This spicy honey garlic tofu is the kind of dish that can make anyone love tofu, even if they’ve maybe had some not-so-good experiences with it in the past!
Me, eating something other than pasta? Could it be true?
It is true – and it’s delicious! Don’t be scared of tofu, babes. Because it really doesn’t take much to make it taste good and it’s something that will consistently surprise you with how versatile it is.
This honey garlic tofu recipe is no exception!
PS. I first published this honey garlic tofu recipe in January of 2018. It’s been updated and tweaked a little bit to make it even better!
I recently made crispy and spicy tofu in a honey garlic glaze and served it over basmati coconut rice and it was a home run, and not very challenging either.
Tips for making honey garlic tofu
IMPORTANT: Use extra-firm tofu for this recipe. It’s a lot easier to work with and it keeps it shape and has less moisture in it. When you’re making a tofu dish with solid pieces, you’ll always want to use firm or extra-firm or it will end up looking like scrambled eggs.
If you haven’t cooked with tofu before, please check this beginner’s guide out first.
When you coat the tofu with cornstarch, I recommend putting the cubed tofu in a large bowl to start. Then add cornstarch on top and gently shake the bowl until all sides are coated. Add more cornstarch as you need. When you shake the bowl gently, instead of stirring, it helps prevent the tofu from crumbling.
You likely know that tofu, or more accurately, soy (which it’s made from) has a slightly controversial reputation. After doing lots of research, I am totally comfortable with eating it occasionally. I make sure to buy good quality, non-GMO tofu. If you’re unsure, I encourage you to do your research and I think you’ll find that like most things, tofu is great in moderation.
Spicy Honey Garlic Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 block tofu extra-firm and dried for at least 20 minutes
- 4 tbsp cornstarch add more if you need to
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 2 tbsp sriracha, or preferred hot sauce use less if you're not into spicy food!
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp coconut oil for frying
Optional
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds for garnish
- 1 tsp sesame oil to top
- scallions for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare the tofu: wrap it in paper towel and place between two heavy-ish items (like plates) to get more moisture out of it. Leave it like this for at least 20-minutes.
- While your tofu is getting prepped, mix the garlic, honey, sriracha, soy sauce, and the rice vinegar in a bowl and set it aside.
- When your tofu is ready, cut it into approx. 1-inch cubes. Then coat each side with corn starch (this is what gives it that crispy, breaded look and taste). This gets kinda messy. Embrace it. Now, in a large pan with a heavy bottom (I used a skillet), add your oil and turn the heat to medium-high.
- When the oil is hot, add the tofu cubes.BE CAREFUL - the oil is hot - look out for oil splatters.It will likely take at LEAST two minutes per side until the tofu is ready. It will start to get a beautiful crispy, light-brown color. Toss it gently so it doesn't fall apart.
- When all sides of the tofu are cooked, turn the heat off but keep the pan on the element (don't add the sauce when the pan is still crazy hot or it will burn really fast - I made this mistake the first time!). Let the pan rest with the heat off for a minute before adding the sauce, then add the sauce mixture that you set aside to the tofu.
- Make sure all of the pieces are coated in the sauce and let it all cook in the pan for about three more minutes. Even though the heat is off, your skillet will still be hot. Finally, remove the tofu from heat, and serve it over coconut rice, or on its own!
Notes
- I top my honey garlic tofu with just a touch of sesame oil, about a teaspoon of sesame seeds, and some chopped green onions. You can get creative here and choose how much/if any of these you want to add.
- I said this serves, but keep in mind that's if you're serving it with noodles or rice. If you're eating it on its own, this will be about enough tofu for two people.
- Prep time says 30 minutes because 20 of that is the time it takes to press the tofu before you cook it.
That’s it, that’s all!
I hope you love this dish and if you decide to try it out, please let me know what you think.
Thank-you so much for reading!
xo – C
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