Kick that take-out to the curb and dive into a plate of this savory Vegan Kung Pao. A saucy, Chinese stir fry recipe that will knock your socks off while giving you a light slap of spice. A magical mixture of all the best Asian flavors wrapped up in one, easy recipe.

Vegan Kung Pao Tofu

I love Asian take-out just as much as the next person. However, let’s be real, those ingredients are insane! Plus, it’s so cheaply made that it tastes good, but not that great. There are much better foods out there.

Don’t settle for that stuff when you could be skipping in fields of bliss with a plate of homemade kung pao tofu. Yeah, it’s that good.

I say kung pao, you say kung pow! It’s all pure deliciousness!

Ingredients Used in Vegan Kung Pao Sauce

Tamari – a Japanese soy sauce with a strong umami flavor, made by fermenting soy beans, naturally gluten free and less salty than regular soy sauce.
Rice Vinegar – basically vinegar made from fermented rice with a mild sweet flavor.
Chinese Black Vinegar – black vinegar is a broad term covering any dark vinegar, which is commonly found in Asian cuisine and stores. It’s got a delicious and deep flavor with smoky, woody flavors. In other words, it’s the bomb and will really add that authentic flair to your dish. That being said it can be replaced with a good balsamic vinegar or more rice vinegar.
Brown Sugar – the sauce needs a little sweetness and brown sugar is ideal here. For a healthier option go for date syrup or maple.
Hoisin Sauce – a dark thick super flavorful sauce, best way to describe it would be as an Asian inspired barbeque sauce. Use it sparingly.
Water – it’s important to thin out and balance all the flavors.
Chili Flakes or Chinese Tien Tsin red peppers – traditionally the dried whole peppers are used but not everyone can handle that heat level so choose your poison wisely or omit it altogether.

How to Make Kung Pao Tofu Stir-Fry

Prep – Drain and press the tofu.
Air fry or Pan Fry – Further cut the tofu, coat it, and air fry it (or pan fry) to perfection.
Saute – Slice the bell pepper and scallion, then stir fry in a light drizzle of oil or veggie stock, in a wok. Add the garlic.
Simmer – Add the sauce to the veggies and simmer until thickened.
Combine – Add the remaining ingredients, toss to coat and enjoy served over rice!

How to Press the Tofu Without a Tofu Press:

Drain the tofu from its package and slice in half lengthwise so that you end up with two thinner blocks of tofu.
Use the palm of your hands and squeeze as much water from the tofu pieces without breaking them.
Wrap the tofu in a cotton tea bowl and place on a shallow plate. Place a cutting board on top of the wrapped tofu and then add a heavy object on top like a cast iron pan or canned tomatoes etc…
Allow the tofu to press for at least 30 minutes before using.

Serving Suggestions

As with any stir fry style dish, kung pao is deliciously served over some fluffy, white or brown rice. However, you can also get a bangin’ meal if you serve it over quinoa, tossed with noodles, or spooned inside lettuce wraps.

Tips + FAQs

What tofu should I use for kung pao? – You’ll want to make sure and use firm or extra firm tofu, and press it well before cooking.
How to make vegan kung pao “chicken”? – You can use rehydrated soy curls as a meat replacement, just like I did here with our Vegan Chicken + Broccoli, but toss them in the kung pao sauce instead. Super easy!
Is kung pao the same as kung po? – They’re the exact same recipe, they’re just different languages. Kung po is Cantonese while kung pao is Mandarin.
Is kung pao sauce spicy? – In general, this is a spicy dish, but it doesn’t have to be. In this recipe the chili flakes are what add the biggest kick. You can skip them altogether for a mild version.
What’s the difference between hunan, kung pao and szechuan? – although these dishes are similar, they come from different regions, use slightly different sauces, and the tofu is prepared differently. Hunan sauce is thinner and the tofu is fried. Kung pao usually has sauteed /stir fried “chicken” without breading and the sauce is often thicker and served with peanuts. The use of chili oil and garlic are stronger with the szechuan version.
What other ingredients can I add? – Since this is technically a stir fry, you can add the usual broccoli florets, Brussels sprouts, mung bean sprouts, blanched baby bok choy, air fried cauliflower florets, asparagus, smoky tempeh/seitan etc. I love adding water chestnuts tough it’s not a classic ingredient in this dish.

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