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Fork on a plate taking a bite of kung pao tofu and cauliflower served over rice.
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4.35 from 29 votes

Kung Pao Tofu

This kung pao tofu is a lightened-up, vegan take on a classic Chinese take-out dish. It's spicy, flavorful and paired with roasted cauliflower for extra veggies.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Course: Lunch/Dinner
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: kung pao tofu
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces extra firm tofu pressed and chopped into small cubes
  • 1 medium head cauliflower about 4-6 cups
  • 3 Tablespoons avocado oil divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small knob ginger minced (about 1-2 inches)
  • ½ cup chopped green onions white and greens separated
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 3 Tablespoons chopped salted peanuts
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • cooked white brown or cauliflower rice, for serving
  • sriracha for serving

Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons low sodium tamari or soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons chili garlic paste/sauce I used Sambal Oelek
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 400° F and press tofu to remove liquid. 
  • Roast cauliflower: Cut or break the head of cauliflower into florets, discarding the core and stem or saving it for another use. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons avocado oil and ¼ teaspoon salt. Spread the florets on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes or until cauliflower is golden brown in some spots.
  • Prepare sauce: In a large bowl, whisk together the tamari, rice vinegar, tomato paste, chili sauce, hoisin sauce and sesame oil. Add pressed and chopped tofu into the bowl, toss and marinate in the sauce.
  • Sauté tofu: When cauliflower has about 5 minutes left, add remaining 1 tablespoon of avocado oil into a large skillet. Once oil is hot, add garlic, ginger, ¼ cup scallions (just the white parts) and crushed red pepper. Sauté until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the marinated tofu with its sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes, until tofu is warm throughout.
  • Add cauliflower: Once cauliflower is done roasting, add roasted cauliflower and chopped peanuts to the pan with the sauce and tofu. Toss until everything is well coated.
  • Serve: Remove from heat, serve over rice of choice and sprinkle with chopped cilantro and remaining green onions. Top with sriracha for even more heat, if desired. 

Notes

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of recipe without rice | Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 788mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g