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ChinesePopular & ClassicRecipesVeggie

Soy-Brown Sugar Glazed Pan-fried Tofu

written by Emma Tang

Soy-Brown Sugar Glazed Pan-fried TofuTofu may not be the sexiest ingredient in the world. However, this soy-brown sugar glazed pan-fried tofu will change the way you feel about it.

I used to avoid buying tofu because I could never really cook it to be the right flavor or texture. When I sautéd it in a skillet, it would fall apart. If I add it into a stew, the tofu itself would still be bland and boring.

Until this recipe really turned things around for me. 

With an easy two-step technique, you can make the perfect golden-brown and crispy tofu by simply pan-frying with a skillet. Then covering the tofu with a satisfying soy-brown sugar sauce, you won’t miss meat anytime soon!

Pan-fried Crispy Tofu How to make crispy tofu in a skillet:

When I realized not knowing the right way to cook tofu is getting in the way of me eating this healthy ingredient more often, I’ve decided it’s time to do something about it.

After doing some research online and getting advice from a friend of my mom’s who was a retired professional chef. I have discovered the secret to making crispy pan-fried tofu. 

I tried the technique the other day and I was amazed at how crispy the tofu would turn out. Now I am excited to share with you. This technique involves:

  1. Pressing the water out of the tofu
  2. Coat the tofu cubes with potato starch

How to prepare tofu before cookingHere’s how I pressed the tofu: Line a plate with 3-4 sheets of folded-up paper towels. Wrap the tofu block with the paper towels and then placing something heavy on top. I used a cast iron skillet (remember to dry it on the stove over low heat afterwards). A heavy book or canned goods are good options as well.

For extra firm tofu, pressing 30 minutes is good enough (60 minutes for firm tofu).

Once that’s done, I cut the tofu block into 1-inch cubes and then sprinkle a few tablespoons of potato starch over and toss to coat. You may need to add more potato starch, our goal here is to give all the cubes a decent coating on all sides. 

To make the perfect crispy tofu, simply heat the skillet over medium heat until is hot, then put a little oil in the pan to coat the bottom and pan fry the tofu 2-3 minutes each side until all sides are crispy and golden brown.

Pan-fried Tofu with Soy-Brown Sugar GlazeIs all about the sauce:

Besides the crispy tofu, another reason I like this dish so much is because the bold soy-brown sugar sauce. After getting the texture right, this sauce not only takes care of the flavor aspect but take it to the next level.

It is made by combining soy sauce (1/4 cup), brown sugar (2 tablespoons), sesame oil (1 tablespoon), rice vinegar (2 tablespoons), sriracha sauce(2 tablespoons), grated ginger (1 tablespoon), grated garlic (1 tablespoon), potato starch (1/2 tablespoon), water (2 tablespoons) and toasted sesame seeds (2 tablespoons).

After glazing the crispy tofu cubes, there will be some extra sauce left in the pan. I like to scoop the remaining sauce from the pan and serve it in a small container as dipping sauce with the meal. Zero waste and more yumminess!

Soy-Brown Sugar Glazed Pan-fried TofuHow to serve:

This soy-brown sugar glazed pan-fried tofu is a total winner on its own. But here are some ideas to incorporate this dish into a balanced meal.

I served it over couscous and with cast-iron grilled baby bok choy. You can pair it with broccoli or other veggie of your choice. And to replace couscous, brown rice or cauliflower rice are great alternatives as well.

Soy-Brown Sugar Glazed TofuPressing the tofu may take some time and planning ahead, but cooking this dish is really easy and the pay off is totally worth it. If you like this recipe, please leave a rating and share it with your friends!

5.0 from 10 reviews
Soy-Brown Sugar Glazed Pan-fried Tofu
 
Print
Prep time
40 mins
Cook time
20 mins
Total time
1 hour
 
Author: Spice the Plate
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • Stir Fry:
  • a package of 14oz. extra-firm tofu or firm tofu, press out excess water, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3-4 tablespoons potato starch for coating the tofu cubes
  • 2 tablespoons oil for pan-frying
  • Sauce:
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon grated garlic
  • ½ tablespoon potato starch, for thickening the sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • Garnishment:
  • 2 stalks green onion, chopped diagonally
  • 2 lime wedges
  • Optional Extras:
  • grilled baby bok choy, grilled peppers, broccoli, etc.
  • couscous, brown rice, cauliflower rice, etc.
Instructions
  1. Line a plate with 3-4 sheets of folded-up paper towels. Remove the tofu from the package, and place it on the paper towels. Wrap the tofu block with the paper towels and then place a pan or heavy book on top to weigh it down. For extra firm tofu, pressing for 30 minutes to get the excessive water out of the tofu (60 minutes for firm tofu).
  2. While waiting for the tofu, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sriracha sauce, grated ginger, grated garlic, potato starch, water and toasted sesame seeds in a small bowl and set aside.
  3. Cut the pressed tofu into 1-inch cubes, sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of potato starch over them and toss to coat. If necessary, add more potato starch until all the cubes have a decent coating on all sides.
  4. Heat a large cast iron pan over medium heat. Once hot, add oil into the pan, and tilt it until the bottom is coated evenly with oil. Place the tofu cubes onto the pan and pan fry for about 15 min, spending about 2-3 minutes each side until they're golden brown and crispy on all sides, remove from the pan and transfer to a clean fry plate to set aside.
  5. Turn to low heat, give the sauce in the bowl a good stir and pour it into the same pan used to cook the tofu cubes. Cook until the sauce begins to bubble and has thickened, stirring occasionally.
  6. Turn off the heat, add the crispy tofu cubes back into the pan and stir until the cubes are all well coated in the sauce mixture.
  7. Scoop the remaining sauce from the pan and put it in a small container as dipping sauce.
  8. Serve the tofu over a bed of couscous and alongside grilled baby bok choy. Garnish with chopped green onion and lime wedges to enjoy!
Notes
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27 comments

Katherine Austin December 10, 2017 - 11:39 am

I love all tofu recipes. This photo is compelling me to make it ASAP. Mouthwatering stuff. Let’s do it right now.

