• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Greenbowl2soul
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Drinks
    • Snacks
    • Side dishes
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Main course
    • Sweet Treats
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact Us
ร—
Home ยป Side dishes

Chili Garlic Tofu

Published: Apr 6, 2023 by Vandana Chauhan. This post may contain affiliate links.

1267 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

Chili garlic tofu is a simple Asian dish that can be served in the main course with rice and noodles or enjoyed as an appetizer. It gets ready in just 30 minutes, needs a handful of ingredients, and is very tasty.

Close up shot of spicy tofu garnished with chopped spring onion greens.

My love for tofu can be guessed from the large number of tofu recipes on my blog. I can never have enough of it.

However, as shared earlier also my first experience with Tofu wasn't that pleasant and I had to throw the entire pot of the first tofu dish I made at home. I am quite against wasting food and even then I had to do this tells how bad my first tofu dish was.

Later, I learned the correct way of making tofu and now you will always find at least one block of tofu in my fridge.

Today's recipe- Chili garlic tofu is one of my simplest tofu recipes yet it's my favorite.

If you love garlic and you also love some heat in your food then I am sure you will love this hot garlic tofu recipe.

Jump to:
  • What's needed to make chili garlic tofu?
  • Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
  • How to make (step by steps instructions)?
  • Serving tips
  • Storing and reheating tips
  • Make ahead tips
  • Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions
  • Frequently asked questions
  • More easy tofu recipes
  • Recipe

What's needed to make chili garlic tofu?

To make this spicy chili garlic tofu, you will need the ingredients shown below:

Ingredients required for spicy garlic tofu, labeled.

Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions

  • Tofu: I have used extra firm tofu. It's easier to handle and gives a nice chewy and meaty texture. However, you can also use firm or medium firm tofu. Don't use silken tofu in this recipe.
  • Chili oil: You will easily find it in any Asian grocery store but making it at home is also very easy and it gets ready in just 5 minutes. You can check out my chili oil recipe if you want to make it at home.
  • Oyster mushroom sauce: It's the vegan version of oyster sauce that's made with oyster mushrooms. You can also use any other Asian stir-fry sauce of your choice.
  • Vegetable oil: Canola oil or any neutral flavored oil can also be used in this recipe.
  • Brown sugar: Palm sugar, coconut sugar, or regular white sugar can be used too.

How to make (step by steps instructions)?

Collage of images of steps 1 to 4 spicy garlic tofu recipe.

Step 1: Wrap the tofu block in a thick paper kitchen towel. Put the wrapped tofu block on a flat surface, keep a plate on top of it, and then press it with something heavy like a jar of beans. Leave like this for at least 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can also use a tofu press.

Step 2: After 15 minutes take out the tofu block. Cut it into bite-size pieces.

Step 3: Add chili oil, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Gently toss until all the cubes get evenly coated in the oil.

Step 4: Spread the tofu cubes on a baking tray lined with a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for around 12-15 minutes or until the outer layer of tofu starts turning brown.

Collage of images of steps 5 to 8 spicy garlic tofu recipe.

Step 5: Heat vegetable oil in a skillet. Add minced garlic and the white part of spring onion. Saute for a few seconds or until the raw smell of garlic goes away.

Step 6: Add brown sugar, ground black pepper, soy sauce, and oyster mushroom sauce. Mix and saute for a minute. You can also add more chili oil with the sauces.

Step 7: Add baked tofu cubes and chopped onion greens.

Step 8: Saute for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with more chopped spring onion greens.

Your quick and easy spicy chili garlic tofu is ready to be enjoyed!

A tofu cube picked up with chopsticks over a plate of chili garlic tofu

Serving tips

Chili garlic tofu can be served with any rice or noodle dish in the main course.

You can also enjoy it as an appetizer.

I also love adding it to my Asian buddha bowl or stuffing it in my Asian wraps.

