Name: Orange Tofu
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: ⅔ cup basmati rice (or up to 1 cup (200g) for a larger portion); 7 oz firm tofu; 1 tbsp cornstarch; 1 tbsp oil; 1 tbsp oil; 1 clove garlic (grated or minced); 1 tsp ginger (grated or minced); 2 tbsp white sugar; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 1 orange (juice and zest); 2 tbsp white vinegar (or rice vinegar, use up to 4 tbsp for a more tangy flavor); 1 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free); 1 tbsp cornstarch; 1 tbsp water

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Orange Tofu – the vegan equivalent of Panda Express’s famous orange chicken! Crispy tofu tossed with the most delicious sticky orange sauce!

Hello, Panda Express Fans! If you love or loved to order the orange chicken yet following a vegan diet, you are seriously in trouble. Cause even the thought of that crispy chicken combined with this sticky sweet orange sauce is making you drool. I know exactly how you feel!

Let me tell you that there is an easy workaround to truly make the best vegan copycat version: Orange Tofu!

All you need to do is toss your tofu with cornstarch and fry it in oil (we don’t deep-fry it – don’t worry). That makes for the crispy base.

vegan orange chicken in a bowl served with rice, sesame, and scallions

Orange Sauce

Then comes the one and only Asian orange sauce which is bursting with flavor yet quite simple to prepare. Sweet with a slightly sour touch, sticky, and the most divine orange flavor!

The main ingredients for the sauce are fresh orange juice, orange zest, sugar, and vinegar!

I love to serve this vegan tofu orange chicken recipe over rice, topped with sesame seeds and sliced scallions. It makes for a wonderful dinner, a quick family meal, or a flavorful meatless Monday dish – the best, it’s cooked in under 30 minutes!

How To Make Tofu Tasty

A common question! To make tofu tasty, you need to give it some love! Though it’s very straightforward, and the trick can be used for any recipe that involves tofu.

3 Easy Steps:

Remove excess liquid (with kitchen paper or a tofu press) → This is a must that the tofu can better absorb the marinade, in this case, cornstarch. Start with firm tofu, which contains the least amount of excess water.
Cover with cornstarch (add both in a jar and shake it, baby 😉) → Cornstarch makes tofu crispy!
Fry in enough oil until crispy

These three steps are vital, yet super easy, to make your tofu taste delicious and crispy. If you’ve never prepared tofu this way before, you’ll be thrilled. Cornstarch makes such a difference!

How To Make This Orange Tofu Recipe

Read through this visual step-by-step guide with lots of extra tips! The exact quantities and everything else you need to know for the recipe can be found in the recipe card below.

Rice: Cook the rice according to the package instructions. → I only cook rice in a rice cooker! Makes truly the best rice!
Tofu: Cover the tofu in a paper towel and press to remove excess water (or use a tofu press). Cut the tofu into cubes, place them with the cornstarch in a container, and shake well until the tofu is fully covered.
Heat a skillet with oil over high heat, add the tofu, and fry for 5-10 minutes until crispy. Set aside

Orange Sauce: Heat a saucepan with oil. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for one minute. Stir in sugar, orange juice, white vinegar, and soy sauce, cook for 5 minutes.
In a little bowl, mix cornstarch and water. Add it to the sauce and cook for another few minutes until thickened. → Like it hot? Add a few splashes of sriracha or sambal oelek.

Add tofu and stir well.

Serve over rice! Feel free to sprinkle with sesame seeds and finely sliced green onions.

tofu orange chicken with panda express orange sauce in a bowl

Recipe FAQ & Tips

How long does it stay fresh? Leftovers can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Low FODMAP: This recipe is suitable for a low FODMAP diet if you skip the garlic.

Do you have a gluten intolerance? Use tamari (gluten-free soy sauce).

Missing the vegetables? Feel free to stir-fry a handful of fresh vegetables such as carrots, leek, bell pepper, or zucchini and toss them with the tofu.

More Asian Recipes You’ll Love:

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📖 Recipe

Orange Tofu

Aline Cueni

Orange Tofu – the vegan equivalent of Panda Express's famous orange chicken! Crispy tofu tossed with the most delicious sticky orange sauce!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 20 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Servings

Calories 597 kcal

Ingredients

⅔ cup (130 g) basmati rice or up to 1 cup (200g) for a larger portion
7 oz (200 g) firm tofu
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp oil

Orange Sauce

1 tbsp oil
1 clove garlic grated or minced
1 tsp ginger grated or minced
2 tbsp (30 g) white sugar
2 tbsp (30 g) brown sugar
1 orange juice and zest
2 tbsp white vinegar or rice vinegar, use up to 4 tbsp for a more tangy flavor
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water

Instructions

Rice: Cook the rice according to the package instructions. → I only cook rice in a rice cooker! Makes truly the best rice!
Tofu: Cover the tofu in a paper towel and press to remove excess water (or use a tofu press). Cut the tofu into cubes, place them with the cornstarch in a container, and shake well until the tofu is fully covered.
Heat a skillet with oil over high heat, add the tofu, and fry for 5-10 minutes until crispy. Set aside
Orange Sauce: Heat a saucepan with oil. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for one minute. Stir in sugar, orange juice, white vinegar, and soy sauce, cook for 5 minutes.
In a little bowl, mix cornstarch and water. Add it to the sauce and cook for another few minutes until thickened. → Like it hot? Add a few splashes of sriracha or sambal oelek.
Add tofu and stir well. Serve over rice! Feel free to sprinkle with sesame seeds and finely sliced scallion.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Low FODMAP: This recipe is suitable for a low FODMAP diet if you skip the garlic.

Missing the vegetables? Feel free to stir-fry a handful of fresh vegetables such as carrots, leek, bell pepper, or zucchini and toss them with the tofu.