• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Aline Made logo
  • Recipes
    • Vegan
    • Breakfast
    • Sides & Snacks
    • Lunch & Dinner
    • Desserts
    • Basics
    • Baking
    • Drinks
    • Vegan Summer E-Book
    • Measurement Conversion Chart
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Deutsch
  • Nav Social Menu

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Meet Aline
  • Deutsch
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Orange Tofu (Vegan Orange Chicken)

    Dec 30, 2020 · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    97 shares

    Read in: Deutsch

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    orange tofu pinterest pin

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

    orange tofu served over rice

    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!

    close up shot of orange tofu

    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 Tofu Recipe Step 1-3
    • 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.
    Orange Tofu Recipe Step 4-6
    • Add tofu and stir well.
    Orange Tofu Recipe Step-7
    • 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:

    • Black Pepper Tofu
    • Tofu Banh Mi Sandwiches
    • Vegan Pho
    • Udon Stir Fry
    • Vegetarian Pad Thai
    • Thai Green Curry with Tofu

    Did You Try This Recipe?

    I would love it if you leave me a 5-star rating or comment. This way, I better get to know which recipes you like and can make more of them.

    Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more free recipes! I would be thrilled to welcome you to my community!

    📖 Recipe

    orange tofu served over rice

    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
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Asian
    Servings 2
    Calories 597 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • â…” 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.

    Recommended Products

    Measuring Set
    Rice Cooker
    Tofu Press
    Non-Stick Frypan
    Saucepan

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Orange Tofu
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 597 Calories from Fat 171
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 19g29%
    Saturated Fat 2g13%
    Sodium 515mg22%
    Potassium 209mg6%
    Carbohydrates 92g31%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 30g33%
    Protein 15g30%
    Vitamin A 147IU3%
    Vitamin C 35mg42%
    Calcium 177mg18%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Recipe Ideas

    • vegan poke bowl with tofu
      Vegan Poke Bowl
    • miso ramen with tofu in a ramen bowl
      Miso Ramen
    • a bowl of tan tan ramen
      Tan Tan Ramen
    • vegan penne alla vodka in a skillet
      Vegan Penne Alla Vodka

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Lena says

      March 04, 2022 at 10:07 am

      Hey,
      looking for a tasty Tofu creation I found your recipe and I really really love it!
      My favourite: with bush beans, rice and sesame!
      Thank you 😊

      Greetings from Frankonia
      Lena

      Reply
      • Aline Cueni says

        March 14, 2022 at 11:49 am

        So glad to hear, Lena! 💕

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Aline Cueni | Founder & Blogger Aline Made

    Welcome

    Hi, I’m Aline!

    I’m a girl who loves to cook and bake delicious homemade food.  Let me help you to incorporate more plant-based foods into everyday life! Vegetarian & vegan recipes can be anything but boring. More about me!

    DON’T MISS A RECIPE

    Sign up now to get new recipes delivered to your inbox, plus my top 10 recipes ebook absolutely free!

    Popular Recipes

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Connect

    Join our community on social media!

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook

    Newsletter

    Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Change language

    EN | DE

    About

    • Meet Aline
    • Work With Us
    • Contact
    • Press
    • Resources
    • Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2023 Aline Made

    97 shares