Orange Tofu
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. My version tastes just as good as the restaurant version and is so convenient to make at home!
Servings: 2 servings
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
Cooking the tofu: you can also bake the tofu following these directions and then add the sauce on.
As desired, you can use less oil but it won't turn out quite as crispy.
Nutrition
Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 479mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 137IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 3mg
