This Szechuan tofu dish is made with crispy fried tofu and crunchy veggies, all cooked in a bold and spicy sauce. It's a quick and easy stir-fry that's healthier than Chinese takeout, and the best part is that you can make it in under 30 minutes!
If you love spice, you will adore this dish! Inspired by mala chicken, this Szechuan tofu is tingling, aromatic, and packed with flavors. I especially love serving it with rice along with sides like tofu dumplings and Chinese eggplant stir-fry.
This dish can be pretty spicy and might not be suitable for those sensitive to heat. However, I have included some modifications you can make to tone down the heat if needed.
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Aromatic, spicy, and bold in flavors
- Lighter and healthier than Chinese takeout
- Suitable for vegans and vegetarians
- A quick 30-minute dish that can be made in one pan
🤔What is Szechuan tofu
This Szechuan tofu is a meatless take on the traditional Szechuan mala chicken, also known as Chongqing chicken or malaji.
The star ingredient in this dish is Szechuan peppercorns, which have an aromatic and citrusy flavor with a slight numbing effect. These peppercorns are commonly used in Szechuan cuisine, such as in dishes like mala chicken, mapo tofu, and Szechuan hot pot. They are often paired with Szechuan dried chilies to create the numbing and spicy effect known as 'mala.'
To make this Szechuan tofu, we will first coat tofu cubes with cornstarch and fry them until crispy. Then, we will stir-fry them with Szechuan peppercorn, dried chilies, and other aromatics. Lastly, we will coat everything in a delicious sauce.
🧄What you will need
📃Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Tofu - use extra-firm tofu that has been drained and pressed (either using a tofu press or stacking something heavy on top). Doing this will yield the crispiest tofu.
- Szechuan peppercorn - An aromatic and citrusy spice with a slight tingling effect. You can find them in larger groceries, at your local Asian market, or online. Substitute with black peppercorn in a pinch.
- Szechuan dried chilies - Feel free to replace them with the more common dried arbol chilies. I kept them whole, but you can slice a few in half to release more heat.
- Soy sauce - can be substituted with tamari or shoyu. Use a gluten-free brand if needed.
🔪How to make
Frying tofu - Add tofu cubes, salt, and cornstarch in a container. Place the lid on the toss until the tofu is well-coated. Pan-fry tofu on each side for 2-3 minutes, or until most sides are golden brown. Set aside.
Make stir-fry sauce - In the meantime, mix all seasonings and stir to mix in a small bowl.
Frying aromatics - Add onion to the pan, and cook for a few minutes or until lightly softened. Stir in garlic, ginger, dried chilies, and Szechuan peppercorn next. Fry for another minute or until fragrant.
Putting everything together - Add bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until tender. Stir in tofu cubes, green onion, and stir-fry sauce. Cook until the sauce is glossy. Your Szechuan tofu is ready to be served!
✔Helpful tips
- Make it spicier - To dial up the heat, cut a few dried chilies in half to release more heat. Be careful with it, as it will get spicy very quickly!
- Other ways to cook tofu - You can also bake or cook them in an air fryer.
- Baking - Spray your coated tofu with some cooking spray or oil, and bake them for 20-25 minutes in an oven preheated to 200C/400F until golden brown.
- Air frying - Add tofu cubes into an air fryer basket, then spray or brush on some oil. Cook at 200C/400F for 8-10 minutes.
- Be careful not to bite into the peppers - When enjoying your Szechuan tofu, don't bite into the dried chilies or peppercorns! It can be pretty unpleasant.
- Storing leftovers - Leftover tofu can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat them in the microwave or a pan before serving. You should add a splash of water if the mixture looks dry.
✨Variations and add-ins
Vegetables - In addition to red bell pepper, you can incorporate other vegetables such as green bell pepper, broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms. If you choose to include a greater amount of vegetables, consider doubling the portion of stir-fry sauce and adjusting to taste.
