spicy tofu

This General Tso’s Sticky Tofu recipe is a vegan and healthier take on the popular sweet &amp; spicy Asian takeout chicken dish. It’s quick and easy to make in under 20-minutes, loaded with plant-based protein and can be easily made gluten-free by using tamari sauce!

General Tso’s Sticky Tofu

firm tofu (cubed (300 g))

cornstarch

soy sauce (or tamari sauce (if GF))

water (120 ml)

tsp oil (*see notes)

garlic

tsp grated ginger (or more to taste)

½ tsp chili pepper flakes

tomato paste (*see notes)

tbsp rice vinegar

Rice

Sesame seeds

Lime wedges

Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the 2 teaspoons of oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and chili pepper flakes and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Then whisk in the remaining sauce ingredients and the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil. Cook for a minute until thickened, then remove from the heat and set aside while you make the tofu.

Sweet &amp; Sour Sauce

Drain and press the tofu as instructed above (or use a tofu press), then cut into cubes. (I highly recommend reading my blog post for helpful tips on making the best crispy tofu!)

Transfer the tofu cubes to a bowl, add the cornstarch, soy sauce (or tamari) and oil, and mix well.

Heat some oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu cubes and cook for about 3 minutes each side, until golden brown and crispy all over.

Add the sauce, toss to coat and cook for about 1-2 minutes over low-medium heat until hot.

Serve the tofu over rice and garnish with chopped scallions, sesame seeds and lime wedges on the side. Enjoy!

Crispy Tofu (*see step-by-step photos above)

For this spicy tofu recipe, I am using a very pressed style of tofu that is sometimes called “firm tofu” or “super firm tofu,” depending on the tofu maker. Read note 1 for more information. If you are using “extra-firm tofu,” read to note 2 for directions on how to prepare the tofu. If you opened a can of coconut milk for this recipe, here are some ideas on what to do with leftover coconut milk.

Spicy Tofu with Creamy Coconut Sauce

oil oil

salt

coconut oil (can sub with any oil)

shallots

ginger

coconut milk (see note 3)

red curry paste (see note 5)

coriander (optional)

coconut or brown sugar (see note 6)

When you remove the blocks of tofu from the package, the tofu should feel very dense. If the tofu has been sitting in a lot of liquid, pat the blocks of tofu with a towel. Then, slice the tofu into 1-inch cubes.

Prepare Tofu

Heat a large non-stick pan with 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Transfer the tofu pieces to the pan. If you can’t fit all the tofu pieces at once, cook them in batches. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of salt over the tofu.

Pan fry the tofu until the bottom side is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip them over to another side and pan fry the tofu until golden brown. Sprinkle another 1/4 teaspoon of salt over the tofu pieces. I usually pan fry just 4 sides of the tofu, though I fried all 6 for the photos that you see in the post. Each time you flip the tofu over, sprinkle another 1/4 teaspoon of salt over the tofu, until you’ve sprinkled 1 teaspoon of kosher salt total.

Once you’ve fried at least 4 sides of the tofu, turn off the heat.

Pan Fry Tofu

Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook them for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent them from burning. The shallots should be quite soft at this stage. Next, add the minced ginger and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant.

Add the coconut milk, sambal oelek, red curry paste, coriander, salt, and sugar to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and let the sauce simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. 

Turn off the heat. Add the fried tofu to the pan and stir to coat the tofu pieces with the sauce. Transfer the tofu to a serving dish. Garnish with scallions, red pepper flakes, and toasted sesame seeds, if you like. Serve the tofu with jasmine rice and a side of vegetables like roasted asparagus or blanched broccoli. 

Cook the Sauce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SN1fuglR0s

This spicy tofu recipe consists of pan-fried tofu tossed in a rich and flavorful sauce of coconut milk, sambal oelek, and red curry paste. It's ready in about 30 minutes. Serve the spicy tofu with jasmine rice and a side of vegetables like roasted asparagus or blanched broccoli. 

