This crispy orange tofu recipe is a flavorful combination of an easy spicy-sweet orange sauce and crispy baked or air-fried tofu for a vegan dinner that's healthy and oil-free.
Inspired by other saucy, crispy tofu recipes like Mongolian tofu, sweet and sour tofu, and spicy baked tofu with noodles, vegan orange tofu is another example of why crispy tofu is a family favorite.
This post contains helpful tips and tricks to ensure success on your first attempt. Below, you'll find a handy table of contents with links. But if you're in a rush, please use the link at the top to jump to the recipe card at the end!
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
✔ Why You'll Love This Recipe
✔ Vegan version of orange chicken that's easy to make.
✔ Healthfully made without added oil.
✔ Easy gluten-free option.
Key Ingredients
Tofu. Use firm or extra firm tofu.
Oranges. You can probably get by with just 1 fresh orange for the orange zest. If you don’t want the hassle, grab a small bottle of fresh orange juice for the rest. But this is a great recipe when you have a bag of oranges, and deep down, you just know they won’t all get eaten.
Chickpea flour. Also known as garbanzo bean flour or besan. When mixed in a 1:1 ratio with liquid, it has a thick texture and even gets you a little of that chickpea protein.
Rice vinegar. Vinegar adds a tangy flavor to the sauce. You can also use the same amount of apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. Going vinegar free? Consider mirin, which will be slightly sweeter.
Soy sauce. Use Tamari if you want a gluten-free recipe. Regular or dark soy sauce has a lot of sodium, so you can either cut back the amount or use low-sodium soy sauce. Coconut aminos can also be used in place of soy sauce.
Maple syrup. A liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup, is easier to dissolve, but you can also use coconut sugar, date sugar, or vegan brown sugar if you like. And there is always one of our favorites - date paste.
Sriracha. Any Asian-style chili sauce will work. You can also use Sambal Oelek.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Recipe Variations
- Replace tofu with cauliflower, and you have orange wings, my friends! As a fan of spicy cauliflower wings, I can highly recommend this.
- You can also make a batter using other types of flour, adjusting the amount of wet to dry ingredients as needed.
- Use pineapple instead of orange juice.
How to Make Crispy Tofu
Before you begin: Press tofu to get rid of any excess moisture. Use a commercial press or wrap it in paper towels and place it between 2 flat surfaces. Put something heavy on top and press the tofu for 15 minutes.
- Whisk the batter. It should be thick enough to cling to the tofu.
- Cut the tofu into cubes ½ to ¾ of an inch. Toss the cubes in the batter.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 F. Then line the bottom of the basket with parchment paper. Gently shake the battered tofu pieces. Arrange them in a single layer, separated into the basket.
- Air fry for 12 minutes total, flipping halfway through. Cooking time may need to be adjusted, depending on your air fryer and the size of the tofu pieces.
Crispy baked tofu. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Arrange the tofu pieces separated, in a single layer, on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until they get slightly brown or until they can be flipped. Baked another 10-15 minutes until they are golden brown.
How to Make Orange Sauce
- Combine the orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, and sriracha in a medium saucepan. Stir the ingredients over medium heat until the sauce starts to bubble.
- Before adding the cornstarch, mix it separately with orange juice.
- Whisk the cornstarch in and add the orange zest.
- Turn the heat on low and let the sauce simmer.
Pro Tips
- The parchment paper keeps the tofu from sticking. You can also manipulate the parchment paper to peel away the tofu if need be.
- Simmering is the best way to thicken the sauce. Always mix cornstarch with water if you want to add more.
- Mix the tofu cubes with the sauce right before serving for maximum crispiness.
Serving Suggestions
You'll have plenty of sticky orange sauce to add to rice (brown rice, jasmine rice, cauliflower rice) or noodles with vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, or bell peppers.
A smattering of toasted sesame seeds over the top will make this dish tasty and pretty. Thin slices of green onion or red chili also make a nice garnish.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best way to thicken the orange sauce is to let it simmer. Simmering reduces the volume of the sauce, which naturally makes it thicker. If you decide to add more cornstarch or another thickening agent, mix it with cold water or orange juice separately before adding it to the sauce. This helps prevent lumps.
