Sticky Orange Tofu
Inspired by Chinese orange tofu, this recipe is a balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy. It makes enough sauce to pour over rice, but it's also great with noodles and veggies.
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 212kcal
Ingredients
For the tofu
- 1 block extra-firm tofu
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the orange sauce
- 1 large navel orange juiced and zested (¼ cup orange juice)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes adjust based on spice preference (I use 2 teaspoons)
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger I use a Microplane
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated garlic
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 1 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Wrap the tofu in a paper towel and squeeze gently to remove some of the water, or use a tofu press for 5 minutes. Cut into roughly ¾-inch cubes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil and kosher salt. Add the tofu, tossing to coat. Add freshly ground black pepper, to taste, tossing again.
- Transfer to a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Leave room between each piece of tofu. Bake at 400F for 30-35 minutes, until golden and crisp, tossing the tofu halfway through.
- Meanwhile, make the orange sauce. In a jar or small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, zest from the orange, brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, optional red pepper flakes, toasted sesame oil, grated ginger, and grated garlic.
- In a separate jar, whisk together 1 teaspoon corn starch with 1 teaspoon water. Stir this into the orange sauce.
- When the tofu is almost done, add the orange sauce to a sauce pot or wok. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce to a gentle simmer over medium-low. Simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened enough to the coat the back of a spoon without sliding off.
- Transfer the baked tofu to the orange sauce, tossing to coat. Serve over rice or noodles. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- I only tested this recipe with navel oranges, but I imagine it would be delicious with Sumo oranges as well. One navel orange typically yields ¼ cup of juice.
- To grate ginger and garlic: I use a Microplane citrus zester. The smallest holes on a box grater also work. If neither of these are available, just mince the garlic and ginger finely.
- Air fryer option: Air fry the tofu at 375F for 18-20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
Nutrition
Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 417mg | Potassium: 471mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 173IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 3mg
