Orange Glazed Crispy Tofu and Broccoli
Are you a fan of orange chicken? If so, you know this recipe speaks to you! Orange Glazed Crispy Tofu and Broccoli is a vegetarian riff on the Chinese classic that’s baked (not fried!). The key to the crispiness of the tofu is the craggy edges that are formed by hand-tearing the tofu. The tofu then gets coated in cornstarch and baked. Orange Glazed Crispy Tofu and Broccoli is crispy, orange-y, vegetable-y and very tasty.
Jump to RecipeIngredients
Organize the ingredients – extra firm tofu, olive oil, cornstarch, broccoli, orange juice and zest, scallions, garlic, gluten free soy sauce, honey, unseasoned rice vinegar, and sriracha. Sesame seeds (any color) and cashews are great finishers for this recipe.
Pressing the Tofu
Drain one 14-oz. block extra-firm tofu and wrap in a few layers of paper towels or a clean dish towel and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or parchment (for easier clean up). Weigh down tofu with something heavy, such as a large pan, and let sit 10 minutes.
Tearing the Tofu and Coating in Cornstarch
Unwrap tofu, then break into craggy pieces with your hands (1-1 1/2” pieces) and place tofu into a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons cornstarch and thoroughly combine tofu and cornstarch making sure to fully coat the tofu.
Roasting the Tofu and Broccoli
Then transfer tofu to a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and push tofu to one side. Add broccoli florets and stems to other side of the pan and season everything with salt, freshly ground pepper and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Use your hands or tongs to toss to coat. Roast until broccoli is charred in spots and tofu is pale golden and slightly crispy, 30–35 minutes.
Making the Orange Glaze
While tofu and broccoli are cooking, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch and ¼ cup cold water in a small bowl or measuring cup until cornstarch is dissolved (remix before using!) and set aside.
In a small saucepan, add zest and juice of 1 orange plus 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice, 2 scallions thinly sliced, 3 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced, 2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional), and stir to combine. Place saucepan over medium heat and once glaze is bubbling, add cornstarch mixture 1 teaspoon at a time (you may only need 2-3 teaspoons) until desired sauce thickness is reached, about 3 minutes. Adjust heat as necessary to keep glaze at full simmer.
Combining the Orange Glaze with the Tofu and Broccoli
Pour half of orange glaze over broccoli and tofu and toss to coat.
Orange Glazed Crispy Tofu and Broccoli
Serve on a platter over steamed jasmine rice or rice vermecelli noodles, drizzle with additional orange glaze, and garnish with scallions, orange zest, cashews (optional), and sesame seeds (optional).
Orange Glazed Crispy Tofu and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 14- oz. block extra-firm tofu drained, wrapped in paper or clean dish towels, and pressed for 10 minutes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 medium head of broccoli crown cut into small-ish 2″–3″ florets, stem peeled, cut into ¾” pieces
- season tofu and broccoli with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Orange Glaze
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch combined with 1/4 cup cold water
- 1 orange zested (reserve some as garnish) and juiced
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 scallions thinly sliced, reserve some for garnish
- 3 cloves garlic finely grated or minced
- 2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce I use San-J
- 2 tablespoons honey your favorite kind
- 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sriracha optional
Finishers
- 1/4 cup cashews toasted, optional
- Sesame seeds any color, optional
- Serve with steamed rice or cooked rice vermicelli noodles and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°. Drain one 14-oz. block extra-firm tofu and wrap in a few layers of paper towels or clean dish towels and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or parchment (for easier clean up). Weigh down tofu with something heavy, such as a large pan, and let sit 10 minutes.
- Unwrap tofu, then break into craggy pieces with your hands (1-1 1/2” pieces) and place tofu into a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons cornstarch and thoroughly combine tofu and cornstarch making sure to fully coat the tofu. Transfer tofu to a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and push tofu to one side. Add broccoli florets and stems to other side of the pan and season everything with salt, freshly ground pepper and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Use your hands or tongs to toss to coat. Roast until broccoli is charred in spots and tofu is pale golden and slightly crispy, 30–35 minutes.
- Note: For Air Fryer usage, set temperature to 425 degrees. In my air fryer tray I am able to fit the broccoli and tofu together but it’s a bit crowded. So after 15 minutes the broccoli was cooked to perfection but the tofu wasn't crisped enough. So I transferred the broccoli to a plate and spread out the remaining tofu and continued cooking for another 10 minutes, until tofu was pale golden and crispy.
Orange Glaze
- While tofu and broccoli are cooking, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch and ¼ cup cold water in a small bowl or measuring cup until cornstarch is dissolved (remix before using!) and set aside. In a small saucepan, add zest and juice of 1 orange plus 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice, 2 scallions thinly sliced, 3 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced, 2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar, and 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional), and stir to combine. Place saucepan over medium heat and once glaze is bubbling, add cornstarch mixture 1 teaspoon at a time (you may only need 2-3 teaspoons) until desired sauce thickness is reached, about 3 minutes. Adjust heat as necessary to keep glaze at full simmer, not at a full boil.
Assembly
- Pour half of orange glaze over broccoli and tofu and toss to coat. Serve on a platter over steamed jasmine rice or rice vermecelli noodles, drizzle with additional orange glaze, and garnish with scallions, orange zest, cashews (optional), and sesame seeds (optional).
Notes
Recipe from Epicurious and modified by me.
If you like this GFchow recipe, you may also like these other recipes. Crispy Tofu with Maple-Soy Glaze, Roasted Broccoli with Thai Style Dressing, and Crispy Whole Duck á L’Orange.
Gluten Free Disclaimer
The recipes you find here are considered by me to be gluten free. However, it is up to you to make sure the ingredients you use are gluten free. Whenever possible, I will list specific brands of ingredients that I use, but always be sure to check the labels yourself to verify the item is gluten free.
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