This Delicious Orange Tofu Recipe is way better than takeout…and healthier too! Small cubes of crispy tofu are coated in an insanely delicious sticky orange sauce for Orange Tofu Perfection….you’ll never go back to Chinese takeout because this incredibly easy tofu recipe is less expensive, healthier and way more delicious!
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I love tofu…but hubby? Not so much. That was until he tasted this delicious tofu recipe. I figured out how to make crispy tofu in the oven with a sublime orange sauce—you know, the kind they have on classic orange chicken at your favorite Chinese restaurant.
Ok, so now we are BOTH smitten…and I bet you can use this crispy orange tofu recipe to make tofu lovers out of everyone in your life too. A good crispy vegan orange tofu recipe is a must….glad I can share this one with you.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Tofu: Use extra-firm tofu for the best result. If you’re not a fan of tofu and still want a Vegan Orange Chicken that’s not made with processed ingredients, substitute chickpeas for the tofu. Rinse, drain, pat dry and the follow the directions in the recipe card.
- Arrowroot Powder: A great alternative to corn starch to thicken sauces and it makes a great coating for the tofu for a super crispy outside.
- Tamari: A gluten-free alternative to soy sauce. Low sodium tamari is available at most grocery stores.
- Rice Vinegar: Go for the unsweetened variety. You can substitute with white vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- Orange: fresh orange juice plus grated zest will create a sweet orange sauce without the need for added sugar.
How to make Crispy Oven Baked Tofu
The best tip I can give you is to make sure you use extra firm tofu and DRAIN IT WELL. It’s ok if you don’t have a tofu press, you can use a heavy object with equally good results. Pressing out the extra liquid is the best way to produce a crispy texture to the tofu pieces.
Remove tofu from water in container and place on a clean kitchen towel or use paper towels to soak up excess water.
Fold towel over the tofu and then place a heavy object (I use a baking sheet with a cast iron skillet on top)on top to press tofu down, helping to remove more of water it had been stored in.
Place drained block of tofu on a cutting board. Cut lengthwise into strips, then cut across and finally turn onto side and cut through so you have small cubes.
In a shallow dish with tight fitting lid, mix sesame oil, rice vinegar and tamari. Add the tofu cubes and cover.
Shake gently to make sure marinade has covered all the cubes evenly. You can also use a zip-top bag for this step.
In a small dish, mix arrowroot with flax, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Sprinkle onto the tofu.
Cover the dish tightly and shake until all the tofu cubes are coated in mixture.
Bake in preheated 425 oven for 15 minutes. Flip to other side and then bake for an additional 10 minutes, until golden brown on the outside, tender inside.
Make Orange Sauce
In a small saucepan, whisk together sauce ingredients: tamari, maple syrup, rice vinegar, water, sesame oil, orange zest and orange juice, turmeric, black pepper, garlic and ginger.
Mix arrowroot with water to create a slurry, and then add to pan. Stir over medium heat, for 2-3 minutes, as sauce thickens.
When tofu has finished baking, transfer to a serving bowl.
Pour half the orange sauce onto the tofu and mix well. Transfer remaining sauce into a small pitcher and pass around.
Garnish with sesame seeds, red pepper flakes and sliced green onions if desired. Transfer remaining sauce into a small pitcher and pass around…it tastes great on rice or veggie sides.
Debra’s Pro Tips
- Save time: buy already minced/grated fresh garlic or fresh ginger cubes in the freezer section of your local supermarket.
- Save money: Grate the garlic and ginger yourself with a microplane grater.
- Add crispy baked tofu cubes into the saucepan with the orange sauce and allow the orange sauce turn into a glaze on the tofu.
- STORAGE: Store in airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.
- Reheat in a hot heavy skillet. The orange sauce will help the tofu re-crisp.
While tofu is cooking, make some jasmine rice in your instant pot and throw a tray of broccoli into the oven (see recipe card for full instructions) for a super simple dinner.
Serving Suggestions
- Create an easy weeknight vegan meal and serve with some jasmine rice and roasted broccoli.
- Simple cauliflower rice is a great low-carb side dish that would taste incredible with some orange sauce on it.
- You can make stir fried veggies while the tofu is in the oven.
More Delicious Tofu Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Orange Tofu Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz block extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon low sodium tamari
- ⅓ cup arrowroot powder
- ⅓ cup ground flax
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Orange Sauce
- 2 tablespoon low sodium tamari
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup water
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 grind freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large orange grated peel and juice
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder dissolved into 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Drain tofu and press as much water out as possible. If you don't have a tofu press, you can lay the tofu on a clean kitchen towel and place something heavy (I use a cast iron skillet) on top.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- In a shallow dish with a lid (or you can use a zip top bag), mix together sesame oil, vinegar and tamari.
- Place drained tofu on a cutting board and cut into ¼" strips lengthwise, then turn and cut widthwise and then turn on it's side to make a final cut producing small cubes. Add tofu cubes into container with the marinade. Shake so that all cubes are coated with the marinade on all sides.
- Mix together arrowroot, flax, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Add to the marinated tofu cubes and close tightly. Shake until all tofu cubes are evenly coated.
- Place on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 15 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until crisp on the outside, tender on the inside.
Orange Sauce
- While the tofu is cooking, make the sauce.
- In a small saucepan, whisk together tamari, vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, water, turmeric, black pepper and crushed red pepper. Use a microplane to grate the ginger and garlic right over the pan. Use the side of a box grater to grate the orange peel over the pan. Then, juice the orange into the pan. In a small dish, mix arrowroot powder with water and then stir into sauce. Heat over medium-low heat until barely simmering. Turn heat down to low and continue to stir until thickened, this entire process will take 3-4 minutes.
- When tofu has finished cooking, transfer to a bowl and then pour on the sauce. Alternately, add tofu to the sauce pan and gently toss to coat. Cook until orange tofu takes on a glazed look.
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Ilene
I am now a pescaterian but still make some meat for my family. We are trying to eat more Tofu. I made this recipe and everyone LOVED it. It tasted amazing! My daughter told me it was the best thing I made all year! I appreciated the advice about how to drain the Tofu because I am never good at it but did it the way Debra suggested and it worked this time! Thanks so much Debra! Looking forward to trying some other recipes.
Debra Klein
Awesome. Love that you’re trying to eat more tofu and if you search “tofu” you’ll find many others like bbq tofu and veggies that your family will also love.