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This Orange Tofu recipe comes together in under 30 minutes and is perfect for those busy weeknights! This recipe is vegan, gluten-free and even non-tofu lovers will love this dish! If you love this tofu dish try my Gochujang Tofu recipe next!

A tofu recipe for everyone

Are you ready for a delicious and simple tofu recipe that is quickly going to become your new favourite?!

This recipe for Orange Tofu is made with pieces of extra-firm tofu pan-fried until crispy then tossed in a sweet and tangy Asian-style orange sauce. It’s a quick and easy to recipe to make and is perfect for a tasty vegan and gluten-free dinner.

This orange tofu recipe can be enjoyed on its own or served with a side of rice, (I recommend jasmine rice) rice noodles, or stir-fried veggies.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • 30-minute recipe. This tofu dish comes together in under 30 minutes, so it’s perfect for those busy nights when you want dinner on the table quickly!
  • The best sauce. The sauce is sweet and tangy and easy to make. The sauce coats the tofu and thickens as it cooks so you end up with restaurant-style tofu that is way healthier.
  • Customizable. This recipe can be modified and made with baked tofu, or vegetables added to it if you’re looking for a healthier alternative.

Crispy orange tofu ingredients

Crispy tofu

  • Tofu: I recommend using extra-firm tofu if you want the tofu to become nice and crispy! Medium or soft tofu can work too in this recipe, but just keep in mind the tofu won’t be crispy.
  • Cornstarch: this is the “secret ingredient” used to coat the tofu cubes that will help them become crispy.
  • Oil: for pan-frying the tofu. Use a cooking oil like avocado oil or canola oil.

Orange sauce

  • Garlic: fresh garlic is a key ingredient in a tasty orange sauce!
  • Ginger: make sure to use fresh ginger here. This is another essential ingredient that pairs so well with orange.
  • Orange juice: if you can, use fresh squeezed orange juice. (Just buy oranges and squeeze out the juice.) Otherwise, you can also buy a container of orange juice.
  • Orange zest: a little fresh orange zest really helps to boost the orange flavour in the sauce.
  • Tamari: you can substitute with soy sauce if you prefer.
  • Rice vinegar: this is what gives the orange sauce that tangy flavour. If you don’t have rice vinegar you could substitute it with white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
  • Coconut sugar: you can substitute this with brown sugar if you prefer.

How to make orange tofu

  1. Drain the tofu and pat it dry. Then cut it up into cubes or 2-inch pieces and toss it with the cornstarch to evenly coat each piece.
  2. Fry the tofu in a pan with some oil until golden brown on each side.
  3. Mix the sauce ingredients together then add the sauce to a pan and let cook on medium for the sauce to thicken.
  4. Add the tofu to the pan and toss until evenly coated.

Tofu cooking options

This Orange Tofu is pan-fried in oil, but if you prefer (and have a bit more time on your hands) you can bake the tofu instead.

To bake the tofu, toss the cubes with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil, then coat with the cornstarch. Place all the pieces of tofu on a baking sheet spaced out so they aren’t touching, and bake at 425 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through until golden brown on each side.

Tips for making this recipe perfectly

  • Use firm or extra-firm tofu in this recipe to get crispy pieces of tofu.
  • Don’t skip adding cornstarch to coat the tofu. This coating helps the tofu get a nice and crispy exterior.
  • Be patient while cooking the tofu. You want to cook it on each side until nice and golden brown.
A bowl of orange tofu and rice with chopsticks

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rice and orange tofu in a bowl

Orange Tofu

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 16 reviews
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Pan Fry
  • Cuisine: Chinese

Description

A delicious crispy tofu coated in orange sauce that is completely vegan and gluten-free!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 pack extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 2-inch pieces or cubes
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp sunflower oil for frying

Orange sauce

  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2-inch cube ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 and 1/2 cups fresh-squeezed orange juice
  • 4 tsp orange zest
  • 4 tbsp tamari (can sub soy sauce)
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 4 tbsp coconut sugar (can sub brown sugar)
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch

For serving

  • Rice or noodles
  • sliced green onions
  • sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Toss the tofu in cornstarch then fry in a pan with sunflower oil on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown.
  2. Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl until well combined. 
  3. Once the tofu is cooked, remove from the pan and place onto a plate with paper towel. Pour out any excess oil from the pan
  4. Add the sauce to the pan on medium heat and allow it to cook down just slightly, then add the tofu and toss everything together until well coated.
  5. Serve over rice. 

