old son who can be notoriously picky! I screwed up and made the sauce as the tofu marinade, so I just kept it and used it as the stir fry sauce. Even with this mistake, it turned out great! Thanks for a wonderful recipe! (I’d definitely give it 5 stars, but it’ll only let me click two)
Travis says
Would this be just as good without any sugar?
It wouldn’t have as much flavor, but you could try cutting the sugar down if you prefer!
Nicole Mackie says
I cut the sugar and subbed honey and it was delicious! :)
Rachel says
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe! I’ve been missing general tso’s tofu since I moved to the west coast- it doesn’t seem to be as popular here as it is on the east coast and I haven’t been able to satisfy my craving until tonight! Absolutely delicious- I will be making this for years to come. Thank you!
Becky says
This was really good! I used chili flakes, but kept the rest as is. As a vegetarian for 20 years, it’s nice to have an alternative of a dish I used to like as a kid! I’ll be making this again!
Brennan says
The recipe calls for discarding the bulbs of the green onions but I find the bulbs to be the most flavorful part..!
Mary G says
I just made this and it was delicious! I am looking for new ways to cook tofu and this will definitely be on my list. The only thing I did differently is sauteed the raw broccoli with the green onions and then the sauce because I like my broccoli crunchy. Thanks for the recipe!
Kay says
Really great technique for coating and frying the tofu and overall fantastic dish! I make it at least once a week by request!
Lorraine says
SO GOOD!! Just made this last night and I am in love! I am actually excited to have the leftovers for lunch. I chose to put it over some rainbow quinoa and I think it worked wonderfully well together. It definitely took my partner and I longer than the time listed but I think after getting the tofu plus cornstarch process down a little better we will get quicker. I look forward to experiment with other veggies! (I’m thinking green beans, zucchini and carrots)
Rebecca Hales says
I made this tonight. Came out great!! I’ll make it again for sure. I just wish I had made a double batch because I want left overs!
Gabex says
My suggestion, to save some time, is to marinate the tofu in the sauce. I just grilled the tofu after marinating it about 3 hours, without the corn starch, but added some to the marinating sauce once I added it to the green onion (i also added kale). Made the sauce a bit sticky that covered everything really well and the tofu stil’ came out brown and crispy :) Really good!
Meg says
THIS IS SOOOO STUPID AAHHMMAZING!! I am talking best meal I’ve had since I went plant based Amzing. I LOVE Asian inspired dishes and was my favorite meal when I was an omniovore but nothing ever compares…. until now– this really hit the mark. I have served it now to FOUR different disbelieving omnivores and made believers out of them HAHA! It is realllllyy good! I add a tad more coconut sugar and I double the sauce because I like to add snow peas with the broccoli so I like the sauce on the veggies and a little with my rice. It is amazing! I even used the leftovers and made a “fried rice” and served it to some friends and they swooned for it lolol THANK YOU for this recipe!
Ha! Thanks Meg! xoxo
cstraf says
I also had problems cooking the tofu, but in the end it was delicious anyway. Next time I will use Kenji’s Serious Eats guide for getting that tofu right :)
Ollie says
I’ve made this 3 times now in quick succession coz it’s amazing! My new fave. Thanks for this. Love it.
Eva says
Hi Dana! I made this delicious meal tonight and LOVED IT! It was such a great balance of heat & sweet. Was a terrific alternative to General Tso’s chicken! Thank you!!!!
Steffi says
I wanted to love this! But alas, it was inedible :( I have made MANY Minimalist Baker recipes, and I have never had a bad experience… But something is not correct with this recipe.
I followed the directions exactly, and I made no substitutions. When I fried the tofu, it turned into a MESS – the tofu formed a crust that promptly pulled off once I tried to flip each piece. The result was a gummy mess in my pan of pieces of fried cornstarch.
Ever the optimist, I was willing to salvage what I could, so I went to proceed to the next step. Before doing so I tasted to tofu, and it was GROSS. The only flavor I got in my mouth was that of CORN STARCH, and the texture in my mouth was unpleasant. I ended up tossing the tofu, turning my oven off, and ordering out.
I am sure the flavors are delicious in the sauce, and I’m willing to try again using a different method of preparing the tofu… but be forewarned – this method did not work for me.
Jeannette says
I’ve made this at least six times. I followed Kenji’s advice (Serious Eats) on how to make a crispy fried tofu and it works every time. In fact, right now I have my tofu pressing! This is an awesome recipe and I’m sure I would have cracked under desperation for my beloved General Tso if I hadn’t made this.
