Vegan Crispy Kung Pao Tofu Bites
Difficulty: 2/5 (5 being hardest)
Spice Level: 2/3 (3 being spiciest)
Prep & Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Servings: 4
The Challenge: Kung Pao Tofu
Please note this is a preview of an upcoming recipe from my cookbook, Vegan Food That Doesn’t Suck. The cookbook is currently in the works. Pre-order here!
Kung Pao Tofu Bites! Step 1 in my eventual Kung Pao Tofu Crunchwraps, check back tomorrow! These crispy tofu bites are just an epic recipe. First off, we have how to create exceptional tofu bites that you can then coat in any kind of sauce - here we are doing a kung pao chili sauce. We coat these amazingly tasty buttery salty crispy tofu bites in a spicy slighty sweet sauce.
You will absolutely love these tofu bites that are perfect on their own, with a bit of rice, in a salad, or best in a burrito/crunchwrap! We stuff these in a crunchwrap with sesame green beans, a cabbage salad, and peanut sauce. YUM!
The most important part about making crispy tofu bites is to sauce them after you’ve cooked + crisped. We do this with a tasty coating that we then pan fry in vegan butter. Once they are crisped, you can add the sauce. A lot of folks cook their tofu in the pan with the sauce and it creates a sticky mess with out a lot of the right coating. This process will leave you with amazingly saucy finger licking bites. You’ll love it!
Let’s get into it!
Ingredients:
Crispy Tofu Bites
14oz extra firm tofu, drained
2 tbl soy sauce or liquid aminos
1/4 cup cornstarch
Spices: large pinch of smoked paprika, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder
1 tbl vegan butter
1 tbl sesame oil
Kung Pao Sauce
1 tbl rice vinegar
1 tbl soy sauce
1 tbl sesame oil
1 tbl olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tbl sriracha
1 tbl kimchi sauce (or miso or extra sriracha)
2 scallions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minded
1 tbl grated ginger
squeeze of lime juice
Spices: 1/2 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp chili flakes, 1/2 tsp salt
The Rest
chopped cilantro or scallions, for garnish
Equipment You'll Need:
Cutting Board . Sharp Cutting Knife . Measuring Cups . Measuring Spoons . Mixing Bowl . Castiron or Nonstick Pan . Whisk . Serving Plate
Before You Cook:
Chop + wash fresh ingredients
1. To start, wrap the tofu in a kitchen towel and set a pot/pan on top for 10 minutes. After, dice the tofu into bite-size cubes. Sprinkle on soy sauce and mix, let it sit for 2-3 minutes.
2. Next, mix the tofu with cornstarch and spices for crispy tofu.
3. Next, add butter + sesame oil to a castiron pan over medium heat and melt. When butter starts popping, make sure evenly coating pan and then add tofu to pan. Cook on each side for 3-4 minutes until well browned and crispy.
4. Whisk together the sauce with all ingredients while the tofu cooks.
5. To finish, mix the tofu with the sauce and serve with scallions + cilantro.
