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

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

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★ Catherine

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