Crispy Mongolian Tofu (Gluten-Free and Vegan)
This gluten-free, vegan Crispy Mongolian Tofu recipe + post is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market and contains affiliate links.
The hubby and I aren’t on a vegan or gluten-free diet, but we have plenty of friends who are. So, I’m always looking for tasty recipes to serve when having dinner at our place. Which is how I ended up making Crispy Mongolian Tofu, It’s one of my hubby’s favorite dishes from one of our local Chinese joints. And since it was already vegan, I decided to see if I could make it gluten-free as well.
I have to admit this dish is now one of my favorites as well. And so much easier to make than I expected. Since most Chinese food seems to require a lot of steps, Crispy Mongolian Tofu was much less complicated. Plus, by making it at home, I’m able to use A LOT more of the delicious veggies. And A LOT less frying.
The Tofu for Crispy Mongolian Tofu
I found all the ingredients for this dish, including the extra-firm tofu, at my local Sprouts Farmers Market. As you know, Sprouts is one of my top favorite places to shop since moving to Colorado. They always manage to surprise me with the selection of fresh fruits and veggies that they stock. And the REASONABLY priced organic products and beautiful party trays, which you can see in the photo from a recent Denver Blogger’s Club meetup.
Let’s talk a bit more about the extra-firm organic tofu from Sprouts. Not even my local Asian market carries extra-firm tofu, only firm. While you can use firm in this recipe, you do have to be gentle to prevent breaking while cooking. I prefer the extra-firm because it doesn’t break up as easily and for the texture. Btw, the extra-firm tofu is also an excellent substitute for the pork in my Pork Pot Stickers and an excellent starter for pairing with Crispy Mongolian Tofu.
To make the tofu crispy, I drain and press the tofu under a heavy pot. Then I cut into cubes and lightly coat with cornstarch before frying. The cornstarch helps give the tofu the crunchy golden-brown texture. But if you would rather, bake the cubes on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 425 F oven, turning occasionally to brown on all sides.
Substitutions
I really do love how easy and flavorful this dish is. It tastes so good that you almost feel like you’re cheating on your diet. And I never miss the meat! Of course, if you want meat, switch in equals portions of chicken, pork, or beef, or go the seafood route. It’ll be just as delicious.
Like all my recipes, this one is just a guideline. Switch in or out whatever veggies you like or don’t like (from your local Sprouts) for your favorites. And don’t forget to adjust the spicy heat levels to your taste buds. The hubby and I like our food spicy.
Taking Out the Crispy Mongolian Tofu
Hubby loves my Crispy Mongolian tofu recipe. In fact, he says it’s better than our local takeout which is quite a compliment. I’m sure you’ll love it too since it’s pretty good for satisfying those Chinese food cravings. Plus, it’s inexpensive to make and YUMMY!
And if you already haven’t discovered the magical savings and goodness at Sprouts Farmers Market in your hometown, make sure you check it out soon because you are missing out. And if you don’t have a Sprouts, hopefully, you’ll get one soon since they are expanding.
If you have questions or just want to let me know about your cooking experience with making the Crispy Mongolian Tofu, leave me a comment.
Gluten-Free Vegan Crispy Mongolian Tofu
Ingredients
- 16 oz firm or extra firm tofu cut into 1″ cubes
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger grated
- ½ cup cornstarch
- Sunflower or vegetable oil for frying tofu
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- ½ red bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 medium carrots sliced
- 1 small zucchini
- ½ cup fresh basil chopped
- 2 green onions sliced
- Sesame oil for sauteing vegetables
Sauce
- ¾ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 2 Tbsp rice or white vinegar
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ to 1 tsp red pepper flakes to your taste
- Juice from 1 lime
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 to 3 Tbsp cornstarch for thickening
- 2 to 3 Tbsp cold water
- 2 to 3 Tbsp. cold water
Instructions
- Drain tofu. Marinade in soy sauce and fresh ginger for at least an hour. Drain excess soy sauce and toss in cornstarch.
- Heat sunflower or vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add tofu and cook on each side until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Heat sesame oil in the wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Toss in broccoli and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from pan, set aside and do same with pepper, carrots, and zucchini.
- Turn heat down to medium and add all the sauce ingredients in the wok or large skillet, except the cornstarch. Bring to a gentle boil. thickness, remove from heat.
- Mix cornstarch with cold water. Slowly pour into the sauce, stirring continuously. When sauce has thickened to desired
- Add reserved veggies and crispy tofu back to the pan along with the green onions.
- Serve over jasmine rice or gluten-free noodles.