This quick & easy crispy Soy Garlic Tofu is a super delicious vegan dish where golden, crispy pan fried tofu pieces are tossed in a glossy soy garlic glaze. This crispy tofu recipe is crunchy on the outside, saucy on the inside, and tastes better than takeout.
It’s savory, garlicky, and bursting with umami flavor. Perfect with steamed rice, boiled noodles, or just on its own.
Experiment with molecular gastronomy to create playful textures and presentations that wow your guests.
Table of contents
When prepared from scratch, it gets ready in just 30 minutes.
It is one of the best tofu recipes that you will want to make again and again. Give it a try once, and you will be hooked.
About Soy Garlic Tofu
This easy fried tofu recipe combined the crispiness of perfectly pan-fried tofu with a sticky, flavorful sauce made using soy, garlic, mirin, hoisin and crushed chili in oil.
It is very easy, quick to prepare, and takes only 5 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking.
The recipe is naturally vegan-friendly and gluten free. You can use vegan oyster sauce, cherry wine, or other ingredients of your choice. The point is that with simple ingredient swaps, you can make it one of the most versatile vegan tofu recipes out there.
Whether you are into a vegan diet, want to impress your guests with an Asian-inspired dish, or are just looking for easy tofu recipes for busy weeknights, this tofu stir fry dish is unbeatable.
With its bold flavor, various textures, and beautiful colors, and with minimal efforts, this recipe is a total win. The tofu stays crunchy while soaking up the garlicky soy glaze.
So, skip going to the restaurant and make this delicious tofu stir-fry at home. It’s a dish everyone will enjoy, even tofu beginners. It is one of those tofu dinner recipes that never disappoints.
Why You’ll Love the Recipe
This Soy Garlic Tofu
✔ is quick and easy to make
✔ is crispy and saucy
✔ tastes better than takeout
✔ is vegan and gluten free
✔ can also be made with meat
✔ is a perfect dinner idea
✔ can also be customized
Ingredients
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Extra Firm Tofu: It is the base of our crispy tofu recipe. You will need about 600 grams of extra firm tofu for this crispy garlic tofu. No need to press, just pat dry and cube.
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Cornstarch: You will need about 4-5 tablespoons of cornstarch for coating the tofu to give it a light, crunchy crust. You can also use tapioca starch or potato starch. It is also used for thickening the sauce to a glossy glaze.
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Oil: For pan-frying the tofu until golden brown, and making glaze, you will need oil. You can use vegetable oil, neutral oil, or sesame oil.
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Spring onion greens: A handful of spring onion greens add the freshness and color. It is used both for glaze and for garnish.
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Sesame seeds: A little bit of sesame seeds are used as a finishing touch to add nutty flavor.
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Garlic cloves, minced: Minced or pressed garlic cloves are essential for that strong garlicky flavor.
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Regular soy sauce: It is added to bring salty umami depth.
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Dark soy sauce: Adds a richer color and a slightly stronger flavor.
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Vegan oyster sauce or hoisin sauce: It is used for a sweet-savory balance and glossiness. If you are not into vegan diet, you can also use regular oyster sauce.
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Mirin or dry sherry (optional): Added for a subtle hint of sweetness.
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Rice vinegar: Some rice vinegar is used for tang and overall balance. You can also use white vinegar in this recipe.
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Chili crisp or chili oil: It adds some heat and extra umami punch to this crispy stir-fry tofu.
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Water: Used for adjusting the consistency of the sauce.
How to Make
Making this crispy soy garlic tofu is very simple. Simply chop the spring onions, save a little extra for garnish.
Then oat dry the tofu with paper towels and cut it into even quarter-inch cubes. Roll each tofu cube in cornstarch until fully coated on all sides. Shake off excess starch.
To make the sauce, in a bowl whisk together garlic, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vegan oyster or hoisin, mirin, rice vinegar, chili oil, cornstarch, and water. Stir until smooth.
After that, heat oil in a broad skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu cubes and fry them for 15–16 minutes, turning until golden and crispy on all sides. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate.
In the same pan, pour in the sauce and add 2–3 tablespoons of spring onion greens. Simmer until it thickens into a glossy glaze. Feel free to adjust with water or cornstarch slurry as needed.
Now add the crispy fried tofu to the pan and toss until evenly coated with the sauce.
Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with sesame seeds and the reserved spring onions, and serve hot as a main or side dish with noodles or rice.
Variations
Air Fryer Tofu
If you are into healthy eating, then instead of pan frying, you can also air fry the tofu. To air fry, spray tofu lightly with oil and air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes, make sure to flip halfway. You will still get a crispy tofu recipe with almost no oil.
Baked Tofu
If you don’t have an air fryer and want to make this dish healthy, then you can bake the coated tofu on a lined tray at 200°C (400°F) for 25–30 minutes for a lighter version.
