Sticky Tofu is my go-to dinner when I'm in need of a quick, easy, and delicious weeknight meal. Made with simple ingredients and just a few easy steps, this vegan tofu dish comes together in under 30 minutes and never fails to impress!
Tofu is drained, pressed, and then tossed in a mix of cornstarch and spices.
There are a few different ways to cook the tofu— just make sure it turns out crispy and golden!
The sticky garlic sauce is made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, and gochujang. It checks all the boxes— salty, sweet, and spicy.
Once you try this recipe, you will understand why I make it weekly!
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Ingredients
Sticky tofu has a salty and sweet glaze that is made of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sugar.
It gets simmered in a pan until thickened and then coats the crispy tofu beautifully.
Extra-Firm Tofu: I recommend extra-firm tofu for the best texture. Drain, press, and then air fry or pan fry until golden and crisp.
Aromatics: Freshly minced ginger and garlic are a must have for this sticky sauce. It adds the best flavor!
Low-Sodium Soy Sauce: If gluten-free, use tamari.
Organic Cane Sugar: I use Florida Crystals raw cane sugar. This adds the sweetness to the sauce which will balance the salt from the soy sauce and tang of the vinegar.
Rice Vinegar: Has a mild, slightly sweet, and tangy flavor. It adds acidity without overpowering the dish.
Gochujang: Gochujang is a Korean fermented red chili paste with a spicy, slightly sweet, and umami-rich flavor. It's added to this spicy and sweet tofu for added heat and depth of flavor. Most are vegan but be sure to check the ingredients.
Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce.
See recipe card for quantities.
Helpful Equipment
I strongly recommend using a tofu press to remove excess water from the tofu. It’s a game-changer in the kitchen, making the tofu cook faster and get crispier!
How to Make This Recipe
This sticky spicy tofu is a delicious and easy dinner that will satisfy your takeout craving!
The full written recipe can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Press the tofu.
Step 2: Tear the tofu into bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt, then gently toss to coat evenly.
Step 3: Transfer the tofu to an air fryer and drizzle or spray with oil— no need to preheat.
Step 4: Air fry at 400F for 12-13 minutes or until golden brown. See recipe card for pan-frying instructions.
Step 5: In a large pan, add a splash of oil. When hot, add the minced garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant— about 2 minutes.
Step 6: Add the soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, gochujang, water and cornstarch to a small bowl and whisk vigorously until combined. Pour in the sauce and bring to a simmer over medium-heat.
Step 7: Cook until thickened. This won't take long so keep an eye on it!
Step 8: Add the crispy tofu to the sauce.
Step 9: Toss to combine.
Serve over rice with green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Pan-frying instructions: Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add a layer of neutral oil to coat the bottom. Place the tofu in the pan and pan-fry each side until crispy and golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Substitutions & Variations
Feel free to customize this sticky tofu bowl to fit your preferences or use what you have on hand. It's a pretty forgiving recipe!
Tofu: Instead of tofu, feel free to use tempeh or vegan chicken.
Make it gluten-free: Swap the soy sauce with a gluten-free tamari.
Gochujang: You can use sriracha, chili sauce, or red chili flakes. If you don't like spice, leave it out.
Rice Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar will work as a replacement.
Organic Cane Sugar: Maple syrup or agave syrup can be used in replace of the sugar.
Serving Ideas
My favorite way to serve this sticky, spicy, and sweet tofu is over a bed of jasmine rice and garnished with green onions.
Rice or noodles: Serve over a bed of jasmine rice, rice noodles, or udon noodles.
Stir-Fry veggies: Add sautéed shallot, bell peppers, broccoli, bok choy, or snap peas to make it a stir-fry.
Vegetable side dish: Serve with a side of air fryer broccoli and cauliflower or air fryer frozen green beans.
Tips & Tricks
Press your tofu. Pressing tofu improves the texture and will also help it become nice and crispy!
Speaking of tofu presses, I recommend investing in a tofu press for ease and convenience but you can make a DIY tofu press by putting the tofu in between two plates and stacking heavy items on top.
Coating the tofu in cornstarch helps get it extra crispy! When combined with a little moisture it creates a coating that gets perfectly crisp and golden brown every time.
Be careful not to burn the ginger and garlic. It cooks quick so keep an eye on it! It won't take long to become golden and fragrant.
Storage
Storage: Keep in mind, this recipe is best served fresh but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. The sauce will thicken in the fridge so add a small splash of water to loosen it up.
Freezing: I do not recommend freezing this recipe as it will change the texture of the tofu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Pan-frying will work perfectly for this recipe. I included pan-frying instructions in the recipe card below.
I always recommend pressing your tofu when it comes to making dishes like this sticky garlic tofu. It helps the tofu get crispy and improves the texture.
More Tofu Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Don't forget to leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating down below if you try this recipe! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram for more recipes and updates.
Recipe
Sticky Tofu
Ingredients
Crispy Tofu
- 1 block Extra-Firm Tofu drained and pressed
- 2 teaspoons Cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- Pinch of Kosher Salt see note
- Avocado Oil for cooking
Sticky Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Avocado Oil or neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger minced
- 2 Garlic Cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons Low-Sodium Soy Sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons Organic Cane Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Gochujang or sriracha
- ¼ cup Water
- 2 teaspoons Cornstarch
Instructions
- Press the tofu for at least 10-15 minutes to remove excess water. Use a tofu or make a DIY tofu press by sandwiching the tofu between two flat surfaces (like cutting boards or plates), then place something heavy on top, such as a cast iron skillet or cans, to gradually press out the excess water.
- Tear the tofu into bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt, then gently toss to coat evenly.
- Air fryer instructions: Transfer the tofu to an air fryer and drizzle or spray with oil— no need to preheat. Air fry at 400F for 12-13 minutes or until golden brown.
- Pan-frying instructions: Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add a layer of neutral oil to coat the bottom. Place the tofu in the pan and pan-fry each side until crispy and golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- In a large pan, add a splash of oil. When hot, add the minced garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant— about 2 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, gochujang, water and cornstarch to a small bowl and whisk vigorously until combined.
- Pour in the sauce and bring to a simmer over medium-heat. Cook until thickened. This won't take long so keep an eye on it!
- Add the crispy tofu to the sauce and toss to combine. Serve over rice with green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
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