Storing and reheating tips

Store the leftover chili oil tofu in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days, it will be fine.

To reheat, microwave for a few minutes.

Else, reheat on the stovetop. For that, transfer the dish to a pan, add a splash of water, and saute for a few minutes on a medium flame until heated well.

Make ahead tips

If you want to do some preparation in advance, bake the tofu cubes and either refrigerate them for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

To freeze the baked tofu cubes, spread them on a baking tray in a single layer and freeze for 2-3 hours. Then, transfer the frozen tofu cubes to a zip lock bag or a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

On busy days, you can quickly prepare a dish within 10 minutes by sauteeing garlic and spring onion, adding the sauce blend, and then throwing in the baked tofu cubes.

If using frozen tofu cubes, thaw them before adding them to the sauce.

Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions

  • To marinate tofu, use fewer chili pieces and more oil from the chili oil. You can also strain the chili oil and then use it in the marination.
  • While mixing tofu cubes and chili oil, toss gently otherwise the tofu cubes will break.
  • You can also use your hands to toss the tofu cubes but since we are using chili oil, wear gloves for tossing with your hands.
  • Don't over-bake the tofu cubes otherwise, they will lose all the moisture and become extra chewy.
  • You can also pan-fry tofu cubes instead of baking them. For crispier tofu cubes, add cornstarch or rice flour while marinating them.
  • You can also add a few tablespoons of chili oil with sauces to make the dish spicier.
  • The oyster mushroom sauce can also be replaced with any other Asian stir-fry sauce of your choice.
  • Instead of spring onion, bok choy or spinach can be used too. You can also add all of them.

Frequently asked questions

How to make this garlic tofu with more sauce instead of making it dry?

If you want to make chili garlic tofu with some gravy, after adding the sauces, add 1.5-2 cups of water and let it boil. In a bowl mix ¼ cup of water at room temperature with 1.5 tablespoons of cornstarch and add to the boiling sauce. Stir continuously and cook until the sauce thickens. Add baked tofu cubes and cook for another minute.

Can I skip the step of pressing the tofu block?

Yes, you can skip that step. However, the tofu will absorb the flavors better if pressed.

More easy tofu recipes

Looking for more easy tofu recipe ideas? Don't miss to check the following links:

  1. Vietnamese tomato tofu
  2. Tofu in peanut sauce
  3. Pineapple tofu
  4. Orange tofu
  5. Tofu fried rice
  6. Lemongrass tofu
  7. Sweet and sour tofu
  8. Thai green curry with tofu
Chili garlic tofu served on a black plate.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the recipe card below. You can also follow me on Instagram, Youtube, and Pinterest.

Recipe

Chili garlic tofu garnished with chopped spring onion greens.

Chili Garlic Tofu

Chili garlic tofu is a simple Asian dish that can be served in the main course with rice and noodles or enjoyed as an appetizer. It gets ready in 30 minutes, needs a handful of ingredients, and is very tasty.
4.43 from 14 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, snacks
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 252kcal
Author: Vandana Chauhan

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Baken tray
  • skillet

Ingredients

  • 450 grams firm or extra firm tofu around 3.5 cups tofu cubes
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced around 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 3-4 spring onion stalks finely chopped, keep the green and white parts separated
  • 2.5 tablespoons chili oil
  • 1 tablespoon oyster mushroom sauce or any other Asian stir fry sauce of your choice
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar white sugar can also be used
  • A pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Wrap the tofu block in a thick paper towel or a clean cotton kitchen towel. Keep it on a flat surface. Put a plate on top and press it with something heavy like a jar of beans. Leave it like that for around 15 minutes.
  • After 15 minutes, take out the tofu block and cut it into bite-size cubes.
  • Put the tofu cubes in a large bowl. Add chili oil, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt. Gently toss until all the cubes get evenly coated in the oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for around 12-15 minutes or until the outer layer of tofu starts turning brown.
  • Heat vegetable cooking oil in a pan. Add minced garlic and the white part of spring onion. Saute for a few seconds or until the raw smell of garlic goes away.
  • Add brown sugar, ground black pepper, soy sauce, and oyster mushroom sauce. Mix and saute for a minute.
  • Add baked tofu cubes and chopped spring onion greens. Saute for 1-2 minutes and then switch off the stove. Garnish with more chopped spring onion greens.
  • Enjoy it as an appetizer or serve in the main course with a rice or noodle dish.

