Easy Kung Pao Tofu Recipe

5 from 1 vote

This Easy Kung Pao Tofu Recipe comes together in just 15 minutes and tastes fantastic. A little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, this vegetarian/vegan Kung Pao recipe is made with crispy tofu, dried red chiles, simple veggies, Sichuan peppercorns, and of course, peanuts. It’s the ultimate Chinese takeout meal made right at home.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Pressing The Tofu15

Total Time30

Course: dinner, Main Course, Rice Dish

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Diet: Low Calorie, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 340kcal

Author: Sarah Jenkins

Ingredients

1 block extra firm tofu
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoon neutral oil, like avocado oil
2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped zucchini
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, lightly ground with mortar and pestle
5-8 whole dried red chile peppers
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1-inch knob fresh ginger, minced
3 scallions, chopped
⅓ cup roasted peanuts
steamed rice or noodles for serving

For The Sauce

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
splash of sherry vinegar

Instructions

Start by preparing your tofu. Slice the tofu length-wise and place on top of a paper-towel lined plate or baking pan. Place additional paper towels on top of the tofu, then place another heavy plate or baking sheet over the top to press the tofu. Allow the tofu to press for 15-20 minutes. (Alternatively, if you have a tofu press, you can use that to expel the excess liquid from the tofu.)
Once your tofu has been pressed, chop it into cubes, and toss with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce to add a bit of flavor to the tofu. Then, toss the tofu cubes in 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, ensuring each edge of the tofu is coated and dredged in the cornstarch. The cornstarch helps the tofu to crisp up in the pan.
Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium high and add oil and tofu. You’ll want to use a large pan here to allow the tofu plenty of room to form an even layer in the pan. Fry for 8-10 minutes, flipping every couple of minutes until all sides are brown. Transfer the tofu to a plate while you cook your vegetables.
Be sure to have all your veggies prepped in advance since this process moves rather quickly. Add sesame oil to the pan, the chopped red bell pepper and zucchini and cook for 1 minute.
Add the Sichuan peppercorns and the dried chiles and cook for one minute more. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute, or until garlic becomes fragrant.
Finally, add the cooked tofu to the pan, stir the sauce in the bowl to reincorporate cornstarch, then pour over tofu and veggies until well coated.
Remove from heat and add peanuts and scallions.
Stir the Kung Pao Tofu to combine, and serve over rice or noodles.

Notes

Press the tofu before using. You can do this with a tofu press, or by placing the tofu between two sheet pans and placing something heavy, like a cast iron skillet or pot on the top one. Allow the tofu to press for about 15 minutes before slicing into cubes and cooking.
Use cornstarch to make your tofu crispy. Dredging the tofu in cornstarch is a great tip for making the edges super crispy.
Use real Sichuan peppercorns. This is truly an authentic ingredient in a Kung Pao dish, and for good reason. It may be a tiny bit of extra work to find them - you likely don’t have them hanging out in your pantry unless you do a lot of asian cooking. And yes, you have to grind them well with a mortar and pestle. But the taste and feeling of these little guys can’t be replicated. Using ground white pepper will do in a pinch, but it won’t have the same effect.
Omit the dried chile peppers if you’re not a huge fan of spice. Honestly, they don’t add that much spice when you use them whole, and you don’t actually eat them in the dish, but if you don’t like the spice and are looking for more of a sweet Kung Pao dish, feel free to just omit them and add a small sprinkling of crushed red chile spice as a substitute.
If you want EXTRA spice, slice a few of the dried chile peppers open. This will add a ton of spicy flavor to the dish so only do it if you’re able to handle the heat! (Not recommended if serving this kung pao tofu to kids.)
Add different proteins or veggies to mix this Kung Pao dish up! Chicken, beef, pork or other veggies like cauliflower work great if you’re not into tofu.

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