Spicy Tofu Recipe: https://healthynibblesandbits.com/spicy-tofu-with-creamy-coconut-sauce/

If you are looking for ways to use your leftover coconut milk, here are some ideas: https://healthynibblesandbits.com/leftover-coconut-milk/

Recommended Ingredients for Recipe (affiliate links)

Coconut Milk: https://amzn.to/2OKNAzv
Huy Fong Sambal Oelek: https://amzn.to/30VsgtB
Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste: https://amzn.to/3eSxI8C

Equipment:

All-Clad 12" Nonstick Skillet: https://amzn.to/3tzi4mJ
Five Two (Food52) 12" Stainless Steel Skillet: https://food52.com/shop/products/7701-five-two-essential-cookware

TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:19 What Type of Tofu to Use
1:55 Pan Fry Tofu
2:49 Make the Sauce & Finish
4:56 Tasting
5:15 End


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Spicy Tofu with Creamy Coconut Sauce | easy vegan side dish

Food for the soul: Crispy fried tofu coated with an amazing Korean-style sweet &amp; spicy sticky sauce. Makes a perfect weeknight dinner along with freshly steamed rice. 

Korean Spicy Fried Tofu

(400 g) block medium -firm tofu, twice frozen-and-thawed

scallion, segmented

white sesame seeds,

vegetable oil,

sesame oil

ginger,

garlic, finely minced

ketchup

mirin

sriracha

tamari soy sauce

rice vinegar

maple syrup

chili paste

gochugaru, chili flakes

Prepare the Tofu. For this recipe, we’re working with twice frozen and thawed tofu. As the name suggests, the tofu has been frozen, thawed, frozen again, and completely thawed again. Using a heavy object or a tofu press, press the tofu down for at least 15 minutes, pressing out as much liquid as possible. At the end of the pressing, the height of the tofu should have halved. Using your fingers, pull away chunks of the tofu. You should get chunks that aren’t completely even and look naturally pulled. Carefully place the tofu pieces in a ziplock bag along with cornstarch. Shake the bag to evenly coat all the tofu pieces.

Fry the Tofu. In a pan, heat up a generous amount of vegetable oil on medium-high heat (think about shallow-frying). Once the oil is hot, fry the tofu pieces until each side becomes golden-brown and crispy. Remove from the oil and drain on a kitchen towel to remove excess grease. Set aside.

Make the Sauce. In the same pan (there should still be a little bit of oil), fry ginger and garlic on medium heat until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add in all the remaining sauce ingredients, combine well, and bring to a boil. Once the sauce reaches your desired consistency (for me, this usually takes no reduction at all), taste for seasoning, and remove off the heat.

To Finish. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tofu back into the sauce. Add the scallion segments as well. Stir to coat evenly. Finish with a sprinkle of white sesame seeds. Enjoy warm with rice.

This pan-fried sriracha tofu is deliciously spicy and protein-packed.  It&#x27;s perfect for vegetarians or vegans, but even the carnivores in the family will love it.  This spicy tofu can be used in a rice bowl or as a filling for rice paper rolls.

Pan-Fried Sriracha Tofu {Spicy Tofu}

Olive Oil

/ 7 oz Extra-Firm

Water

Sriracha

Soy Sauce

Rice Wine Vinegar

Sesame Oil

Green Onion / Shallots, halved lengthways and thinly sliced

Garlic Clove, minced

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium...

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat, then cook tofu until browned on all sides.

Meanwhile, mix the sauce ingredients together in a...

Meanwhile, mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. 

When the tofu is nicely browned, pour the...

When the tofu is nicely browned, pour the sauce into the frying pan and lower the heat.  Simmer the tofu until the sauce reduces, flipping the tofu over to coat both sides in the sauce.   

Serve as is, on top of a rice...

Serve as is, on top of a rice bowl or inside some rice paper rolls.  

This Hot and Sour tofu makes for a great spicy, tangy, vegan dinner option. It&#x27;s quick to make and best served over steamed rice or noodles.

Hot and Sour Tofu

firm or extra firm tofu

rice flour/cornflour (this is corn starch

2tbsp ketchup

mushroom

2tbsp light soy sauce

2tbsp rice vinegar

water

1/4tsp 5 spice

white pepper

1/2tsp cornflour, this is corn starch

garlic, minced

white onion,

red pepper,

baby corn

mangetout

1tbsp rice vinegar

2tsp toasted sesame oil

Start by making the sauce, which is incredibly...

