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This Orange Tofu is a Panda Express copycat recipe with a vegan twist! Instead of crispy chicken, we’re using tofu that is tossed in a sweet and tangy orange sauce.
Love a good vegan copycat recipe? You should give my General Tso’s Tofu a try as well as my Sesame Tofu Bowls and my Copycat Chipotle Sofritas!
My version tastes just as good as the restaurant version and is so convenient to make at home! You’re sure to love this quick and easy orange tofu recipe that’s perfect for make-ahead lunches or busy weeknight dinners.
Some of my go-to dishes are the copycat recipes that I’ve developed and experimented cooking at home. My Chipotle sofritas recipe is a major favorite and this Panda Express orange chicken definitely makes it to the top of the list as one of the most delicious meals to make. It’s a pretty easy dish, great for meal prep and totally family-friendly!
I absolutely love how this recipe turned out and I’m so excited for you to try it!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Naturally Vegetarian – A meat-free version of a classic favorite.
- Crispy & Flavorful – Golden-brown tofu coated in a sweet-savory orange sauce.
- Better Than Takeout – Skip the delivery and make this in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients we’re working with
Everything you need for this recipe is super simple and you may even have it all on hand already!
- Tofu. You will want to use firm or extra firm tofu because anything softer will fall apart.
- Cornstarch. Gives the tofu a nice crispy outside layer and helps the sauce thicken as the tofu cooks.
- Orange juice + zest. For that classic orange chicken flavor! You could skip the orange zest but it adds so much flavor!
- Rice wine vinegar. The rice vinegar adds acidity to the sauce and gives it a lovely sweet-tart flavor.
- Maple syrup. A small amount of natural sugar to sweeten the orange sauce. Coconut sugar or honey would also work well.
- Garlic + ginger. Adds delicious aromatic flavor to the orange chicken.
- Sesame oil. Gives the marinade a rich, nutty taste that’s totally delicious.
- Soy sauce. You can also use coconut aminos as desired.
- Red pepper flakes. Optional, but I love that extra bit of heat!
- Green onion and sesame seeds for serving
How to make this Crispy Orange Tofu Recipe
Making orange tofu at home is not only healthier than takeout, it’s also way, way faster than waiting for delivery. This easy orange tofu comes together super fast!
Full recipe is down in the recipe card but here’s an overview of how to make it:
STEP #1: Make the sweet orange sauce – whisk together all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
STEP #2: Prep the tofu- I like to press tofu with a tofu press but you can also use a paper towel and heavy objects to squeeze out the excess moisture. Tear it into large chunks or cut into tofu cubes.
STEP #3: Cover the tofu– toss the tofu pieces in cornstarch, salt, and pepper. The cornstarch helps get the tofu super crispy. As desired, you can also marinate your tofu.
STEP #4: Fry the tofu– As desired, you can bake your tofu but I LOVE to lightly fry it in a little bit of oil until it’s golden brown in a large skillet. The cornstarch helps get the tofu so crispy!
Step #5: Heat up the sticky orange sauce– set the crispy tofu aside and add in the sauce. Cover over medium heat for a few minutes or until it starts to thicken.
STEP #6: Toss the tofu– Once the sauce starts to thicken, add in the tofu and toss so that it is fully covered in the yummy sauce! I like to serve mine with a side of veggies and some jasmine rice or brown rice.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- Make-ahead. This sticky orange tofu is the perfect recipe to meal prep for daily lunches or make in advance for dinner. It becomes even more flavorful the next day! You could also just prep the tofu a day or so in advance.
- Leftovers. Orange tofu stores beautifully! Place any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will keep fresh for about 5 days.
- To reheat. Rewarm in a pot or skillet on the stovetop or pop it in the microwave to reheat. Reheating in a skillet will yield the best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes or put it in the air fryer at 375°F for 15 minutes, shaking halfway through.
Fresh orange juice is best for flavor, but bottled works in a pinch!
The key in this recipe is cornstarch + oil. The tofu is covered in cornstarch and then lightly fried in a little oil to get it SO crispy.
More easy tofu recipes you’ll love:
- The BEST Tofu recipes around!
- Tofu Coconut Curry
- Tofu Satay
- Sesame Tofu Bowls
- Pan Fried Tofu
- Crispy Baked Tofu
If you try this Orange Tofu recipe or any other recipe on Food with Feeling, don’t forget to leave a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below to let others know how much you loved it. Happy cooking!! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I would love to hear about your experience making it. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @foodwithfeeling!
Orange Tofu
Ingredients
For the tofu:
- 14-15 oz block of firm or extra firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce:
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, see note
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1” piece ginger, peeled, and grated or finely minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- Red pepper flakes
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Prepare the tofu by pressing the liquid out. HERE is my full guide on pressing tofu with AND without a tofu press. Once pressed, tear the tofu into large bite-sized chunks. Mine were all roughly an inch long and varied in size a little. Don’t worry too much about the size and shape. The idea is for it to have rough edges to give the tofu a little more texture and to hold onto flavors a little better.
- Make the sauce by combining the orange juice, zest, vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, cornstarch, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to a bowl or large measuring cup. Whisk to combine.
- Place the tofu chunks into a large bowl and sprinkle on the cornstarch, a good pinch of fine sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Toss to combine so that the tofu is mostly covered.
- Heat 1/2 an inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add in the tofu and cook for about 10 minutes, tossing often so that it gets browned on all sides.* Once done, remove tofu from the skillet and set aside.
- To the same skillet, add in the orange juice mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 4 minutes. Once it starts to thicken, add the tofu pieces back into the skillet and cook for 1 more minute.
- Serve with rice or your favorite side and ENJOY!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This worked exactly as written and was a nice change to my favorite soy sauce based flavor!!
I rarely leave reviews but this recipe is beyond deliciousness! And it is so easy and quick to prepare! I have never tried Panda Express original as I live in Europe but this version officially enters a heavy rotation. Thank you, thank you Britta!
omg yay! this meeans so much to me, Alice! thank you!
Saw this recipe on Facebook but didn’t have the methods so had to wing it. Luckily, I made it as per the instructions on this website and it was yum!
I’m assuming you get rid of any excess oil before putting the sauce ingredients into the pan?
I just used a small amount of oil to fry the tofu. The cornstarch absorbed it because there was no liquid remaining
Thank you for sharing this recipe
Obsessed with this! I made it with udon noodles, chilli paste, and spinach and it was amazing.
Excellent! Made it twice in 10 days. Flavor is terrific!
I’d give it 6 stars if I could!
If you like Chinese takeaway you’re in for a treat. I was blown away!
The perfect balance of sweet and orangy, slightly spicy, just the right level of sticky…
Super easy to make, too.
Thank you, Brita, you just made my life better!
aww yay! LOVE that. and love this recipe
You NEED this recipe! It was our first time trying a recipe from Brita, but we’ll be back for more. Quick, easy and delicious recipe! I’ll double the sauce next time since I added some broccoli and carrots to the mix. 10 out of 10!