Crispy General Tso tofu with broccoli
45 min · 25 g protein · 324 cals / serving
Golden, crisp-edged cubes of tofu, cooked in the air fryer or oven instead of deep-fried, then tossed in a glossy sweet, sour and gently spicy General Tso sauce with plenty of broccoli. It has everything people love about the takeout dish, with the tofu staying crunchy under the sauce.
Ingredients
Crispy tofu
- 2 blocks (14 oz each) prepared extra firm tofu, pressed 15 minutes, cut into 2 cm (3/4-inch) cubes
- 1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tsp canola oil
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 large head broccoli, cut into small florets
Sauce
- 2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp sriracha hot sauce, or to taste
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- a thumb-sized piece ginger, grated
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp sesame oil
To serve
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
Steps
- Heat the air fryer or oven to 400°F; line a baking sheet with parchment if using the oven. Toss the tofu cubes gently with the soy sauce and oil, then sprinkle over the cornstarch and garlic powder and toss again until every cube is dusted with no dry patches. Cook in a single layer for 20–25 minutes, shaking the basket or turning the cubes halfway, until golden and crisp on all sides. Work in two batches in a small air fryer.
- Meanwhile, steam or microwave the broccoli with a splash of water for 3–4 minutes, until bright green and just tender. Drain well.
- Whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, tomato paste, sriracha, cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until no lumps remain.
- Warm the sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat and cook the garlic, ginger and pepper flakes for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Whisk the sauce again, pour it in and stir for 1–2 minutes, until it bubbles and turns thick and glossy.
- Take the pan off the heat, add the crispy tofu and broccoli and toss quickly so everything is coated. Serve straight away, before the coating softens, with green onions and sesame seeds on top.
Good to know
How do I get the tofu really crisp?
Press out as much water as you can: wrap the blocks in a clean towel and set something heavy on top for 15 minutes. Then do not crowd the basket or pan, so the cubes roast rather than steam, and toss them in the sauce only at the last moment.
What do I serve it with?
Steamed rice is the classic, and about 1/2 cup of cooked rice per person goes a long way with this much tofu and broccoli. Cauliflower rice works too.
Can I use regular sugar?
Yes, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar give the same sweetness, at about the same score. Most sugar is vegan, but if you avoid bone-char-filtered sugar, maple syrup or organic sugar is the safe choice.
Alternative
Per
- Calories
- 91
- Protein
- (30%)
- 7 g
- Fat
- (42%)
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- (29%)
- 8 g
- of which sugar
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 145 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How
As written, 1297 kcal goes into the pot and 1646 g of ingredients comes out as about 1420 g of food: 91 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.