Crispy, golden tofu coated in a sweet, spicy, and savory sauce—General Tso’s Tofu is a plant-based twist on the takeout classic. It’s the perfect balance of crunchy, sticky, and flavorful, making it an irresistible dinner option.
Inspired by the ever-popular General Tso’s Chicken, this version swaps chicken for tofu while keeping all the bold flavors intact. If you’ve ever enjoyed dishes like Orange Tofu, you’ll love this homemade take on a restaurant favorite.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love General Tso's Tofu
- Ingredients
- How to Prepare the Tofu
- Substitutions
- Variations
- Recipe FAQ's
- Top Tips for the Best General Tso’s Tofu
- Store and Reheat General Tso's Tofu
- Serving Suggestions
- Related Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- Substitutions
- Top Tips for the Best General Tso’s Tofu
- Store and Reheat General Tso's Tofu
- 💬 Comments
Why You'll Love General Tso's Tofu
Crispy Perfection – The tofu is fried to golden, crunchy goodness before being coated in sauce.
Bold, Balanced Flavors – A mix of sweet, spicy, tangy, and savory elements makes every bite exciting.
Easy to Make at Home – No need for takeout when you can make this quick and delicious dish in your own kitchen.
Ingredients
Extra-firm tofu holds up the best when frying and provides a nice chew to each bite.
Corn starch coats the tofu and provides a nice crunchy outer layer.
Olive oil for frying
Brown sugar brings sweet, caramel notes savory-sweet sauce
Hoisin sauce, an cantonese condiment made with fermented soybean paste and spices.
Ketchup adds sweet and sour sauce elements.
Soy sauce adds saltiness and umami elements to the sauce.
Sesame oil adds aromatic, nutty notes to the General Tso's Tofu sauce.
Green onions for garnish
Fresh ginger often used in asian cuisine, adds a peppery sweet heat.
Dried chili peppers for added spicy heat.
How to Prepare the Tofu
Below is a visual on how to prepare the tofu for this General Tso's Tofu recipe.
Press Tofu
Place tofu in a tofu press or use a heavy plate with paper towels to press excess liquid from the brick of tofu.
Cut
Cut tofu into squares and then cut into a diagonal to create triangle shaped pieces.
Fry
Coat tofu pieces with cornstarch and fry in a hot skillet with oil.
Make sauce
Remove tofu from skillet and set aside. Add sauce ingredients and whisk together, cooking until sauce begins to thicken.
Combine
Return tofu to skillet and toss to coat. Garnish with green onion tops.
See recipe card below for ingredient amounts and complete instructions.
Substitutions
Tofu Alternative – Swap tofu for tempeh or seitan for a different texture.
Soy Sauce Substitute – Use tamari for a gluten-free option or coconut aminos for a slightly sweeter taste.
Cornstarch Replacement – Arrowroot powder or potato starch can be used for a similar crispy coating.
Variations
Baked Version – Instead of frying, bake the tofu at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Air-Fried Tofu – Achieve crispiness with less oil by air-frying the tofu at 375°F for about 15 minutes.
Extra Veggies – Add bell peppers, broccoli, or snap peas for more texture and nutrients.
Recipe FAQ's
General Tso's Sauce is a spicy sweet sauce made with soy sauce, chili sauce, some sweetener, and vinegar.
Traditionally whole dried Sichuan chili peppers are used. Regular red pepper chili flakes work in place of the whole peppers.
Potato starch or rice flour works similar to cornstarch and will create a crispy outer shell on the tofu pieces.
Top Tips for the Best General Tso’s Tofu
Sauce at the end – Add the sauce just before serving to keep the tofu from getting soggy.
Press the tofu – Removing excess moisture helps it crisp up better.
Coat evenly – Toss the tofu in cornstarch for a light, crunchy crust.
Fry in batches – Avoid overcrowding the pan to maintain crispiness.
Store and Reheat General Tso's Tofu
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat:
- Stovetop: Reheat in a pan over medium heat until warmed through.
- Oven: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes.
- Air Fryer: Heat at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes to restore crispiness.