Crispy orange cauliflower is excellent with spicy, sticky orange sauce. Use 1 small head of cauliflower and follow the recipe directions as written. If you make this in the air fryer, you may need to do it in batches depending on the size of your air fryer basket. Use parchment paper to line the bottom of the air fryer basket or baking tray if you are oven-baking.
Quinoa flour is an excellent gluten-free substitution for chickpea flour. Oat flour or millet flour works as well. Both can be used in a 1:1 ratio. You can also make chickpea flour by grinding dry chickpeas in a spice grinder and then sifting it. If you substitute with all-purpose flour, you may need to adjust the amount to create a thick batter.
🧾 Related Recipes
Do you have a question or recipe request or need a cooking tip? Leave a comment below or contact Denise. I’m here to help! If you want more healthy vegan recipes, please subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on Facebook or Pinterest for the latest updates.
If you make this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating. It’s much appreciated!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Crispy Orange Tofu Recipe (Air Fry or Baked)
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Ingredients
Crispy Tofu Ingredients
- 12 ounces tofu - 1 block, firm or extra firm
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- ⅓ cup chickpea flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
Orange Sauce Ingredients
- 2 cups orange juice
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1-2 teaspoons sriracha - or Asian chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon orange zest - (optional)
Instructions
- Press the tofu using a tofu press or wrap it in a paper towel and place it between two flat surfaces. Place something heavy on top to press it. Press for 15 minutes.
- Make the tofu batter. Mix the chickpea flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add ⅓ cup of orange juice, then combine the ingredients into a smooth batter with a whisk or fork.
- Cut the tofu into ½ - ¾-inch cubes.
- Give the batter a quick stir, then add the cubes to the bowl. Gently stir the pieces to cover them on all sides with the batter.
How to Make Crispy Tofu Air Fryer
- Cut a piece of parchment paper and place it in the bottom of the air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to preheat to 375 F. (190 C.).
- Shake any excess batter from the tofu and arrange the pieces separated and in a single layer on the parchment paper. The basket will be hot, so it’s best to use tongs.
- Set the timer for 12 minutes. Check the tofu after 6 minutes. When it has browned, then gently flip it. If it is still moist, let it cook for another 2-3 minutes before flipping. Continue cooking until the air fryer beeps. Add a few more minutes if needed.
How to Make Crispy Baked Tofu
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. (200 C.). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Shake extra batter from the tofu cubes and add them, separated and in a single layer, to the baking tray. Bake for 15 minutes, then check. If the tofu is brown and firm, gently flip it over. Bake for another 10 minutes until it is golden brown.
How to Make Orange Sauce
- Add 1 cup of orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, and sriracha to a medium saucepan. Set the stove to medium heat and stir the ingredients until they are blended, and the sauce begins to simmer.
- Mix the remaining 1 cup of orange juice and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a small bowl. Slowly pour the mixture into the simmering sauce and whisk or vigorously mix.
- Add the orange zest and simmer on low heat until the sauce is thick and sticky.
- Add the tofu cubes to the orange sauce and gently stir to cover them. Spoon the tofu and orange sauce over rice and/or steamed or roasted veggies.
Video
Notes
- Cooking time reflects air frying tofu. Add about 12 additional minutes if baking in the oven.
- Be sure to preheat the oven or air fryer before cooking the tofu cubes. This keeps the batter from running off and firmly cooks the middle.
- Air fryer and oven temperatures can vary dramatically, so be mindful of using the baking time as guidance. The size of the tofu cubes will also impact baking time.
- Store orange tofu in an airtight container for 3-4 days. The tofu will soften over time, so it's best eaten the next day if you have leftovers.
- Reheat tofu with orange sauce in a small saucepan on the stove or the microwave. The tofu won't be quite as crisp as the first day, but still quite nice.
- Make orange cauliflower wings by using small cauliflower florets in place of tofu. Adjust the amount of batter if needed.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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