Megan says
I made this last night and it took me much longer than 30 minutes to make–more like an hour. My tofu cooked up fine, however, when the perfectly crispy, wonderfully delicious tofu was added with the sauce, all that crispness vanished. That was pretty disappointing because I had just spent all that time cooking it to get the crispy edges. After reading the reviews, I doubled the sauce and served it with blanched broccoli. Despite the tofu issue, the overall dish was delicious and was still really good the next day.
KIM says
Thanks
KIM says
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! Perfect paired with rice and steamed kale. I will definitely be trying more of your wonderful recipes!
Malory says
So I’m never one to jump in and leave comments on a recipe but I made this for dinner tonight and WOW, it was delicious! To be honest I’m not a fan of tofu but I’ve been eating healthier and figured how bad could fried anything be? lol If no one were to have told me I wouldn’t have known it was even tofu, it was THAT good! It’s a little high on the calorie side once you add in the rice and broccoli but much much better for you than takeout. Defiantly going to be having this again!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Malory!
Lauren R. says
Just made this and I am enjoying it thoroughly! I love General Tso’s tofu and I am glad there is a home made option for me that I like. Thank you! I cannot wait to try more of your recipes! The white bean and mushroom “meatballs” are next I think!!
Kate Wilson says
Dana, are you kidding me?! This was unreal!!!! We all licked our plates. Wow.
I have a toddler so I used 2tsp chili garlic instead of a while tablespoon and he gobbled it up with a side of yogurt.
Another keeper for our rotation!
Yay! Thanks Kate! xoxo
Sonya says
Thank-you so much for posting this. I need to adapt half of a recipe for Stir-Fried Sichuan-Style Shrimp with Zucchini, Red Bell Pepper, and Peanuts (Cook’s Illustrated) to use tofu instead of shrimp, and your clear instructions are so appreciated!
Emily says
Was looking for a vegan friendly, healthy option to make my go to comfort food. FOUND IT! Thanks!
Savannah says
This was absolutely dreadful. I followed the recipe exactly, and all it tasted of was SALT! It was so overpowering I couldn’t even finish my small portion, and that was after adding 2 tbsp of brown sugar mixed with a bit of water to the finished product to try and counteract the sodium overdose. The brown sugar made it at least edible. This leads me to believe the other reviewers’ tongues had fallen off in a horrific accident before they made this.
Candace says
Made this today!! Soooooo good. I added a little extra coconut sugar because I needed more sweetness. Went perfect with brown rice and broccoli! You’ve done it again, Dana! My husband loves too :)
Christina says
I made this recipe last night and it was amazing! I served it with sautéed bok choy and brown rice. My meat eating fiancé was looking for more! This recipe is definitely a keeper and will be used on a regular basis in our home. Thank you so much!
Rachel Eden says
I made this for dinner and it was a-mazing! I followed the recipe, made no substitutions and it was delicious. My husband who would eat a steak every night if he could loved it and went back for seconds. Next time I’m making a double batch! Thanks for the great recipe.
Jess says
I made this last night – and it’s not very often I will follow an exact recipe without putting my own spin on it, but this looked TOO GOOD. I made it to the recipe and it’s the first time I’ve really liked tofu. This was so delicious. I’ve put a photo on my Instagram username jessy.wallace and tagged you. Going to fry up the leftovers tonight for fried rice :)
Amanda says
I don’t understand why every time I cook tofu this way it just sticks to the bottom of the pan and crumbles into mush. I drain just the way I am supposed to, but I never get that crisp looking outside like you have in your photo, the tofu always just soaks up the oil and I am tired of eating a gelatinous mess of tofu! Please help!
Mairead says
When I first cooked this I had the same issue. I put my stove on high to heat the skillet then cooked my tofu in small batches. It takes more time but I was able to cook each piece perfectly! It stopped the cornflour coating my from coming off. I then cooked the veg with half the sauce, added the tofu and stirred a bit before adding the rest of the sauce. It turned out perfect! No broken bits!!
Judy says
Try freezing the Tofu – after you cut it into cubes, after it’s frozen, thaw it out and squeeze out the water. Use extra firm tofu. This changes the texture of the tofu.
chantal says
I had the same problem but it still came out delicious.