Serving Suggestions
Serve over a bed of brown rice, Cauliflower Fried Rice or with a delicious bowl of Sesame Peanut Noodles.
For an appetizer try these vegan Air Fryer Egg Rolls or Crab Rangoon.
Related Recipes
When you make this Crispy General Tso's Tofu recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Crispy General Tso’s Tofu
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Ingredients
For the Tofu
- 2 pounds extra firm tofu
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup olive oil
For the Sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons sugar-free ketchup
- 1 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 green onions sliced, white and green parts separate
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
- 5 whole dried chili peppers
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil until hot.
- Add the cornstarch to a shallow bowl and coat the tofu with cornstarch on all sides. Fry the tofu in hot oil for 2 minutes on each side, until tofu coating is golden brown. Remove from the frying pan with a skimmer spoon. Place on a layer of paper towels to absorb any grease. Set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, hoisin sauce, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and water until combined. Set aside.
- In the same skillet the tofu was fried in, heat sesame oil over medium-high heat until hot. Stir in the white part of the green onions and the ginger. Fry for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the general tso's sauce mixture to the skillet along with the dried chili peppers. Bring the sauce mixture to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken.
- .Add the fried tofu back to the sauce mixture and toss to coat. Serve garnished with green part of the onion.
Notes
Substitutions
Tofu Alternative – Swap tofu for tempeh or seitan for a different texture.
Soy Sauce Substitute – Use tamari for a gluten-free option or coconut aminos for a slightly sweeter taste.
Cornstarch Replacement – Arrowroot powder or potato starch can be used for a similar crispy coating.
Top Tips for the Best General Tso’s Tofu
Sauce at the end – Add the sauce just before serving to keep the tofu from getting soggy. Press the tofu – Removing excess moisture helps it crisp up better. Coat evenly – Toss the tofu in cornstarch for a light, crunchy crust. Fry in batches – Avoid overcrowding the pan to maintain crispiness.Store and Reheat General Tso's Tofu
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat:-
- Stovetop: Reheat in a pan over medium heat until warmed through.
-
- Oven: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes.
-
- Air Fryer: Heat at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes to restore crispiness.
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
You know what? I love all of your tips, including exactly how to cut the tofu into triangles. It makes a difference in how the dish looks!
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
It looks really good! I can't wait to try!
Colleen - Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck says
This is my type of general tso's!!!
Lindsay Cotter says
We need to make this for dinner soon! I think it will be a big hit!
jo koch says
I made this recipe last night for myself as my family are meat eaters.....there was not enough to go around.....fabulous!
Shelby says
Happy to hear it!! It is a definite favorite here in our home too and two people easily eat the whole thing with no problem and still wish we had more! Thanks for stopping back to let me know!
Nicole says
This looks amazing. I was going to make tofu lettuce wraps tonight, but I think I will switch up to this dish.
Laura says
This is absolutely the best new recipe I've made in months. We loved it. The children (four and six) fought over who got the last of it!
Shelby says
So happy you came back to let me know Laura! This is one recipe that even Grumpy will request I make (that has tofu in it!) 🙂 Thank you!
Felicia says
Just tried this! Amazing!!!
Debi Wayland says
This looks great! I've pinned, yummly, and SU it. Thanks for sharing.
klom180 says
I'm a little late to the game on this recipe, but I just recently stumbled upon it on Pinterest. Made it for dinner tonight and it's incredible! I plan on using it to convert one of my friends to a tofu-lover. 🙂
Thanks so much for this!
klom180 says
I'm a little late to the game on this recipe, but I just recently stumbled upon it on Pinterest. Made it for dinner tonight and it's incredible! I plan on using it to convert one of my friends to a tofu-lover. 🙂
Thanks so much for this!
Gtrude says
Made this dish for dinner tonight. Quite frankly, it doesn't even need the brown sugar. I left it out completely in the interest of saving calories and found that the catsup gives the dish plenty of sweetness. I really like the substitution of tofu for chicken. It is a good Lenten dish for meatless Fridays.
Kristen says
Made this tonight with slight modifications just to avoid going to the grocery store, and it was delicious! This is definitely going in our 'favorites' folder!