If you want a quick, filling and delicious dinner that rivals the best take out in town, then its time to make this crispy orange tofu! It is filled with fresh citrus notes from the orange juice and zest, umami flavors from soy sauce and delicious aromatics. Top it off with crunchy air fried tofu and you have delicious, healthier and better than takeout dish 🙂
This crispy orange tofu is a vegan version of the popular version that usually uses chicken. I have always looked out for a plant based version since its one of those dishes that I have been super excited to try. Unfortunately I have never found it at any restaurants I have been to. So I figured the next best thing is to try making it yourself!
This dish comes together comes together quickly in less than 45 minutes and is perfect for those evenings when you dont want to spend too much time in the kitchen. The most amount of effort you will spend while making this orange tofu is juicing the oranges(that is if you manually juice it). Everything comes together super quick and I will also be including meal prep tips.
Ingredients you need to make a great crispy orange tofu
Orange juice and zest - I used navel oranges and used around around 3 of them to get around 1 ½ cups of orange juice. I also used one of them to zest the peel before juicing it. Whatever oranges you use, make sure it is fresh and you only zest the outer peel and not the white pith. The pith tends to be bitter and will leave a bitter flavor in the sauce. You can sieve the pulp out while juicing but I just decided to leave it in.
Tofu - I would highly recommend using a firm to super firm tofu. This will help it from crumbling or breaking down while cooking. We will coat the tofu with some corn/tapioca starch and seasonings before baking or air frying it. You can also pan fry it before adding it to the sauce.
Seasonings for tofu and orange sauce - We will use a variety of seasonings and aromatics including fresh garlic, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, mushroom seasoning, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.
Vegetables - Its optional but I have to add some vegetables to all of my dishes else it does not feel right 🙂 I added broccoli, red bell pepper that were lightly sauted and seasoned. Use any vegetables of your choice like mushrooms, steamed green beans, cabbage or feel free to skip.
Corn Starch/ Tapioca Starch - This is an important ingredient that is used in making the tofu crispier and also for thickening the orange sauce. If you dont have any on hand, you can also substitute potato/arrowroot starch or just skip it.
Toppings - Top with chopped green onions, sesame seeds and red pepper flakes before serving. You can also use chopped green chives.
Other delicious tofu recipes to try
Quick Overview of the process
Prep the tofu - Press the tofu for 10-15 minutes to remove as much water as possible by wrapping with a tea towel or paper towel. Then place a heavy bowl or plate over it. You can also use a tofu press. Drain out any extra water and cut in to cubes or triangles. Place in a bowl and add sesame oil, garlic powder, onion powder, soy sauce. Season slightly with salt and black pepper. Place on a lined pan before air frying or baking. I prefer air frying because its quicker and I love the final result. If you are baking, I recommend baking at 400 deg F for 15-18 minutes. Flip it midway to ensure its evenly browned.
You can also pan fry it. I would suggest using a non-stick or stainless steel pan. Add a little bit of oil in the pan and once slightly hot, add the cubed tofu. Let it brown on one side before flipping over until its all evenly golden brown. Keep aside.
Making the orange sauce - Zest one of the oranges until you have two teaspoons of zest. Then juice it and the other oranges until you have around 1 ½ cup of orange juice. You can choose to use the pulp or strain it out. Heat a pan to medium low heat and add some sesame or any neutral cooking oil. Add in the finely chopped garlic and cook for a minute. Add the grated ginger, soy sauce/tamari, rice vinegar and the orange juice. Keep the heat low while this mixture gently simmers. Now add the sugar and orange zest. Mix well and let this cook for 2-3 minutes. Season with some salt if needed. Add the corn starch slurry and mix until the sauce has thickened.
Bringing it together - Now add the prepared tofu to the sauce and gently coat it with the sauce. Top with red chilli flakes, chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Tips and FAQs for making the best crispy orange tofu
Use fresh oranges - Try to use fresh oranges especially for the zest. Make sure you are only zesting the outer orange part since the white pith underneath is bitter. If you need to, you can use fresh store bought orange juice with no added sugar. The flavor will vary a bit but it will do in a pinch
Use any protein of your choice - Tofu really suits this dish but if you are not a fan, try with tofu made from chickpeas, tempeh or vegan mock meats. You can also use roasted/ fried chickpeas or cannelini beans!
Serve over white/brown rice, cauliflower rice, soba noodles or quinoa.
Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat from the refrigerator either in the microwave or over the stove top. If reheating from the freezer, then let it thaw overnight and reheat in the microwave or in the conventional oven.
For meal prep, I would suggest prepping the sauce earlier and preparing the tofu on the day you want to enjoy the dish. This is because, the tofu will get soggy after spending some time in the refrigerator. You can also make the sauce and freeze it for use later on. Let it thaw overnight the day before you want to use it. Prepare the tofu as per instructions and heat up the sauce before adding in the tofu.
If you want it more spicy, I would suggest adding some chilli flakes along with the garlic right in the beginning. You can also add a little more pepper for some added heat.
If you have a minute and you have tried this recipe, can you leave a comment or rating letting me know what you think? Have questions? Please free to use the comment section below as well and I will try to get back asap. If you are interested in following along on social media, you can find #dillandthyme on Instagram, Facebook and/or Pinterest!
Recipe
Crispy Orange Tofu
Ingredients
For the tofu
- 16 oz Firm to Extra Firm Tofu
- 4 tablespoon Corn or Tapioca Starch
- 2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon Mushroom Seasoning Powder
- 2 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
For the sauce
- 1 ½ cup Orange Juice use 3-4 fresh oranges
- 2 teaspoon Orange Zest
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
- 3 tablespoon Soy Sauce or Tamari
- 2 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
- 5 cloves Garlic finely chopped
- 1 inch Ginger grated
- ½ tablespoon Red chilli Pepper Flakes
- 1 tablespoon Corn Starch/Tapioca Starch
- ½ cup Water
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Toppings
- 3-4 tablespoon Green Onions finely chopped or sliced diagonally
- 1 tablespoon White Sesame Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Place the tofu wrapped in a tea towel or paper towel and place under a heavy plate or bowl. Wait for 15 minutes before removing and discarding any water that has been squeezed out. During this time, prep the vegetables and the sauce ingredients.
- Cut the tofu into cubes and add the other ingredients for the tofu in a bowl. Gently give it a mix or toss until the cubes are fully coated. Place in the airfryer and airfry at 400 deg F for 15 minutes. Stop mid way to flip the tofu cubes to ensure even cooking. Once done, keep aside.
- While the tofu is being cooked, heat a large pan to medium low. One hot, add a tablespoon of sesame oil. Once hot, add the chopped garlic and let it brown for a minute or so. Then add the ginger, orange juice, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Then add the zest and brown sugar. Mix well and cook for another couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Make a corn starch slurry and add to the sauce. Mix well. Now add the tofu once its ready. Mix well until its well coated with the sauce. Serve hot topped wiht green onions, sesame seeds and chilli flakes.
Notes
- Pressing the tofu and removing as much water as possible is important for crispy tofu.
- Freshly squeezed orange juice is prefered since that offer a better flavor. However feel free to use store bought juice.
- If you want to add more heat to the dish, you can also add red chilli flakes while cooking the garlic. Also top the dish with some chilli flakes before serving.
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