General Tso’s Tofu Sub Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Tyler Kord

Adapted by Elaine Louie

Total Time
1 hour and 15 minutes
Rating
4(284)
Notes
Read community notes

Tyler Kord, the chef-owner of the No. 7 Sub shops in New York, has made the submarine a thing of juiciness, beauty and exoticism. “I like soft bread and fancy ingredients inside,” said Mr. Kord, who worked at a Subway when he was 16, in Ithaca, N.Y., and eventually became sous-chef at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Perry Street restaurant in New York. Take General Tso’s Tofu Sub, a brilliant study of layered textures and flavors. The centerpiece is a deep-fried panko-crusted rectangle of firm tofu, golden and crusty outside, and creamy inside. Mr. Kord layers the tofu between edamame purée, homemade pickled cucumbers and a piquant sauce named after General Tso that includes ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and chilis. The blender does the work, in three quick steps. The result is startling. It is what Mr. Kord wants it to be: crunchy, creamy, salty, sweet and sour, all in one bite. —Elaine Louie

Featured in: The Temporary Vegetarian: General Tso's Tofu Sub

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 4 servings

    For the Sauce

    • 1small chunk of ginger, 1½ inches long, peeled and roughly chopped
    • 1clove garlic, roughly chopped
    • ¼cup soy sauce
    • 2tablespoons sweet soy sauce
    • 2tablespoons white vinegar
    • 2tablespoons mirin
    • ½teaspoon sesame oil
    • small red dry Chinese chilis
    • ½teaspoon salt
    • ½teaspoon sugar
    • ½teaspoon xanthan gum, optional

    For the Pickles

    • 2cloves garlic, roughly chopped
    • 1small chunk ginger, 1 inch long, peeled and sliced against the grain
    • Half a shallot, roughly chopped
    • ¼teaspoon sesame oil
    • ½teaspoon sugar
    • teaspoons salt
    • 1small red dry Chinese chili, seeded
    • ½cup white wine vinegar
    • 1scallion, in three-inch lengths, sliced vertically into chiffonade
    • cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and sliced crosswise ⅛-inch thick

    For the Edamame Purée

    • ¾cup frozen, shelled edamame, thawed

    For the Tofu

    • Vegetable oil, for deep frying
    • ¼cup salt
    • teaspoons sugar
    • ¼teaspoon paprika
    • ¼teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼teaspoon onion powder
    • 8ounces firm tofu, drained and cut into 4 slices
    • 3large egg whites
    • 3tablespoons cornstarch
    • ½cup panko bread crumbs

    For Assembly

    • 2subway (submarine) sandwich rolls
    • Mayonnaise
    • Sesame seeds

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. For the General Tso sauce: In a blender combine ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, and sesame oil. Add chilis, salt, sugar, and xantham gum, if using. Process until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, and set aside.

  2. Step

    2

    For the pickles: In a clean blender combine garlic, ginger, shallot, sesame oil, sugar, salt and chili. Blend until slightly smooth, but still mostly chunky. Transfer to a medium bowl, and add the vinegar, scallion and cucumbers. Mix, and set aside.

  3. Step

    3

    For the edamame puree: In a clean blender puree edamame and just enough water to make a smooth paste. Transfer to a small bowl, and set aside.

  4. Step

    4

    For the tofu: In a deep fryer, preheat vegetable oil to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together salt, sugar, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder. Place the tofu on a plate, and sprinkle both sides of the tofu with about a tablespoon or more of the salt mixture, saving the rest for later use.

  5. Step

    5

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites and cornstarch until blended and smooth. Place panko in a shallow bowl. Dip the seasoned tofu slices into the egg white batter, gently shake off excess batter, and dip in panko, covering the tofu thoroughly. Deep-fry in the oil until deep golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove and drain.

  6. Step

    6

    For assembly: Cut the subway rolls open lengthwise. Spread one side of each with edamame purée, and the other side with mayonnaise. Quickly dip both sides of the fried tofu in the General Tso sauce, and place two slices of tofu, end to end, on one side of each subway roll. Top the tofu with drained pickled cucumbers, garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and finish by topping with the other side of the roll. Cut in half, and serve immediately.

Ratings

4

out of 5

284

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Jessica

waaaaaayyyyyyy too salty. made this a second time and I reduced the soy sauce, and massively reduced the salt in the spice rub. that made it edible, whereas previously it was not.

