General Tso's Tofu is a super quick weeknight dinner! Crispy tofu with a thick, slightly spicy sauce in one pot tastes amazing.
Table of contents
General Tso's Sauce is a delicious sauce that pairs perfectly with any protein. This is a simple and delicious sauce that’s perfect for stir-fries! It comes together quickly and satisfies all takeaway cravings. I paired it with some crispy tofu to make this easy Cao Tofu!
You can use any vegetables you like in this 1-pot 30-minute dinner. Simply toss the tofu in soy sauce and pepper and fry in a skillet until crispy. Then use daily ingredients to make General Tso sauce, thicken it, add vegetables, then add tofu, and serve.
Serve it with rice, quinoa, other cooked grains, or noodles. Or you could add it to some lettuce leaves for General Tao’s tofu lettuce wraps! It's so delicious and versatile.
I love cooking with General Tso’s Sauce!If you like this recipe, also check out mine General Tso's Sandwich, General Tso's Cauliflowerand General Tso's Soy Sauce Rolls.
Why you’ll love General Tso’s Tofu
- Easy, one pot meal
- Versatile! Serve with rice, noodles or lettuce wraps, feel free to add extra veggies if you like.
- Addictive sweet sauce with a little bit of heat
- Nut-free, with gluten-free and soy-free options
More Tofu Dinner Recipes
Recipe card
General Tso's Tofu
General Tso's Tofu is a super quick weeknight dinner! Crispy tofu with a thick, slightly spicy sauce in one pot tastes amazing.
Serving size: 4
Calories: 199kilocalories
raw material
For tofu
- 14 ounce (396.89 G) Firm tofu or extra firm tofu Press for at least 15 minutes, then tear into organic 3/4” shapes
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Oil
- 1/8 teaspoon White pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 spoon corn starch or more, as desired to wrap the tofu well
General Tso Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Oil
- 1″ ginger chopped, or about 2 teaspoons minced
- 3 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 cup (74.5 G) chopped red bell pepper Cut into 1/2-inch or larger cubes
- 1/4 cup (37.25 G) chopped green pepper
- 2 spoon onion White part only, use green part for decoration
- 1/4 cup (59.15 ml) soy sauce Or use soy sauce to make it gluten free
- 3 spoon brown sugar
- 2 spoon rice vinegar
- 1 spoon cooking wine
- 1 spoon samba elek
- 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt or taste
- 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) water Mix with 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Sesame seeds and green onions for decoration
instruct
Make crispy tofu.
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If you haven't pressed the tofu yet, tear it into organic shapes and place in a bowl. Add soy sauce and oil and mix well.
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Then, in a small bowl, combine the white pepper, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch. Sprinkle this over the tofu and mix well. If the tofu is a little too wet, add more cornstarch, 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time, and mix well.
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Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu to the pot. Stir occasionally and flip the tofu cubes until most of the edges are crispy. This may take 5 to 8 minutes, depending on your skillet and stovetop. Remove tofu from skillet.Bake instead: Spread the tofu on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 20 minutes.
Make General Tso Sauce.
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Add another teaspoon of oil to the same skillet and reduce heat to medium. Once hot, add ginger and garlic and cook for 15 seconds.
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Add bell peppers and other vegetables (if using) and a pinch of salt. Mix well, then add all the sauce and brown sugar and mix well.
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Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, then combine the cornstarch with water, add it to the skillet, and bring to a boil. Cook for another minute or two to thicken, then turn off the heat. Taste and adjust to taste, adding a little more soy sauce if you like, or a little more salt or sugar if you like.
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Stir in crispy tofu and remove from heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions and serve with rice, noodles, lettuce wraps, or whatever you like!
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Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days
notes
To make this gluten free Use soy sauce instead of soy sauce.
Cornstarch Substitutes: Use any other starch instead of cornstarch, such as tapioca or potato starch.
This is a naturally nut-free recipe.
To make this soy-free, use pumpkin seed tofu instead of tofu or Chickpea Flour Tofu And use coconut aminos. Just know that the amount of coconut aminos in the sauce will be a little different and the flavor will vary.
Nutrition
nutrient content
General Tso's Tofu
Amount per serving
Calories 199
Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
fat 9 grams14%
Saturated fat 1g6%
sodium 782 mg34%
Potassium 160 mg5%
carbohydrate 20g7%
Fiber 2 grams8%
11 grams of sugar12%
protein 11 gramstwenty two%
Vitamin A 685IU14%
Vitamin C 33 mg40%
calcium 148 mg15%
iron 2 mg11%
*Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tofu – Use firm or extra-firm tofu and make sure to press for best results.
- Soy sauce – to season tofu and General Tso’s sauce
- Pepper – White pepper and red pepper flakes season the tofu.
- Cornstarch – crisps up the tofu and thickens the sauce. If desired, you can use other starches such as potato or tapioca starch.
- Oil – to crisp up the tofu and create the sauce.
- Aromatics – Ginger, garlic, and scallions add so much umami flavor to the sauce!
- Bell Peppers – A mix of red and green bell peppers adds vegetables, color, texture, and flavor! Feel free to add more vegetables of your choice if you wish.
- Brown sugar – sweetens the sauce.
- Rice Vinegar – Adds flavor to the sauce.
- Mirin – adds depth of flavor.
- sambal oelek – adds spices and chili-garlic flavor to the sauce.
- Toasted Sesame Oil – Gives the sauce a mild, nutty flavor.
- Sesame seeds – for garnish and extra protein.
tip
- You want the tofu to be well coated in cornstarch, but not too soggy. Add more cornstarch if needed.
- Be sure to stir and flip the tofu often so it crisps up on all sides.
How to Make General Tso's Tofu
First, make the crispy tofu.
If you haven't pressed the tofu yet, tear it into organic shapes and place in a bowl. Add soy sauce and mix well.
Then, in a small bowl, combine the white pepper, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch. Sprinkle this over the tofu and mix well. If the tofu is a little too wet, add more cornstarch, 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time, and mix well.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu to the pot. Stir occasionally and flip the tofu cubes until most of the edges are crispy. This may take 5 to 8 minutes, depending on your skillet and stovetop. Remove tofu from skillet.
Bake: Place tofu on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 20-25 minutes
Now, make the General Tso Sauce.
Add another teaspoon of oil to the same skillet, reduce heat to medium, then add ginger and garlic and cook 10 to 15 seconds.
Add bell peppers and other vegetables (if using) and a pinch of salt. Mix well, then add all the sauce and brown sugar and mix well.
Boil for 2 to 3 minutes, then combine the cornstarch with water and add it to the skillet and bring to a boil. Cook for another minute or two to thicken, then turn off the heat. Taste and adjust to taste, adding a little more soy sauce if you like, or a little more salt or sugar if you like.
Stir in crispy tofu and remove from heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions and serve with rice, noodles, lettuce wraps, or whatever you like!
frequently asked questions
To make it gluten-free, use soy sauce instead of soy sauce.
You can use any other starch instead of cornstarch, such as tapioca or potato starch.
This is a naturally nut-free recipe.
To make this soy-free, use pumpkin seed tofu instead of tofu or Chickpea Flour Tofu And use coconut aminos. Just know that the amount of coconut aminos in the sauce will be a little different and the flavor will vary.
