Tofu has a reputation for being soggy, bland, and downright disgusting. This used to offend me, as I grew up in a Japanese household where we ate it everyday! However, after seeing how Americans try to eat tofu (straight out of the package, with no seasoning, and sometimes even raw), I understand why they may think it’s gross. Here’s the thing about tofu: it’s a blank canvas. It’s not meant to be eaten plain! You wouldn’t eat unseasoned boiled chicken breast and complain about it being bland, would you? So you can’t judge tofu by it’s unprepared state.

If you haven’t yet had a delicious tofu experience, don’t fret. Just run to the grocery store and buy a package of extra firm tofu, then come home and make this recipe. Make sure to also grab a bottle of sriracha while you’re there. Tonight, you’ll be enjoying crispy ginger sriracha tofu for dinner!

To make this recipe, you’re going to be coating bite-size pieces of tofu with cornstarch, then frying them twice (yes, I said twice). This makes the tofu extra crispy and crunchy so that it holds up to the addition of sauce. Because nothing is worse than fried food that turns soggy! Once your tofu is fried, it’s time to add the flavor. We do this by combining garlic, ginger, soy sauce (or tamari if you’re gluten free), maple syrup, and sriracha for a sweet and spicy combo that’s anything but bland. Honestly, this sriracha tofu is better than Chinese takeout!

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Crispy Ginger Sriracha Tofu

This ginger sriracha tofu is anything but bland. Tofu is fried twice to make it extra crispy, then coated in a flavorful sweet and spicy sauce that tastes better than Chinese takeout!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Chinese, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Japanese, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword best vegan recipes, chinese tofu, crispy tofu, dairy free recipes, easy vegetarian recipes, flavorful tofu, fried tofu, ginger tofu, gluten free chinese food, gluten free recipes, gluten free tofu recipes, gluten free vegan, gluten-free, homemade chinese food, homemade chinese takeout, how to cook tofu, meatless monday recipes, meatless recipes, pan fried tofu, quick tofu recipes, spicy, spicy food, spicy recipes, spicy stir fry, spicy tofu, sriracha tofu, stir fry, sweet and spicy tofu, tofu recipes for meat eaters, tofu that tastes good, vegan, vegan chinese food, vegan chinese recipes, vegan gluten free recipes, vegan sriracha, vegan sriracha recipes, vegan tofu recipes, vegetarian, vegetarian chinese food

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 439 kcal

Ingredients

For the Tofu

• 1 block 14 oz extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
• 3/4 cup cornstarch divided
• 6 tbsp vegetable oil divided

For the Sauce

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 small knob fresh ginger root peeled and chopped
• 2 tbsp sriracha I used habanero ginger sriracha for extra heat!
• 2 tbsp soy sauce use tamari for gluten free
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

To Serve

• Cooked rice
• Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

For the Tofu

1. After draining and pressing the tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes.
2. Place 6 tbsp of the corn starch in a bowl, and roll the tofu pieces in the starch until all are coated. Transfer tofu to a plate.
3. Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium heat.
4. Add in the coated tofu cubes and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, using chopsticks to flip halfway through. Tofu should be a light golden color and crisp, but not burnt.
5. Transfer cooked tofu to a plate lined with paper towels.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 with the remaining cornstarch and oil, frying the tofu again for extra crispness.

For the Sauce

1. Add the oil to the pan used to cook the tofu and place over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes.
3. Stir in the soy sauce, sriracha, and maple syrup, then add the tofu.
4. Cook, stirring, until tofu is coated evenly with sauce and warmed through.

To Serve

1. Serve over cooked brown or white rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

Not a fan of spicy food? Try out one of these tofu recipes instead:

Sesame Crusted Tofu and Broccoli

Tofu and Summer Squash Stir Fry