Margaux Laskey, Staff Editor

You definitely only want to use about a tablespoon of the spice/salt mixture on the tofu. Save the rest for later.

janet

this recipe does require some adjustments I used only 1 tsp salt in the tofu spice and upped the paprika,garlic powder and onion powder to 1 tsp each and it was delicious ! adjust seasoning to your liking we love spice

Katherine

Not only is this WAAAAAAY too salty (soy sauce and 1/2 tsp salt in the General tso sauce AND 1 1/2 tsp salt in the pickles AND that insane 1/4 cup of salt - which I did not use- for the tofu seasoning ) but it is an enormous amount of work and clean up for a sandwich. Plus far too messy to eat. The edamame puree is completely without presence. I won't make this again.

ratspice

I agree with Jessica that the recipe leans toward being entirely too salty. There's no way the tofu seasoning should have a 1/4 cup of salt. Adjust your salt seasoning and you should be fine with this recipe.

Dee

took the advice to cut back a bit on the salt... used bahn mi sandwich rolls, ABSOLUTELY delicious.

Barbara Thomas

I appreciate the salt warnings.

Stephen

I didn't read the comments before making, but I should have. It was SALLLTY. Admittedly, I was trying to use this for tempeh instead of tofu, but I cut back on salt and still ended up with an inedible result. I definitely should have been sparing on my sauce usage, but I ended up wondering whether maybe the "1/4 salt" for the tofu portion might be a typo... My advice: tread with caution.

Thom

Didn't have edamame so made a puree' of sugarsnap and snow peas that worked just fine. A LOT of prep for a couple of sandwiches but, wow, are they tasty! Was able to use some of the sauces and pickles for other recipes, too.

Stephen

I didn't read the comments before making, but I should have. It was SALLLTY. Admittedly, I was trying to use this for tempeh instead of tofu, but I cut back on salt and still ended up with an inedible result. I definitely should have been sparing on my sauce usage, but I ended up wondering whether maybe the "1/4 salt" for the tofu portion might be a typo... My advice: tread with caution.

Dee

took the advice to cut back a bit on the salt... used bahn mi sandwich rolls, ABSOLUTELY delicious.

Katherine

Not only is this WAAAAAAY too salty (soy sauce and 1/2 tsp salt in the General tso sauce AND 1 1/2 tsp salt in the pickles AND that insane 1/4 cup of salt - which I did not use- for the tofu seasoning ) but it is an enormous amount of work and clean up for a sandwich. Plus far too messy to eat. The edamame puree is completely without presence. I won't make this again.

Barbara Thomas

I appreciate the salt warnings.

ratspice

I agree with Jessica that the recipe leans toward being entirely too salty. There's no way the tofu seasoning should have a 1/4 cup of salt. Adjust your salt seasoning and you should be fine with this recipe.

janet

this recipe does require some adjustments I used only 1 tsp salt in the tofu spice and upped the paprika,garlic powder and onion powder to 1 tsp each and it was delicious ! adjust seasoning to your liking we love spice

Jessica

waaaaaayyyyyyy too salty. made this a second time and I reduced the soy sauce, and massively reduced the salt in the spice rub. that made it edible, whereas previously it was not.

Margaux Laskey, Staff Editor

You definitely only want to use about a tablespoon of the spice/salt mixture on the tofu. Save the rest for later.

Private notes are only visible to you.

General Tso’s Tofu Sub Recipe (2024)

FAQs

General Tso’s Tofu Sub Recipe? ›

Ingredients and Substitutions

tofu – Use firm or extra firm tofu, and make sure to press it for the best results. pepper – White pepper and red pepper flakes season the tofu. cornstarch – To crisp the tofu and thicken the sauce. You can use other starches, like potato or tapioca starch instead, if needed.

What is General Tso tofu made of? ›

Ingredients and Substitutions

tofu – Use firm or extra firm tofu, and make sure to press it for the best results. pepper – White pepper and red pepper flakes season the tofu. cornstarch – To crisp the tofu and thicken the sauce. You can use other starches, like potato or tapioca starch instead, if needed.

Can I use tofu instead of chicken? ›

Conclusion. This recipe for Crispy Vegan Tofu Chicken is a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional fried chicken. By freezing, thawing, and pressing the tofu, it creates a meaty and crispy texture that is perfect for satisfying those fried chicken cravings.

