Description
A vibrant, sticky, and satisfyingly crispy vegan take on orange chicken, using tofu for a satisfying crunch without any animal products.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup neutral oil (canola)
- 1 package of tofu (16 oz / 454 g)
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ¼–⅓ cup water
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup orange juice
- ⅓–½ cup sugar (adjust according to sweetness preference)
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha (optional; for heat)
- 2 teaspoons crushed ginger (or freshly grated)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (for sauce thickening)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Instructions
- Press the tofu to remove moisture for 20–30 minutes, then cut into 1- to 1½-inch cubes.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, and salt. Gradually add water until you achieve a smooth batter.
- Coat tofu cubes in the batter, shaking off excess.
- Heat oil in a skillet and fry tofu in batches until golden and crisp, about 4–6 minutes per batch.
- In a bowl, mix orange juice, sugar, tamari, vinegar, Sriracha, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes to make the sauce.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and whisk in a cornstarch slurry until it thickens.
- Combine the fried tofu with the sauce and toss until coated. Serve immediately.
Notes
For best results, keep the tofu and sauce separate until ready to serve to maintain crispiness.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: vegan orange chicken, tofu, plant-based, vegan takeout, Asian cuisine