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    Home > Vegan Entrees

    Sticky Orange Tofu

    By Emese Maczko on 02/13/2023 - May contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure.

    Jump to Recipe Print Pin

    Ready in just 45 minutes, crispy deep-fried tofu is tossed in a flavorful, sticky orange sauce that will have your taste buds dancing! If you are looking for a zesty way to incorporate protein into your lunch or dinner table without stepping foot in a Chinese restaurant or order takeout, this easy orange tofu recipe is the way to go!

    Sticky brown breaded tofu cubes are served on top of rice in a white bowl. It is sprinkled with chopped chives and sesame seeds. A hand is holding chopsticks to take one.

    Check out our recipes for the best vegan orange chicken, orange cauliflower, and eggplant tofu.

    Jump to:
    • What to expect from this recipe?
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Cooking tips
    • Variations
    • Serving ideas
    • Equipment
    • Storing tips
    • FAQs
    • More vegan take-out recipes
    • Sticky Orange Tofu

    What to expect from this recipe?

    This orange tofu recipe is another delicious and vegan alternative to the popular Chinese take-out, orange chicken. If you want to make a copycat at home, choosing tofu is the easiest and cheapest protein.

    Our crispy vegan orange tofu recipe takes all the sweet, sour, and spicy flavors and turns it into an easy, but spectacular homemade meal. The sticky orange sauce is a tangy combination of cornstarch, orange juice, orange zest, cane sugar, soy sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, minced garlic, ginger, and molasses. It is then tossed with breaded and deep-fried tofu to create a delectable combination of flavors and textures.

    Here’s why this is the best orange tofu recipe:

    • It is easy to make at home with equipment you likely already have in your kitchen.
    • It is an excellent source of protein and is completely gluten-free.
    • Unlike the baked recipes, this recipe has a crispy deep-fried texture, just like the recipe from the restaurant.
    • It can be customized to your taste and preferences using alternative ingredients, toppings, and sides.
    Sticky brown breaded tofu cubes are served on top of rice in a white bowl. It is sprinkled with chopped chives and sesame seeds. A hand is holding chopsticks to take one.

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    Ingredients

    We recommend using firm tofu or extra firm tofu, since they are the perfect candidates for deep-frying. However, the magic of the recipe lies in the orange sauce! Here is what else you’ll need to recreate it:

    Ingredients of orange tofu are in small glass bowls like orange juice, sugar, corn starch, molasses, soy sauce, orange zest, oil, vinegar and garlic, ginger.

    Orange Sauce

    • Corn starch
    • Orange juice – 100% orange juice will provide the best results.
    • Orange zest
    • Cane sugar
    • Soy sauce – use tamari to make it gluten-free.
    • Sriracha – Any other chili paste will also do the trick.
    • Rice vinegar
    • Vegetable oil
    • Garlic (minced)
    • Ginger (minced)
    • Molasses

    Wet batter

    • Dairy-free milk – We recommend oat, almond, or cashew milk.
    • Chickpea flour
    • White rice flour – You can also use all-purpose flour.
    • Salt and black pepper
    • Garlic powder

    Dry batter

    • White rice flour – You can also use all-purpose flour.
    • Corn starch – Tapioca flour is also a good substitute.

    🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Instructions

    Preparing the orange sauce

    1. Peel and mince the ginger and the garlic. Next, wash and grate some orange zest.
    2. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, orange juice (100%), orange zest, cane sugar, soy sauce (or tamari), sriracha (or other chili paste), and white rice vinegar.
    3. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Then, add oil, followed by the minced garlic and ginger. Sautee for 1-2 minutes.
    4. Stir in the cornstarch mixture from the small bowl, mixing well. Cook the mixture for a couple of minutes until the cornstarch is activated and the sauce thickens.
    5. Add the molasses and stir well. When the sauce becomes thick and sticky, consider it done.
    Cast iron skillet with a dark brown thick sauce. A wooden spatula is placed in the middle to show consistency.

