Name: Orange Tofu Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 blocks extra firm tofu, drained and pressed; 4 servings cooked white rice; 1 batch of this orange sauce; salt, to taste; white sesame seeds; sliced green onions

This homemade Orange Tofu recipe is inspired by the popular chinese favorite orange chicken. Crispy bites of perfectly cooked tofu are paired with a delicious homemade sweet orange sauce!

Orange Tofu

This orange tofu is the vegan version of orange chicken, which was one of my favorite chinese takeout dishes to order growing up.

Homemade sticky sweet orange sauce coats chunks of ultra crispy tofu for a dinner that is sure to impress!

It took me four times to get the orange sauce right, but it worth it for this tofu and my incredibly delicious orange cauliflower.

Stir fry recipes are a big favorite in our house and once you try making takeout style food yourself you may never go back! Recipes like teriyaki tofu, ramen noodle stir fry, and stir fry vegetables have fast become favorite dinners.

chopsticks holding a piece of orange tofu

Ingredients to make orange tofu

Extra firm tofu: drained and pressed to release the liquid.
Sticky white rice: for serving.
Orange sauce: we are using a super easy and delicious homemade recipe.
Sesame seeds and green onions: for serving.

How to make orange tofu

Step 1: Drain the blocks of extra firm tofu and pat them dry. Allow something heavy to sit on them for around 5-10 minutes to get out as much excess moisture as you can.

Step 2: Use a knife and cutting board to cut the tofu into cubes and place them in a bowl.

Step 3: Add 1-2 tablespoons of corn starch to the tofu. You just need enough to completely coat all edges of the tofu.

Stir and toss the tofu gently until it is completely coated in corn starch.

Step 4: Pan fry the tofu cubes with enough olive oil to coat the skillet until golden brown on all sides, around 20 minutes or so.

Stir and flip the tofu often to get it crispy on all sides.

cutting tofu into cubes on a cutting board

Alternate ways to cook the tofu

In an air fryer: (no cornstarch needed) Spray your air fryer basket with olive oil. Place the tofu cubes inside, then spray the tops again with more spray. Air fry the tofu at 400 degrees for 15–20 minutes, checking to shake around every 5 minutes or so, until crispy.
In the oven: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the tofu cubes on it. Spray the tofu with olive oil spray and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, flipping at least once, until desired crispiness is achieved.

Step 5: While the tofu is cooking, make a batch of the homemade orange sauce.

What is orange sauce made of?

This sweet sauce is made of orange juice, brown sugar, pure maple syrup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, minced garlic, and minced ginger.

This recipe is not only super easy, but so flavorful! We have used it for making orange chicken copycat recipes, and it would also be great as a sauce for stir fry veggies.

Step 6: Once the sauce is nice and thick, and the tofu is cooked and crispy, it’s time to bring it all together!

Add the tofu and orange sauce to a skillet and stir it over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the tofu is bubbly and coated in sauce.

a spoon taking a dip of orange sauce for orange tofu or orange chicken

How to serve orange tofu

Serve over: sticky white rice, cauliflower rice, brown rice, ramen noodles, or brown rice noodles.
Veggies: serve with broccoli, sugar snap peas, cauliflower, or veggies of choice for a complete meal.

My mouth is watering just thinking about how good this was!

Is this recipe gluten free?

Yes it is! This orange tofu is both vegan and gluten free. Just be sure to use gluten free soy sauce.

This vegan dinner tastes like a million bucks and is sure to become one of your favorite tofu recipes!

More delicious stir fry recipes to try

Just look at that crispy tofu inside! The outside of the tofu is so crispy and the inside is the perfect texture without being mushy.

Texture is so important when it comes to make tofu, and cooking it properly makes all the difference.

This vegan gluten free dinner is so flavorful and crispy saucy tofu never disappoints! This is one of the best tofu dinner recipes.

Notes

Alternative ways to cook the tofu In an air fryer: (no cornstarch needed) Spray your air fryer basket with olive oil. Place the cubed tofu inside, then spray the tops again with more spray. Air fry the tofu at 400 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes, checking to shake around every 5 minutes or so, until crispy In the oven: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the tofu cubes on it. Spray with olive oil spray and bake at 400 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes, flipping at least once, until desired crispiness is achieved.