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    Oh My Veggies » Vegan Recipes » Vegan Main Dishes

    General Tso Tofu

    Published: Jan 20, 2022 · by Nicole · Updated: Feb 6, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    vegan chinese food
    vegan chinese food
    vegan chinese food

    Do you have a craving for vegan Chinese food? If so, whip up a batch of this General Tso Tofu. It's a little savory, a little sweet, and a whole lot of delicious. Plus it's vegetarian, vegan, and ready in under 30 minutes! 

    vegan chinese food being served
    Jump to:
    • How to Make General Tso Tofu
    • Helpful Tips
    • Tasty Variations
    • FAQs
    • More Chinese Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    General Tso Tofu is a sweet and spicy tofu that is smothered in a delightfully sticky homemade sauce. This dish is so tasty, and will satisfy those take out cravings with one bite. 

    This General Tso Tofu Recipe Is... 

    • Quick and Easy
    • Simple Ingredients 
    • 30 Minute Meal Idea 
    • Vegan 
    • Gluten Free 
    • Vegetarian 
    • Dairy Free 

    P.S. You're going to want to try all of these other vegetarian takeout makeover recipes too!

    While you're here, be sure to grab our FREE 5-Day Meatless Meal Plan. It's packed with tasty recipes to make vegetarian cooking easy and delicious!

    How to Make General Tso Tofu

    collage of images showing how to make general tso tofu
    1. Dice up your tofu and place in a bowl or casserole dish. Then you will add in the maple syrup, vegetable broth, soy sauce, vinegar, and let it sit for 10 minutes to overnight. 
    2. Once you are done allowing the tofu to marinade, discard the marinade. Then toss the tofu in cornstarch and set aside. 
    3. In a new bowl whisk up the ingredients for the sauce. 
    4. Heat oil in pan and toss tofu cooking on all sides till browned. 
    5. Stir in the sauce, and simmer till the sauce is nice and thick. 
    6. Serve warm with rice, and top with sesame seeds. 

    Full directions for this General Tso Tofu recipe are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post. 

    vegan chinese food

    Helpful Tips

    Use Extra Firm Tofu

    I recommend using extra firm tofu, you will find it is going to give the best texture for this Chinese inspired recipe. The softer varieties will crumble or fall apart in the sauce.

    Marinate the Tofu

    Making sure you marinate the tofu is key, as it is going to allow the tofu to take on all the delicious flavors. If you skip marinating the tofu, you will find the dish much less flavorful.

    Tasty Variations

    stirring the general tso tofu with a wooden spoon

    Add more spice. 

    If you like things on the spicy side, you can double the amount of crushed red pepper flakes in the sauce. Alternatively, try topping the finished dish with some thinly sliced jalapenos.

    Add veggies.

    Consider tossing in some broccoli florets, snap peas, or any other veggies you have on hand for a more veggie-centric meal. You will find that just about any veggies work in this simple recipe. Just sauté along with the tofu, and be sure to make extra sauce to cover the added bulk.

    Make General Tso Cauliflower

    For an entirely different spin, you can replace the tofu with cauliflower. And now you have General Tso's Cauliflower instead! For another alternative, check out these General Tso's Bowls made with seitan.

    Serving Suggestions

    Serve with the tofu over a bed of rice. Alternatively, you can serve it with cauliflower rice (low carb option), quinoa, or couscous.

    For a heartier meal, try serving it alongside veggie fried rice or stir fried vegetables.

    FAQs

    general tso tofu being served

    What type of tofu do I use for General Tso Tofu? 

    Extra firm tofu is needed for this recipe. You will then dice up into bite size cubes to sear in the pan. 

    What is hoisin sauce? 

    Hoisin sauce is a thick and savory with a hint of sweetness. The rich flavor comes from fermented soy beans. It's often referred to as the Chinese version of barbecue sauce.

    Can I meal prep with this recipe? 

    This tofu is great for weekly meal prepping. Just store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Then place in single serve containers and heat up as you would like (microwave works great for this one). It makes a great hot packable lunch.

    In my experience, this recipe does not freeze well and I would not suggest it.

    More Chinese Recipes

    If you love this General Tso's Tofu, be sure to check out these other delicious ideas:

    • Chinese Hot & Sour Soup
    • Vegan Wonton Soup
    • Easy Veggie Lo Mein with Tofu
    • Baked Gobi Manchurian

    If you're on your way to a more plant based lifestyle, be sure to check out our Veggie Kickstart Kit. It's packed with easy and tasty vegetarian dinners, effortless packable lunches, and easy grab-and-go breakfasts. And they’re so good - you’ll never miss the meat again!

    Recipe

    vegan chinese food

    General Tso Tofu

    Do you have a craving for vegan Chinese food? If so, whip up a batch of this General Tso Tofu. It's a little savory, a little sweet, and a whole lot of delicious. Plus it's vegetarian, vegan, and ready in under 30 minutes! 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: general tso tofu, vegan chinese food
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 205kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    For the tofu:

    • 12 oz extra firm tofu one block, cut into small cubes
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari for gluten free
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • ⅓ cup cornstarch

    For the sauce:

    • ½ cup vegetable broth
    • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce gluten free variety if needed
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

    For serving:

    • rice cooked, optional for serving
    • sesame seeds optional for garnish
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • In a shallow bowl or casserole dish, mix together the , veggie broth, maple syrup, soy sauce, and apple cider vinegar. Pour the marinade onto the tofu and and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes, up to overnight
      vegan chinese food
    • Drain and discard excess tofu marinade, then toss the cubed tofu with cornstarch
      vegan chinese food
    • Once all the tofu is coated with cornstarch, set this aside.
      vegan chinese food
    • In a small bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients until fully combined
      vegan chinese food
    • Heat a large oiled skillet over medium heat, and brown tofu on all sides
      vegan chinese food
    • Once tofu is crisped, pour the sauce mixture over top.
      vegan chinese food
    • Allow to simmer and thicken until desired consistency is reached
      vegan chinese food
    • Serve warm with rice and sesame seeds if desired
      vegan chinese food

    Nutrition

    Calories: 205kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 8gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 653mgPotassium: 216mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 116IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 2mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
    « Easy Vegetable Curry
    25+ Healthy Vegetarian Breakfast Ideas »

    Vegan Main Dishes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Main Dishes, Vegetarian Recipes 30 minutes or less, gluten-free, main dishes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sue says

      February 10, 2022 at 6:41 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Doubled the sauce and added a pound of veggies. Thanks!!

      Reply

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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
    Learn more here.

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