    Preparing the batters

    1. Wet batter: In a shallow bowl, whisk together the dairy-free milk, chickpea flour, white rice flour (or all-purpose flour), garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. The coating is ready when it reaches the texture of thick pancake batter (slow-flowing but not too dense). If the flour starts to thicken, add a teaspoon of water to thin it out again.
    2. Dry batter: In a second, separate shallow bowl, use a spoon to mix the white rice flour (or all-purpose flour), cornstarch, salt, and black pepper.
    One white bowl of white flour, one white bowl of light yellow batter and one black bowl of tofu cubes.

    Pressing tofu

    Use firm tofu and press it. We used our trusted TofuBud*, but you can choose any DIY method or tofu press. For more information, tips, and steps, read our guide to pressing tofu, including an honest review of TofuBud.

    Breading the tofu

    1. Press the tofu, then cut it into ½-inch bite-sized cubes.
    2. Take the two bowls with the wet and dry batter and place them side by side.
    3. Dip the tofu cubes in the wet batter, coating them evenly. Give them a gentle shake to get rid of the excess batter.
    4. Next, gently transfer the coated tofu cubes into the dry mix bowl and sprinkle the top with the mix. Pat them gently to ensure the bottom of the tofu is coated and that the breading sticks to them evenly.
    Breaded tofu cubes on a black plate.

    Deep-frying

    1. Add oil (just enough to cover the cubes) to a pot or deep frying pan and heat it over medium-high heat. The oil is hot enough to add the tofu cubes if it sizzles when you drop a bit of coating in it.
    2. Slowly add the tofu cubes, ensuring that the pan does not become overcrowded. Stir the cubes occasionally for approximately 3-4 minutes until they become golden brown.
    A hand is holding a fork with a crispy breaded deep-fried tofu cube right above a deep pan with hot oil.
    1. Carefully remove them from the pot and place them on a rack to drip the excess oil.
    Crispy breaded deep-fried tofu cubes are placed on a grill rack.

    Cooking tips

    • Use your fingers for coating – When coating the tofu cubes in the wet batter, I find it much easier to use your fingers versus using a fork or spatula.
    • Do not double-coat the breading – The tofu cubes are quite small, so you will not need to double-coat them in the breading. 
    • Do not overcrowd the pan – Attempting to deep-fry too much tofu at once can lower the oil’s temperature and increase the cooking time. If you notice that the intensity of the sizzling slows or stops, you may have added too much tofu.

    Variations

    • Oyster mushrooms – They are the best vegan alternative to chicken since they have a similar texture without the mushroom taste. All you need is a few minutes to hand-shred the mushrooms, and you will have the perfect vegan orange chicken in no time!
    • Cauliflower – Another delicious low-carb alternative to orange tofu is orange cauliflower, prepared by breading, deep-frying, and tossing with sticky orange sauce. Cauliflower has a distinct taste and a crunchier texture than mushrooms or chicken. However, once fried and crispy, its appearance could easily fool you! You’ll love it, I am sure.
    • A large white bowl with white rice and sticky brown battered strips on top sprinkled with sesame seeds, orange peels and chopped spring onion
      Crispy Vegan Orange Chicken (Copycat Panda Express)
    • Sticky brown breaded cauliflower florets are served on top of rice in a white bowl. It is sprinkled with chopped chives and sesame seeds. Chopsticks are placed on top of the rice.
      Sticky Orange Cauliflower

    Serving ideas

    • We recommend coating the tofu cubes on a per-serving basis, especially if you do not have a large enough pan or skillet to evenly coat them all at once. We like to take ¼ of the orange sauce and add it to a warm skillet or pan, then toss it well with one serving of fried tofu cubes. 
    • It is best to coat the tofu with the sauce while it is still hot. Doing so helps it to stick to the breading much more evenly than when it is cold. If the sauce starts to cool, you can reheat it over medium heat. Ensure not to overheat the sauce, as it can affect the cornstarch and cause the sauce to thin out.
    • Once finished, serve it immediately over steamed or cooked white or brown rice. You can also use jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or sweet potato rice!
    • Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, chopped green onions, and sesame seeds for some extra zest. You can also add steamed broccoli on the side for some additional crunch!
    Sticky brown breaded tofu cubes are served on top of rice in a white bowl. It is sprinkled with chopped chives and sesame seeds. Chopsticks are placed on the rice.

