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Home » Recipes » Dinner

General Tso's Tofu

By Erin · May 12, 2020 · Updated October 1, 2021 · 11 Comments

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Looking for a 30 minute plant-based dinner recipe? This General Tso's Tofu is made with good-for-you ingredients like maple syrup and tamari and served over rice and broccoli for a healthy and filling meal. 

close up of tofu on top of rice

If you know me at all, you know I love tofu. I love it baked in the oven, or in a bowl of ramen. And, not surprisingly, I love it in this general tso's tofu recipe! If you like any sort of general tso's, you're going to want to try this version ASAP.

Why you'll love this:

  • The whole meal comes together in just 30 minutes
  • The general tso's sauce is out of this world! You'll want to lick your plate clean
  • It's a delicious way to convert tofu skeptics into fans

ingredients in bowls on a table

Ingredient notes:

Tofu - Make sure to buy super firm or extra firm tofu. That way, there's less moisture in the packaging, and the tofu will crisp up nicely instead of crumbling when you cook it.

Tamari - Or sub soy sauce if that's what you have on hand. Tamari and soy sauce are essentially the same thing, but tamari is gluten free and soy sauce is not.

Cornstarch - Or you can sub arrowroot if you prefer.

Maple syrup - No substitution here. The syrup adds a sweetness to the sauce, and I don't think there's a proper substitution for it.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Add the pressed and cubed tofu, along with the tamari and cornstarch, to a plastic bag. Seal the bag and shake it so that the tofu is completely coated.

tofu in a plastic bag

Step 2: Make the sauce by whisking the syrup, tamari, sriracha, orange juice, or cornstarch together until the cornstarch is dissolved.

Asian sauce in a bowl

Step 3: Add oil to a large skillet, then wait a minute or so for it to heat up. Drop the tofu into the oil and pan-fry the tofu until it's crispy on all sides.

Step 4: Add the scallions, orange zest, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

pan-fried tofu in a skillet

Step 5: Pour the sauce into the skillet, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for a few more minutes until the sauce thickens and the tofu is coated.

tofu in a skillet with Asian sauce

Expert Tips

  • Remember to press your tofu beforehand. This is VERY important and should not be skipped. Either use a tofu press, or lay the tofu on top of a clean towel, then place another towel on top of it and use your hands or a heavy object to press the moisture out of it.
  • Substitutions: You can use soy sauce instead of tamari, and arrowroot instead of cornstarch

How should I slice the tofu?

I like to slice tofu into long strips, then rotate it and slice it into 1" cubes. If you need a visual, check out this post.

Can I prep this ahead of time?

Yes! If you want to meal prep this general tso's tofu in advance, simply press the tofu, then pan fry it and place it in the refrigerator. Before you're ready to eat it, add it back into a skillet to warm it up, then pour the sauce over top. Basically, I wouldn't coat it in the sauce until you're ready to eat it; otherwise, it may become soggy.

tofu, rice and broccoli on a plate

Related recipes

  • Easy Weeknight Broccoli
  • Tofu Broccoli Stir Fry
  • Tofu Sweet Potato Bibimbap

Disclaimer: This is a recipe from Chloe Coscarelli's cookbook, Chloe Flavor. I was gifted the cookbook and tofu press, but all opinions are my own. 

If you made this recipe, I'd love it if you could leave a review and star rating below. Thanks!

close up of tofu on top of rice

General Tso's Tofu

This General Tso's Tofu recipe is made with good-for-you ingredients like maple syrup and tamari and served over rice and broccoli for a healthy meal.
4.84 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 2
Author: Erin

Ingredients

for the tofu:

  • 16 oz. super firm tofu pressed
  • 2 tablespoon tamari
  • ¼ cup cornstarch

for the sauce:

  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoon tamari
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha
  • 1 orange
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 scallions cut into ¾-inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoon orange zest
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 teaspoon fresh ginger grated

for serving:

  • steamed rice and broccoli for serving
  • 2 teaspoon sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  • Make the tofu: Press the tofu ahead of time. Then, in a large zip-top bag, combine the tofu, tamari, and cornstarch. Toss to coat--the cornstarch will become goopy; set aside.
  • 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. Add more oil between batches as needed.
  • 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 heat to low. Cook for about 5 minutes more, until the sauce thickens.
  • Serve over rice and broccoli, and garnish with sesame seeds.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

Substitutions: You can easily use soy sauce instead of tamari, and arrowroot instead of cornstarch
Make sure to always press your tofu beforehand! I like using a tofu press, but you can also press it by hand. 
Prep ahead: If you want to make this ahead of time, simply pan-fry the tofu, then place it in a sealed container in the refrigerator until you're ready to eat. To reheat: add the tofu to a skillet to warm it up, then add in the sauce. Don't add the sauce until you're ready to eat/serve this!

Nutrition

Calories: 514kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 2336mg | Potassium: 701mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 387IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 4mg
Did you Make this Recipe? Tag me Today!Leave a comment below and tag @thealmondeater on Instagram!

UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in March 2018. It was updated with new text and photos in May 2020.

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About Erin

Erin is the recipe developer, writer and photographer behind the healthy food blog, The Almond Eater. She's been blogging since 2014 and loves to create food for many different diets, including vegan, gluten free and/or Whole30 recipes.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lucy Leftovers says

    April 09, 2021 at 4:39 pm

    I made this last night and my vegetarian boyfriend went back for more! I used less orange juice as I was afraid it would overwhelm but other than that, the recipe was easy and delicious! Will be making this again.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      April 11, 2021 at 10:15 am

      Woohoooo -- so happy you both enjoyed it!

      Reply
  2. Joyce says

    June 02, 2020 at 7:03 pm

    Very good. Is a quarter cup corn starch and 2 tablespoons soy sauce correct. I had to add quite a bit more soy sauce and water to get it to mix.

    Reply
    • Erin says

      June 03, 2020 at 8:44 am

      Hi Joyce -- Yes, that's correct. You should add the tofu, 2 tbsp soy sauce/tamari and 1/4 cup cornstarch to a bag and shake really well and the cornstarch should become sort of goopy. I'm glad the recipe still worked out for you and that you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  3. Bree says

    May 14, 2020 at 9:01 am

    It was amazing, but tasted more like a spicy orange tofu bowl than a general tsos

    Reply
  4. Giselle Gruen says

    April 09, 2020 at 1:22 pm

    I live in Casablanca, Morocco and I made this today! It was a huge hit with my boyfriend and our cleaning lady. I used smoked tofu - the next time I will substitute asparagus or green beans because the brocolli in Morocco is disappointing. Other than that, it was delicious! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      April 09, 2020 at 2:22 pm

      I'm so glad everyone enjoyed it!

      Reply
  5. Robin says

    April 02, 2020 at 4:48 pm

    4 stars
    You don't mention what size to cut the tofu? Also in cooking a scallion is just a cut up green onion. That's why you "couldn't find them".

    Reply
  6. Kimberly says

    May 21, 2018 at 4:35 am

    5 stars
    Made this tonight for my family and loved it.

    Reply
  7. Anna says

    May 06, 2018 at 12:38 pm

    OK, so no info on tofu press?!? I'm looking at them online and see a lot of bad ones. I want to get a good one!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      May 06, 2018 at 3:12 pm

      This is the one I was sent: https://www.amazon.com/Gourmet-Tofu-Press-Marinating-Dish/dp/B002QO5LY8/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1525633859&sr=1-7&keywords=tofu+press It's the only press I've ever owned so I don't have much to compare it to, but I think it works pretty well!

      Reply

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