This succulent, saucy and spicy chilli tofu is based off chilli paneer, an Indo-Chinese restaurant favorite made with Indian cottage cheese. The tofu is flavored with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, coriander and cumin, making it the perfect blend of two distinctive cuisines.
Looking for more delicious Indo-Chinese recipes? Try this veg manchurian and garlic fried rice.
Table of Contents
What is Chilli Tofu?
I created this Chilli Tofu recipe more than a decade ago, spinning off an Indo-Chinese recipe called Chilli Paneer. Chilli Paneer is a spicy, saucy blend of Indian spices and Chinese condiments, and the star, of course, is paneer, an Indian cottage cheese.
I loved the irony of swapping the tofu in for the paneer, which took this fusion recipe closer to its Chinese roots while keeping the flavors intact. A perfect substitution, even if I say so myself.
Paneer, when added to curries and gravies, soaks up the flavors, as does tofu. They even have similar textures but the tofu, of course, is far healthier. I’ve posted dozens of other recipes that use tofu instead of paneer, including Vegan Palak “Paneer” and Tofu Makhani, and the tofu works each time.
This is a reader-favorite recipe and it is one that we often make in our home. I’ve left the recipe itself intact, because it really needed no modifications, but I’ve added new photos and text in this updated post.
One peeve with the spelling (you know I love those! ;)). One might be tempted to spell the “chilli” with a single “l”, as in chili tofu, but in India you spell “chilli” with two “l’s”. Both spellings for chili are correct, but there is only one way to spell chilli tofu. 😀
Why you will love this chilli tofu recipe
- It’s uniquely delicious. Indo-Chinese cuisine uses spices from Indian cuisine to add more zest and savory flavor to Chinese dishes. Your tastebuds will love the cumin, paprika and coriander married with soy sauce, ginger and garlic.
- Easy recipe. This is a really simple recipe that goes from scratch to done in minutes.
- Meal-prep friendly. You can store the chilli tofu in the fridge for up to five days. In fact, the longer the tofu stands the more flavorful it will become.
- Vegan, nut-free and gluten-free recipe
Ingredients
- Tofu. You can use high-protein tofu, which doesn’t need to be pressed, or extra firm tofu.
- Sesame seed oil. This adds authentic flavor. You can use another unflavored oil of your choice.
- Vegetables: Onions, green bell peppers, scallions and baby corn.
- Herbs: garlic, ginger, jalapeno pepper and fresh cilantro.
- Spices: cumin seeds, ground coriander, ground black pepper and paprika.
- Soy sauce or tamari. Or use liquid aminos.
- Cornstarch. Tapioca starch works as a substitute. The cornstarch helps thicken the sauce and creates a nice glaze that coats the cooked tofu.
How to make chilli tofu
Mix the marinade ingredients: cornstarch, ginger, garlic and soy sauce/tamari in a bowl.
Add the tofu cubes to the bowl and toss with a spoon until the tofu cubes are evenly coated with the marinade.
Heat a wok with 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil. Add the tofu cubes to the wok.
Stir fry the tofu cubes until they are evenly browned on all sides. Remove the tofu cubes to a plate and set aside.
In the same wok add the remaining oil over high heat. Add cumin seeds and stir them for a few seconds until they release their aroma. Stir in the ginger and garlic and saute for a few seconds.
Add the onions and bell peppers to the wok along with the ground black pepper, ground coriander and paprika. Mix and continue to stir-fry over high heat for a couple of minutes until the bell peppers are tender but have a good bite.
Add the tofu cubes to the wok along with the baby corn. Make a slurry by mixing the cornstarch and ½ cup water until there are no lumps. Add the slurry to the wok along with the soy sauce or tamari. Mix well.
Stir fry the chilli tofu for a couple more minutes, stir in the scallions, and add more salt if needed. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Top tips
- When cooking Chinese food, keep all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking. Because you are cooking over high heat most of the time, you won’t have time to prep as you go.
- If you’d like a bit of sweetness in this recipe, add a tablespoon of maple syrup to the wok along with the cornstarch slurry.
- To make the chilli tofu spicier, use cayenne instead of paprika.
Serving suggestions
Serve the chili tofu with one of the following:
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Store the chilli tofu in the fridge for up to five days, in an airtight container.
- Reheat: Reheat the chilli tofu in a wok or skillet, or in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
You can substitute any quick-cooking veggie used in Chinese cuisine, including sugar snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots.
A serving of the chili tofu has just 15 grams of carbs and two grams of dietary fiber. If you are watching your carbs, skip the baby corn, which would bring the carb total down to a very keto-friendly six net carbs.
I don’t recommend freezing the chilli tofu because freezing will change the texture of the tofu. If you do, be prepared for the tofu to turn chewier and more porous, once thawed.
More delicious tofu recipes
Enjoyed this recipe? Please leave a review and star rating below. Your feedback, comments and questions are always appreciated and are helpful to me and to other readers.
Chilli Tofu
This succulent, saucy and spicy Chilli Tofu is based off chilli paneer, an Indo-Chinese restaurant favorite made with Indian cottage cheese. The tofu is flavored with soy sauce, ginger, garlic, coriander and cumin, making it the perfect blend of two distinctive cuisines.
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 142kcal
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Instructions
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Mix the marinade ingredients with enough water to make a paste. Place the tofu cubes in the marinade and toss with a spoon to coat them evenly with the marinade. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a nonstick or cast-iron pan. Stir-fry the tofu cubes over medium-high heat until they are golden-brown. Remove to a plate.
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To the same wok, add the remaining tablespoon oil. Turn the heat to high and when the oil shimmers, add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds release their aroma, which should take no more than a few seconds on high heat, add the onions and bell peppers to the wok along with the ground black pepper, ground coriander and paprika.
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Mix and continue to stir-fry over high heat for a couple of minutes until the bell peppers are tender but have a good bite. Add the tofu cubes to the wok along with the baby corn.
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Make a slurry by mixing the cornstarch and ½ cup water until there are no lumps. Add the slurry to the wok along with the soy sauce or tamari. Mix well.
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Stir fry the chilli tofu for a couple more minutes, stir in the scallions, and add more salt if needed. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 382mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
