This Easy Kung Pao Tofu recipe tastes better than take-out and can be made pretty quickly at home! Make the sauce in one bowl, cook your tofu until crispy in a pan, stir fry the veggies, then add the sauce and peanuts. A delicious weeknight meal!
What is Kung Pao?
Kung Pao chicken or tofu is a popular Chinese dish in America, usually made with dried red chiles. It has a wonderful flavor that is super addicting! Salty, sweet, sour and spicy. Yum.
This recipe for Easy Kung Pao Tofu isn’t really traditional AT ALL, because I just can’t be bothered with dried red chiles. But I think this version turned out super delicious and it’s really easy so I’m happy. Hopefully you will be, too!
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How to pan fry tofu so it doesn’t stick
Tofu is more delicate than meat, so you have to be gentle with it. If you are new to cooking with tofu, here are my best tips for pan frying it:
- Press your tofu! More on this below, but don’t skip it.
- Use a quality pan that isn’t known for food sticking to it. Non-stick is best.
- Use oil, UNLESS you have some magical non-stick pan that truly doesn’t need it. I don’t have one of those, and if you don’t want to use oil than I would bake it like in this recipe. Works beautifully and you won’t be crying over stuck tofu.
- Heat the oil in the pan over medium-high heat, then place the tofu in a single layer. Leave them to cook for 2-3 minutes before flipping or moving at all. Then use a thin, flexible spatula to gently flip them around and try to get them golden on all sides.
This is how easy it is to make Kung Pao Tofu:
- Pan fry the tofu, then set it aside on a plate.
- Add the vegetables to the pan and stir fry for a few minutes.
- Add the easy Kung Pao sauce to the vegetables and stir until it thickens.
- Add the tofu and peanuts and stir.
How do you press tofu and why?
Pressing tofu is pretty essential if you are going to pan fry it. If the tofu is full of water, it will be nearly impossible to stir fry even with a lot of oil.
Press tofu by wrapping it in paper towels or a clean tea towel and setting something heavy on top of it, like a cast iron pan or a few heavy books. Let it press for about an hour.
You can avoid pressing tofu if you buy the super firm variety that is sealed in a vacuum pack, not in water. Just pat that one dry and you’ll be good to go.
A tofu free option
Substitute the tofu for cauliflower or tempeh. I would probably roast a head of cauliflower and then add it to everything else, but you could also just stir fry it.
Hungry for more vegan take-out?
- Crispy Baked Orange Tofu
- Thai Peanut Noodles
- Vegan Pad Thai
- Red Thai Curry Vegetables
- Sticky Sriracha Tofu
- 20 Minute Chickpea Curry
Easy Kung Pao Tofu
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- (1) 16-oz block extra-firm tofu
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 large green bell pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup peanuts
Easy Kung Pao Sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free)
- 2 tablespoons rice wine or sherry cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Optional, for garnishing
- 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
- sesame seeds
- more peanuts
- 4 cups cooked brown or white rice
Instructions
- Press the tofu by wrapping in paper towels or a clean dish towel, and set something heavy on top (like a cast iron pan or a few heavy books). Let it sit for an hour, if possible.
- Chop the onion and slice the bell peppers. Set aside.
- Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, add all sauce ingredients and whisk well to combine.
- Slice the pressed tofu into 3/4 inch cubes.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu in a single layer. Let cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, then carefully flip the pieces with a spatula and cook for a few more minutes on each side, until the tofu are golden and crispy on all sides. Remove from the pan and set on a plate while you cook the vegetables.
- In the hot pan, add the onion, bell peppers and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Now add the Kung Pao sauce and stir constantly until it thickens. Lower the heat.
- Add the peanuts and crispy tofu and stir, then turn off the heat.
- Serve over brown or white rice, and garnish with green onions, sesame seeds or more peanuts.
Recipe Notes
- Oil Free: Make sure you have a very high quality non-stick pan. Dry the tofu very well before cooking. OR bake it following the directions in this recipe. I would bake it for best results, as it sticks quite easily when frying without oil.
- Gluten Free: Use gluten free tamari instead of soy sauce and it will be gluten free.
- Tofu Free: Substitute cauliflower florets or tempeh for the tofu.
- Nutrition facts do not include rice.
- Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 days. This dish does not freeze well.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
This recipe was originally published in April of 2018 and has been updated with new photos and writing October 2019. The recipe is the same.
Kristiene Lee
I made this dish last night and we couldn’t stop raving about it. Next time I will double the sauce like others suggested. Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
Dolores
Turned out perfectly! I baked the tofu and didn’t use any oil on the vegetables. Healthy and delicious. Added some gochujang for heat on the adults’ plates. Terrific!
Nora
I’m glad you liked it!
Kendra S
This is delicious! Have made it two weeks in a row – so simple and satisfying! Thank you!
Nora
I’m glad you are enjoying the recipe, thank you!
Ratana
Made this for lunch & it was AMAZING! I did sub eggplant for tofu, mirin for rice vinrgar since I didn’t have it on hand and added some celery. Quick, simple, delicious!!
Nora
So glad to hear it was delicious!
Cassie
Made this dish tonight and it was fabulous!! Definitely adding to the list of faves! I just decided to go vegan a little over a week ago, and have been trying all kinds of new dishes!!
Thanks!!
Nora
So glad you like it. Good luck on the vegan transition!
Gail
Fantastic! And stunningly beautiful. We added about 4 ounces of very small shiitakes, and by the time we got done we could have used a bit more sauce. Maybe next time 1.5x on the sauce ingredients. But overall this is a keeper!
Ally
Absolutely delicious! 10/10 recommend
Nora
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Yolanda Pavey
I made this for lunch today for my husband and it is/was delicious!! I did pan fry the tofu much longer because I wanted it dryer and crispier ( Husband does not like squishy tofu)
Once again another Nora winner!
Thank you!
Nora
I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! Thank you!
Nora
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Judy
This recipe looks wonderful although I’ve never tried regular sugar in a Kung Pao recipe–I always use maple syrup or brown sugar. Will be giving your recipe a try tonight and doubling the sauce! Thank you!
Judi
Great recipe!!!
Amy S
Made this for dinner last night. Everyone in the family loved it.
Sam Wester
Sounds really good. What can I substitute for the seasame oil? Will unroasted and unsalted peanuts work?
Nora
Thanks Sam! You can totally leave out the sesame oil if you don’t have it or don’t want to use it, it just adds flavor but it will be fine without it. Yes, unroasted and unsalted peanuts should work just fine.