Tania says
I finally got around to making this recipe and MAN IT WAS GOOD. My husband, who normally hates tofu, gobbled it up and said “best tofu I’ve ever had.” So thanks! Just one question: When I fried the tofu it stuck to the bottom of the pan, so a lot of the delicious brown cornstarch layer peeled off. Did I not heat the oil up enough? Should I have used a nonstick pan? Even still, it was divine. Thank you thank you!
Hi Tania, a nonstick pan will help with sticking issues, but if you do use a cast iron or metal skillet you might have needed to add a little extra oil! Next time, after heating the oil, add one or pieces of tofu to test it. If those pieces don’t stick, go ahead and add the rest!
Kathryn says
Hands-down the best homemade tofu I’ve ever had! I love this with brown rice and stir-fried onions, garlic, and broccoli. I sometimes add some kimchi too–fab!
Nadejda says
Hey! Im excited to try this but would like to leave out the soy–can cauliflower work? Thanks!
Renee says
I love this recipe it was good, next time I will make more sauce. The tofu was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. thanks.
Lisa says
Made this for the first time last night. Delicious! We gobbled it up. Also, I finally ordered your cookbook and it’s coming tomorrow. Yippee!
Amy G. says
Absolutely scrumptious! I just made this dish and seriously cannot believe it’s vegan! WOW!!!! I started this journey 6 weeks ago and never thought it would be as easy as it has been. I brought your cookbook last weekend and am excited to see future projects. Thank you for making this transition so easy and still YUMMMMYYYYY.
Maggi says
This is so delicious! Easy to make – hardest part is not eating it all in one sitting!
I’m a bit of a wimp about spicy food so I omitted the dried chilies.
Amazing! Makes you feel like a gourmet chef.
S says
Hi. First of all i love minimalist baker. It saved me when i became a vegan and was clueless. I tried this recipe and it came out delicious. My two teenage girls loved it. I only had difficulty getting the tofu crispy. It stuck to the pan. What am i doing wrong? Thanks, S
Heather says
We need to start doing no oil. Any suggestions on how to replace the flavor of sesame oil? We can sautee in water, no issue. I’m thinking, perhaps, toasted sesame seeds?
Rachel says
Woah. This was SUPER DELICIOUS. Like, restaurant quality taste right here. I made this dish by itself (no sides) and it took me less than 20 minutes. Instead of soaking the tofu in the soy sauce/maple syrup mixture, I lightly drizzled some of the sauce over the tofu and tossed it around with the cornstarch before frying. After a crispy coating is formed I poured the sauce over it in the pan. Amazing :D
Margaret says
My daughter has recently become vegan and I’m always on the lookout for recipes that vegans are carnivores will enjoy. This one is fantastic! I am making it tonight for the third time in three weeks by family request. I use whatever fresh vegetable I have on hand – tight its with mushrooms, scallions and red pepper. It’s really one of the best tofu recipes I have ever made. Thanks so much for sharing!
Jess says
Hi all! I made this for the second time tonight and happened upon an interesting substitution.
I thought I had a bunch of green onions, but it turns out I only had three left. I knew I needed to find something else to cook with the chilis because I had 15oz of tofu and already made a double batch of sauce. I didn’t want the main meal to be just tofu, quinoa, and a barge-load of tasty sauce! I found some garlic scapes in the fridge and chopped them up hoping for the best. Guys, it was sooooo good! I am a lover of garlic and this was not too overpowering even though there is already garlic in the sauce. If you have some garlic scapes lying around I highly recommend you give this a try, even in addition to the green onions.
Hannah says
I just devoured a bowl of this deliciousness. I am full and happy! I did everything just as the recipe instructed. The only issue I had was that my tofu didn’t get crispy on the outside. I’m not sure what went wrong, but it still tasted amazing. That is a LOT coming from me, because I generally don’t like tofu. I used 14oz of tofu because that’s what was in the pack I got. I didn’t increase anything else and it still worked out perfectly. I divided it into four servings (326 calls each for the tofu and sauce mixture) and served it with broccoli, carrots and white rice. It was so good. I highly recommend it. It took just under an hour from start to finish. It is absolutely worth it!
Hannah says
I’d give it a full 5 stars!!
Katherine Heiss says
This is a perfect recipe th u th u th u
Ben says
Great recipe. One vegetarian and three meat-eaters in the family and we all loved it (especially the sauce). Happy to have found this website recently. Thanks!
