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Kung pao tofu with basmati rice in a skillet.
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4.96 from 22 votes

Kung Pao Tofu

Salty, sweet and spicy kung pao tofu. This easy, high-protein meal is ready in 40 minutes and perfect for weeknight dinners.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 4
Calories: 242kcal

Ingredients

For the Tofu:

  • 16 ounces Extra Firm Tofu (450g)
  • 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil

For the Kung Pao Sauce:

  • 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
  • 1 teaspoon Cornstarch

For the Veggies:

  • 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
  • 5 Dried Red Chilies
  • 1 teaspoon Crushed Garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Minced Ginger
  • 1 Medium Red Bell Pepper Sliced
  • cup Green Onions Chopped
  • ¼ cup Roasted Salted Peanuts (37g)

For Serving:

Instructions

  • Press the tofu for 20 minutes. Either use a tofu press or place the tofu on a plate, with another plate on top of it and then place something heavy on top, like a heavy pot.
  • While the tofu is pressing, chop up the red bell pepper and green onions and add all the sauce ingredients to a measuring jug and whisk them together.
  • When the tofu is pressed, slice it into cubes. Heat sesame oil in a frying pan or skillet and then add the tofu cubes and fry, gently turning over the tofu until it's nicely browned. Remove the tofu from the pan.
  • To the pan add sesame oil and dried chilies and fry for 2 minutes. Then add the crushed garlic, minced ginger, red bell pepper, chopped green onions and peanuts. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
  • Add the tofu back to the pan, pour over the sauce and stir fry until the sauce has thickened.
  • Serve over basmati rice topped with a sprinkle of green onions.

Video

Notes

  1. Chilies - you can remove the whole chilies before serving if you want to avoid a very spicy surprise while eating this meal. If you like eating whole spicy chilies then leave them in.
  2. Green onions - are also called spring onions, salad onions or scallions. 
  3. Gluten free - use a gluten-free soy sauce or switch it for tamari if you'd like this meal to be gluten-free. Also make sure your hoisin sauce is gluten free. 
  4. Storing - keep leftovers stored in the fridge (covered) for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. 
  5. Nutritional information is for 1 serve of 4 excluding rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 687mg | Potassium: 553mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1550IU | Vitamin C: 121mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg