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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Asian Sticky Tofu [Oil Free]

    Published: Jul 16, 2022 by Rosa · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

    340 shares
    JUMP TO RECIPE

    Sweet, spicy, and sticky tofu is crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. This Asian-inspired dish is absolutely bursting with flavour and guaranteed to impress even the pickiest of eaters.

    Side view of tofu with red sauce and rice on the side.

    If you’re craving takeout, but avoiding oil and all the grease that typically comes with it, you HAVE to try this Asian sticky tofu!

    It’s flavourful, crispy, and utterly delicious. This whole food plant-based dish will impress even the most skeptical of eaters.

    In fact, even if you think you don’t like tofu, I bet you’ll love this dish.

    Just like my air fried tofu, the tofu is crisp and packed with flavour. Pair it with plain steamed rice, coconut rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice for a lighter meal.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients + Substitutions
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • Expert Tips
    • More delicious tofu recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    Chopsticks picking up a cube of tofu with red sauce, sesame seeds and chives on top.

    Ingredients + Substitutions

    Here’s everything you’ll need to make this delicious Asian sticky tofu.

    Ingredients needed to make Asian sticky tofu are scattered on kitchen counter.
    See recipe card for quantities.

    For the tofu

    • Tofu: Use extra firm tofu, and make sure to press the tofu first to remove excess liquid. This will maximize the crispiness. You don’t need a fancy tofu press, just follow my quick press method in the recipe card below.
    • Soy sauce: Use low sodium soy sauce or low sodium Tamari if you require a gluten free option. If needed, you can always add more salt, but since we’re using a fair bit of soy sauce, it’s best to use low sodium.
    • Onion powder + garlic powder: Adds flavour to your tofu while baking.
    • Brown rice flour: Adds a crispy outer layer to your tofu cubes, while keeping this dish gluten-free and cornstarch free.

    For the sticky tofu sauce

    • Soy sauce: Use low sodium soy sauce or low sodium Tamari if you require a gluten free option. If needed, you can always add more salt, but since we’re using a fair bit of soy sauce, it’s best to use low sodium.
    • Rice vinegar: Adds tang and flavour to the sticky marinade. You may sub with apple cider vinegar if you don’t have any rice vinegar on hand.
    • Coconut sugar: Coconut sugar is unrefined, so I prefer using it over refined options. However, brown sugar, or even maple syrup or date syrup would work well in its place, so use what you have and prefer.
    • Flour: I use brown rice flour here as well. This time, it’s being used to slightly thicken the sticky sauce.
    • Sriracha: Adds a subtle heat to the dish, but is not overpowering. It compliments the sweet notes perfectly. I prefer sriracha, but you may use any hot sauce you like.
    • Garlic + ginger: Adds extra flavour to the marinade.

    Instructions

    (This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

    First, cut your tofu into bite size pieces and press it using my quick press method described in the recipe card below.

    Cubes of tofu in glass bowl with flour on top.

    Place the tofu cubes and soy sauce (or Tamari) in a small bowl and gently stir. (photo 1)

    Tofu cubes in glass bowl with soy sauce and seasoning.

    Then add the seasoning and flour and continue mixing until evenly distributed. (photo 2)

    Tofu cubes on baking sheet lined with parchment paper before baking.

    Arrange the coated tofu pieces in a single layer, with plenty of space in between each one. (photo 3)

    Baked tofu pieces on baking sheet.

    Bake until crispy and golden, approx. 25-30 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point. (photo 4)

    Soy sauce, minced garlic, seasoning and flour in large cast iron pan.

    While the tofu is baking, add all the sauce ingredients to a medium pan. (photo 5)

    Red marinade in cast iron pan being whisked.

    Whisk and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. (photo 6)

    Tofu pieces in pan with red sauce being mixed.

    Turn off the heat and add the crispy tofu pieces to the pan with the sauce. (photo 7)

    Cast iron pan with tofu covered in thick red sauce.

    Gently toss to evenly coat each piece with the sticky tofu marinade. (photo 8)

    Then serve with rice or noodles, and garnish with sesame seeds and chives.

    Sticky tofu in plate with rice beside it.

    Variations

    Love the idea of sticky tofu but want to change it up? Here’s a few fun ideas for you.

    • Asian sticky chickpeas: Use the same marinade with 3 cups of canned or cooked chickpeas.
    • Sticky soy curls: Rehydrate approx. 4 ounces of soy curls in broth and then pan fry with the marinade for 5-8 minutes.
    • Orange tofu: Use the same method to bake your tofu, but change the sauce to this delicious orange sauce.
    • Sweet + sour tofu: Use the same method to bake your tofu, but change the sauce to this amazing sweet and sour sauce.

    Or check out this super CRISPY tofu you can make in your air fryer.

    Storage

    Your sticky tofu will taste best when freshly made. As it sits in the sauce, the tofu will start to lose some of its crispiness. Plan to enjoy it straight away.

    If you have leftovers, keep them in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheat on stovetop. To reheat, add a splash of water to the pan of tofu to loosen the sauce.

    Although the flavour will still be amazing, the texture will lose some of its crispiness the longer it sits.

