Orange Tofu
Crispy seared tofu coated in a delicious sticky, sweet sauce made with fresh orange. This Crispy Orange Tofu satisfies every craving and ready in 30 minutes.
Sweet and savory is my go to flavor combo so it should be no surprise that one of my favorite things to order before I went vegan was orange chicken.
I’ve been working on a vegan orange chicken recipe since then… except the chicken is replaced with perfectly crispy tofu that is then tossed in my favorite sweet orange sauce. This recipe is definitely for my citrus lovers, especially if you were a fan of my Lemon Pepper Tofu.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Take Out Version
- Uses simple ingredients
- Easy to adjust the flavor to your preference
- Cooks in 30 minutes
- High in plant-protein and iron
- Less added sugar than most orange tofu/chicken recipes
- Easy to make gluten-free and naturally nut-free
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Naval Orange: You will need the juice and zest of a large orange. To get the most juice out, have a juicer available or have at least 2 oranges available to get the amount needed for this recipe if squeezing by hand.
- Soy Sauce: Make this dish gluten-free by using a gluten-free soy sauce, gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos.
- Tofu: Use extra firm or super firm tofu for this. If using extra firm tofu, make sure to press the tofu of excess water before starting the recipe.
- Cornstarch: It acts as both a coating for the tofu and also a means for thickening our sauce. If you don’t like using cornstarch, you can also use arrow root starch or tapioca starch to help.
- Rice Wine Vinegar: To help balance out our sauce and give a bit of tang with the sweet. If you don’t have this specific vinegar, feel free to use white vinegar instead.
- Maple Syrup: I like using liquid sweeteners as they blend really well in the sauce. You can also use organic brown sugar as an alternative too that is more cost effective.
- Sesame Oil: Helps bring out a lot of good flavor in our sauce. Just a little bit needed.
- Garlic and Ginger: Fresh minced/crushed is best for the flavors. If using dry spices, do 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 tsp ginger powder.
How to Make Crispy Tofu Two Ways
Crispy Baked Tofu
You can still get really good, firm and crispy tofu in the oven. Set your oven to 425F. Toss your tofu in oil then toss it in the mix of recommended cornstarch, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. When fully coated, place on a lined baking tray, making sure your tofu is spread out allowing enough space where they are not touching and bake for 25 minutes.
Pan Fried Tofu
To pan-fry your tofu, just coat your tofu in the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper. Heat up oil in your pan and then place each piece of tofu in the pan allowing them to pan-fry undisturbed for a few minutes until the bottom is crispy, then gently flip your tofu and cook on the opposite side for a few minutes. Keep moving the tofu until all sides are crispy to your liking.
Making Your Homemade Orange Sauce
A big part of this sauce is tasting as you go. Zest and juice your orange. After juicing, give it a taste to see how sweet it is.
Add your sauce ingredients except the cornstarch and mix really well to combine. Taste the sauce at this point and see if it has a good flavor to you. You may feel that you need more savory notes, more tang or sweet. If that is the case, add little adjustments at a time until the sauce is just to your liking. Then add in the cornstarch and whisk till fully combined.
After cooking any veggies you like, pour in your sauce and allow the sauce to begin simmering and thickening. Then stir in your tofu to fully coat.
Expert Tips
- Taste your sauce before adding the cornstarch. This will give you an opportunity to adjust your sauce. One of the biggest issues I see with a lot of orange sauce recipes is that when using fresh orange is that the taste of it will vary. So adjust the flavor with more sweetness for your sweetener, umami from the soy sauce or tang from the vinegar as needed.
- The type of orange you use will impact the flavor of the dish. To pick the best orange, go for a navel orange and pick one that is heavy for it’s size. Also make sure that your orange is firm and has finely textured skin. If your orange feels spongy or bruised, it will likely not give you the best flavor. I often will pick out 3 oranges just in case. And when juicing the orange, give it a small taste to get an idea of how sweet or tangy it is. This can help with adjusting ingredients.
- In order to help avoid the tofu from sticking, make sure you give it enough time to cook undisturbed. When the tofu is fully cooked on one side, it will release easily from the pan to flip. Too early, and it will tear apart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. I love to bake my tofu in the air fryer. Use the same recommended coating for the tofu, but toss the tofu with 1 tbsp of oil before tossing it in the cornstarch and nutritional yeast. Place in the air fryer at 400F for 8-10 minutes or until nice and golden. Then add the thickened orange sauce to coat and enjoy.