Tofu - Can be substituted with other plant-based protein sources like seitan, tempeh, or soy curls.
Nuts - To give your Szechuan tofu more texture and flavor, top it with chopped peanuts or cashews before serving.
Adjusting the spice level - To make this recipe less spicy, reduce the amount of chilies added. To increase the spiciness, cut a couple of chilies in half to increase the spiciness to release more heat.
🍚How to serve
Here are some of my favorite ways to serve my Szechuan tofu:
Rice - I love pairing this dish with either Jasmine rice, brown rice, or tofu fried rice. For a lower-carb version, you can also do cauliflower rice.
Noodles - Cooked noodles like rice noodles or vermicelli are excellent choices, but I usually serve this dish with stir-fry noodles like my oyster sauce noodles or fried rice vermicelli.
Sides - Vegan egg rolls, tofu dumplings, and snow peas stir-fry complement this dish nicely!
❔Commonly asked questions
Despite both originating from China's Szechuan province, Mapo tofu and Szechuan tofu are distinct dishes. Mapo tofu is made with silken tofu and ground pork and has more sauce. In contrast, Szechuan tofu is a drier dish made with fried firm tofu.
This Szechuan tofu is on the spicier side and is unsuitable for those with a low spice tolerance. However, you can reduce the amount of chilies to reduce the heat.
Although they have slightly different flavor profiles, Szechuan peppercorn can be substituted with regular black peppercorn in a pinch.
🍽More vegan Chinese recipes
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📖 Recipe
Spicy Szechuan Tofu
Ingredients
For tofu
- 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu drained, pressed and cubed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
For stir-fry sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (use gluten-free if needed)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar or other granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon five spice powder
For stir-fry
- 1 medium yellow onion roughly diced
- 20 Szechuan dried chilies or dried arbol chilies
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon szechuan peppercorn or black peppercorn
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 stalk green onion sliced into 2 inch pieces
Instructions
- Add tofu cubes, cornstarch, and salt into a container. Place the lid on and toss until tofu cubes are well coated.1 14 oz block extra firm tofu, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt
- Heat a tablespoon of neutral-tasting oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once pan is heated, add in tofu cubes in one layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until most sides are golden.
- While tofu is cooking, combine all ingredients needed for the sauce and mix well.2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon Chinese rice vinegar, 2 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 teaspoons coconut sugar, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon five spice powder
- Add another ½ tablespoon of oil in the pan. Add in onion and saute until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.1 medium yellow onion
- Then, stir in dried chilies, garlic, ginger, and Szechuan peppercorn. Fry until fragrant for about a minute.20 Szechuan dried chilies, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon minced ginger, 1 tablespoon szechuan peppercorn
- Add in red pepper next and cook until slightly softened, about 3-4 minutes.1 red bell pepper
- Lastly, stir in tofu cubes, stir-fry sauce, and green onion. Toss until everything is well incorporated. Serve and enjoy!1 stalk green onion
Notes
- Make it spicier - To dial up the heat, cut a few dried chilies in half to release more heat. Be careful with it, as it will get spicy very quickly!
- Other ways to cook tofu - You can also bake or cook them in an air fryer.
- Baking - Spray your coated tofu with some cooking spray or oil, and bake them for 20-25 minutes in an oven preheated to 200C/400F until golden brown.
- Air frying - Add tofu cubes into an air fryer basket, then spray or brush on some oil. Cook at 200C/400F for 8-10 minutes.
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.
Chrissy Swan
I made this dish recently and absolutely loved it!!! So tasty and full of flavorful heat! I also made steamed cauliflower with a ranch yogurt dressing so not vegan but so glad I did as this side dish helped to cool down my tastebuds a La Indian style dishes! One comment I like a little more sauce so next time I make this dish I will double up on the sauce ingredients Thank you!!!
Meesha
I am so happy to hear that! Thanks for your amazing comment.