Video

Notes

  1. To marinate tofu, use fewer chili pieces and more oil from the chili oil. You can also strain the chili oil and then use it in the marination.
  2. While mixing tofu cubes and chili oil, toss gently otherwise the tofu cubes will break.
  3. You can also use your hands to toss the tofu cubes but since we are using chili oil, wear gloves for tossing with your hands.
  4. Don't over-bake the tofu cubes otherwise, they will lose all the moisture and become extra chewy.
  5. You can also pan-fry tofu cubes instead of baking them. For crispier tofu cubes, add cornstarch or rice flour while marinating them.
  6. You can also add a few tablespoons of chili oil with sauces to make the dish spicier.
  7. The oyster mushroom sauce can also be replaced with any other Asian stir-fry sauce of your choice.
  8. Instead of spring onion, bok choy or spinach can be used too. You can also add all of them.
  9. More recipe tips and tricks are shared in the post above, please follow them to make this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 365mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 121IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 208mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me on instagram #greenbowl2soul

More Side dishes

  • Close up shot of Turkish red cabbage salad.
    Turkish red cabbage salad
  • Roasted harissa cauliflower topped with tahini sauce, pomegranate arils, and chopped cilantro.
    Roasted harissa cauliflower
  • Spicy red cabbage in a black bowl.
    Spicy red cabbage
  • A bowl of curried broccoli with roti and fresh herbs in the background.
    Curried broccoli

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Loretta Fleming

    August 17, 2020 at 9:28 pm

    4 stars
    Love your recipes

    Reply
    • Vandana Chauhan

      August 18, 2020 at 12:28 pm

      Thanks a lot, Loretta.

      Reply
4.43 from 14 votes (13 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Vandana Chauhan profile picture

Hi! Thanks for stopping by my blog. My name is Vandana Chauhan and I am on a mission to explore vegan/ vegetarian recipes from around the world. I am delighted to welcome you to join me on this exciting journey.

More about me โ†’

Popular recipes

  • Mixed bean salad balela served in a white bowl.
    Mixed bean salad balela (Middle Eastern style)
  • Chili oil getting drizzled over a bowl of chili garlic noodles with a spoon
    Garlic chili oil noodles
  • four savoury muffins kept on a whote plate with some corn kernels in the background
    Vegan savoury muffins with tomato, corn, and caramelized onion
  • Vegetable chow mein in a black wok.
    Vegetable chow mein
  • A slice of peach cobbler served on a white plate
    Easy peach cobbler with canned peaches
  • Indian vegetable curry in a bowl with rice, lime, and fresh herbs in the background
    Indian vegetable curry

Seasonal favorites

  • Rainbow orzo salad sprinkled with crushed black pepper.
    Rainbow orzo salad
  • Middle Eastern tomato parsley salad in a grey bowl.
    Middle Eastern tomato parsley salad
  • Pea and peanut salad sprinkled with crushed black pepper.
    Creamy and crunchy pea and peanut salad
  • A bowl of Armenian potato salad with onion and fresh herbs.
    Armenian potato salad with onions
  • A glass of orange lemonade with ice cubes.
    Orange lemonade
  • Mediterranean beetroot and feta cheese salad garnished with dill served in a white bowl.
    Beetroot and feta salad

Footer

โ†‘ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • About

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

Copyright ยฉ 2025 Greenbowl2soul

1267 shares
Scroll Up

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.