Melanie says
This recipe is delicious! The heat from the red chilies is amazing, the marinade is perfectly balanced…and breading the tofu is a nice change to how I normally cook my tofu. I’ve found a few other gems on your site so I’ll definitely be ordering your book tonight! I did some substitutions: soba noodles instead of white rice. Bok choy instead of broccoli. And I added avocado, white onion and cucumber (minced) on top at the end.
Cathy says
Would this work with tempeh as well?
Thanks a bunch!
Veggie love from Holland :)
I haven’t tried it with tempeh, but if you do, let me know how it goes!
D. Sherman says
Incredible! This recipe is perfect, the flavors are so delicious and authentic. In fact, so authentic that I brought some to work for lunch today and my colleague walked into my office and exclaimed “you ordered Chinese?” Thank you for another great recipe. I can’t wait to get the cookbook.
EV says
SO GOOD. Just made this, currently eating it, my apt smells amazing… didn’t have dried chilies on hand and i love spicy, so definitely gonna make this next time with the chilies. I always buy the tofu from trader joe’s and was never able to make a fully satisfying meal out of it until now. Thanks!!
Sarith says
Excited to make it for my girlfriends birthday tomorrow …. Wish me luck….. Happy birthday Gina ??
Rebekah Lopez says
Sooo delicious! My 21 yr. old, non-vegan, son had two bowls–it was that good. I substituted “non-meat” grilled chicken strips for the tofu. Thanks for all your wonderful vegan recipes.
skylar says
Hey there, I was wondering what we could do to make this recipe a no-oil recipe?
Cheers.
Angela says
This recipe was amazing. Increased the sauce by half but really didn’t need to. My 11 year old became a vegetarian a few months ago and this recipe is definitely going into regular rotation. We both loved it!
Frank Smith says
General Tso’s is my absolute favorite Chinese takeout dish and I like this better than any I’ve bought. I think the maple syrup made all of the difference. In my googling I found most recipes have chicken broth in them. I won’t be getting general’s tofu takeout unless it’s from a vegan place from now on. But who needs takeout with this!
FYI, I used Sambal Oelek since I didn’t have chili garlic paste and it added great chili flavor.
Jennifer says
Great recipe! We’re definitely adding it to our regular rotation. I do agree with a couple of the other comments though, it took me about an hour to make. I kind of figured that would be the case just from looking at the recipe so I didn’t mind.
Veg-heavy omnivore says
Thanks for this excellent recipe, Dana! It really satisfied my craving for greasy Chinese take-out, with the added benefit of having no MSG–win!
5/5, will make again very soon, but I have to agree with another commenter who said that the dish took longer than 30 minutes to make. I’m not sure if the total time is supposed to reflect just the time spent making the tofu and sauce (in which case, 30 minutes might be appropriate), but the meal will take longer if sides are added (which I did). In fact, I saw the time estimate, thought, “No way is that possible if I also make broccoli and rice,” and challenged myself to make the meal as efficiently as possible. I think I came in somewhere between 50-60 minutes (from putting water on to cook rice to stuffing my face with deliciousness). Thanks again for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing! If you make sides with it, it does take longer.
Donna says
Love … Love… Super delicious ! Great job!
Julia says
Thank you so much for this recipe!
We made it last night and absolutely loved it, this might become one of my new favourite recipes actually. We added some green beans to increase the vegetable part in it and they fitted very well in, but I’m sure it’s still wonderful without them.
SusanMc says
This recipe is genius… I made it last night and we all loved it, including my two teen boys. Sauce is perfect blend of sweet/heat/salt. I’ve just ordered your book and can’t WAIT to get it.
I have to say though, no WAY is this a 30 minute recipe… I’m a skilled, experienced home cook, know my way ’round the kitchen and this took me WELL over an hour to put together. Just add up all the “let it sit” prep notes and your almost at 30 mins alone, without factoring in cook time. In no way do I want to slam the recipe… it’s going into my regular rotation ASAP… but I think you should be a bit more realistic with your prep/cook time windows.
Thank you for sharing this!
Nicole Madsen says
I love this recipe! I make so many of your dishes over and over again. This one is definitely a favorite! Thank you for posting such unique and delicious dishes…it would be hard to be a vegan without you. I’m making this dish right now for lunch!
Abbey says
Perfect Friday Night Meal! My non-vegan husband gobbled it all up! Cookbook is in the mail – can’t wait!