    Expert Tips

    • Arrange the cubes of tofu in a single layer with space in between each piece. They shouldn’t touch each other on the baking tray in order to get the maximum crisp level.
    • If you don’t have a convection oven, it may take an extra few minutes to get your tofu crispy. Bake until desired crispiness level is reached.
    • For best texture, plan to enjoy your Asian sticky tofu immediately. The longer it sits in the sauce, it will begin to lose some of its crispy exterior.

    More delicious tofu recipes

    • Silken Tofu Scramble [Or Soft Tofu]
    • Vegan Tofu Cream Cheese [Oil Free]
    • Vegan French Toast Sticks [Oil Free]
    • Vegan Key Lime Pie [Low Sugar + No Oil]

    If you tried this recipe, please let me know about it in the comments below. I always love hearing from you! Don’t forget to Subscribe to This Healthy Kitchen to be among the first to get my new recipes! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see more delicious food and get all the latest updates.

    Buon appetito

    Rosa

    📖 Recipe

    Side view of tofu with red sauce and rice on the side.

    Asian Sticky Tofu

    Sweet, spicy, and sticky tofu is crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. This Asian-inspired dish is absolutely bursting with flavour and guaranteed to impress.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Course: Main, Main Course
    Cuisine: Asian
    Servings: 4 Servings
    Calories: 154kcal
    Author: Rosa

    Ingredients

    For the tofu

    • 12 ounces (340 grams) extra firm tofu
    • 2 tablespoons low sodium tamari or low sodium soy sauce if not avoiding gluten
    • 2 tablespoons brown rice flour
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

    For the sticky tofu sauce

    • â…“ cup low sodium tamari or soy sauce
    • â…“ cup unrefined coconut sugar or brown sugar
    • â…“ cup water
    • ¼ cup rice vinegar
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon sriracha or hot sauce of choice
    • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
    • 2 tablespoons brown rice flour

    For serving (optional)

    • Vermicelli noodles or brown rice
    • green onion or chives
    • sesame seeds
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Press the tofu

    • Cut your tofu into half-inch cubes. Then arrange some paper towels or a clean dish towel on a cutting board and place the tofu cubes in a single layer on top. Now add more paper towels on top of the cubes and place another cutting board, flat plate, or baking sheet on top. Finally, place something very heavy on top like a cast-iron skillet or a heavy book. Press like this for 15 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

    For the tofu

    • Preheat the oven to 425°F/218°C convection bake and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Once the tofu is pressed, place the cubes in a medium mixing bowl with the 2 tablespoons of tamari and gently mix. Then add the 2 tablespoons of flour, and the onion and garlic powder. Mix gently to evenly coat the pieces.
    • Arrange the coated tofu cubes in a single layer on your baking sheet, leaving plenty of space in between each piece. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point.
      NOTE: If you do not have a convection oven, it may take a little longer to reach desired crispiness.

    For the sticky tofu sauce

    • While the tofu is baking, combine all the sticky tofu sauce ingredients in a medium pan. Whisk to combine and simmer for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Then turn off the heat.
    • Add the baked tofu to the pan with the sauce and gently toss to coat each piece.
    • Serve your sticky tofu with rice or noodles, and top with green onion or chives and sesame seeds.

    Notes

    Arrange the cubes of tofu in a single layer with space in between each piece. They shouldn’t touch each other on the baking tray in order to get the maximum crisp level.
    If you don’t have a convection oven, it may take an extra few minutes to get your tofu crispy. Bake until desired crispiness level is reached.
    For the best texture, plan to enjoy your Asian sticky tofu immediately. The longer it sits in the sauce, it will begin to lose some of its crispy exterior.
    This sticky tofu dish tastes best when freshly made. However, leftovers will keep refrigerated in a sealed container for 3-4 days. To reheat, add a splash of water to the pan of tofu to loosen the sauce.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1222mg | Potassium: 291mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
    DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE?Mention @this.healthy.kitchen on IG and tag #thishealthykitchen!
    *Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools and does not include optional ingredients unless otherwise indicated.
    340 shares

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    1. Cheryl Garcia

      July 21, 2022 at 5:58 pm

      5 stars
      Yup, another wonderful recipe! Decided to use the outdoor propane grill since the day is so hot and I don’t need to add heat indoors by using the oven. Was a bit surprised how low I needed to keep the settings to get it down to 425, but a bit of extra heat hasn’t hurt the tofu at all, in fact I’ll be adding it to the sticky sauce soon and if it’s extra crispy-crunchy, that will be extra yummy!

      Reply
      • Rosa

        July 21, 2022 at 8:58 pm

        Thanks so much for sharing your process with us Cheryl. 🙂

        Reply
      • Debbie

        July 26, 2022 at 6:52 am

        Hi Rosa , could I make this in the air fryer? Too hot to turn the oven on 🙂

        Reply
        • Rosa

          July 26, 2022 at 10:17 am

          You can make the tofu using this air fryer method and then mix it with the sauce. 🙂

          Reply
          • Debbie

            July 26, 2022 at 11:06 am

            I’ll check it out, thanks Rosa.

            Reply

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