Sticky, crispy, ginger- and garlic-packed tofu Manchurian is an easy and delicious meal over rice, quinoa, noodles, or lettuce wraps. This popular Indo-chinese sauce has a sweet heat that is absolutely addictive! (nut-free with gluten-free and soy-free options)
Manchurian sauce is one of the most popular Indo-Chinese sauces, and it’s one of my favorites. You can use it in many different ways to make a variety of dishes. You can find it on restaurant menus paired with crispy fried chicken, crispy cauliflower, or fried veggie balls coated in the thick, sticky sauce.Â
This sauce is absolutely delicious, and it has tons of ginger and garlic, so be ready to chop up a lot of both.
You can also make a thinner version of Manchurian sauce to pair with rice, very saucy veggie balls, crispy chicken, or noodles. I have a couple of different ways to use Manchurian sauce on the blog that use these variations.
Today, let’s make tofu Manchurian. We toss tofu in rice flour and cornstarch to make a really crispy coating, then pan-fry it until it gets an amazing crunch. We make the Manchurian sauce in the same pan, then toss the crispy tofu in it right before serving, so it keeps that satisfying crunch.Â
Top your tofu Manchurian it with green onions, and serve it with rice, quinoa, noodles, or lettuce wraps. Or enjoy it as a starter on its own!
Why You’ll Love Tofu Manchurian
- crispy tofu in sticky-sweet ginger-garlic Manchurian sauce
- 1-pan dish ready in about 30 minutes
- flexible! Serve as a starter or over rice, grains, noodles, or in lettuce wraps.
- naturally nut-free with easy gluten-free and soy-free options
For the Manchurian Sauce
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 1 hot green chili, such as Serrano, Indian chili, or a milder green chili, minced, about 2 teaspoons
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onion, white parts only, reserve green parts for garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sambal oelek, or other asian red chili sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1/4 cup soy sauce, Use tamari for gluten-free or coconut aminos for soy-free.
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar, or rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, optional
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch, mixed with 1/2 cup water
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Make the tofu.
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Press the tofu, if you haven’t already, then cut it into cubes or strips or tear it into organic shapes.Â
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In a small ziplock bag or in a bowl, combine the rice flour, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and Kashmiri chili powder. Add the tofu and gently toss or shake to coat all the pieces evenly without breaking them.
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Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 teaspoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, dust off any excess flour mixture from the tofu and place the pieces in the pan. Let them cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and continue cooking, turning every minute or so until most edges are crisp and golden. Remove the tofu from the skillet and set aside.
Make the Manchurian sauce.
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In the same skillet, add another 2 teaspoons of oil, and reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili. If the pan is too hot, reduce the heat to low. Once the garlic starts to turn golden, increase the heat to medium,and add in the green onion (white parts), bell pepper, and salt, and mix well. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Add the sambal oelek, ketchup, soy sauce/tamari, vinegar, sugar, white pepper, Kashmiri chili powder, and ginger garlic paste, and mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil, which will take about a minute or so. Mix the cornstarch and water and pour it into the sauce. Mix well, and cook for another 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
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If serving immediately, add the crispy tofu to the sauce, toss gently for a few seconds, then turn off the heat. Garnish with reserved green onion, sesame seeds, and/or cilantro. Serve right away for the best crisp texture. Even if it does soften a bit, if will still have an amazing texture. Serve with rice, quinoa or noodles.
Storage: If not serving immediately, refrigerate the sauce and tofu separate for up to three days. Toss and heat on the skillet before serving.Â
Calories: 232kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Sodium: 1247mg, Potassium: 157mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 307IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 155mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients
- tofu – Use firm or extra firm tofu, and press it for at least 15 minutes, then slice it up or tear into organic, bite-sized pieces. For soy-free, use chickpea flour tofu or a soy-free vegan chicken substitute.
- rice flour and cornstarch – Gives the coating an amazing crunch! There is also cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
- salt and spices – For the coating, we are using garlic powder, black pepper, and Kashmiri chili powder. The sauce is seasoned with white pepper and Kashmiri chili powder.
- oil – To pan fry.
- aromatics – Garlic, ginger, green chili, green onion, and bell pepper add so much addictive umami to tofu Manchurian!
- sauces – A combination of sambal oelek, ketchup, soy sauce, and vinegar add moisture, tang, more umami, and a hint of sweet heat.
- garnishes – Top your tofu Manchurian with the green parts of your green onions along with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and/or cilantro.
đŸ’¡Tips
- When you are coating the tofu in the rice flour mixture and in the sauce, toss slowly and gently, so the pieces don’t break apart.
- Depending on your pan and stove, when you sauté the aromatics you may need to reduce the heat if they start to scorch. If you do, just bump it back up to medium when you add the green onion to the pan.
How to Make Tofu Manchurian
Press the tofu, if you haven’t already, then cut it into cubes or strips or tear it into organic shapes.Â
In a small ziplock bag or in a bowl, combine the rice flour, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and Kashmiri chili powder. Add the tofu and gently toss or shake to coat all the pieces evenly without breaking them.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 teaspoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, dust off any excess flour mixture from the tofu and place the pieces in the pan. Let them cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and continue cooking, turning every minute or so until most edges are crisp and golden. Remove the tofu from the skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet, add another 2 teaspoons of oil, and reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, ginger, and green chili. If the pan is too hot, reduce the heat to low.
Once the garlic starts to turn golden, increase the heat to medium, if it’s not already on medium, and add in the green onion (white parts), bell pepper, and salt, and mix well. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the sambal oelek, ketchup, soy sauce/tamari, vinegar, sugar, white pepper, Kashmiri chili powder, and ginger garlic paste, and mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil, which will take about a minute or so.
Mix the cornstarch and water and pour it into the sauce. Mix well, and cook for another 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
If serving immediately, add the crispy tofu to the sauce, toss gently for a few seconds, then turn off the heat. Garnish with reserved green onion, sesame seeds, and/or cilantro. Serve right away for the best crisp texture. Even if it does soften a bit, if will still have an amazing texture.Â
What to Serve with Tofu Manchurian
Enjoy your tofu Manchurian with rice, quinoa, noodles, or lettuce wraps.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is naturally nut-free. It is gluten-free if you use tamari instead of soy sauce. To make it soy-free, use chickpea tofu or a soy-free vegan chicken substitute instead of tofu and coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, though the flavor will be different.
