Ginger Orange Tofu with Sesame Spinach

Ginger. Orange. It sounds complicated but it’s not. Press the tofu, slice it, fry it till it’s golden and the edges go sort of crispy. The sauce comes together while that’s happening — orange juice, marmalade, fresh ginger grated right in, a touch of heat. Everything hits the pan at once near the end. Done in 40 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Ginger Orange Tofu

Takes 20 minutes to prep and another 20 to cook. No waiting around. Tastes like you spent an actual afternoon in the kitchen. Doesn’t require that. Spicy but not aggressively. The sriracha’s optional — skip it if you don’t want heat. Works as a full dinner or a side for something else. The sauce sticks. Doesn’t just slide off the tofu. Actually coats it.

What You Need for Pan Fried Tofu With Orange Marmalade

Two blocks of firm tofu. Press them first — that matters. Wrapped in towels, weighted down, 15 minutes minimum. You need the water out or nothing gets crispy.

Fresh ginger. Grated. Not the paste in the jar. Not powdered. Three quarters of an ounce. Sounds like a lot. Isn’t.

Orange juice. Fresh if you have it. Bottled works. Four tablespoons. Marmalade — the kind with actual rind in it — three tablespoons. Tamari because regular soy sauce is too salty here.

Sesame oil. Toasted. That matters. Two teaspoons for the spinach.

Baby spinach. Half a pound. Goes bright green when it hits heat, then softens down to almost nothing. Wilts in less than five minutes.

Vegetable oil for frying. Sesame oil would burn. Don’t use it for the pan.

Scallions. Black sesame seeds. Cornstarch — a teaspoon and a half — to thicken everything at the end.

Garlic cloves. Two. Minced. Or not minced. Just small enough they cook through.

The sriracha or chili paste is optional. Five milliliters if you want it.

How to Make Ginger Orange Tofu

Get the sauce started first. Whisk the chicken broth — it sounds weird in a vegetarian dish but it works — with the orange juice, marmalade, tamari, grated ginger, minced garlic, cornstarch, and the chili paste if you’re using it. Just stir until it looks smooth. Set it aside. Doesn’t need heat yet.

Heat a large pan over medium. Pour in the sesame oil. Dump the spinach in and stir it constantly for four to five minutes. Sounds like nothing but the leaves need to break down and the water needs to release. Taste it. Salt and pepper it. Honestly you can’t mess this up. Drain it well — this is crucial, water makes everything soggy — and transfer it to a bowl. Sprinkle the black sesame seeds on top. Leave it there. Keep it warm.

Wipe the pan. You want it clean. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the vegetable oil. Let it heat for maybe a minute. You’ll see it start to shimmer. That’s when you go.

How to Get Pan Fried Tofu Crispy and Golden

Lay the tofu slices in the oil. Don’t crowd it. You need space between each piece. They should sizzle the moment they touch the pan. If they don’t, wait another half minute.

Two and a half minutes on the first side. Don’t move them. Just leave them alone. You’ll see the edges go sort of golden tan — darker than the middle. That’s exactly what you want. Flip. Another two and a half minutes on the back. It should look like old wood now. Caramelized. Remove it to a plate.

Do it again with the remaining tofu.

This is when you pour the sauce into the pan. Medium heat. Bring it to a boil — you’ll see it bubble and start to thicken immediately because of the cornstarch. Reduce the heat and let it go for three to four minutes. Stir occasionally. It should go glossy and thick. Like glaze, not like soup.

Toss the tofu back in. One minute. Just one. Make sure every piece gets coated.

Easy Tofu Stir Fry Tips and Common Mistakes

Press the tofu longer if it’s still wet. Wet tofu steams instead of frying. Not worth it.

The orange marmalade is doing two things — it’s flavoring and thickening. Don’t skip the cornstarch thinking the marmalade will do it alone. It won’t.

Fresh ginger is essential. Powdered ginger is a different taste entirely. Use what you have but know they’re not the same.

Don’t add the scallions until the very end. Heat kills the sharp green taste. You want that fresh bite on top.

The spinach should be almost aggressively wilted. It’ll continue breaking down when it sits. Undercook it slightly if you like texture.

Salt the spinach separate from everything else. The sauce has enough salt already. The tofu doesn’t need extra.

Vegetarian asian tofu recipes usually skip the chicken broth and people worry about it. Doesn’t matter. It adds depth. Use vegetable broth if it makes you feel better. Works the same.

Ginger Orange Tofu with Sesame Spinach

By Emma

Prep:

20 min

Cook:

20 min

Total:

40 min

Servings:

4 servings

Ingredients

• Sauce
• 100 ml chicken broth
• 75 ml fresh orange juice
• 40 ml orange marmalade
• 40 ml tamari soy sauce
• 25 ml grated fresh ginger
• 6 ml cornstarch (1.5 tsp)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 ml sriracha or chili paste (optional twist)
• Tofu and greens
• 250 g baby spinach
• 20 ml toasted sesame oil
• 15 ml black sesame seeds
• 2 blocks firm tofu (350 g each), pressed and sliced 1.2 cm thick
• 30 ml vegetable oil
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

Method

1. Sauce
2. 1 1 Whisk chicken broth, orange juice, marmalade, tamari, ginger, garlic, chili paste, and cornstarch in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Tofu and spinach
4. 2 2 Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour in sesame oil. Add spinach. Stir, cook 4 to 5 minutes until wilted but still bright. Season with salt and pepper. Drain well, transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds. Keep warm.
5. 3 3 Wipe pan clean if needed, raise heat to medium-high. Add vegetable oil. Fry half tofu pieces 2.5 minutes each side, till golden and caramelized. Remove to plate. Repeat with remaining tofu.
6. 4 4 Pour sauce into pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until thickened and glossy.
7. 5 5 Return tofu to pan, toss to coat evenly. Warm through for 1 minute.
8. 6 6 Sprinkle scallions on top. Serve tofu sauced, spinach on side. Rice if desired.

Nutritional information

Calories

320

Protein

22g

Carbs

15g

Fat

18g

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Frequently Asked Questions About Ginger Orange Tofu

Can I use silken tofu instead of firm? No. It falls apart the second heat hits it. Firm or extra-firm only. Press it. Actually press it.

What if I don’t have sesame oil? Use a different oil for the spinach. Olive oil. Vegetable oil. It won’t be the same but the spinach doesn’t require it. The sesame seeds do the flavor work.

Does the spicy ginger tofu recipe need the sriracha? No. The ginger does the work. The sriracha just pushes it further if you want actual heat. Skip it or double it.

Can I make this tofu stir fry ahead? The sauce yes. The tofu no — it gets soft if it sits in liquid. Make it and serve it right away. Spinach reheats fine.

How do I know when the tofu is done cooking? Look for that dark golden edge. Not brown. Not burnt. The color of old wood. You’ll feel the difference too — it’s firmer outside, still soft in the middle.

Is there a substitute for orange marmalade? Maybe. Honey and orange zest would work. Apricot jam with a squeeze of orange juice. Haven’t tried anything else so can’t say for sure. The marmalade is why this recipe works though.

Can I add other vegetables to this easy tofu pan fry? Sure. Bell peppers. Snap peas. Carrots. Just add them at the right time — softer stuff last so it doesn’t turn to mush. The spinach works because it cooks fast and gets out of the way.