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.
ALLTHINGSWINGS says
Great Stuff!!!!
ALLTHINGSWINGS says
I just made this for the wifey.... followed the recipe to a tee... FANTASTIC!!!!!
Anonymous says
We totally loved this, I sauteed tofu in coconut oil, yummy. Gobbled up everything, only a little left for lunch tomorrow. Thanks for the great recipe.
Anonymous says
This was delicious. I substituted ginger-garlic paste for the fresh garlic once because I did not have fresh ginger on hand and it still came out tasting delicious. Also in addition scallions, I also garnished with cilantro which added a little extra something.
Shelby says
I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe! The ginger garlic paste is a wonderful idea. I don't always have fresh ginger on hand either, and when a recipe calls for fresh, it isn't the same if you don't use it! I also love the cilantro garnish as I am a cilantro freak!
Anonymous says
Very good, A little heavy on the ginger but i estimated the 3 Tbsp. also i made a chicken variation for part of my family and they enjoyed it very much
Shelby says
Anonymous - I probably didn't use 3 Tablespoons myself - I very rarely use a measuring spoon to measure spices, etc - I would say that when I make this that the amount of ginger I use is more equal to 1 tablespoon. I'm glad your family enjoyed it!
Katherine Martinelli says
YUM - this looks amazing! A few years ago our favorite Chinese restaurant put General Tso's tofu on the menu and we order it quite often but I've never thought of making it at home - bookmarking! Thanks for linking it up at my blog hop 😀
Katherine Martinelli says
Aaand I made this for dinner tonight and it was AMAZING!!! Loved it. I will definitely be making this often, thanks!
Shelby says
Katherine, I am SO glad you enjoyed it! Now your making me want to eat it soon! 🙂
Curry St John says
Looks gorgeous!! And I found YOUR post by searching for "tofu" on Foodgawker - food porn is right! 🙂
I'll have to try this recipe one day - thanks!
Grumpy & HoneyB says
I'm glad to hear you and hubby enjoyed this! It is one of my favorite tofu dishes - and Grumpy doesn't really mind eating it now either!
Mary says
What is reduced sugar katsup?
Shelby says
Mary, Heinz makes a reduced-sugar ketchup that I like to use. I buy it in the grocery right where you find regular ketchup or you can also find it on Amazon.
Anonymous says
this not only looks amazing! It is! Just got done making it for lunch. My hubby loved it!
Sophie says
WOW (impressed look). Your tofu dish looks so yummy.
Here I bought a sauce pack for Sauce for Mapo Tofu so as to skip all the seasonings! and i will try this friday after work.
http://yummiexpress.freetzi.com
Christy jordan says
Oh my GOODNESS! This looks TOO yummy!!!! I'm coming over for leftovers!
averagebetty says
Mmm! This looks great, HoneyB!
Creative One says
Looks delish!
shellyfish says
One of my personal favourites! I was just thinking it's been a while since I've had some good chinese take-out style yummies!
Leslie says
I have never had or cooked with tofu. Kinda scares me. But this looks amazing
The Hungry Mouse says
Nice! This would totally get me to eat tofu. Looks fabulous!
+Jessie
AEROBROKEN says
Yummy! Looks awesome and made me hungry.
Hugging the Coast says
This could convert non-tofu lovers to true believers!
Aggie says
One of my favorite chinese dishes!! this looks so good! I am now bookmarking it...may try it with chicken first!
Jessie says
I love this lighter version of general tao's. I'm so eager to try this one!