Start by making the sauce, which is incredibly easy, Simply whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a bowl or jug and then set aside. The sauce can also be prepared in advance and refrigerated until required

Next, lightly pat the tofu with a paper...

Next, lightly pat the tofu with a paper towel and chop into bite sized pieces. I don't normally press out the water from the tofu as I find the moisture helps the starch to stick better. I also find that tofu dries out quite easily once pressed, we want to keep it soft inside

Toss the tofu pieces in the rice flour...

Toss the tofu pieces in the rice flour or cornflour/corn starch until they're all covered with a light coating. This will help to get the tofu extra crispy and golden

Heat a wide frying pan over a medium...

Heat a wide frying pan over a medium heat with around 2-3tbsp of oil and pan fry the tofu until golden and crispy on all sides. Then set the tofu aside on a plate lined with a paper towel

Heat up a wok or a frying pan...

Heat up a wok or a frying pan over a high heat and add in 2tbsp of oil followed by the onions and garlic. Sauté for around a minute before adding in the red pepper, baby corn, and mangetout (or any vegetables you like). As this is a very quick cooking process, it's worth having everything chopped and ready next to you (mise en place)

Cook the vegetables for around another minute, then...

Cook the vegetables for around another minute, then add in all of the sauce and mix continuously. The sauce will begin to thicken within 20-30 seconds

Next add in the tofu and toss once...

Next add in the tofu and toss once more to ensure everything is coated evenly in the hot and sour sauce. Everything should be coated with the thick sauce which will also have a lovely glaze to it

Finally turn the heat off and add in...

Finally turn the heat off and add in the final tbsp of rice vinegar as well as the sesame oil. Optionally garnish with sesame seeds too if you wish

Best served with steamed jasmine rice or any...

Best served with steamed jasmine rice or any noodles of choice. I also like to pair it with a side of kimchi

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/aeiofsevey9lzn9nzji8.mp4

This Hot and Sour tofu makes for a great spicy, tangy, vegan dinner option. It's quick to make and best served over steamed rice or noodles.

Crispy, golden tofu is tossed in a sweet and spicy 5-ingredient sauce in this easy weeknight recipe. Enjoy this tofu in tacos, grain bowls, or with fried rice.

Sweet and Spicy Harissa Tofu

block super firm tofu (see note

corn starch

olive oil

black pepper (to taste)

harissa paste

honey (sub agave syrup

coconut aminos (sub tamari

vegetable broth

sesame seeds and sliced green onions (for serving; optional)

Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up. Using clean hands, tear the tofu into 12-14 bite sized pieces.

Add tofu pieces to a medium bowl. Toss with corn starch, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to taste.

Transfer to the baking sheet, careful not to overlap the tofu. Bake on the middle oven rack at 425F for 25 minutes, tossing halfway through.

Meanwhile, make the harissa-honey sauce by whisking together harissa, honey, coconut aminos, and vegetable broth in a small bowl.

Once the tofu is crisp and golden, remove it from the oven. Add to a bowl with just half of the harissa sauce, tossing to combine.

Return to the oven and bake at 425F for 5 more minutes. This allows the tofu to absorb some of the sauce.

Remove from the oven and toss the baked tofu with the remaining reserved spicy harissa sauce. Serve topped with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1641399794/nchh19ppszt2eimzdmfn.mp4

Crispy, golden tofu is tossed in a sweet and spicy harissa sauce in this easy meal starter. This recipe includes instructions for air-frying, pan-frying, and baking.

Harissa Tofu

Crispy baked tofu tossed with a 2-ingredient sweet, sticky, and spicy chili sauce!

Chili Crunch Tofu

block extra firm tofu

soy sauce

Yum Yum sauce (affiliate link)

chili crisp (affiliate link)

honey (optional)

(see notes

onions

Prep

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Prepping the Tofu

Cut tofu in half so you have two even, flat pieces. Press the moisture out of the tofu, using paper towels or a towel. (The more water you remove, the faster it will crisp up in the oven, but I usually don&#8217;t spend more than 5-10 minutes here.) Cut tofu into cubes and transfer to a bowl. Add cornstarch, soy sauce, and olive oil. Toss gently to coat. It doesn&#8217;t have to be perfectly smooth, but just try to generally get all the pieces semi-covered.

