There was a restaurant by our apartment that made the BEST tofu stir fry. Over the summer, I decided to give it a go at making my own crispy tofu and it has turned out to be an amazing substitute for theirs. You can use any sauce you like, but I recommend either General Tso’s or an orange sauce. Just be sure to check the label to confirm that it does not contain any animal products.
Tofu ingredients:
- 1 14oz package of extra firm tofu
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (this is optional, but it does make the breading crispier)
- 1 1/2 cups dairy-free breadcrumbs (The Target and some Kroger brands are made without dairy or eggs – make sure to check the labels!)
- 1/2 cup almond milk (or other dairy free milk – water works too, just not as well)
- 1 to 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion Powder
- 1/2 to 1 tsp Tony’s seasoning
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Veggie Ingredients:
- 1-2 cup(s) of chopped broccoli
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 8oz General Tso’s or an orange sauce (You can make your own, but we generally buy because it’s easier. In this case we used the Panda Express Orange Sauce)
- White or brown rice
Instructions:
- Start by pressing the tofu. I use a tofu press and find that it gives the best results. I generally press the tofu for about 30-45 minutes – the longer the better. If you don’t have a tofu press, you can just use a heavy pot. Click here to learn how to press tofu without a press.*
- Once you are done pressing, cut the tofu into about 2 inch pieces as shown below.
- Mix the seasonings with the breadcrumbs.
- Put cornstarch in one bowl, almond milk in another, and the bread crumbs and seasonings into a third bowl.
- Bread the tofu by first coating in cornstarch, then the almond milk, and lastly the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Bake for 40 minutes at 420 degrees – flipping the tofu at 20 minutes.
- When the tofu is almost done baking, sauté onions and bell pepper on medium high heat for about 5 minutes or so.
- Add the chopped broccoli and cook for about 5-7 minutes more.
- Add garlic and ginger. Cook for 2-3 minutes then turn heat to low/medium heat.
- Once tofu is done, add tofu to veggie mixture and add General Tso’s sauce. Be careful not to add the sauce too soon as the longer it cooks, the better chance of the consistency becoming thin which is not good. It is best to add it at the very end just to mix everything together and heat it thoroughly.*
- Cook together for 5-7 minutes until thoroughly heated. Serve over rice.
- Enjoy! 🙂
*Pressing may seem like a small step that you can skip, but it is vital to the crispy texture. Pressing the excess water out of the tofu ensures a firmer and crispier texture.
*You can also add some sauce to the tofu while baking instead of mixing everything together like a stir fry. Instead of adding the tofu to the veggies with the sauce, add the sauce to the tofu at the 20 minute mark and add on top of veggies once cooked. You will still add some sauce to the veggies when they’re almost done cooking.
If you try this recipe, share it to instagram and tag me @charlieoliviagrantham!
charlieolivia.org 