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.
Reeni♥ says
What a great re-creation! I am working on recreating all my favorite Chinese favorites, this is one to try for sure.
Olga says
Looks awesome. I'm definitely a tofu fan.
I wish I could figure out how not to work at all 🙂
Josie says
I. Love. (firm) Tofu. I definitely need to give this a try. I would also love to learn to make it with chicken - I could really impress my little brother who is obsessed with general tso's.
Linda says
This is my favorite Chinese dish with chicken and I like that you adapted it to tofu. I think I will try this with my husband to see what he thinks!
pigpigscorner says
I've only seen this dish with chicken. But it looks so good with tofu!
Mari at Once Upon a Plate says
S~ I think using tofu is a brilliant idea (and you know I'll do it that way next time!)
Your photos are fantastic... my mouth is watering. 🙂 VERY nice job!! xo~m
Mari at Once Upon a Plate says
S~ I think using tofu is a brilliant idea (and you know I'll do it that way next time!)
Your photos are fantastic... my mouth is watering. 🙂 VERY nice job!! xo~m
Happy cook says
I cooked tofu once and i didn't like them.
This looks really so yummy i think i should try my luck again with tofu.
I too sit and drool on foodgwaker and when ever my hubby see me drooling, he says thank go you don't gain weight by just drooling on the pics itherwise i would be more than 100 kg 🙂
CookiePie says
That looks absolutely DELICIOUS!!! I love tofu, and always want new ways to cook it -- thanks for sharing! Glad you're on the mend 🙂
Mags says
OK... two comments on the same post may or may not be kosher, but geeze.... you're featured on the FoodieBlogRoll! So that's why I'm commenting again. Congrats!
the happy couple says
your tofu looks amazing!
vibi says
I'm ususally not a great fan of tofu, but with that amazing topping of sweet sauce... Mmmm... I'm a believer!!! LOL
That's a keeper! Thanks for sharing HoneyB!
Katy ~ says
HoneyB, this looks DELISH! Wow oh WOW delish.
Glad to hear you're feeling stronger and better each day.
Pamela says
General Tso's Chicken is a definite weakness and I so rarely get it. I know it's horrible for me. But this looks fantastic and a little bit cleaner! Great job!
the ungourmet says
I need to come over and steal some of this for dinner!
Andrea says
Wow, your General Tso's Tofu looks amazing! I love Asian style tofu dishes and will give this one a try for sure, it looks absolutely delicious, and I'm always looking to find a sauce similar to what they serve at Chinese restaurants. Your gorgeous photos are making me so hungry 🙂
Mags says
This just may get me to try tofu again. Lovely photos!
Rachelle @ "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" says
That looks beautiful! I like tofu, so I could easily do this.
Elyse says
This looks amazing!! General Tso's is my favorite Chinese dish. And I LOVE LOVE LOVE tofu. My Toddy has been out of town for a week, so I'm not really inspired to feed myself. I know, it's weird, right: I run a food blog (albeit, it's all baked goods), and I can't get my act together enough to eat when there isn't another mouth to feed. Pathetic. Anyway, the point is that I've just been eating slices of tofurky right from the package for the past few days. That stuff is amazing! Have you had it? This tofu General Tso's looks awesome. I might actually make this for myself tonight!! Great job, and I'm so glad that you're feeling so much better!
The Food Librarian says
Looks fantastic!!!
Anonymous says
I made this tonight and even my kids ate it. It was so yummy. I am going to make this again.