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Home » Recipes » Lunch & Dinner

Vegan Kung Pao Tofu (GF)

Modified: Jul 14, 2021 · Published: Oct 1, 2018 by Rhian Williams

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Photo of tofu cubes, peppers and peanuts in a frying pan

This Vegan Kung Pao Tofu is super easy to make, full of flavour and packed with veggies. It's the best quick plant-based dinner that tastes much better than takeout!

Photo of tofu cubes, peppers and peanuts in a frying pan with a pair of chopsticks holding up a cube of tofu

Why you'll love this Vegan Kung Pao Tofu:

  • it's full of umami flavour
  • it's sweet and tangy
  • it's fragrant
  • it's bright and colourful
  • it's tender on the inside and crispy on the outside
  • it's naturally gluten-free
  • it's refined sugar free
  • it's easy to make
  • the tofu is pan-fried instead of deep-fried, meaning it's much healthier and not too greasy
  • it's ready in just 30 minutes!

How to make this Vegan Kung Pao Tofu

Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe including measurements and full instructions. 
For the tofu:
  • Coat the tofu cubes in cornflour (cornstarch).

Cubes of tofu coated in cornflour on a blue plate against a white background

  • Fry the tofu in a frying pan for a few minutes on each side, turning over halfway through.

Tip: It's easiest to use chopsticks to turn over the pieces of tofu. Cook them until crispy and lightly browned, but be careful not to overcook them, otherwise the tofu will become tough.

Golden brown cubes of tofu in a dark brown frying pan against a white background

  • Transfer the cooked tofu onto a plate lined with kitchen paper (to drain away the excess oil).

Golden brown cubes of tofu on a piece of white kitchen paper against a white background

For the sauce:

Photo of chopped vegetables and a bowl of roasted peanuts on a blue plate against a marble background

  • Fry the spring onion, ginger and garlic in a frying pan - you can use the same frying pan you used to fry the tofu.
  • Add the chopped peppers and fry for about 5 minutes.
  • All all the other ingredients.
  • Dissolve the cornflour (cornstarch) in a small bowl.
  • Keep the pan on a low heat, carefully add the cornflour mixture, stirring continuously to avoid clumping.
  • Add the cooked tofu and the roasted peanuts.
  • Serve alongside cooked white or brown rice, if desired.

Photo of tofu cubes, peppers and peanuts in a frying pan

Tip: Be very careful with cornflour as it can easily turn clumpy. Dissolve it first in a tiny splash of water in a small bowl, until you get a small amount of white liquid (make sure it's not too thick). Make sure it has dissolved completely. Add the cornflour mixture carefully a tiny bit at a time, stirring well to ensure it doesn't clump. If the texture of the sauce looks too thick after you've added the cornflour, add extra water.

Photo of tofu cubes, peppers and peanuts in a frying pan

How long does this Vegan Kung Pao Tofu keep for?

It's best enjoyed immediately, but leftovers can be kept covered in the fridge for up to a few days, and can be reheated in a dry frying pan.

Photo of tofu cubes, peppers and peanuts in a white bowl with a blue rim

More flavourful tofu recipes:

  • Tofu Satay Curry
  • Tandoori Tofu
  • Sweet and Sour Tofu
  • Sesame Tofu
  • Orange Tofu
  • Tofu Satay Skewers
  • Spicy Tofu

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

Photo of tofu cubes, peppers and peanuts in a frying pan

Vegan Kung Pao Tofu (GF)

This Vegan Kung Pao Tofu is super easy to make, full of flavour and packed with veggies. It's the best quick plant-based dinner that tastes much better than takeout!
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: gluten-free kung pao tofu, kung pao tofu, vegan tofu recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 326kcal
Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

For the tofu:

  • 400 g (14 oz) firm tofu
  • 6 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable or rapeseed oil

For the sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable or rapeseed oil
  • 2 spring onions , thinly sliced
  • 1 cm (½ inch) ginger , peeled and minced
  • 2 garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 green pepper , cored and roughly chopped
  • 1 red pepper , cored and roughly chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper , cored and roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider, rice or white vinegar (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
  • 2 tablespoons agave syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
  • 120 ml (½ cup) water
  • 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
  • Handful roasted peanuts

To serve (optional):

  • Cooked brown or white rice

Instructions

For the tofu:

  • Drain the tofu, pat dry with a paper towel, and cut into small cubes
  • Place the cornflour in a large bowl, take a cube of tofu, coat it in the flour and place on a plate
  • Repeat for the rest of the tofu, adding extra cornflour if necessary
  • Heat up the oil in a frying pan until hot
  • Once the oil is hot, keep it on a medium heat and add the cornflour-coated tofu
  • Fry for a few minutes on each side, turning over halfway through (it's easiest to do this using chopsticks). Cook it until it’s crispy and lightly browned, but be careful not to overcook, otherwise it’ll become tough
  • Transfer the cooked tofu onto a plate lined with kitchen paper (to drain away the excess oil)

For the sauce:

  • Heat up the oil in a frying pan - you can use the same frying pan you used to fry the tofu, or you can start to cook the sauce in a separate frying pan whilst you cook the tofu
  • Add the spring onion, ginger and garlic once hot and fry for a couple of minutes until fragrant
  • Add the green pepper, red pepper and yellow pepper and fry for about 5 minutes until softened (more or less time depending on how soft or hard you like your vegetables to be)
  • Add the tamari, vinegar, agave syrup and water
  • Place the cornflour in a small bowl and dissolve in a tiny splash of water - make sure it has completely dissolved
  • Keeping the pan on a low heat, carefully add the cornflour mixture, stirring regularly to avoid clumping
  • Keep heating until the sauce is thickened - add an extra splash of water if it’s too thick
  • Add the cooked tofu and roasted peanuts and mix well
  • Best enjoyed immediately, but leftovers can be kept covered in the fridge for up to a few days, and can be reheated in a frying pan

Notes

Be very careful with cornflour as it can easily turn clumpy. Dissolve it first in a tiny splash of water in a small bowl, until you get a small amount of white liquid (make sure it's not too thick). Make sure it has dissolved completely. Add the cornflour mixture carefully a tiny bit at a time, stirring well to ensure it doesn't clump. If the texture of the sauce looks too thick after you've added the cornflour, add extra water.
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Kung Pao Tofu (GF)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 326 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 11g55%
Sodium 765mg32%
Potassium 223mg6%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 1160IU23%
Vitamin C 118.1mg143%
Calcium 141mg14%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Made the recipe?Tag @rhiansrecipes on instagram and use the hashtag #rhiansrecipes!

Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.

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Comments

    5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Anonymous

    October 04, 2018 at 5:58 pm

    5 stars
    I made this today and it was delicious. Served it with cauliflower rice. I will certainly be making it again!

    Reply
    • Rhian Williams

      October 04, 2018 at 7:14 pm

      Aw great, thank you so much! So glad you liked it!

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Hi, I’m Rhian! I make easy, undetectably vegan + gluten-free recipes, including healthy comfort food and naturally sweetened desserts using plant-based ingredients.

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