This classic take-out style Healthy Kung Pao Tofu recipe is easy to make and even more delicious to eat! Whip up this vegan dish for dinner or even meal prep it for weekday lunches!
Healthy Kung Pao Tofu
Ah kung pao – One of my favorite Asian dishes! Well, that goes with saying I have A LOT of favorite Asian dishes, but this one is a frequent go-to recipe in our apartment because 1. It’s SO easy to make 2. It’s a great recipe to load up on veggies, and 3. It’s just straight up delicious!
Kung Pao Ingredients
To make a delicious kung pao dish, theres really only a few main ingredients you need, along with the homemade sauce fix-ins…
Protein: I (of course) used tofu for this, but it would also be delicious with tempeh or even chickpeas! If you’re not feeling the vegetarian route, you can even go with classic chicken.
Vegetables: What I love about this recipe, (and really all Asian recipes), is that you can really use whatever veggies you have on-hand and make it your own. I used carrots, celery and green pepper because it reminds me of the kung pao take-out I got as a kid, but I also like to make it with just green and red bell pepper too.
Nuts: Most kung pao recipes use peanuts, but I love swapping them for cashews!
Sauce Ingredients: For my kung pao recipe, I like to use a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, water, brown coconut sugar or honey, garlic, red pepper flakes, and corn starch so it turns into a nice thick slurry sauce!
If you like giving your recipes a kick of heat, I highly recommend hunting down some szechuan peppers! Since we’re currently living in corona times, I wasn’t able to get them, but I usually find them at our local Asian market. So, If you have one nearby, definitely check to see if they have them!
How to Make Kung Pao Tofu
The key to this recipe is getting the tofu just right. The way to do that is to saute it in a really good non-stick pan in a small amount of sesame oil. Let it sit, only turning it occasionally, so it can get crispy on all sides. After the tofu is cooked, set it aside in a bowl and start sauting the veggies in the same pan you used for the tofu. Once these are tender, turn the heat to a lower setting and add the tofu back into the pan along with the pre-mixed sauce. Mix well and cook for just a few minutes to allow the sauce to thicken! It’s that easy!
Healthy Kung Pao Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 container extra-firm tofu, chopped into small pieces
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- 1/4 cup roasted cashews
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 1 tbsp white vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1-2 tbsp brown coconut sugar
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- 1 tbsp arrow root powder or corn starch
- 1/4 cup veggie broth or water
Directions
- Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a large non-stick pan. Once hot, add tofu and let sit until the bottom side becomes golden brown. Flip and let sit again. Repeat this process until all sides are golden brown and a bit crispy.
- Add carrot, celery and cashews into the pan. Let cook for about 3-5 minutes or until veggies are tender.
- While tofu and veggies are cooking, mix together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
- Turn heat to low/medium and add the sauce into the pan along with tofu and veggies. Let cook for a few more minutes to let the sauce thicken.
- Serve over rice and enjoy!
[…] for more tasty vegetarian recipes? Try this Vegan Chickpea Salad or this Healthy Kung Pao Tofu […]