Reply
Han Tang December 10, 2017 - 12:16 pm

🙂

Reply
Elizabeth C. Justice December 11, 2017 - 4:57 pm

Thank you very much for sharing some very interesting secrets to make crispy pan-fried tofu. I never thought that this would be so easy. Coating tofu cubes with potato starch did the real magic! I have done it. Yummmmmmy!!

Reply
Han Tang December 11, 2017 - 5:06 pm

You are very welcome 🙂

Reply
Jasmine Nickson December 13, 2017 - 3:26 pm

Most valuable 60 minutes of my cooking experience. I felt no trouble at all following your instructions and it was a smooth going. I added cilantro for garnishing and it looked awesome! Thank you for helping dummies like me 🙂

Reply
Han Tang December 13, 2017 - 4:29 pm

🙂 You are very welcome!

Reply
Sandra Strumic December 14, 2017 - 10:38 am

It was a perfect day today!! Soy-Brown Sugar Glazed Pan-fried Tofu made our day. I made it for the first time. Taste was perfect and everyone loved it.

Reply
Linda January 22, 2018 - 4:12 pm

In the recipe it just says 1/4 soy sauce. 1/4 what ? Cup, tbsp, tsp? I’m making this now and just noticed it doesn’t say

Reply
Han Tang January 22, 2018 - 5:32 pm

I am so sorry for the inconvenience Linda, it’s 1/4 cup.

Reply
Kathy January 23, 2018 - 4:56 pm

What great instructions. Husband said it’s a home run. High praise indeed. Thank you❤️

Reply
Han Tang January 23, 2018 - 11:10 pm

You are very welcome, Kathy. I am really glad you guys liked it 🙂

Reply
Irene May 31, 2020 - 8:08 am

Normally I would panfry tofu directly without flour and just simply sprinkle with salt and eat with dips which is basic and nice in a way. However tofu sprinkled with flour absorb the sauce well and have some soft smooth texture to it. The highlight is the sauce, very good which my family loves so much as it reminds us of our favorite steam fish with that similar tasting sauce ( plus minced salted yellow bean paste ). I would recommend Siracha sauce by Lingham’s and Son for this recipe.

Reply
Deb June 10, 2018 - 7:08 pm

I’m a recent convert to tofu. The list of reasons for that fact is long and varied.
Long story short, I tried a piece of crispy tofu some months ago, and it was amazingly delicious. I now cook a tofu dish at least twice a week. I made this recipe last night, and today it was a winner is an understatement. Let’s just say there were no leftovers. Thank you so much for sharing this keeper. ?

Reply
Han Tang June 10, 2018 - 10:10 pm

You are very welcome! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe 🙂 I plan to share more tofu recipes in the future.

Reply
Anonymous June 11, 2018 - 10:31 am

This is a great recipe. The sauce is addictive. I’ve made this about four times now. It has become a favorite. I made it for friends and they loved it and made it for other friends as well.

Reply
Dorothy Crocker June 11, 2018 - 10:33 am

This is a great recipe. The sauce is addictive. I’ve made this about four times now. It has become a favorite. I made it for friends and they loved it and made it for other friends as well.
P.S. The photos are great as well.

Reply
Ari June 15, 2018 - 12:22 am

One of the most delicious things I’ve made! I may never cook tofu any other way… Thank you so much for sharing.

Reply
Han Tang June 15, 2018 - 10:03 pm

You are welcome 🙂 I am glad you liked this recipe!

Reply
Hannah September 3, 2018 - 9:02 pm

Delicious and so easy to make!

Reply
Ana November 1, 2018 - 7:55 pm

Can we use corn starch instead of potato starch?

Reply
Emma Tang November 3, 2018 - 7:09 pm

Hi Ana,

Yes, they are slightly different but you should be able to substitute them!

Reply
Christina April 6, 2020 - 6:00 pm

Super easy and fast week nigh tofu! LOVED IT! I only did one tablespoon of sriacha and it came out perfectly spicy and sweet for me. Will make again for sure ?

Reply
Emma Tang May 2, 2020 - 1:54 pm

Awesome, glad it was a hit!

Reply
Eimee April 26, 2020 - 8:36 pm

Hello! Great recipe and stoked to try it out! Just a question, can I substitute cornstarch as an alternative to the potato starch? Thanks and great post!

Reply
Emma Tang May 2, 2020 - 1:42 pm

Hi Eimee,

Yes, you can definitely substitute it with cornstartch!

Reply
Kay June 16, 2021 - 2:22 pm

I make tofu at least once a week! THIS is bookmarked and saved in several locations!! Excellent recipe and hits my Asian food craving. I subbed in corn starch and air fried it and still was 10/10.

Reply
Marlene September 22, 2021 - 11:13 am

What a difference! I knew about pressing tofu but not about using potato starch. Wow! It was crispy and crunchy and absolutely delicious. The best tofu dish I have ever made! Thank you!

Reply

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About Me

About Me

Hello!

Welcome to Spice the Plate! I am Emma, the cook and author behind this food blog. Creating and sharing delicious Asian recipes is my passion. Here you can find tasty, easy-to-make traditional and modern Asian recipes, cooking tips, and more. I am excited you've found us! To learn more about me and this blog, visit here.

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