Pan-Fried Garlic Tofu

completed Vegan Garlicky-Ginger Tofu Triangles on a white serving platter with marinade and green onions scattered throughout

4.92 from 46 votes

With a combination of salty, sweet, slightly spicy, and umami-rich flavors, this pan-fried garlic tofu is packed with flavor and perfect with grains, stir-fries, and more. Gluten-free and sugar-free options included!

Prep Time2

Cook Time10

Total Time2 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings: -6 servings

Calories: 150kcal

Author: Toni Okamoto

Equipment

Ingredients

14 to 16 ounces of extra-firm tofu, drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
3 stalks of green onion, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
Juice of 1 small lemon
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoon of fresh ginger, grated
¼ cup of water
2 tablespoons of oil

Instructions

Cut tofu into ⅓ inch thick triangular slices, place in a large casserole dish, and set aside.
To create the marinade, thoroughly mix together the rest of the ingredients (except the oil) in a medium bowl and pour over the tofu. Allow tofu to sit for a minimum of two hours, or overnight for a richer taste. Flip tofu halfway in-between.
Once the tofu is marinated, place a large sauté pan over high heat. Add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add as many tofu slices as will fit in one layer. Cook until tofu is browned on the bottom, 2-3 minutes. Flip the pieces, and brown on the other side, about 2 minutes. Pour in the marinade mixture, and cook until tofu darkens slightly, about 45 seconds. Flip tofu and repeat.
Garnish with remaining thinly sliced green onion.

Video

Notes

Change the tofu shape: Keep it in triangle or rectangle slices or chop it down into tofu cubes. Change the shape according to your dish. Slice the pieces evenly so they cook at the same rate.
Allow the tofu to sear: Add the marinated tofu to a searing hot pan and allow it to cook until browned and seared, then flip. This isn’t a recipe where you want to be stirring a lot.
For crispier results: I recommend pressing the tofu for 30 minutes before marinating it. You can also remove excess marinade from the tofu with clean paper towels before lightly dusting the tofu triangles in cornstarch to pan fry until crispy before adding the ginger garlic sauce.

Nutrition