Orange Tofu

A Vegan friendly reminiscent of the popular American Asian dish; this Orange Tofu recipe is perfect with crisp pieces of tofu in a sticky sweet and sour orange based sauce.

Pair it with steamed rice or quinoa for a meal that is like the restaurants; but better!

Asian recipes are always great for weeknight meals. Most of these come together in a matter of minutes and need only a handful of ingredients from the Asian pantry. While the traditional recipes may be different from what you enjoy at most restaurants, there are spin-offs from the cuisine that are really delicious.

Inspired from the Asian cuisine are American Asian dishes and Indo-Chinese recipes. Sushi, Kung Pao recipes, Pad Thai, General Tso's recipes, Poke Bowls, Chowmein and Fried Rice are popular American Asian recipes.

These recipes have the base from Asian cuisine but are modified to suit the America taste buds. And yes, now these have spread to other countries as well. I remember having all kinds of General Tso's and Kung Pao recipes in India on my last trip along with Indian Asian favorites like Chinese Bhel and Manchow Soup.

Jump to:

• What is Orange Tofu
• Why this recipe works
• Ingredients and Substitutions
• How to make this recipe
• Expert Tips and Notes
• Alternates to Air Frying Tofu
• Storage
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe FAQs
• More Asian Main Recipes
• Orange Tofu

What is Orange Tofu

When we talk of American Asian recipes, orange chicken is something we cannot leave out. It is believed that Chef Andy Kao created the original orange chicken recipe for Panda Express in 1987. 

But for Vegetarians and Vegans, this is obviously not an option. So no wonder the Vegan Chinese restaurants came up with Orange Tofu; a recipe that is friendly for most diets including gluten-free.

As the name suggests, Orange tofu is an American Asian main or appetizer recipe. Crispy pieces of tofu are served in a sticky, slightly sweet yet Umami orange based sauce.

The ways to cook the tofu varies from pan frying, baking or air frying to even using fried tofu puffs. And the sauce for the recipe may also vary from recipe to recipe. It is easy to buy the sauce from the store but making it at home is the perfect way to go.

Why this recipe works

• The recipe needs only some Asian pantry essentials.
• This orange tofu recipe is naturally Vegan and easy to make gluten-free.
• Though the total time for the recipe is long, the active time is only a few minutes.
• We can use multiple ways to cook the tofu.
• The orange sauce works with so many other dishes except orange tofu.
• The final dish is so much like the restaurants, but cleaner in ingredients.
• We can pair this with steamed jasmine rice, cooked quinoa or jasmine fried rice.
• It is easy to prep all the parts of the recipe ahead of time.
• The recipe does not involve any complicated steps to make.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Firm Tofu: I like to use extra firm or firm tofu for the recipe. Medium or soft tofu does not stay well and disintegrates while making it crisp or in the sauce. Squeeze out all the water that you can from the tofu before using. Cut the tofu into cubes like I do or tear it apart to resemble chicken pieces.

• Orange Juice: We need some good orange juice in the recipe. While store bought is okay, I always try and use fresh juice when oranges are in season. Ensure the juice is without any pulp and seeds. Pulpy juice tends to make the sauce gritty and not appetizing. Along with juice, we also add some orange zest for freshness. Try not to skip that.

• Aromatics: A lot of garlic and ginger is perfect in the recipe. It balances the sweetness of the juice.

• Sauces: I use a mix of basic Asian sauces. Low sodium soy sauce and rice vinegar are perfect for the recipe. However, we can use tamari for a gluten-free version. Swap with regular white vinegar if required. Do not use dark soy sauce or the Ind-Chinese one.

• Cornstarch: We need corn starch for two purposes. First, to coat the tofu before air frying and second to thicken the orange sauce. Corn flour or tapioca starch works well in the recipe too.

• Seasonings: Salt is the base spice for the recipe. Plus, we add some brown sugar for it's perfect deep color and taste. To balance the flavors, I also add some chili flakes. However, this is optional.

• Oil: I use Avocado oil to coat the tofu before crisping it up. Moreover, I make the sauce in toasted sesame oil for an authentic Asian flavor.

See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.

How to make this recipe

1- Press the tofu between kitchen towels or use a tofu press. Once the tofu is free from moisture, cut into even cubes or tear into bite size pieces.

2- Separate and add the pieces to a large bowl.

3- Add in half the soy sauce, avocado oil and vinegar. Also sprinkle the corn starch on the tofu.

