General Tso's Tofu

Name: General Tso’s Tofu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 14 ounces firm or extra firm tofu (pressed for at least 15 minutes, then torn into organic 3/4” shapes); 2 teaspoons soy sauce; 1 teaspoon oil; 1/8 teaspoon white pepper; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 tablespoons cornstarch (or more, as needed to coat the tofu well); 1 teaspoon oil; 1" ginger (minced, or about 2 teaspoons minced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper, red and green (chopped into 1/2 inch or larger squares ); 1/4 cup red onion (1/2 inch petals); 2 tablespoons green onion (white parts only, use the greens for garnish); 1/4 cup soy sauce (or use tamari for gluten-free ); 3 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon mirin; 1 tablespoon sambal oelek; 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil; 1/8 teaspoon salt (or to taste); 1/2 cup water (mixed with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch); sesame seeds and the green parts of the chopped green onion (for garnish)

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General Tso’s tofu is a super quick weeknight dinner! Crispy tofu in sticky, mildly-spicy sauce comes together in one pan and is just packed with amazing flavor.

General Tso's tofu in a bowl with green onion and sesame seeds

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love General Tso’s Tofu
More Tofu Dinner Recipes
Recipe Card
Ingredients and Substitutions
Tips
How to Make General Tso’s Tofu
Frequently Asked Questions

General Tso’s sauce is a delicious sauce that pairs well with any protein. It’s an easy and delicious sauce which is perfect for stir fry! It comes together quickly and hits all the takeout cravings. I pair it with some crisped up tofu to make this easy general tso tofu!
You can use whatever veggies you like in this 1 pot 30 Min dinner. Just toss tofu in soy sauce and pepper, and crisp it up in the skillet. Then, make the General Tso’s sauce with everyday ingredients and thicken it up, add veggies and add the tofu back, and it’s ready to serve.

close-up of General Tso's tofu in the pan

Dish this up with rice, quinoa, other cooked grains, or noodles. Or you can add it to some lettuce leaves for General Tao’s tofu lettuce wraps! It’s so delicious and versatile.

close-up of General Tso's tofu in a bowl with green onion and sesame seeds

I love cooking with General Tso’s sauce! If you like this recipe, also check out my General Tso’s sandwich, General Tso’s cauliflower, and General Tso’s Soy Curls.

Why You’ll Love General Tso’s Tofu

easy, one-pot meal
versatile! Serve over rice, noodles, or as lettuce wraps and feel free to add extra veggies, if you like.
addictive stick-sweet sauce with a little touch of heat
nut-free with gluten-free and soy-free options

More Tofu Dinner Recipes

Recipe Card

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5 from 12 votes

General Tso’s Tofu

General Tso’s tofu is a super quick weeknight dinner! Crispy tofu in sticky, mildly-spicy sauce comes together in one pan and is just packed with amazing flavor.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: general tao tofu, general tso’s tofu

Servings: 4

Calories: 199kcal

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

For the Tofu

14 ounces (396.89 g) firm or extra firm tofu pressed for at least 15 minutes, then torn into organic ¾” shapes
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon oil
⅛ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons cornstarch or more, as needed to coat the tofu well

For the General Tso’s Sauce

1 teaspoon oil
1" ginger minced, or about 2 teaspoons minced
3 cloves garlic minced
½ cup (74.5 g) chopped bell pepper, red and green chopped into ½ inch or larger squares
¼ cup (37.25 g) red onion ½ inch petals
2 tablespoons green onion white parts only, use the greens for garnish
¼ cup (59.15 ml) soy sauce or use tamari for gluten-free
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon sambal oelek
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
⅛ teaspoon salt or to taste
½ cup (118.29 ml) water mixed with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
sesame seeds and the green parts of the chopped green onion for garnish

Instructions

Make the crispy tofu.

Press the tofu, if you haven't already, then tear it into organic shapes and add to a bowl. Add the soy sauce and oil, and toss well to coat.
Then, in a small bowl, mix the white pepper, red pepper flakes, and the cornstarch. Sprinkle this all over the tofu, tossing well to coat. If the tofu is a bit too wet, then add in some more cornstarch, 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time, and toss well.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu to the skillet. Stir occasionally, and flip the tofu pieces around until crispy on most of the edges. This can take anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes, depending on your skillet and your stove. Remove the tofu from the skillet.
Bake instead: spread the tofu on parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400deg F(205c) for 20 minutes.

Make the General Tso’s sauce.

