Best Orange Tofu Recipe

Next level crispy orange tofu recipe with a perfectly balanced zesty sweet and sour orange sauce from scratch with just the right amount of stickiness, zest and tang. Naturally vegan, gluten free, extra saucy and good for you! (No pressing the tofu required).

Orange Tofu

Think of it as an amazing vegan orange chicken dinner made from tofu that has been roasted crispy and generously coated in the best citrusy orange sauce. Nice served over rice, noodles or quinoa with your favorite steamed or stir fried veggies to boot. It’s zesty and sticky and crispy and incredibly delicious. My go to weeknight favorite meal with major bonus points for not having to press the tofu.

About the Tofu

• Roasted rather than fried so it’s better for you, these bite size tofu bits are roasted at a high 400″F temperature until perfectly crispy at the edges but still tender in the center without drying out.
• DO NOT PRESS the TOFU – It’s equally important to use an extra firm block of tofu and not pressing it. Whatever extra moisture is trapped inside the tofu will dry out in the oven while creating steam and preventing the center from becoming dry, while at the same time allowing the outside to get crispy delicious. The best combination and less prep work for me! The best!
• Seasonings – a little olive oil, a sprinkle of spices (shoyu, nooch, onion, paprika) and a light dusting of tapioca is all you’ll want here to create a base layer of flavor as the bulk of the flavoring will come from the sauce.

The Orange Sauce

• Orange Juice – Freshly squeezed by your own hands is best but a pulp free store bought bottle will still deliver plenty of deliciousness.
• Orange Zest + Peel – Use both! It’s really where that unique zesty depth of flavor comes from and what makes the sauce exquisite. I’d argue the zest is more important than the juice.
• Sweet + Sour Notes– I love a balanced sauce, not too sweet and not too sour with just the right stickiness. Use maple syrup (or brown sugar) for the sweetness and apple cider vinegar for the sour. It’s not the traditional vinegar but I promise it’s the best at cutting through the sweetness with just the right acidy. I find that rice vinegar is just too mild for this complex flavor profile.
• Garlic + Ginger – Use both and make sure to grate them first as to disperse the flavor throughout the sauce without risking biting into a chunk of either.
• Cornstarch – I use only 2 teaspoons in the sauce as the tofu bits are coated in some tapioca already and together they will thicken your sauce magically.

Add Ins + Storage

• Water Chestnuts – You either love them or you don’t! I happen to be a huge fan of both texture and flavor and If I have a can in the pantry I definitely love using them here coated well in the sauce.
• Dried Red Chiles – Spicy is really nice here, a couple of red Thai Chile peppers add a nice kick and a pop of color.
• Garnishes – Scallions are my go to garnish here alongside a sprinkle of sesame seeds. I love the mild onion flavor and it compliments any herbs you’d like to add here like basil or cilantro.
• Serving Ideas: Green Spinach Rice , Fried Rice, Roasted Broccoli, steamed bok choy, steamed rice, any stir fried veggie.
• On Storage – Although best served right away for the ultimate crispy texture, any leftovers can be refrigerated up to 5 days and reheated in a skillet on the stovetop or microwave oven.

You’ll Also Love

• Cucumber Avocado Salad with Miso Sesame Dressing 
• Garlic Spicy Noodles
• Marinated Grilled Tofu
• Jackfruit Tacos Adobo
• Potsticker Salad
• Garlic Spicy Noodles
• Mushroom Stir Fry
• Vegan Kung Pao Tofu
• Sesame Tofu
• Peanut Tofu
• Mushroom Lettuce Wraps.

how to make the best orange tofu recipe

5 from 2 votes

Best Orange Tofu

Next level crispy orange tofu recipe with a perfectly balanced zesty sweet and sour orange sauce from scratch with just the right amount of stickiness, zest and tang. Naturally vegan, gluten free and good for you! (No pressing the tofu required).

Print Recipe

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:30 minutes mins

Total Time:40 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup orange juice freshly squeezed
• 3 Tbsp shoyu or tamari
• 3 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves grated
• 1 inch ginger root peeled + grated
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 pinch red chili flakes
• zest from 1 orange + 2-3 inches orange peel (no pith)
• 2-3 dried red chiles tiny ones, optional for heat

Roasted Tofu

• 14 oz block extra firm tofu DO NOT PRESS
• 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp granulated onion
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 Tbsp shoyu or tamari
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp maples syrup or brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp tapioca starch/ flour
• scallions sliced at an angle + sesame seeds for garnish
• 8 oz canned water chestnuts (Optional Add In)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400”F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Prep a large bowl. Drain the tofu and break it into bite size pieces inside the bowl (you want about 1 inch irregular pieces here). DO NOT PRESS THE TOFU!
  14 oz block extra firm tofu
• Season Tofu. Sprinkle the tofu pieces with the nutritional yeast, paprika and onion powder. Now drizzle over the top with the shoyu, olive oil and maple syrup (or brown sugar). Using a flat spatula give everything a toss to coat all over. Do this carefully so you don’t break up the tofu too much.
  2 Tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tsp granulated onion, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 2 Tbsp shoyu or tamari, 1 tsp maples syrup, 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Sprinkle in the tapioca and give another gentle toss to coat.
  1 Tbsp tapioca starch/ flour
• Transfer the seasoned tofu to the prepared baking sheet and roast @400”F for 15 minutes. Give it a gentle toss and roast another 15 minutes until nicely golden all over. (NOTE: For extra doneness and a firmer center you can cook an additional 5 minutes and taste, you want to make sure you are not overcooking it at this point once most of the moisture has evaporated).
  

The Orange Sauce

• About 5 minutes before your tofu is done whisk together all the sauce ingredients except the strip of orange peel and dried red chiles.
  3/4 cup orange juice, 3 Tbsp shoyu or tamari, 3 Tbsp maple syrup, 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 3 garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger root, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 pinch red chili flakes
• Transfer the sauce to a large pan together with the orange peel and dried chiles if using and bring to a boil. Simmer for a couple of minutes until you see the sauce starts to thicken slightly. (It will continue to thicken once you add the tofu due to the tapioca coating). NOTE - you don’t really want a reduction here so keep a close eye on it.
  zest from 1 orange + 2-3 inches orange peel, 2-3 dried red chiles
• Transfer the roasted tofu to the sauce and toss to coat all over. Simmer another minute or so until the sauce has thickened to your liking and is coating the tofu beautifully. (At this time you can add in drained water chestnuts if using).
  8 oz canned water chestnuts
  
• Serve hot over rice garnished with thinly sliced scallions, black sesame seeds and extra red chili flakes.
  scallions sliced at an angle + sesame seeds
  

Video

Notes

• DO NOT PRESS the TOFU - It's equally important to use an extra firm block of tofu and not pressing it. Whatever extra moisture is trapped inside the tofu will dry out in the oven while creating steam and preventing the center from becoming dry, while at the same time allowing the outside to get crispy delicious. The best combination and less prep work for me! The best!
• Orange Juice - Freshly squeezed by your own hands is best but a pulp free store bought bottle will still deliver plenty of deliciousness.
• Orange Zest + Peel - Use both! It's really where that unique zesty depth of flavor comes from and what makes the sauce exquisite. I'd argue the zest is more important than the juice. 
• On Storage - Although best served right away for the ultimate crispy texture, any leftovers can be refrigerated up to 5 days and reheated in a skillet on the stovetop or microwave oven.

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 1171mg | Potassium: 586mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 347IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 3mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: orange sauce, Orange Tofu

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 280kcal

Author: Florentina