Orange Chicken Tofu

Orange Chicken Tofu is one of the best vegan versions of the signature Panda Express dish, Orange Chicken. With crispy tofu tossed in sticky-sweet and sour orange sauce. Enjoy this 15-minute Orange Tofu recipe for a busy weeknight meal.

This orange tofu recipe brings me so much joy, and I look forward to making it whenever I crave for a panda express without going to the restaurant. Orange chicken is one of my favorite take-out from Chinese-American restaurants, but homemade is way better.

You will love this recipe

• This vegan Chinese tofu recipe is more affordable and healthier. Our family goes by the 80/20 rule. We enjoy 80 percent healthy food with 20 percent indulgence when we can. Life is enjoyable this way.
• It is better than the take-out from a Chinese restaurant, and you know what ingredients you are putting in your dish. Also, you can customize this recipe to your own taste.
• These crispy tofu cubes taste like real chicken. My son would prefer this to the store-bought chicken nuggets! We all love it.
• This sticky orange tofu recipe is super quick and easy to make. I love serving this with cooked white rice, garlic fried rice, or lettuce wrap.
• If you love more tofu recipes, be sure to check my:
  • Crispy Fried Tofu
  • Sweet Sticky Sesame Tofu
  • Vegan Tofu Dumplings
  • Sisig Tofu

Ingredient Notes

Would you believe this orange tofu only need a few ingredients? I am sure you have most of the ingredients in your pantry. Check the recipe card below for the full recipe with the exact measurements of the ingredients and nutritional info.

• Extra-firm tofu - Always choose extra-firm tofu whenever you are going to panfry, air-fry, or bake your tofu. It will achieve the crispiest texture and won't fall apart.
• Fresh orange - To yield the best result, we need a fresh squeeze of orange juice plus the zest for more orange flavors. No fresh orange? Don't worry, you can use orange juice from the bottle, and it will still taste delicious.
• Cornstarch - To coat the tofu before frying to get the crispiness. Cornstarch will also help our sweet and sticky orange sauce thicken. You can also use tapioca powder, potato powder, or arrowroot powder.
• Aromatics - Garlic and ginger will add flavors and aroma to this dish. Fresh garlic and ginger are the best, but you can also opt for garlic powder and ginger powder. Just start with half a teaspoon of each.
• Seasonings - Soy sauce and vinegar will enhance the flavor of the dish. For a gluten-free sauce, substitute the soy sauce with coconut aminos or tamari sauce
• Brown sugar - We want to have a sweet and sour sauce, and brown sugar together with orange will get the taste we want.

Instructions

Prepare the tofu by pressing it to get rid of as much liquid out of the tofu. You can lay a heavy skillet or cutting board on top of the tofu to squeeze as much water. Pat them dry with a paper towel.

Step 1. On a large shallow dish, combine cornstarch, salt, and black pepper. You can add garlic powder too. Slice your tofu into bite-size pieces, about an inch on each side. Coat the tofu slices with the cornstarch batter mixture.

Step 2. In a frying pan or skillet, heat enough cooking oil until it reaches 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit. Pan-fry the coated tofu in batches on medium heat. Fry all the sides until golden brown and crispy on the edges. Check the variations on how to bake or air-fry the tofu.

Step 3. Let’s make our vegan orange sauce while frying tofu. In a bowl, combine a quarter cup of water, whole orange juice or about a half cup bottle of orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger paste, and two tablespoons of cornstarch. Mix until well the cornstarch is dissolved and well combined.

Step 4. After frying the tofu and preparing the sauce, let’s make our delicious orange tofu dish. Saute the minced garlic in two tablespoons of cooking oil for a minute or two or until fragrant. You can use the same skillet where you fried the tofu.

Step 5. Turn the heat on low. Pour the sweet and sticky orange sauce mixture, stir and let it thicken, and form a glaze. It will only take a minute. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions.

Variations

Air-fry the tofu - Once it is coated with the cornstarch batter, you can either fan-fry or air-fry. Depending on your air fryer, some air fryers need to be preheated. transfer the coated tofu into the air-fryer basket, making sure they are not touching each other. Spray with nonstick cooking oil. Then air-fry the tofu for 14 minutes or until crisped to your liking, flipping halfway through.

Baked Tofu - Preheat the oven to 400° Line the baking tray with parchment paper and lay the tofu.  Make sure the tofu pieces don’t touch each other and are well coated in the cornstarch batter. Evenly spray the tops of the tofu with some cooking oil spray. Flip the halfway through.

Helpful Tips

• Make sure your tofu is thoroughly pressed to get rid as much water from the tofu. If you do not thoroughly press the tofu, it will come out soft and cake-like.
• Be sure to use extra-firm tofu if you want a firm texture, and the tofu won't fall apart.
• Pan-frying will yield the crispiest tofu, but once it is coated with sticky sweet and sour sauce, it will no longer be as crispy.
• Want more sweet sticky sauce? Add another tablespoon of cornstarch, a tablespoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce with a quarter of water. Then taste and adjust it to your preference.

Storage Tips

• Storage: Transfer the leftover orange tofu into a glass container with a tight-fitting lid. This dish will stay good and fresh for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. I don’t recommend freezing this cooked tofu since it will alter the texture.
• Reheating: Leftovers can be reheated in a saucepan on low-medium heat, often stirring until warm through. You can use a microwave and reheat it in 30 seconds intervals until it is warm.