Add the other teaspoon of oil to the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium . Once hot, add in the ginger and garlic, and cook for 15 seconds.
Add in the onion, bell peppers and other veggies, if using, ** and a pinch of salt. Toss well, then add in all of the sauces and the brown sugar, and mix really well.
Bring to a good boil for 2 to 3 minutes, then mix the cornstarch in the water, and add it to the skillet, and bring that to a boil. Simmer for another minute or two for it to thicken, then turn off the heat. Taste and adjust the flavor and add a bit more soy sauce, if you want, or salt, or sugar for sweet, if you like.
Fold in the crisped up tofu, and then switch off the heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion and serve over rice, noodles, lettuce wraps, or however you like!
Store refrigerated for upto 3 days

Video

Notes

** When adding more veggies. Add longer cooking veggies first and cook until aldente, then add the peppers and onion and quick cooking veggies and proceed.

Store: refrigerate for upto 3 days.

To make this gluten-free use tamari instead of soy sauce.

Cornstarch substitute: use any other starch instead of cornstarch, like tapioca starch or potato starch.

This is a naturally nut-free recipe.

To make this soy-free, change up the tofu to use pumpkin seed tofu or chickpea flour tofu and use coconut aminos. Just know that the flavor will be a bit different with that amount of coconut aminos in the sauce.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

General Tso’s Tofu

Amount Per Serving

Calories 199 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 782mg34%

Potassium 160mg5%

Carbohydrates 20g7%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 11g12%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 685IU14%

Vitamin C 33mg40%

Calcium 148mg15%

Iron 2mg11%

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

Did you make this recipe?Please do leave a comment and rating below.. Tag me on Instagram @veganricha

tofu, peppers, and other General Tso's tofu ingredients in bowls on a kitchen counter

Ingredients and Substitutions

tofu – Use firm or extra firm tofu, and make sure to press it for the best results.
soy sauce – To flavor the tofu and the General Tso’s sauce
pepper – White pepper and red pepper flakes season the tofu.
cornstarch – To crisp the tofu and thicken the sauce. You can use other starches, like potato or tapioca starch instead, if needed.
oil – To crisp up the tofu and make the sauce.
aromatics – Ginger, garlic, and green onions add so much umami to the sauce!
bell pepper – A mix of red and green bell pepper adds veggies, color, texture, and flavor! Feel free to add more veggies of choice, if you like.
brown sugar – To sweeten the sauce.
rice vinegar – Adds tang to the sauce.
mirin – adds more depth of flavor.
sambal oelek – Adds spice and chili garlic flavor to the sauce.
toasted sesame oil – Gives the sauce a mild, nutty flavor.
sesame seeds – For garnish and extra protein.

Tips

You want the tofu well coated in cornstarch and not too wet. Add more cornstarch, if needed.
Make sure to stir and flip the tofu often so it crisps up nicely on all sides.

How to Make General Tso’s Tofu

First, make the crispy tofu.

Press the tofu, if you haven’t already, then tear it into organic shapes and add to a bowl. Add the soy sauce, and toss well to coat.

Then, in a small bowl, mix the white pepper, red pepper flakes, and the cornstarch. Sprinkle this all over the tofu, tossing well to coat. If the tofu is a bit too wet, then add in some more cornstarch, 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time, and toss well.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu to the skillet. Stir occasionally, and flip the tofu pieces around until crispy on most of the edges. This can take anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes, depending on your skillet and your stove. Remove the tofu from the skillet.

Bake instead: Bake the tofu on parchment lined baking sheet at 400 deg f(205c) for 20-25 mins

Now, make the General Tso’s sauce.

Add the other teaspoon of oil to the same skillet, reduce the heat to medium, then add in the ginger and garlic, and cook for 10 to 15 seconds.

ginger and garlic in the pan before cooking

ginger and garlic in the pan after cooking

Add in the onion, bell peppers and other veggies, if using, and a pinch of salt. Toss well, then add in all of the sauces and the brown sugar, and mix really well.

Bring to a good boil for 2 to 3 minutes, then mix the cornstarch in the water, and add it to the skillet, and bring that to a boil. Simmer for another minute or two for it to thicken, then turn off the heat. Taste and adjust the flavor and add a bit more soy sauce, if you want, or salt, or sugar for sweet, if you like.

Fold in the crisped up tofu, and then switch off the heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion and serve over rice, noodles, lettuce wraps, or however you like!

adding crispy tofu back to the pan of General Tso's sauce

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this recipe allergy friendly?

To make this gluten-free use tamari instead of soy sauce.

You can use any other starch instead of cornstarch, like tapioca starch or potato starch.

This is a naturally nut-free recipe.

To make this soy-free, change up the tofu to use pumpkin seed tofu or chickpea flour tofu and use coconut aminos. Just know that the flavor will be a bit different with that amount of coconut aminos in the sauce.