Vegan General Tso’s Tofu Recipe From Chloe Flavor
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If you love sticky, sweet, spicy food then you’ll enjoy this recipe for Vegan General Tso’s Tofu from the Chloe Flavor: Saucy, Crispy, Spicy, Vegan cookbook.
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This post is sponsored by Nasoya but all opinions are mine.
If you love sticky, sweet, spicy food then you’ll enjoy this recipe for Vegan General Tso’s Tofu from the Chloe Flavor cookbook.
I was snacking on a bowl of pizza kale chips and responding to emails when one opened from Nasoya. It turns out, Nasoya partnered with Chloe Coscarelli to help launch her latest cookbook, Chloe Flavor. You know Chef Chloe, she’s the first vegan winner of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars.
She’s also a successful vegan entrepreneur and the author of many best-selling cookbooks. Nasoya asked if I was interested in reviewing Chloe Flavor and sharing a recipe featuring tofu from the book.
Uh, yeah. Yes, please.
I love tofu. So much so that I wrote a 5,000-word vegan guide on the stuff. Sharing a delicious tofu recipe gives me another opportunity to praise tofu, I’m in!
Before we get to the recipe, let’s talk a bit about tofu.
Is Tofu Healthy?
Tofu is food that can spark debate. There are some who, like me, like tofu for its impressive nutrition profile and versatility in the kitchen. Then there are others who avoid it because they mistakenly believe it’s a genetically-modified, cancer-causing food.
With all of the conflicting information available, you’re probably wondering whether you should include tofu into your vegan diet. To answer that question I turned to an expert on vegan nutrition, Anya Todd MS, RD, LD.
Soybeans contain all of the essential amino acids as well tons of vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, manganese, potassium, selenium, B vitamins, and zinc. Soy also contains fiber, omega-3 and six fatty acids, and is an excellent source of protein.
“Bottom line, soy is perfectly healthy in moderation.”
According to Todd, the nutrition in soy foods can vary among preparations. She recommends consuming whole or as close to whole soy foods to guarantee the highest amount per serving. “Bottom line, soy is perfectly healthy in moderation. Two to three servings of soy foods a day is a safe recommendation.”
In fact, research shows that people who eat one to two servings of soy foods like tofu per day gain health benefits like reducing the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and some types of cancer.
It’s evident that Chef Chloe loves tofu too because several dishes feature it. You’ll find recipes like Burnt Garlic Un-Fried Rice, the McVegan breakfast sandwich, Thai Tofu Satay with a spicy peanut dipping sauce, and General Tso’s Tofu.
You know the one I chose to make, and I’m glad I did.
Vegan General Tso’s Tofu
Even though I’ve eaten General Tso’s Tofu before and loved it, I’ve never tried to make it at home. Which is pretty surprising given the number of times I eat tofu per week. Armed with a bookmarked Chloe Flavor I headed into the kitchen.
There are a few things that I like about this recipe. First, it doesn’t use a bunch of weird ingredients. I love recipes that call for things in my pantry. Next, the entire recipe took under 30-minutes from start to table. Finally, it tastes good with just the right amount of sticky, sweet, and spicy.
The recipe doesn’t make a lot of sauce though. If you like a bit of sauce to drizzle on broccoli and rice, I’d double the sauce recipe. For an added bit of nutrition, I swapped out the white rice for black rice.
Vegan General Tso's Tofu
If you love sticky, sweet, spicy food then you’ll enjoy this recipe for Vegan General Tso’s Tofu from the Chloe Flavor cookbook.
Ingredients
For the Stir-Fry
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- Juice of 1 orange
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed
- 4 scallions, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 2 large strips of orange zest, removed with a vegetable peeler
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
- Steamed rice and/or broccoli for serving
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
For the Tofu
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 (16-ounce) package extra-firm Nasoya tofu, pressed and cubed
Instructions
- Make the tofu: In a large zip-top bag, combine the tofu, tamari, and cornstarch. Toss to coat, the cornstarch will become goopy.
- Make the stir-fry: In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, tamari, sriracha, orange juice, and cornstarch until the cornstarch has dissolved.
- In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the tofu, working in batches as needed and sear for about 3 minutes on each side, until crispy all over. Add more oil between batches as needed. Return all the tofu to the skillet and add the scallions, orange zest, garlic, and ginger. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the scallions begin to break down. Add the sauce and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 5 minutes more, until the sauce thickens.
- Serve over rice, garnished with sesame seeds.
Notes
Shared with permission from the cookbook Chloe Flavor by Chloe Coscarelli.
Get More Recipes from Chloe Flavor
If you want to see some more tofu recipes from Chloe Flavor, check out these featured on other sites:
- Burnt Garlic Un-Fried Rice from It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken
- No-Huevos Rancheros from Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen
- Thai Red Curry from Avocados and Ales
- Vegan Mac & Cheese from Health
Read more about tofu! Check out the vegan tofu guide for cooking tips, recipes, a buying guide, and so much more.
I made this dish last night and it was super good! My whole family loved it! Love an easy recipe that’s super impressive. Thanks!
[…] that way, and it’s just the way I like my tofu. You can also find this recipe online right here at Your Daily […]
Looks Amazing. Love to try and taste it.
I really love tofu. I substitute it for meat, and it’s awesome! I eat it with some leafy greens and I also dip it in some soy sauce. It’s amazing! I never knew tofu had this much health benefits!
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try these!
Yay! Let me know how it goes! :)
Yum! I love tofu so much, you can do so many things with it.
This book is on my list to get!
I’ve made several things now from this book and they turned out pretty good. The recipes are easy to follow, which I like. Plus, there are tons of great recipes with tofu :)