Notes

Use firm or extra-firm tofu in this recipe to get crispy pieces of tofu.

Don’t skip adding cornstarch to coat the tofu. This coating helps the tofu get a nice and crispy exterior.

Be patient while cooking the tofu. You want to cook it on each side until nice and golden brown.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
  • Calories: 150
  • Sugar: 8g
  • Sodium: 400mg
  • Fat: 8g
  • Carbohydrates: 15g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 4g

If you tried this Orange Tofu or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on PinterestInstagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

Hi, I'm Jess!

Choosing Chia is a blog all about healthy vegetarian recipes that are easy to follow, taste delicious and focus on wholesome ingredients. I started the blog after a spontaneous trip to India where I studied the practice of yoga and wellness.

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42 Comments

  1. Niqua says:

    I was patient w the tofu like suggested and it was nicely golden. The sauce is really good, the only down side was I ended up w  a lot left over.  

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Happy you enjoyed the recipe!

  2. Lisa says:

    Yummy! I wish it had made more sauce, otherwise really good ❤️

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Glad you enjoyed it Lisa!

  3. Tiffany Nuessle says:

    This was recommended to me by a co-worker and has made it into our regular rotation. We added broccoli and red pepper, and served it over rice and riced cauliflower. It was delicious!

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Thanks for the review Tiffany! So happy you like this recipe-it’s one of my favourites for an easy weeknight dinner

  4. Julie L. says:

    We love love love this recipe! I am making it for more people today (1/2 tofu, 1/2 chicken for the carnivores that won’t eat tofu) and will make a double batch of sauce. I am going to make it this morning (for dinner tonight) to minimize what I have to do once family (all vaccinated) is over. I think I will wait to add the corn starch till dinner time. Hope it goes well!

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipe Julie! 🙂

  5. Cheryl says:

    So I didn’t have quite enough orange juice for this recipe, so I added a bit of water. I wasn’t sure if that’s why my sauce wouldn’t thicken, or if I just wasn’t patient enough, BUT I just looked at the recipe again and realized I didn’t add the cornstarch. D:

    It was still tasty, so I’ll definitely give this another shot, hopefully w/o screwing it up!

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Hi Cheryl, cornstarch is the “secret” ingredient to getting a thick sauce! Promise it will turn out much better the next time around when you use it 🙂

  6. Kathleen Boeger says:

    Best recipe! So good that there were no left overs the first night, so we made a fresh batch the next night! 

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Thanks Kathleen! Happy you love it 🙂

  7. Brittani says:

    I love this recipe! Very tasty and the ingredients are simple!

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Thanks Britt! Happy you enjoyed the recipe 🙂

  8. Allegre Nee says:

    I baked the tofu and was really happy with how crispy it came out.
    The sauce was way too tangy for me, I even added more sugar during cooking to tone it down. Perhaps my oranges were not very sweet. Note: I used palm sugar initially, then raw sugar during cooking. I also added some red pepper flakes which added a nice kick.
    I would reduce the amount of vinegar and increase the sugar next time. Overall, I was pleased with this and would make it again.

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Happy you enjoyed the recipe!

  9. Melissa G says:

    Wonderful recipe. Only change I made was baking the tofu vs. pop an frying. Thanks for the easy and simple but delicious recipe

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Your welcome Melissa! Happy you enjoyed!

  10. Sarah says:

    This was so delicious and easy to make!! Thanks for this great recipe!

    1. Jessica Hoffman says:

      Thanks so much Sarah 🙂