4- Toss everything till the cornstarch coats the tofu well.

5- Preheat the air fryer to 400 F. Once hot, place a parchment paper or grease the basket. Arrange the tofu pieces in a single layer, leaving some space between them.

6- Air fry for 8-10 minutes and remove the basket. Flip the tofu pieces over and brush the remaining avocado oil on the pieces.

7- Air fry for another 8-10 minutes till it is crisp on all sides.

8- Remove the tofu in a plate and set aside.

9- Heat sesame oil in the pan.

10- Then add garlic, ginger and red chili flakes (if using).

11- Sauté till the garlic is aromatic.

12- Add the orange juice, orange zest, salt, sugar and sauces.

13- Bring to a gentle boil for 4-5 minutes; till everything comes together.

14- Next, add water to the cornstarch and prepare the slurry. Transfer this slurry to the orange sauce.

15- Cook on medium flame till the sauce starts to thicken.

16- Add the tofu pieces to the sauce.

17- Coat all the pieces with the sauce and bring to one boil. Turn down the flame.

18- Remove in a bowl and serve topped with cilantro or scallions. It is best with some steamed broccoli and steamed jasmine rice.

Expert Tips and Notes

• Pressing Tofu: It is important to press out as much moisture as possible out of tofu. This is to ensure the pieces crisp well and do not turn soggy in the sauce. However, if you would like the tofu to remain moist within, skip this step.

• Making it tofu free: While tofu is great in the recipe we can make the same recipe with tempeh, paneer or cauliflower. Make sure the exterior is crisp by air frying or baking before using these too.

• Air frying evenly: In order to crips up the tofu well; do not skimp on the oil. Moreover, spread the tofu in a single layer leaving some space between the pieces. Make the tofu in batches if it is a lot.

• Make the recipe gluten-free: Substitute soy sauce with tamari for a gluten-free version. All other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.

• Making the cornstarch slurry: Mix corn starch with cold or room temperature water to make the slurry. Hot water will make the slurry clumpy in minutes.

• Adjusting the sweetness: Taste the orange juice before adding in sugar. Moreover, adjust the amount of sugar based on how sweet you like the sauce.

• Adding more heat: The recipe is medium spicy. To add more spice, either add a couple of red or green chili with the garlic or a teaspoon of chili sauce with the other sauces in the orange sauce.

• Use of Orange zest: Orange zest is a perfect freshness ingredient in the recipe. However, if using store bought juice, add some zest from oranges to it or swap with lemon zest. A drop of orange extract works but does taste slightly artificial.

Alternates to Air Frying Tofu

• Pan Frying: An easy way to cook the tofu without an air fryer is to pan fry it. To do so, simply coat the tofu with the sauces and cornstarch and set aside. Then add avocado oil in the pan and spread the pieces evenly in a single layer. Turn them mid way and crisp on all sides.

• Baking: It is also easy to bake the tofu, especially if making a larger batch. Simply coat the tofu with corn starch and sauces and arrange in rows on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mat. Brush oil and bake in a preheated oven at 400 F for 15-18 minutes; flipping once in between. Do not over bake as it will result in chewy tofu.

• Deep Frying: The closest to restaurant style orange chicken is this version. Coat tofu in corn starch and the sauces and deep fry in hot oil. Though this is great, there is quite a bit of oil in this process.

Pick the option based on what texture you want to achieve and availability. All three work with firm or extra firm tofu.

Storage

This recipe of orange tofu is perfect to enjoy straight after making. The sauce tends to thicken up on standing.

Refrigeration: If you have leftovers, transfer in a lidded container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Heat through in the microwave before serving. In case the taste becomes bitter, do not consume the orange tofu.

Freezing: I do not recommend this recipe for freezing. It loses a lot of texture and consistency on freezing.

Meal Prep: The recipe is great for meal prep as well. Simply crisp up the tofu and make the sauce ahead of time. Keep these in separate containers in the refrigerator till ready to assemble. To serve, heat the sauce through and add in warmed tofu. Mix and serve as desired.

Serving Suggestions

Orange Tofu is perfect to enjoy in so many ways.

Make the recipe slightly less saucy and enjoy it as an appetizer with garlic edamame or peanut and celery salad.

It also makes the best main dish along with steamed jasmine rice, cooked quinoa or even jasmine fried rice.

While such mains are more popular to enjoy with rice, we often serve this with drunken noodles or even chow mein for a complete meal.

Recipe FAQs

More Asian Main Recipes