Description
This Honey Garlic Tofu recipe offers a deliciously crispy tofu coated in a sticky, flavorful homemade honey garlic sauce. Perfect as a main dish served over rice or with vegetables, it balances sweet, savory, and mildly spicy notes, making it a satisfying vegetarian meal that’s quick and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Tofu
- 1 block firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Honey Garlic Sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Thickening Agent
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Garnish (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Press the tofu: Wrap the tofu block in a clean kitchen towel and place a heavy object on top to press out excess moisture for 10-15 minutes, which helps achieve a crispier texture when cooked.
- Cut the tofu: Once pressed, cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes to prepare for frying.
- Heat the oil: Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat.
- Arrange tofu in pan: Place the tofu cubes evenly in a single layer in the hot skillet, making sure not to overcrowd the pan for even cooking.
- Cook tofu: Fry the tofu cubes for 3-4 minutes per side, carefully flipping to achieve a golden brown and crispy exterior.
- Drain excess oil: Remove the tofu from the skillet and place on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any extra oil.
- Sauté garlic: In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
- Mix honey garlic sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes until fully combined.
- Prepare cornstarch slurry: Dissolve cornstarch in water in a separate small bowl to create a slurry for thickening the sauce.
- Add sauce to skillet: Pour the prepared honey garlic sauce into the skillet with garlic, stirring to blend the flavors.
- Simmer sauce: Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat, cooking for 2-3 minutes until it starts to thicken.
- Thicken sauce: Stir in the cornstarch slurry continuously and cook for 1-2 minutes more until the sauce thickens further.
- Toss tofu in sauce: Return the crispy tofu cubes to the skillet and gently toss to coat each piece evenly with the honey garlic sauce.
- Finish cooking: Let the tofu cook in the sauce for another 2-3 minutes so it absorbs all the flavors.
- Add garnish: Sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped green onions over the tofu for added texture and flavor, if desired.
- Serve: Serve the honey garlic tofu hot with steamed rice or your favorite vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Pressing tofu is key to achieving a crispy texture—don’t skip this step.
- You can substitute honey with maple syrup for a vegan alternative.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the heat level according to your preference.
- This dish can be prepared gluten-free by using tamari or a gluten-free soy sauce alternative.
- For an extra crunch, try pan-frying tofu in vegetable oil instead of olive oil.
