General Tso’s Tofu
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General Tso’s Tofu features crispy baked tofu chunks that are mixed with the most amazing sweet & spicy sauce unique to this popular take-out dish. Serve with rice and a side of steamed broccoli.
The popular dish gets a vegan makeover with the best crispy baked tofu chunks and an amazing flavorful sauce. It’s quite easy to make and you don’t have to mess with frying tofu on the stovetop which often can lead to frustration with sticking/breaking tofu.
While the tofu bakes, cook up some rice and prepare the sauce. Once the tofu is done, simply add it to the sauce and stir to coat. Serve with chopped green onions, sesame seeds and perhaps a side of broccoli. Easy and delicious!
The best way to bake tofu
This has become my go-to method for preparing tofu, especially when it will be mixed with a sauce. Tearing the tofu gives it a more interesting texture, rather than just slicing it into cubes all the time.
Start by pressing your tofu well (I recently got this tofu press, and love it!). Then slice it into about 6 thick-ish slices. Tear each slice into bite sized pieces, then place in a large ziplock bag (or large bowl) along with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Shake to coat the tofu, then place on a greased pan and bake for about 25 minutes.
The tofu will become crispy and golden, while remaining a bit tender on the inside. There is no need to flip the tofu around halfway through, so it really is so easy! All that’s left to do is mix it with the sauce.
Want more classic take-out recipes?
- Crispy Baked Orange Tofu
- Vegan Butter Chicken
- Vegan Tikka Masala
- Sticky Sriracha Tofu
- Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
General Tso's Tofu
Ingredients
For the tofu
- 2 (16-oz) blocks firm or extra-firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, *may use 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger if needed
- 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce , *tamari for gluten free
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 1/4 cup water
For serving
- 4 cups cooked rice, white or brown
- chopped green onions
- sesame seeds
- Optional: steamed broccoli
Instructions
- Press the tofu: Wrap the block of tofu in paper towels. Place a plate or pan on top of the wrapped tofu, and put a couple of heavy books on top of that. Let the tofu press for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and lightly grease a large baking sheet with oil (or line with parchment paper).
- Slice the tofu into 6 slices. Now, rip each slice into medium-large pieces. You can also simply cut them into cubes, if you prefer, but ripping gives the tofu a great jagged texture.
- Add the tofu pieces to a large ziplock bag (or large bowl), along with the olive oil, cornstarch and salt. Close the bag, and shake gently to coat. Arrange the tofu evenly on the prepared pan, and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
- While the tofu bakes, cook your rice and make the sauce. In a large pan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Next, add the rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, water, sugar and red chili flakes. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and water together, then pour into the pan with the sauce. Stir constantly, until the sauce thickens.
- When the tofu is done baking, add it to the sauce and stir to coat the pieces. Serve with rice, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, chopped green onions and perhaps a side of steamed broccoli. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include rice.
- Could substitute cauliflower for the tofu, or even soy curls, chickpeas or vegan "chicken".
- Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The dish does not freeze very well.
Nutrition
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29 Comments on “General Tso’s Tofu”
Pretty fantastic recipe! It was my first time working with tofu but this recipe made things easy peasy. I added 2 tbsp of sriracha sauce to add more heat to the sauce. This will be a bee staple in my home!
Thanks Ageha! I’m glad you love the tofu recipe and that it will be a regular meal in your home!
I have never had General Tso flavoured anything, is it spicy?
It’s a little bit spicy, but if you want it less spicy just use less chili flakes. 🙂 Hope you enjoy it!
Hi Nora,
Thank you for this new technique of baking tofu, its the only I way I make it now. I did find I needed to add more oil and cornstarch to coat 2 blocks of tofu, also used pure maple syrup instead or refined sugar to make it more healthy, and toasted sesame oil for extra flavor.
I’ve never had General Tso’s anything until I made this and it is SO good! It’s such a great option when you just don’t feel like committing to extensive prep work like chopping a million veggies. Nora is always a solid choice in our home because I’ve never met a Nora recipe I didn’t enjoy!
Made this for dinner and the chocolate chip cookies for dessert. A whole day of really good eating. Tofu was super crispy! I let it bake a bit longer than 25 minutes, but it was golden brown and almost as crisp as deep fried. I was impressed. The sauce tastes just like the restaurants. I’m a big fan of the peanut tofu with coconut rice, but this might be better.
Thanks so much!
OMG So good, Nora!!!!! Easy and soooooo amazing. Ripping the tofu makes such a difference! You are a hero in our home. Never ever have been disappointed when using a recipe of yours- and I’ve used a LOT!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!
Thank you SO much! That means a lot to me!
This was amazing!!
This has caused a family argument. Some say your butter chicken is the best thing they have ever eaten. Some say it’s the General Tso’s tofu. I say they are both super easy to make and delicious! Nora, you are awesome!!! Thank you!!!
Wow, what a great argument and great comment!! Thanks so much!!
This is absolutely delicious! Every recipe from Nora I have made is just fantastic. I am not vegan, but so enjoy all of her recipes.
Thanks!!
Can I use flour instead of corn starch?
It should work quite well, but I haven’t tested it.
This was delicious. I did it without oil – using soy sauce instead, as suggested. Thank you for giving options for those who don’t use oil or sugar.
You’re welcome!! Glad you enjoyed it!
My son’s new favorite. Another hit!
That’s so great to hear!! Thanks for the comment!
I have yet to meet a Nora recipe I didn’t like, but this one earns ten stars! I omitted hoisin sauce and skipped the sugar (my daughter refuses to eat anything with added sugar, which means she missed out on the Nora brownies I made the other day) and the family inhaled the General Tso’s. I’ve had versions of this dish at vegan Chinese restaurants — can’t even compare. This is sublime.
No worries about leftovers keeping for a few days — I wish! — there aren’t any.
Wow, thanks so much for the wonderful comment!! I really appreciate it.
Another home run. Thank you so much for giving me something to do with that Tofu in my fridge.
You’re welcome! Thanks for the comment!!
I tried this recipe and OMG! My husband almost licked the plate off! It was my first time making tofu this way. The recipe was easy to follow, and the instructions as well. I am your fan! I did not have rice vinegar or hoisin sauce, so I used white distilled vinegar and liquid aminos. My husband disliked tofu (because it wasn’t properly prepped and cooked well in the past) but now he is a tofu lover! Thank you!
You’re so welcome!! Thanks for the great comment! I’m so glad it came out great!
First try at baking tofu! It’s so simple.
This is a great recipe!
Thanks so much! I’m so glad it worked well!