Forget about takeout! This General Tso's tofu tastes much better and can be made in less than 45 minutes with simple ingredients. This Chinese-American classic is sweet, salty, tangy, and infused with plenty of fresh ginger and garlic. Serve it with white rice for a filling and delicious meal!
Press and dice the tofu. Start by wrapping the tofu in a few layers of kitchen paper towel and slightly press it to remove the extra moisture. Next, dice the tofu into 1-inch cubes and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
Season it. Pour in the soy sauce and maple syrup and toss to coat. Let the tofu absorb the sauce for a couple of minutes.
Toss with cornstarch. Sprinkle the tofu with one tablespoon of cornstarch. Carefully toss to coat the tofu. Add another tablespoon of cornstarch and toss again. Repeat once more or until the tofu no longer appears moist. Note: The amount of cornstarch needed will depend on the type and brand of tofu used. We used 3 tablespoons.
Arrange on a baking sheet. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil it using a kitchen paper towel. Arrange the cubed tofu on the baking sheet into an even layer, leaving 1-2 inches between each cube.
Bake until golden brown. Bake for about 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through baking, until the tofu is golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Sauce
Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced ginger and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
Add the tofu. Next, add the golden brown tofu and cook for one more minute.
Add the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the vegan oyster sauce, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, sugar, water, and garlic chili oil if using. Pour the sauce into the skillet.
Let simmer. Let the tofu and the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to coat the tofu with the sauce. The sauce will thicken after a couple of minutes.
Garnish. Finally, top the tofu with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Serve immediately with white rice or your favorite grain!
You can store this tofu in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
Do not add too much cornstarch. While it can be tempting to add more cornstarch, we do not recommend adding more than 4 tablespoons. Adding too much cornstarch will make your tofu floury/powdery.
Adjust the seasonings of the sauce to taste. We developed this recipe to suit our taste but feel free to play with the ratio of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. If you prefer your tofu on the sweeter side, add an extra tablespoon of sugar or maple syrup.