Sauce swaps
To keep it vegan, I used vegan oyster sauce, but you can also use regular oyster sauce or hoisin sauce instead, for one of the easiest vegan tofu recipes you will love
Seasoning
Feel free to adjust the chili oil or other sauces according to your taste. The amount depends on whether you prefer it milder or spicier.
Serving Suggestions
They taste good as is, or can also be served with steamed jasmine rice or fried rice. You can also toss them with boiled noodles for a quick tofu stir fry dinner recipe.
This can also be used as a filling for a tortilla wrap or for lettuce wraps. Or you can pair it with roasted vegetables, udon noodles, tofu tacos, or Asian tacos for a complete vegetarian tofu recipe.
Storage Suggestions
Fried tofu leftovers store well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just make sure to store sauce and tofu separately.
When you want to eat, reheat it in a hot pan or air fryer to bring back the crunch. Then toss them in the sauce, garnish and enjoy! Also, avoid microwaving, as it will soften the tofu coating.
Tips & Tricks to make the Best Soy Garlic Tofu
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Tofu: Make sure to use extra-firm tofu for making this soy garlic tofu recipe.
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Remove moisture: Make sure to remove excess moisture by patting the tofu dry before coating. It makes a huge difference in crispiness.
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Coating: For a crispy and light crust, coat the tofu with cornstarch. Potato starch also works great here.
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Frying: You can either pan-fry or deep-fry the tofu. If you have a small pan, fry in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
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Healthier Cooking: For a healthier version, you can also air fry or bake the tofu.
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Serving: For the best taste and crispness, always serve hot straight from the pan.
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Adjustment: To make saucier tofu, add a little more water to the sauce before tossing.
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Customizable: Feel free to swap the sauces with any of your favorite Asian sauces.
Soy Garlic Tofu (Step-by-step photo instructions)
How to make Soy Garlic Tofu
- Chop the spring onion greens and set aside. Pat dry the tofu with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Cut into 1/4-inch cubes.
- Spread the cornstarch on a wide plate. Generously coat each piece of tofu and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vegan oyster/hoisin sauce, mirin (if using), rice vinegar, chili crisp, cornstarch, and water. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fry the coated tofu until golden and crispy on all sides, about 15–16 minutes. Be patient for the best crunch. Transfer fried tofu to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
- In the same pan, add the prepared sauce, sliced red chilies, and 2–3 tbsp of chopped spring onion greens. Simmer until thickened, adding more water or cornstarch if needed.
- Toss the fried tofu in the sauce until evenly coated. Turn off the heat. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe Card
Soy Garlic Tofu [Recipe]
★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 7 reviews)
| Prep time 🕐 | Cook time 🕐 | Total time 🕐 |
|---|---|---|
| 30 mins | ||
| Category ☶ | Cuisine ♨ | Serves ☺ |
| Lunch | Asian | 4 |
| Nutrition Info ⊛ | Serving size ⊚ | |
| 426 calories | 1 |
INGREDIENTS
For Soy Garlic Tofu
- 600 g extra-firm tofu, liquids drained (no pressing required)
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 4–5 tbsp cornstarch or potato starch (add more if needed)
- Handful of spring onion greens, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds, for garnish
For the Sauce
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp regular soy sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp vegan oyster sauce or hoisin sauce
- 2 tsp mirin or dry sherry (optional)
- 2 tsp rice vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch, potato starch, or tapioca starch
- 1 tbsp chili crisp or crushed chili in oil
- 1/2 sliced red chili
- 3/4 cup water, at room temperature (add more if needed)
INSTRUCTIONS:
How to make Soy Garlic Tofu
- Chop the spring onion greens and set aside. Pat dry the tofu with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Cut into 1/4-inch cubes.
- Spread the cornstarch on a wide plate. Generously coat each piece of tofu and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vegan oyster/hoisin sauce, mirin (if using), rice vinegar, chili crisp, cornstarch, and water. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fry the coated tofu until golden and crispy on all sides, about 15–16 minutes. Be patient for the best crunch. Transfer fried tofu to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
- In the same pan, add the prepared sauce, sliced red chilies, and 2–3 tbsp of chopped spring onion greens. Simmer until thickened, adding more water or cornstarch if needed.
- Toss the fried tofu in the sauce until evenly coated. Turn off the heat. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve warm and enjoy!
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NOTES:
- To air fry the tofu, lightly spray the air fryer basket with neutral oil or cooking spray. Place the coated tofu in the basket in a single layer, leaving space between the pieces. Spray the tofu lightly with more oil. Air fry at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and golden.
- To make it vegan, use hoisin sauce or vegan oyster sauce instead of oyster sauce.
- Do not rush frying; a slower, steady cook gives you that restaurant-style crunch.
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Author: Anupama
Recipe Source Link: https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/soy-garlic-tofu/
