Craving takeout? This vegan orange chicken features crispy baked tofu cubes tossed in a tangy and flavorful orange sauce, offering a plant-based alternative to the classic recipe. Plus, it’s easy to make at home, with an air-fryer option included.
This Americanized Chinese dish is incredibly versatile and pairs well with various sides. I love serving it with brown rice congee, along with a side of vegan scallion pancakes and Asian cucumber salad for a satisfying meal!
Although we don’t have Panda Express in Malaysia, there are plenty of great vegetarian Chinese food options. However, they’re often deep-fried and greasy, which is why I love recreating lighter versions at home, like this orange tofu!
If you like this recipe, you should check out my teriyaki tofu stir-fry, Thai basil tofu, or Hunan tofu for more delicious plant-based dinner options.
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Healthier than takeout
- Sticky, bold in flavor, and delicious
- Minimal prep and ready in an hour
- It's one of those high-protein dinner recipes you’ll crave again and again!
🍊What you will need
- Orange Juice + Zest - Freshly squeezed works best - you will need about 2 oranges to get the right amount of juice.
- Tofu - Use extra-firm or firm tofu. Avoid silken tofu and reserve it for sweet recipes like tofu chocolate pudding instead.
- Cornstarch - This is essential for getting the tofu nice and crispy.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
📃Ingredients substitutions and variations
- Tofu - Substitute with seitan (like this Instant Pot seitan) for a meatier, higher-protein option. You can also use cauliflower or store-bought vegan chicken pieces.
- Air-frying tofu - To make orange tofu in the air fryer, bake it at 200°C/400°F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown, tossing halfway through.
- Adding vegetables - You can add a bag of frozen vegetable mix or blanched broccoli, cauliflower, red pepper, or carrot. If you add veggies, consider doubling the sauce.
- Make it saucier - For a saucier dish, simply double the ingredients for the sauce.
- Make it spicy - Add 2-3 teaspoon of sriracha or a generous pinch of chili flakes to the sauce for some heat.
🔪How to make orange tofu
Step 1: Tear tofu into bite-sized pieces and coat them with olive oil, cornstarch, and salt.
Step 2: Bake them for 23-30 minutes at 200C/400F. Set aside.
Step 3: Make the orange sauce by sauteing ginger and garlic until fragrant.
Step 4: Add in orange juice and the seasonings, and bring the mixture to a boil.
Step 5: Add cornstarch slurry (cornstarch combined with 2 tablespoons of water) and cook until the sauce thickens.
Step 6: Add the baked tofu cubes and stir until the orange sauce is well distributed. Serve vegan orange chicken while hot!
💡Serving suggestion
Garnish orange tofu with chopped scallion and toasted sesame seeds before serving.
✔Helpful tips
- Spread out tofu cubes - Spread the tofu cubes out evenly, avoiding overlap. This will ensure they crisp up properly.
- Pressing tofu - There’s no need to press tofu for this recipe. The moisture helps create a juicier texture. However, you can press it if you prefer a chewier bite.
- Tear tofu by hand - Tear your tofu by hand to create rugged pieces that resemble chicken pieces, adding texture and visual appeal.
- Batch make orange sauce – The vegan orange sauce can be batch-prepped and frozen for up to 3 months. I recommend using Souper Cubes for easy portioning!
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🍚How to serve vegan orange chicken
Here are some of my favorite ways to serve this vegan orange chicken:
- Rice, congee, noodles - Jasmine rice, plain vegan congee, and cooked noodles pair perfectly with this recipe. You could also do stir-fried dishes like vegan egg fried rice or vegetable chow mei fun.
- Vegetable dishes - Like my refreshing tofu lettuce wrap or a simple snow pea stir-fry.
- Sides - For a heartier dish, make some tofu dumplings or air fryer rice paper rolls to go with it!
❄️Storing suggestions
Storage – Leftover orange tofu keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days. Tofu will lose crispiness, but the flavors remain just as delicious! I DO NOT recommend freezing this dish.
Reheating – Warm it up in a skillet over medium heat. If the sauce has thickened too much, add a splash of water to loosen it up.
❔Commonly asked questions
Orange chicken and General Tso’s chicken are both Chinese crispy chicken dishes with sweet, tangy sauces, but their flavors differ.
Orange chicken has a citrusy, sweeter sauce made with orange juice and zest, while General Tso’s features a savory, umami-rich sauce with soy sauce, ginger, and a hint of heat from chili peppers.
Orange chicken is generally not spicy. Its flavor profile is sweet and tangy, with a citrus-forward sauce made from orange juice and zest. However, some variations may include a small amount of chili flakes or pepper for a mild heat, which you can omit to keep it spice-free.
Be careful when zesting the oranges to avoid bitterness in your orange chicken. Only zest the outer layer, avoiding the white pith underneath, as it can make the sauce taste bitter.
Tofu can be pan-fried instead of baked. Simply cook tofu cubes on each side for 2-3 minutes before turning until most sides are golden brown.
You can check out my oyster sauce tofu recipe on how to pan-fry tofu.
📖 Recipe
Crispy Vegan Orange Chicken (orange tofu)
Ingredients
For the tofu
- 1 15 oz block extra firm tofu drained
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch *
- 1 tablespoons olive oil or another neutral-tasting oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For orange sauce
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice ( about 2 medium navel orange ) **
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari/shoyu (use gluten-free ones if needed)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoon brown sugar (or another sweetener)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon orange zest optional
- pinch of chili flakes optional
For cornstarch slurry
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/400F.
- Tear tofu into 1 inch bite-sized pieces, and toss them with cornstarch, olive oil, and salt.1 15 oz block extra firm tofu, 2 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoons olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Spread them on a baking sheet and bake them for 25-30 minutes or until golden. You can also air fry them at 200C/400F for 8-10 minutes, tossing it halfway through.
- To make orange sauce, heat up ½ tablespoon of neutral-tasting oil in a cast-iron skillet/non-stick pan over medium high.
- Add garlic and ginger. Saute for a minute or so, until fragrant.3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- Now, add orange juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and orange zest, if using. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower heat to a gentle simmer.½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1-2 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon orange zest
- While waiting for the mixture to boil, make cornstarch slurry by combining cornstarch with water. Stir to mix.2 tablespoons water, 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- Pour cornstarch slurry into the pan and simmer for a couple of minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
- Add baked tofu into the pan, and give everything a quick mix. Give it a taste, adding chili flakes and more seasonings if needed. Your vegan orange chicken is ready to be served!
Notes
- Pressing tofu - There’s no need to press tofu for this recipe. The moisture helps create a juicier texture. However, you can press it if you prefer a chewier bite.
- Adding vegetables - You can add a bag of frozen vegetable mix or blanched broccoli, cauliflower, red pepper, or carrot. If you add veggies, consider doubling the sauce.
- Make it saucier - For a saucier dish, simply double the ingredients for the sauce.
- Make it spicy - Add 2-3 teaspoon of sriracha or a generous pinch of chili flakes to the sauce for some heat.
- Batch make orange sauce – The vegan orange sauce can be batch-prepped and frozen for up to 3 months. I recommend using Souper Cubes for easy portioning!
Save this recipe!
Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.
Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
Marina says
So tasty! Will definitely make again!
Myra says
Turned out delicious! Clear instructions and simple recipe that’s going to be in regular rotation at our house.
Meesha says
I am happy to hear that!😊