Crispy Kung Pao Tofu Recipe (2024)

Tofu Stir-fry
Tofu
Chinese
Vegan Mains
Vegetarian Mains

All the mouth-tingling, umami-packed adventure of the original—but meatless.

J. Kenji López-Alt

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated January 18, 2023

(8)

WRITE A REVIEW

Why It Works

First frying the Sichuan peppercorns and chiles together helps build up the dish's initial signature flavor base.
Battered and fried tofu, peanuts, and chunks of celery create layer upon layer of satisfying crunch.
The numbing effect of the Sichuan peppercorns helps subdue the heat (but not flavor) imparted by both dried and fresh chiles.

Things I love:

Tofu
Spicy food
Peanuts
Stir-frying
Celery!*
My wife**
Crispy things
CHILES
A strongly-flavored but subtly balanced sauce that combines funky fermented elements, heat, richumami-packedingredients, bright vinegar, and a hint of sweetness.

*I love "Celery!" But not celery.
**Just covering my bases here.

I've recently discovered a way to get eight out of nine of these things together in one place:crispy kung pao tofu.

The basis of this recipe is pretty simple. It starts with the same crisp tofu I developed for mycrispy tofu with broccolirecipe (which, in turn, drew its inspiration from myKorean-fried cauliflowerrecipe). The trickhereis to use a combination of cornstarch and flour to make a batter that crisps nicely when you fry it. The real key is using vodka to bind the batter, which evaporates more readily when you fry it, yielding chunks of crispy tofu that stay crispy even when they're tossed with sauce at the end of cooking.

As for the rest of the ingredients, I doctored up myKung Pao chickenrecipe just slightly to incorporate some more vegetables (chunks of celery and hot long green peppers), but the basics are just about the same.

You start by infusing your stir-fry oil with a combination of mouth-numbing Sichuan peppercorns and fiery dried red chiles to build thema-laflavor base that Sichuan food is famous for. In that oil, you then stir fry sliced leeks, celery, and long hot peppers until lightly blistered, then stir in some chopped garlic, ginger, and scallion greens. In goes the fried tofu and peanuts (tradition would dictate frying raw peanuts before incorporating them, but I just use plain old roasted peanuts because it's tough to find raw peanuts 'round these parts), and finally a light sauce made with soy sauce, Chinkiang black vinegar, a touch of sugar, and some Sichuan fermented broad bean paste.

Once you've cooked it down briefly and tossed it with the crisply fried tofu, you should end up with just enough sauce to barely coat the ingredients—this dish should be dry and deeply concentrated in flavor.

The finished dish is one of my new favorites. Peanuts, celery, and coated tofu—it's all crisp-on-crisp-on-crisp, with a heat that doesn't knock you out but slowly smolders, the numbing effect of the Sichuan peppercorns taming those flames just enough to keep you wanting to stuff more in your mouth.

So it's all well and good, but why, you might ask, can't I get allninethings I love together? For one simple reason:

Things my wife hates:

Kung Paoanything

C'est la vie.

This recipe originally appeared as part of the column "The Vegan Experience."

February 2014

Recipe Details

Crispy Kung Pao Tofu Recipe

Prep5 mins

Cook35 mins

Active45 mins

Ingredients

1 1/2 quarts vegetable or peanut oil
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Kosher salt
1/2 cup coldwater
1/2 cup vodka
1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into 3/4-inch cubes, carefully dried (see notes)
1/4 cup water or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sichuan broad bean chili paste
1 tablespoonChinkiang vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
3 scallions, whites finely minced, and greens finely sliced, reserved separately
3 cloves minced garlic (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoonminced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns, divided
12 hot Chinese dry chile peppers
2 small leeks, white and light green parts only, cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 1/2 cup total)
2 ribs celery, split in half lengthwise and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 long green Chinese hot pepper, stemmed and seeded, cut into 3/4-inch squares
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
Cooked white rice, for serving

Directions

Heat oil in a wok to 350°F (177°C). Whisk together 1/2 cup cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add water and vodka and whisk until a smooth batter is formed, adding up to 2 tablespoons additional water if batter is too thick. It should have the consistency of thin paint and fall off of the whisk in thin ribbons that instantly disappear as they hit the surface of the batter in the bowl.
Add tofu and carefully turn to coat. Working one at a time, lift one piece and allow excess batter to drip off. Carefully lower into hot oil. Repeat with remaining tofu until wok is full. Fry, using a metal spider or slotted spatula to rotate and agitate pieces as they cook until evenly pale golden and crisp all over, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all tofu is fried. Carefully pour oil out of wok into a heatproof container and reserve.
Combine stock, soy sauce, bean paste, vinegar, sugar, and remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside. Combine scallion whites, garlic, and ginger in a second small bowl. Set aside. Coarsely grind half of peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a heatproof bowl or saucepan. Return 1/4 cup of the reserved oil to wok and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add remaining half of peppercorns and chiles and cook, stirring, for 5 seconds. Immediately drain through fine-mesh strainer. Pick out chiles and set aside. Discard cooked peppercorns.
Return infused oil to wok and heat over high heat until lightly smoking. Add leeks, celery, and long pepper and cook, stirring and tossing, until vegetables are lightly charred and tender-crisp, about 1 1/2 minutes. Clear a space in the center of the wok and add the scallion/ginger/garlic mixture. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add peanuts, dried chiles, and drained tofu. Stir sauce mixture and add to wok. Cook, tossing and folding ingredients together until tofu is fully coated. Add scallion greens and ground peppercorns and toss to combine. Serve immediately with white rice.

