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.

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Updated January 18, 2023

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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

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.

Get More Info ›

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.

View Details ›

What is kung pao tofu made of? ›

A little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, this vegetarian/vegan Kung Pao recipe is made with crispy tofu, dried red chiles, simple veggies, Sichuan peppercorns, and of course, peanuts. It's the ultimate Chinese takeout meal made right at home.

How do you keep fried tofu crispy? ›

I tried coating tofu with various blends of flour, potato starch, rice flour, and corn starch, both pan-frying and deep-frying, and found that the crispest, cleanest-tasting results came from a deep-fry in a simple coating of cornstarch. Crisp fresh out of the fryer, that is.

Learn More ›

What to use instead of cornstarch for crispy tofu? ›

6 Cornstarch Substitutes for All Your Cooking and Baking Needs

Potato Starch. Potato starch is the cornstarch substitute favorite of associate food editor Kendra Vaculin. ...
Rice Flour. ...
All-Purpose Flour. ...
Tapioca Flour. ...
Arrowroot Powder. ...
Xanthan Gum.

Jun 13, 2022

Know More ›

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.

Read On ›

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.

Keep Reading ›

Can you coat tofu in flour 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.

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.

Show Me More ›

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.

What does kung pao mean in Chinese? ›

Etymology. borrowed from Chinese (Beijing) gōng bǎo "palace guardian" in the name of such dishes (as gōng bǎo jī dīng "kung pao diced chicken")

See Details ›

Why is it called kung pao? ›

The dish is believed to be named after Ding Baozhen (1820–1886), a late Qing Dynasty official and governor of Sichuan Province. His title was Gongbao (Chinese: 宫保; pinyin: Gōngbǎo; Wade–Giles: Kung1-pao3; literally: "Palace Guardian"). The name Kung Pao chicken is derived from this title.

See 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.

Get More Info Here ›

How long to press tofu for crispy? ›

For the best results, I recommend pressing tofu for at least 30 minutes before cooking, though longer is great if you're able to plan ahead. In a pinch, even less time can make a big difference. I pressed the left block of tofu in the photo above for just 20 minutes. An unpressed block of tofu is on the right.

Read The Full Story ›

Should you marinate tofu before frying? ›

For the tastiest results, marinade the tofu overnight. Roll slices or cubes of marinated tofu in some rice flour, potato starch, corn flour or grated coconut before pan-frying for an extra-crispy crust. Be sure to use a non-stick pan with a generous amount of oil. Deep-frying is also an option.

Read The Full Story ›

Why is my fried tofu soggy? ›

"For a really crispy texture, it's best to use starch instead of wheat flour," says Norton. Wheat flour is too heavy and turns soggy when used in tofu recipes. Corn starch, potato starch, and tapioca starch, on the other hand, work perfectly with fried tofu!

Why is my tofu so mushy after cooking? ›

So here are our kitchen secrets that will keep your tofu from being rubbery, bland, or just plain mushy and tasteless.

Buy the right kind of tofu.
Press your tofu before cooking.
Use small pieces.
Use oil-free marinades.
Marinate your tofu thoroughly.
Use the right breading.

Mar 9, 2021