This Tofu recipe involves crispy Tofu, fresh squeezed oranges, and has over 21 grams of protein in it! It’s gluten free, dairy free, and vegan!
As you can see it’s the near perfect dish to have for when you have someone new over and you’re not sure if they’re allergic to anything, because nowadays you can never be sure.
How to make Crispy Tofu
The secret here involves 2 main components:
1.You’ll need an air fryer to achieve next-level crispiness.
2. Take out as much moisture from the Tofu as possible. This can be done by pressing the tofu with a paper towel.
3. Cut your tofu into small cubes (about 1 inch by 1 inch) you should be able to achieve a crispy outer layer and cooked inner layer, all while everything is cooked evenly.
4. To season the tofu I recommend adding 3/4 Tbsp of Tamari sauce and 3/4 Tbsp of Sesame oil and a few dashes of garlic powder. This isn’t mandatory but I recommend it as it will enhance the overall flavor profile of the dish. You can try adding a full Tbsp, but I tried to add the least amount of liquid possible in order to not add too much moisture to the tofu.
Here’s the deets on what you’ll need:
- Tamari sauce (or soy sauce) for the sauce and Tofu
- Garlic cloves and powder (powder for the Tofu)
- Corn starch + water mixture
- Rice vinegar
- Brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- Juice from oranges or cuties ( I used about 4 cuties since this is what I had on hand)
- Water
- Optional: Sesame oil (This is for the air fried Tofu)
The key to making this a lower sugar sauce is using juice from an orange and not orange juice that may be loaded with added sugar.
How To Make The Sauce
1. Roast the garlic in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add all the remaining sauce ingredients except for the corn starch and water mixture.
3. Stir in the cornstarch and water mixture and lower the heat to low and simmer for a few minutes.
The sauce will thicken during this time. If you prefer a thicker sauce you may add more cornstarch and if you prefer a thinner sauce you may add more water.
After the sauce is prepared simply add in the air fried Tofu to the sauce in the skillet and coat the tofu evenly.
Then, serve over rice and top with green onions and sesame seeds to bring the dish together.
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Healthy Vegan Orange Tofu
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servins 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A simple, crispy, and flavorful healthy vegan and gluten free orange tofu dish that will keep you coming back for more!
Ingredients
Crispy Tofu
- 2 blocks of firm tofu
- 3/4 Tbsp Tamari (or soy sauce if not gf)
- 3/4 Tbsp sesame oil
- dash of garlic powder
Sauce
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 1/2 Tbsp Tamari
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 large naval orange juiced (about 1/3 cup juice)
- 1 Tbsp + 2 tsp coconut sugar
- 1 Tbsp truvia baking blend (or sweetener of choice)
- 2 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch + 1 1/2 Tbsp water mixture
- Optional: green onions and sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
Tofu
- Drain the moisture from the tofu with paper towels. Press the tofu onto the paper towels until there is little to none left.
- Cut into small 1 inch by 1 inch cubes and transfer to a bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients into the bowl and mix up the Tamari, sesame oil, and dash of garlic powder until it is evenly coated.
- Put in the air fryer at 400 and cook for 25-28 minutes shaking it every few minuted to ensure they cook evenly. If you like them very crispy then I would recommend cooking it on the longer end of that range. You may adjust this based on your air fryer.
- When the tofu is done set aside.
Sauce
- Mince the garlic and cook over a skillet at medium to heat. Roast this for a few minutes until the garlic starts to appear less white.
- Add the Tamari, rice vinegar, water, and juice from the orange.
- Add in the coconut sugar and truvia
- Mix the cornstarch and the water together in a small dish and add this mixture into the skillet with the other ingredients.
- Lower the heat to low and let the sauce thicken while it simmers. Mix the sauce with a fork for a few minutes as it thickens.
- Add in the tofu and stir until it is evenly coated.
- Optional but recommended, add some veggies into the tofu and sauce mixture.
- Serve over steamed rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
*Air fryer times are estimated as they will vary by brand
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 251
- Sugar: 12
- Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 17
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 21
Keywords: tofu, vegan, gluten free, orange tofu, healthy, low sugar
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