    Equipment

    • Wok, skillet, or frying pan – A wok provides much more pan space to work with as you make and toss the sauce. However, you can also use any cast-iron skillet or non-stick frying pan.
    • Whisk – A whisk helps to remove the lumps while mixing the batter.
    • Deep frying pan – We recommend a deep-frying pan with a strainer basket as it allows you to cook a larger batch. It is also deep enough to avoid splatters. You can also use a deep stockpot or an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven.
    Sticky brown breaded tofu cubes are served on top of rice in a white bowl. It is sprinkled with chopped chives and sesame seeds.

    Storing tips

    Like most fried and breaded recipes, fried tofu is best served immediately when hot and crunchy. However, if you find yourself with leftovers (we doubt you will), we recommend that you store them as follows:

    In the refrigerator: Place the leftover orange tofu in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to three days. Use them within 24 hours for the crunchiest texture, as they become dry and soggy with time.

    In the freezer: This dish does not freeze well, and we do not recommend it.

    Reheating: If the leftover tofu is not coated in sauce, you can reheat it and preserve the crispy texture in an air fryer or by re-frying in hot oil for a couple of seconds. If it is already coated in sauce, place it on a baking sheet with parchment paper and reheat it in the oven (or a toaster oven) for the crispiest texture. We do not recommend reheating in a microwave.

    FAQs

    Is it better to pan-fry or bake tofu?

    For this orange tofu recipe in particular, instead of deep-frying we recommend pan-fried tofu as the coating does not turn out as crispy when baked in the oven.

    Can you use an air fryer?

    Place one layer of breaded tofu bites on the air fryer’s basket, turn the fryer on, and set the temperature to high. Fry for a couple of minutes until it reaches a crispy, crunchy texture.

    Sticky brown breaded tofu cubes are served on top of rice in a white bowl. It is sprinkled with chopped chives and sesame seeds. Chopsticks are placed on the rice.

    More vegan take-out recipes

    • A large white bowl with white rice and sticky brown battered strips on top sprinkled with sesame seeds, orange peels and chopped spring onion
      Crispy Vegan Orange Chicken (Copycat Panda Express)
    • White bowl from above with white rice topped with thin dark brown tofu slices with charred edges, green beans, chopped red bell pepper and sprinkled with white sesame seeds. Light brown chopsticks are placed on the side.
      Sticky Teriyaki Tofu (Copycat Pei Wei)
    • Black skillet from above full of glass noodles, shredded carrots, cabbage, sliced green onion, bean sprouts, mushroom shreds. A hand is holding chopsticks and digging in the middle
      Pad Woon Sen {Vegan} (Thai Glass Noodles Stir Fry)
    • 2 black bowls with orange brown fried rice, sliced mushrooms, slices tomatoes, chopped cilantro and sliced chili pepper. A fork is placed inside.
      Tom Yum Fried Rice
    • Two white bowls of fried rice in an orange sauce with sweet potato cubes and green bean pieces, A fork is placed inside the dish.
      Thai Green Curry Fried Rice
    • Black plate with crispy looking light brown egg rolls. A small white bowl is with a red dipping sauce. The rolls are sprinkled with parsley leaves.
      Rice Paper Egg Rolls (3 Ways)

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    Sticky brown breaded tofu cubes are served on top of rice in a white bowl. It is sprinkled with chopped chives and sesame seeds. A hand is holding chopsticks to take one.