Special Equipment

Wok, fine-mesh strainer

Notes

To dry tofu, line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Place tofu slices on top in a single layer. Cover with another layer of paper towels and press gently to remove excess moisture.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
541	Calories
34g	Fat
45g	Carbs
20g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	541
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g	44%
Saturated Fat 6g	29%
Cholesterol 1mg	0%
Sodium 695mg	30%
Total Carbohydrate 45g	16%
Dietary Fiber 8g	27%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 20g
Vitamin C 21mg	107%
Calcium 458mg	35%
Iron 5mg	30%
Potassium 715mg	15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

FAQs

How to make tofu crispy like a restaurant? ›

There are a few tricks to perfect tofu. First, tossing cubed tofu with cornstarch will help you get a crispier exterior when baking or stir-frying. Pressing the block of tofu to eliminate excess moisture also helps. And you'll want to make sure you're using high enough heat.

Learn More ›

Why won t my tofu get crispy? ›

If your crispy tofu isn't getting crispy, it could be because there is too much moisture in the tofu. Another issue could be the oil isn't hot enough to fry the tofu. Or you forgot to add the corn flour. These three reasons can cause your tofu to be soggy or not crisp up as much as you'd like.

Keep Reading ›

How to make fried tofu like Chinese restaurants? ›

How to make fried tofu

Always press the tofu first. Wrap the tofu brick in paper towels and place a plate or skillet on top. ...
Cut the pressed brick into 1-inch cubes.
Place them in a large bowl and sprinkle the soy sauce on top and gently stir to coat. ...
Gently stir to coat once more and get ready to fry!

Nov 8, 2021

What is kung pao tofu made of? ›

Kung Pao Tofu features pan-fried tofu, stir-fried veggies, and peanuts in a boldly flavored sauce. A plant based dinner everyone can get on board with, and it's easy to make.

Get More Info ›

Why is restaurant tofu so good? ›

Restaurants understand the power of salt and use it liberally to ensure that tofu is well-seasoned. As masters of flavors, professional chefs know that tofu's porous nature allows it to absorb the flavors it's cooked with, and they use this to their advantage.

Explore More ›

Why do people soak tofu in brine before frying? ›

Why does the brine work? Both the heat and the salinity of the water draw moisture out of the surface of the tofu, helping it crisp and brown. The hot water also gradually tightens the proteins at the surface of the tofu, helping keep any remaining moisture inside.

Discover More ›

What can I coat tofu with instead of cornstarch? ›

Substitutions: If you prefer not to cook with cornstarch, you can substitute in an equal volume of all-purpose flour or potato starch. Tofu: This recipe can also be made with medium-firm tofu, but you'll need to be a bit more gentle while pressing and coating it.

View Details ›

What not to mix with tofu? ›

What to not serve with tofu? According to studies, a high volume consumption of tofu and spinach together can increase your risk of kidney stones. Tofu and spinach contain calcium and oxalic acid respectively and the combined can form kidney stones.

How do you get cornstarch to stick to tofu? ›

A light coating of cornstarch will absorb even more moisture from the tofu's surface and contribute to a distinct coating. Sprinkle over the starch (potato starch, tapioca starch, and arrowroot all work too) a little bit at a time and toss the tofu, pressing gently so the starch adheres.

Get More Info Here ›

What is the best oil to fry tofu in? ›

Type of oil to use for frying tofu: Canola is great and so are vegetable/soybean oil and refined peanut oil. In general, choose a neutral-flavored oil that has a high smoking point. That is, don't deep-fry with sesame oil.

View Details ›

How to get tofu like the Chinese takeaway? ›

Pat each cube dry. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu and cook on all sides until golden brown, 2-4 minutes per side, then remove from the pan and set aside.

Discover More ›

Can you coat tofu in flour instead of cornstarch? ›

Coating your tofu with a mixture of cornstarch and salt will give it a crunchy coating with great flavor. You can also use potato starch, regular flour, or even gluten-free flour instead of cornstarch, but the cornstarch crisps up the best. You can bake, pan-fry, or deep fry your tofu.

Show Me More ›

What is the difference between General Tso and kung pao? ›

General Tso's is sweeter with a milder spice, featuring deep-fried battered chicken. Kung Pao is spicier with stir-fried chicken, vegetables, and peanuts. Also, General Tso's has Chinese-American roots, while Kung Pao hails from Sichuan cuisine.

Keep Reading ›

Is kung pao the same as Kung Bao? ›

Universally regarded as one of China's great dishes, Gong Bao Chicken (Gong Bao Jiding) is perhaps the most popular Sichuan dish in all of the Western world. Many Americans have undoubtedly seen this on neighborhood Chinese takeout menus misnamed as kung pao, kung po, or even kong pow, but the proper name is Gong Bao.

See Details ›

Is Ku Bo the same as kung pao? ›

Both refer to the same Sichuan dish. Gongbao Chicken means 宫保鸡丁, based on the Chinese pinyin. Kungpao Chicken is Romanised Chinese, whose pronunciation is easier for Westerners to read.

See Details ›

How do you keep crispy tofu crispy? ›

Drying the tofu thoroughly ensures that it crisps up quickly. Using a batter for the tofu ensures that it stays crispy even after getting tossed in sauce. Cooking each component of the stir fry in stages and combining them at the end facilitates even cooking and browning.

Discover More ›

How do you get breading to stick to tofu? ›

Pour breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, and salt onto a plate and mix thoroughly. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Dip the tofu strips into the cornstarch mixture until evenly coated and immediately press into the breadcrumbs until all sides of the tofu are completely covered.

Why boil tofu before frying? ›

Many cooking experts champion a quick soak as a way to give the protein more texture and flavor. “Simmering cubed tofu in salted water for 60 seconds pulls out excess moisture and tightens the proteins on its surface,” Lukas Volger told Bon Appétit in 2021.

Read On ›