This orange sauce can go with a lot of different options. Some of my favorite plant based options would be my homemade seitan using this orange sauce as well as crispy baked cauliflower or even chickpeas.
Yes! This dish is lovely for leftovers. Allow the tofu to cool and then store with leftover rice and veggies in an airtight container. It can then be placed in the fridge for up to 4 days. Microwave to reheat.
What Vegetables to Pair with Orange Tofu
This tofu goes really well sauteed with other vegetables. Try any of the below options to match what you might have at home or like to use.
- Broccoli
- Bok Choy
- Green Cabbage
- Red Bell Peppers
- Snow Peas
More Easy Weeknight Dinners
- Sheet Pan Cashew Tofu
- Vegan Garlic “Honey” Tofu
- Sweet and Sour Chickpeas
- Easy Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles
- Hummus Nourish Bowl
- Peanut Red Curry Tofu
Orange Tofu
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 3–4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Chinese Takeout Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Crispy seared tofu coated in a delicious sticky, sweet sauce made with fresh orange. This Crispy Orange Tofu satisfies every craving and ready in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Tofu
- 1 (450 g) block of extra firm tofu, pressed and drained of water
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1–2 tbsp avocado oil
Orange Sauce
- Zest of 1 orange, about 2 tsp
- 1/2 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice (about 1 large navel orange)
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth (I used 1/4 tsp of Better Than Bouillon mixed in 1/4 cup water; feel free to also try their Vegan Chicken Base)
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
- 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Vegetables, optional
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets
Instructions
- To a dish or bowl, add the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and give it a good mix to combine. Take the tofu toss them in the mixture to coat.
- Warm your oil in a large skillet. When hot, add the tofu pieces in and allow to cook and sear for 3-5 minutes or until golden before flipping to the other side to cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Try not to disturb the tofu too much as it cooks to avoid it sticking to the pan. You’ll know the tofu is ready to flip when it easily releases from the pan. Continue to toss the tofu until fully cooked and crisp.
- While the tofu cooks, combine the orange juice, zest, vegetable broth, maple syrup, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a bowl and whisk together. Give the sauce a taste, and adjust flavor as needed. Then, whisk in the cornstarch and set aside.
- Remove the cooked tofu from your pan and place on a plate covered in paper towel. To the same heated pan, sauté the onions and broccoli florets for 2-3 minutes along with a pinch of salt. To further soften, add a splash of water and cover the pan for the broccoli to steam until bright green, about 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk your sauce once more and then pour it into the pan and allow to cook for about 2-3 minutes or until it has slightly thickened.
- Add your tofu back to the pan and coat with the sauce and stir to coat. Serve on top of rice or quinoa and enjoy.
Notes
Taste your sauce before adding the cornstarch. This will give you an opportunity to adjust your sauce. One of the biggest issues I see with a lot of orange sauce recipes is that when using fresh orange is that the taste of it will vary. So adjust the flavor with more sweetness for your sweetener, umami from the soy sauce or tang from the vinegar as needed.
The type of orange you use will impact the flavor of the dish. To pick the best orange, go for a navel orange and pick one that is heavy for it’s size. Also make sure that your orange is firm and has finely textured skin. If your orange feels spongy or bruised, it will likely not give you the best flavor. I often will pick out 3 oranges just in case. And when juicing the orange, give it a small taste to get an idea of how sweet or tangy it is. This can help with adjusting ingredients.
In order to help avoid the tofu from sticking, make sure you give it enough time to cook undisturbed. When the tofu is fully cooked on one side, it will release easily from the pan to flip. Too early, and it will tear apart.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.
★ Catherine
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Loved this recipe and with repeat!
Working on getting all of the family plant forward,
Everyone liked it!
That means the world to hear Sheri. Glad this recipe has been helpful to you and your family and love that you guys are trying to eat more plants. 🙂
This is wonderful – as good as any similar dish I’ve ever had in a restaurant.
Thank you so much Kim. That means a lot to hear. 🙂
Catherine, you have outdone yourself once again! I have had this in my to be made pile and never got around to it until today and WOWSERS this recipe is incredible! I love tofu but never can get it crispy until this recipe. Also, the orange sauce flavors are perfection! Thank you for creating such nutritious and delicious recipes.