    Sticky Orange Tofu

    Emese Maczko
    Ready in just 45 minutes, crispy deep-fried tofu is tossed in a flavorful, sticky orange sauce that will have your taste buds dancing! If you are looking for a zesty way to incorporate protein into your lunch or dinner table without stepping foot in a Chinese restaurant or ordering take-out, this easy orange tofu recipe is the way to go!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Appetizer, Sauce, Side Dish
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 547kcal

    Equipment

    • our Cast-iron Skillet by UnoCasa
    • Non-stick frying pan (10.5 inch / 26 cm)
    • TofuBud (pressing tofu in 15 minutes)
    • Simple tofu press

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 16 oz Firm tofu

    Wet batter

    • ½ cup Dairy-free milk
    • ⅓ cup Chickpea flour
    • ⅔ cup White rice flour
    • ½ tsp Salt
    • ⅛ tsp Black pepper
    • ½ tsp Garlic powder

    Dry batter

    • ⅔ cup White rice flour or all-purpose flour
    • 3 Tbsp Corn starch

    Orange Sauce

    • 3 Tbsp Corn starch
    • 1 cup Orange juice
    • 3 Tbsp Orange zest
    • ½ cup Cane sugar
    • ¼ cup Soy sauce or tamari
    • ½ tsp Sriracha (or any other chili paste)
    • 2 Tbsp Rice vinegar
    • 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
    • 2 cloves Garlic minced
    • 1 Tbsp Ginger minced
    • 1 Tbsp Molasses
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    Instructions
     

    Prepare the batters

    • Wet batter → Take a shallow bowl and mix dairy-free milk, chickpea flour, white rice flour, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper with a whisk. It should have a texture of a thick pancake batter, slow-flowing but not too dense. In time, the flour may thicken the batter a bit, so add 1 tsp of water to thin it again.
    • Dry batter → Take another shallow bowl and mix white rice flour, corn starch, salt, and black pepper with a spoon.

    Bread and fry tofu

    • Press tofu, then cut into ½ inch cubes.
    • Have both wet batter and dry mix in two separate shallow bowls.
    • Dip the tofu cubes first in the wet batter. Coat them evenly. I found it is easier to use your fingers to do that instead of using a fork or spatula.
    • Transfer gently the coated tofu cubes to the dry mix. Sprinkle the top and pat them gently. Make sure the mix sticks to them evenly.
    • Take a pot and add enough oil to cover the cubes. Heat it over medium/high heat. You can test whether it is hot enough by dropping a bit of coating in it. If it sizzles, you are good to go. 
    • Stir them occasionally. It will take 3-4 minutes to fry them. Once the tofu cubes are nicely browned, take them out to a rack to drip the excess oil.

    Prepare the orange sauce

    • Peel and mince ginger and garlic. Wash and grate some orange zest.
    • Take a small bowl and mix corn starch, orange juice (100%), orange zest, cane sugar, soy sauce, sriracha (or other chili paste), and white rice vinegar.
    • Take a saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Add oil and minced garlic, ginger and saute them for 1-2 minutes.
    • Add the mixture from the small bowl and mix well. Cook it for a couple of minutes until the corn starch is activated and the sauce starts to thicken.
    • Add molasses and stir well. Your sauce is ready now!

    Serve it immediately

    • We recommend doing the coating per serving especially if you don't have a large enough pan or skillet.
    • Take ¼ of the orange sauce and add it to a warm skillet or pan. Add 1 serving of fried tofu cubes and mix well. Serve it on steamed or cooked rice.
    Tried this recipe? Can we see it?Please share a picture with us by uploading an image to Pinterest below ours.

    Notes

    Can you use an air fryer?

    Place the breaded tofu on the air fryer basket in one layer. Turn the air fryer on and set the temperature high. Fry for a couple of minutes.

    Can you bake them in the oven?

    We tested this recipe in the oven as well. Sadly, the coating will not be as crispy as when you fry them. But that is the case with every food. The difference between baking and frying is huge.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Sticky Orange Tofu
    Amount Per Serving (1 serving without sides)
    Calories 547 Calories from Fat 63
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 7g11%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
    Monounsaturated Fat 2g
    Sodium 1135mg49%
    Potassium 429mg12%
    Carbohydrates 101g34%
    Fiber 4g17%
    Sugar 36g40%
    Protein 19g38%
    Vitamin A 338IU7%
    Vitamin C 40mg48%
    Calcium 226mg23%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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