General Tso’s Tofu

Guys! I have a tasty gem to share with you today from Chloe Coscarelli’s new cookbook Chloe Flavor. The tagline on the cover is saucy, crispy, spicy, vegan and this General Tso’s Tofu is all that and more.

Today’s General Tso’s Tofu recipe is sponsored by Nasoya. I love sharing my new vegan finds along with a tasty recipe and sponsored posts help make that happen. Thank you for your support.

Chloe is the author of 3 other cookbooks and the owner of Chloe and The Vegan Cafe in Miami Florida. You can also check out her site Chef Chloe for free recipes. Most likely you’ll want to buy her cookbooks after making a few. They do not disappoint!

I chose this recipe first because I was in the mood for something easy, sweet and spicy like my Pineapple Fried Rice.  It was a total weeknight winner and I’ve made it three times already.

My family is addicted and I’ve added it to our weekly rotation. No complaints here because it was a breeze to put together. It takes about 35 minutes too. Easy peasy!

What’s inside?

There are 125 flavor-packed recipes to please everyone’s taste buds. Here is just a sample of what you’ll find:

Sweet Tamale Cakes, No-Huevos Rancheros, Goldfish Crackers, Thai Tofu Satay, Tortilla Soup, Butternut Mac, Hawaiian Teriyaki Sliders, Meatball Parm, Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes and Cookie Dough Truffles. Need I say more?

The recipes are broken down into 8 delicious categories:

Breakfast and Brunch
Snacks and Sides
Soups and Salads
Sandwiches, Burgers and Tacos
Noodles and Pasta
Bowls and Plated Dishes
Cocktails, Smoothies and Drinks
Dessert

You’ll find something for any day, night and time of the week. Chloe’s recipes will bring the omnivores to the table too.

Tofu preparation

For this recipe, I used Nasoya Extra Firm Tofu. Their tofu is high-quality and it’s always my first choice, especially when I’m making crispy tofu. It truly is extra firm and it won’t fall apart on you. The results are stellar!

All of Nasoya’s products are non-GMO, free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers which is very important to me. Their price-point is similar to other lower quality brands too.

Even though the texture is firm, the tofu still needs to be pressed for optimum results. It will not only improve the texture and help the tofu keep its shape, it will also increase flavor absorption.

To press, place a block of tofu on a paper towel-lined plate, and wrap tofu in a few paper towels. Add a cast iron skillet on top (or something equally heavy) and let it drain for 20-30 minutes.

I have a Tofu Press which makes life even easier. I only have one, so I still use my cast iron when I need to press more at a time. I’m ready to get a few more for my tofu pressing madness.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Extra-firm tofu
Tamari
Cornstarch
Pure maple syrup
Sriracha
Fresh orange juice and zest
Cooking oil
Scallions
Garlic
Fresh ginger

You can serve this on a bed of rice with a side of steamed broccoli or your favorite veggies. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and fresh green onion and you’re good to go.

I hope you guys enjoyed my review of Chloe’s new cookbook. If you’d like to take a peek at a few more recipes from her book, you can find them posted on Nasoya’s page here. I’ll be making that McVegan Breakfast Sandwich. YUM!

I’d love to hear from you

If you make this General Tso’s Tofu recipe, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.

5 from 2 votes

Print

General Tso's Tofu

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

35 mins

 

*Created by Chef Chloe Coscarelli for Chloe Flavor*

The day I was first experimenting with this recipe, my handyman was over at my apartment fixing a light. The aroma wafted up his ladder, and he couldn’t help but ask to taste it. We ended up sharing, and I’m not sure he even knew it was tofu! Add more sriracha if you like it extra spicy. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy the sticky sweet goodness!

Course: Entree

Recipe Type: Gluten-Free Option, Vegan

Servings: 2

Calories: 338 kcal

Author: Chloe Coscarelli

Ingredients

Tofu

• 1 16-ounce package extra-firm tofu , pressed and cubed
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• ¼ cup cornstarch

Stir-Fry

• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• Juice of 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil , plus more as needed
• 4 scallions , cut into ¾-inch pieces
• 2 large strips of orange zest , removed with a vegetable peeler
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• Steamed rice and/or broccoli , for serving
• Sesame seeds , for garnish

Instructions

Make the tofu:

1. In a large zip-top bag, combine the tofu, tamari, and cornstarch. Toss to coat—the cornstarch will become goopy

Make the stir-fry:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, tamari, sriracha, orange juice, and cornstarch until the cornstarch has dissolved

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat
3. When it shimmers, add the tofu, working in batches as needed, and sear for about 3 minutes on each side, until crispy all over
4. Return all the tofu to the skillet and add the scallions, orange zest, garlic, and ginger. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the scallions begin to break down
5. Add the sauce and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about 5 minutes more, until the sauce thickens
6. Serve over rice, garnished with sesame seeds

Recipe Notes

Tip CRISPY TOFU: The key to having crispy tofu cubes is to not flip them over too soon. Let each piece get nicely browned before flipping it to the other side.

MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Use gluten-free tamari.

**Notes by Melissa Huggins**

Prep time doesn't include tofu pressing. 

For a lower sodium option, I used GF  Low Sodium Tamari.

To press tofu, place block on a paper towel-lined plate, and wrap tofu in a few paper towels. Add a cast iron skillet on top (or something equally heavy) and let it drain for 20-30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

General Tso's Tofu

Amount Per Serving

Calories 338 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 14g 22%

Saturated Fat 11g 55%

Sodium 1092mg 46%

Potassium 223mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 48g 16%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 25g

Protein 3g 6%

Vitamin A 4.8%

Vitamin C 12.5%

Calcium 6.7%

Iron 6.2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.