Is General Tso's tofu good for you? ›

It's spicy-sweet, healthier than the classic Chinese takeout dish, and one of my favorite tofu recipes. This General Tso's Tofu is a healthier and lighter version of the classic General Tso's Chicken. Besides, it's made with tofu instead of chicken and the tofu is not deep-fried, just sautéed in a little bit of oil.

How do I substitute meat for tofu? ›

Press the block of extra-firm tofu to remove excess liquid. Use your hands to break the tofu into crumbles, resembling the size of ground meat. Sauté or bake the crumbles in oil to get them crispy before using. Alternatively, use uncooked crumbles for making burgers.

Why do Chinese like tofu? ›

Why Chinese love fermented bean curd and even stinky tofu: it's cheap, adds flavour to rice and congee, is a good source of protein, and lots more. Humble, pungent-tasting foo yu – fermented blocks of bean curd – are a staple of cuisines across China and the diaspora.

How can I make tofu taste good? ›

Marinate it: Tofu can be marinated in a variety of flavorful sauces or spices. You can use soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and other seasonings to make a simple marinade. Let the tofu marinate for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours) before cooking or grilling.

How much tofu is equivalent to chicken? ›

Other studies show that regularly eating tofu can provide lower total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, so while you might need to eat more of it to equal the same amount of protein consumed by eating chicken (about 290 grams of tofu to 150 grams of lean meat), the anti-inflammatory agents and bone-strengthening ...

Is tofu healthier than chicken? ›

And while chicken breast is also slightly lower in fat, tofu comes out on top in this category because it contains all monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, aka the “good” kind; whereas chicken contains a little bit of saturated fat and cholesterol, which tofu is free of.

Why do people eat tofu instead of meat? ›

Tofu is rich in nutrients, contains all essential amino acids and is low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Its adaptability allows for use in diverse dishes, whether as a meat substitute in vegetarian meals, blended into smoothies, or grilled, baked or stir-fried for added protein in a range of recipes.

What is the healthiest thing to order at a Chinese restaurant? ›

Steamed fish or seafood with ginger, scallions and soy sauce. Steamed fish and veggies are packed with fiber and protein. One of the healthiest places you can choose an entree on a Chinese restaurant menu from is the seafood section, according to Amy Yiu, RD, a registered dietitian with Health Stand Nutrition.

What is the healthiest Chinese takeout dish? ›

Here are some tips for healthier Chinese takeout options: Steamed Dishes: Opt for steamed dishes instead of fried ones. Steamed dumplings, steamed vegetables, or steamed fish are generally healthier choices. Lean Protein: Choose dishes with lean protein sources, such as chicken, shrimp, or tofu.

What makes tofu taste like meat? ›

With the right combination of flavors, however, tofu can be made to taste similar to meat. Typically, pairing it with flavors like garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and herbs can help to create a meat-like taste.

How much tofu is equivalent to meat? ›

Tofu as Vegan Substitute for Meat

The only difference between tofu and meat protein is that you have to eat more tofu to meet the recommended dietary protein levels. In fact, every 100 g of tofu yields approximately 17.19 g of protein. To get the protein benefit of 150 g of lean meat, you should consume 290 g of tofu.

What is a good protein substitute for tofu? ›

And if you are thinking this means you need to eat lots of tofu, and you don't like tofu, there is good news: there are plenty of meat alternatives out there besides tofu, including tempeh, seitan, as well as other meat substitutes.

What is tofu on a Chinese menu? ›

Tofu is also known as bean curd in English. It is a traditional component of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines that has also been consumed in China for over 2,000 years. In modern Western cooking, it is most often treated as a meat substitute.

What is tofu made of in China? ›

tofu, soft, relatively flavourless food product made from soybeans. Tofu is an important source of protein in the cuisines of China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. It is believed to date from the Han dynasty (206 bce–220 ce). Tofu is made from dried soybeans that are soaked in water, crushed, and boiled.

What is crispy tofu made of? ›

Mix the cornflour, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Unravel the tofu from the paper, cut in half through the centre, then cut into triangles, cubes or strips. Toss the tofu pieces in the spiced cornflour to coat all over. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat.

What is Chinese tofu? ›

Tofu, also known as bean curd, is a food of Chinese origin. It is made from soy milk, water and a curdling agent. The production of tofu from soy milk is similar to that of producing cheese from milk. It is made by coagulating soy milk, then pressing the resulting curds into blocks.

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