Vegan Orange Tofu is what I make when I’ve been staring at the fridge for a little too longer wondering what the heck is for dinner? This tofu dish is always delicious, takes no time to whip up, and is full of ingredients you most likely have on hand already. I always have tofu pressing in the fridge and if I can share any tip with you, it’s that. I always have tofu pre-pressed on hand. It will make your life easier and you’ll always have dinner ready in no time!
You can serve this vegan orange tofu however you’d like but I always serve mine with white or brown rice and a vegetable. I love pairing this with peppers and onions or steamed broccoli. This recipe is really delicious and truly one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy.
What You Will Need For This Vegan Orange Tofu
Kitchen Essentials:
Main Ingredients:
- Extra Firm Tofu
- Cornstarch
- Vegetable Broth
- Orange Juice
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce
Substitutions:
- Tofu: You can use seitan instead of tofu if desired. I have an Orange Chicken recipe that is very very delicious but keep in mind that one takes a lot longer to prepare. The seitan is made from scratch and deep fried.
- Cornstarch: You can substitute cornstarch for arrowroot powder or tapioca starch but I find that it sticks to the pan more and is not as easy to work with. I prefer cornstarch for that reason. I’ve used all purpose flour as well when I ran out of cornstarch and it worked just fine.
How To Make The Best Tofu Every Time
Press your tofu. Pressing improves the texture of the tofu and will also help the tofu crisp up in the pan. I have a tofu press and highly recommend it but you can make a diy tofu press easily by putting the tofu in between two plates and stacking heavy items on top. I almost always have pre- pressed tofu in my fridge so it’s ready to use any time! Simply press tofu and then store in an airtight container and use within 2-3 days.
Coating the tofu in cornstarch is key to getting the best crispy tofu. When combined with a little moisture it creates a coating that gets perfectly crisp and golden brown every time. I don’t recommend ever skipping this step.
Be sure not to over crowd the pan when frying. Over crowding will cause the tofu to steam and it will never get crispy. I recommend frying in batches with lots of room in between each piece and remove the crispy pieces to a wire rack while you continue to fry the rest. Placing them on a paper towel or a plate will cause one side to become soggy.
More Tofu Recipes You Might Like:
If You Make This Recipe:
Tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your delicious re-creations and feature them! As always, I would greatly appreciate if you share your review in the comments below. Don’t forget to add if you made any fun substitutions. Thank you!
Print
Vegan Orange Tofu
- Prep Time: 15
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: 2–4 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stove-Top
- Diet: Vegan
Description
You can serve this vegan orange tofu however you’d like but I always serve mine with white or brown rice and a vegetable. I love pairing this with peppers and onions or steamed broccoli. This recipe is really delicious and truly one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy.
Ingredients
Crispy Tofu:
- 1 Block Extra Firm Tofu, pressed
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
- Pinch of Salt
Orange Sauce:
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Broth
- 1/4 cup Fresh Orange Juice
- 1/4 cup Organic Sugar
- 2 tablespoons White Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon Orange Zest
- 1 teaspoon Chili Sauce or Sriracha
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
Instructions
- Press tofu for 30 minutes to an hour. See notes for tips on pressing tofu.
- Cube the tofu and toss in the soy sauce until evenly coated and rehydrated. Carefully toss in the cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and a pinch of salt.
- Heat a large pan on medium-high heat and coat the base of the pan in vegetable oil. Add the tofu to the pan in batches and pan-fry on each side until crispy and golden brown, 2-3 minutes each side. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Drain on wire rack. See above for more tips on frying tofu.
- Whisk together the vegetable broth, orange juice, sugar, white vinegar, soy sauce, orange zest, hot sauce and cornstarch until well incorporated. Add the sauce to a small pot on medium heat and bring to a simmer until thickened, whisking often.
- Add the tofu and toss to coat evenly in the sauce.
- Plate over rice and top with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
Press your tofu. Pressing improves the texture of the tofu and will also help the tofu crisp up in the pan. I have a tofu press and highly recommend it but you can make a diy tofu press easily by putting the tofu in between two plates and stacking heavy items on top. I almost always have pre- pressed tofu in my fridge so it’s ready to use any time! Simply press tofu and then store in an airtight container and use within 2-3 days.
Keywords: vegan orange tofu, orange tofu, vegan orange chicken
