Orange Tofu

Orange Tofu is a delicious and easy tofu recipe that your entire family will love! This crispy orange tofu recipe is flavored with fresh squeezed orange juice, soy sauce, and served over rice.

Orange Tofu Recipe

This delicious recipe will take you back to your Panda Express days, if you ever ate there. Orange Chicken is certainly a favorite from there and we've recreated it with a vegan twist. 

We have gotten into the routine of having tofu in our menu plans at least twice a week. It is fun to make recreations of dishes we enjoyed prior to being vegetarian.

If you are a tofu lover, you need to try our other delicious tofu recipes. We have a quick and easy General Tso Tofu, a Honey Sriracha Tofu and a Pineapple Ginger Tofu.

Orange Tofu Ingredients:

orange juice - You can use freshly squeezed orange juice or you can use store bought.

orange zest - Don't let zesting an orange scare you. It is quick and easy and adds so much flavor to this recipe.

coconut aminos - If you don't like or don't have coconut aminos, you can use soy sauce. If you are gluten-free make sure that the soy sauce is gluten free.

fresh ginger - Fresh ginger is a must in this recipe, just like the orange zest it ads so much flavor to this recipe.

extra firm tofu - You can use firm or extra firm tofu for this recipe.

oil - I like to use avocado oil, but you can use your favorite oil.

red bell pepper - We love red bell peppers and the color contrast it provides in this dish. But you can use any color bell pepper you wish.

cornstarch - If you don't have cornstarch, you can use a flour as a thickener. It will work but not quite as well as cornstarch.

cooked rice (to serve over) - Brown rice or white rice lends well to this recipe.

sesame seeds and green onions (for garnish) - These two items not only garnish and make the dish beautiful but they add to the robust flavor as well!

If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you.

How to make orange tofu

1. Start by pressing your tofu for at least 10 minutes using the EZ Tofu Press. Then dice your tofu into bite sized pieces and set aside.
2. Combine fresh orange juice, orange zest, coconut aminos and ginger. Stir to combine.
3. Put tofu bites and orange juice mixture into a bag. Marinate for 30 minutes.
4. Heat 1-2 T of oil in a pan over medium heat. Remove tofu from marinade. Fry tofu for 2 minutes, add in diced bell pepper. Saute until tofu is golden brown.
5. Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a boil and add in cornstarch. Stir to thicken. Once liquid begins to thicken remove from heat.
6. Add orange sauce to the tofu pan. Stir to coat.

These numbered steps match the numbers photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe card below.

What type of juice should I use for Orange Tofu?

For this vegetarian tofu recipe, I used fresh oranges to get my orange juice. You can use a hand juicer or an electric juicer  to get the job done.

What exactly is Orange Tofu?

Orange Tofu is a recipe made from firm or extra firm tofu. You can air fryer, skillet fry or bake the tofu and then toss it with a sweet Orange Sauce. This recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

Is Panda Express Orange sauce Vegan?

Yes, it is actually vegan! You can buy Panda Express Orange Sauce on Amazon or Walmart. While it is vegan, it does contain wheat.

How to press tofu

There are two ways to press tofu. You can use a Tofu Press or you can press your tofu by balancing heavy objects on top of it.

I prefer the tofu press method. It has been almost a decade that I have been using the EZ Tofu Press. I use it weekly and it continues to do an amazing job!

The EZ Tofu Press  takes the liquid out of your firm or extra firm tofu easily, quickly, and with less mess than using plates and cans. This press utilizes simple mechanics and quality materials to ensure that it’s long-lasting and easy to use.

How Long To Press Tofu

I press my tofu (using the EZ Tofu Press) for 10-12 minutes. I turn the knobs tighter on the press every 3-4 minutes.

Tofu is a Complete Protein

We love tofu for many reasons but a big one is that it is a complete protein. Unlike some vegan and vegetarian protein sources, such as nuts and beans, soy is a complete protein, which means that it contains all of the amino acids that you body cannot create on its own.

Fish, meat and dairy products are also complete protein sources, but if you don’t eat those things, tofu is an excellent choice to make sure your body is getting those amino acids.

What to serve with orange tofu

There are so many other foods that you can serve with this tofu recipe. I would suggest pairing Air Fryer Edamame with this recipe. It makes a great combo!

If you are eating this orange tofu recipe without the rice because you want a little more than plain rice, we've got you covered! You can try our Air Fryer Fried Rice as a small side!

Have you made this recipe? Please leave a comment AND rating below! It helps other readers!

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Orange Tofu

Alysen Heil

Orange Tofu is a delicious and easy tofu recipe that your entire family will love! The crispy tofu bites are flavored with an orange sauce and served over rice.

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Marinate 30 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Calories 267 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 c fresh orange juice
• 1 T orange zest
• 5 T coconut aminos
• 1 T fresh ginger grated or diced
• 1 block extra firm tofu
• 2-3 T oil
• 1 c red bell pepper deseeded and diced
• 2 T cornstarch
• 2 c cooked rice
• sesame seeds or green onions for garnish

Instructions

 

• Start by pressing your tofu for at least 10 minutes using the EZ Tofu Press.
• Then dice your tofu into bite sized pieces and set aside.
• Combine fresh orange juice, orange zest, coconut aminos and ginger. Stir to combine.
• Put tofu bites and orange juice mixture into a bag. Marinate for 30 minutes.
• Heat 1-2 T of oil in a pan over medium heat. Remove tofu from marinade. Fry tofu for 2 minutes, add in diced bell pepper. Saute until tofu is golden brown.
• Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a boil and add in cornstarch. Stir to thicken. Once liquid begins to thicken remove from heat.
• Add orange sauce to the tofu pan. Stir to coat.
• Divide rice among 4 plates. Top with orange tofu and bell peppers.  Garnish with green onions or sesame seeds.
• ENJOY!

Notes

Does this orange tofu recipe reheat well?

Yes, it does! Because it reheats so well, it makes it a great recipe for meal prepping! Prep a double batch, divide into containers and have it for lunch all week long! Your belly will thank you!

Can I use soy sauce for this crispy orange tofu recipe?

In this recipe I used a coconut amino instead of soy sauce. I have been trying to switch over to coconut aminos to take advantage of their benefits. You can most certainly use soy sauce. If you are gluten-free be sure to use a GF soy sauce!

Nutrition

Calories: 267kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 9gFat: 9gSodium: 489mgPotassium: 258mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1165IUVitamin C: 49.6mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 1.5mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Chances are, you are here because you already like tofu, but if you are new to tofu, we have got you covered! You might be wondering what does tofu taste like? Check out that post and we explain but share some tofu recipes for beginners! If you already know you like tofu or you have decided that you want to try it, check out these recipes:  Tofu Chili, Tofu Fried Rice Recipe and Buffalo Tofu.

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