Prepare Rice

Cook rice according to package instructions. 

Bake the Tofu

Transfer to the baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring once or twice, to get the tofu evenly browned and crispy.

Make the Sauce

Mix Yum Yum sauce and chili crisp in a small bowl.

Mix Tofu and Sauce

When the tofu is done, toss it with several tablespoons of sauce, reserving sauce for topping.

Serve

Serve with rice, on a salad, noodles, whatever you like. Dollop with extra sauce if you want, and top with green onions. OOO-eee this is good!

Thanks for this tasty recipe, I love reading your recipe and making new dishes every weekend. I also started small recipe blog in my regional language. Hope it goes well.

Delicious! I made this tofu and added it to the crunchy roll bowls. I made the yum yum sauce myself with a recipe I googled, the meal still came together quickly in SOS form!

Great recipe! I've tried several different tofu recipes and they've never turned out very well, but this was delicious! I will definitely be making this again.

Just made this for dinner and it was so good! Will be going into the rotation! Thank you for sharing it.

I am completely obsessed with this Chili Crunch Tofu recipe! It's a vegan masterpiece that proves plant-based meals can be incredibly satisfying and bursting with flavor. The tofu is perfectly crispy on the outside and wonderfully tender on the inside, creating a delightful contrast of textures. The star of the show, however, is the chili crunch coating. It adds a spicy kick and a satisfying crunch that elevates the dish to a whole new level.

Will definitely be making this one again! Crispy tofu loves a spicy, creamy sauce and this recipe delivered.

Didn't have Yum Yum sauce so used equal parts plain Greek yogurt and regular mayo. Served with an "Asian Cucumber Salad" - the touch of acidity worked well with the richness of the chili crunch sauce.

Made tonight and it was super good! We were trying to figure out where the optional honey comes in?

I made this last night and it was to die for! I haven't made tofu in a while but I loved the method of cornstarch/oven to make it crispy. The only thing I would do differently next time is cut my tofu smaller so that it gets crunchier. I cut my tofu block into 2 pieces and then 12 cubes for each piece-- I'd try to do 16 per piece next time! 

I cannot wait to make this again and to try your other tofu recipes! Thank you for such a yummy one.

In reading this article, I was impressed by how well written and informative it was. My blog can be found here too. I invite you to visit it. It is full of fresh and useful information. I really appreciate it, keep the work continue.

Made the yum yum sauce from scratch and served with salad dressed with the cashew crunch sesame dressing. So good! For the yum yum sauce I did half Mayo and half non fat Greek yogurt and then added Zindrew chili sauce. So much flavor!

thanks for sharing this delicious and easy to make recipe, i'll make it tonight soon can't wait to make this tofu.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/sQqlm3Kr.mp4

This spicy garlic crispy tofu recipe is so easy to make, baked in the oven (or air fryer!) and then tossed in a delicious spicy chili garlic sauce. This vegan tofu recipe is gluten free and perfect for a simple family dinner.

Spicy Garlic Crispy Tofu

garlic powder

breadcrumbs

sugar

chili garlic sauce

sesame seeds

red pepper flakes

drain tofu

Remove the tofu from the package and drain off the excess liquid.

cut tofu

press tofu

Place on a flat serve with a towel on top and place a heavy object on top. Press for 20-30 minutes.

preheat

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

toss

Toss with the soy sauce/tamari, then the cornstarch and garlic, then the breadcrumbs.

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Top 10 spicy tofu recipes from across the web

The most viewed spicy tofu recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

General Tso’s Sticky Tofu

Spicy Tofu with Creamy Coconut Sauc...

Korean Spicy Fried Tofu

Pan-Fried Sriracha Tofu {Spicy Tofu...

Hot and Sour Tofu

Sweet and Spicy Harissa Tofu

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The most viewed spicy tofu recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine