Looking to add more tofu to your diet? Then this quick sticky tofu recipe is perfect for you. It's vegan, gluten-free, low FODMAP and cooks in 15 minutes.
If you've been reluctant to get on board the tofu train or never quite seem to get it right then you've come to the right place. This combination of smoked tofu, fried until crisp and bubbled in a sticky marinade is the perfect trio.
Despite the fact that the tofu is worked twice, the overall cooking time is still fairly short, coming in at under 15 minutes. Both the seasoned dredge flour and the sticky marinade can be prepped in advance to save you even more time.
If you're new to eating tofu or struggle to fit it into your meal plan, then check out my dedicated cooking with tofu playlist on YouTube. You may also like this easy tofu taco recipe which is another simple but delicious weekday dinner idea.
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If you think that you're not a tofu fan I honestly believe this recipe will turn that around for you. I speak from experience, I HATED tofu the first few times I tried it. I'd been vegan for years before I finally got to grips with it.
Experiment with different brands, textures, flavours and ways of prepping and cooking it. I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised by how versatile and delicious tofu can be.
Ingredients
- Extra firm smoked tofu: Using smoked tofu adds extra flavour that helps to cut down on the need for marinating. Ideally, you need an extra firm texture that can hold up to being diced, dredged and fried without breaking apart.
- Cornflour, 5 spice, asafoetida and white pepper: These are the dry ingredients for the seasoned flour coating.
- Fresh ginger, sweet chilli sauce, tamari, maple syrup (optional), tomato puree/paste, cracked black pepper and miso paste: These are the wet ingredients for the sticky marinade. Check out my recipe for homemade low FODMAP sweet chilli sauce that works well in this recipe without risking FODMAP stacking.
- Broccoli florets, pak/bok choy and pre-cooked rice: All optional ways to serve this delicious tofu.
See the recipe card below for quantities and the FODMAP notes for more details.
Instructions
Begin by preparing the vegetables. Wash, trim and chop the broccoli into small florets. Place the broccoli into a steamer or pot and steam or boil until al dente. I prefer to steam my veg and get this going whilst I'm doing the next few steps. Don't forget to come back in five minutes to avoid overcooking the broccoli. Set aside once cooked. It will be reheated in the pan at a later stage.
Pull apart the pak/bok choy, wash the leaves and set aside in a colander to drain.
Depending on the brand of tofu you use you may need to press the tofu. Pat the tofu dry with a kitchen towel and cut into bite-size cubes, mine are 1 inch/2.5cm. If your tofu is very wet and needs extensive pressing this step can be done in advance.
In a small bowl mix together the cornflour, 5 spice, asafoetida and white pepper. Stir until fully combined then sprinkle onto a plate big enough to hold the tofu in a single layer. Tip the diced, pressed tofu onto the plate.
Using your fingers, turn it over in the seasoned flour until every surface is coated. I like to shake off the excess flour before moving the tofu onto a clean plate. This helps to avoid the loose cornflour burning on the base of the pan at the saute stage.
Set a wide frying pan on medium heat. Using a wide pan allows the tofu to cook in a single layer which speeds up the browning process. Add the toasted sesame oil and fry the tofu for 8-10 minutes, turning frequently until browned on all sides.
Whilst the tofu cooks mix together the fresh ginger, sweet chilli sauce, tamari, tomato puree, black pepper and miso paste. Test the marinade and add an optional dash of maple syrup to taste.
Once the tofu is nicely browned add the marinade and bubble on medium heat for 2 minutes. Turn the tofu continuously until covered in the sticky sauce.
After a few minutes remove the tofu from the pan with kitchen tongs, leaving behind the excess sticky marinade. Add the pak choy and saute for a minute before adding the cooked broccoli to reheat. The marinade should deglaze from the pan and lightly coat the veggies. Stir through the spring onion/scallion greens just before turning off the heat.
I like the stem of the pak choy to have some crunch so I add the full leaf to the pan all at once and just cook it until the green tops have wilted. If you prefer less bite then cut the thicker pale stems into slices and saute them for a few minutes longer than the green tops.
Hint: In the recipe video you'll see me add a splash of water to deglaze the pan before adding the veggies. If you're using a good non-stick pan I don't recommend doing this. I quickly realised the veg released enough water on its own to loosen the remainder of the marinade. Only add water, a splash at a time, if the vegetables or marinade begins to catch.
Portion the tofu out between 4 plates. Serve with cooked rice and place the cooked greens beside. Drizzle any leftover marinade from the pan over the rice. Garnish with extra green onions and optional sesame seeds.
Recipe Video
Recipe FAQ's
Firm or extra-firm plain tofu is considered low FODMAP in servings of 170 grams. This is due to the fact that the majority of the water has been pressed out. The FODMAPs in tofu, the oligosaccharides, GOS and fructans, are water-soluble. This means that less water = fewer FODMAPs.
This is the reason that soft or silken tofu is considered high FODMAP. Much more water has been left in the tofu to give it the classic, soft and creamy texture.
It's still advisable to press your tofu before use. Firm tofu is typically packaged in water which needs to be drained away. Different brands of tofu can hold very different amounts of water. Tofu with larger visible pores and cracks tends to hold the largest amount and needs pressing more thoroughly.
If you don't have a tofu press you can wrap the tofu in a teatowel and press it beneath a stack of books or something heavy for 30 minutes.
As tofu becomes more popular many pre-flavoured varieties are becoming available. To ensure your tofu is low FODMAP check the ingredients for high FODMAP flavourings such as garlic, onion, mango, coconut, honey or agave to name a few.
Smoked tofu may contain soy sauce to give it colour and flavour. This is still considered low FODMAP but is obviously unsafe for anyone with a medical need to avoid wheat and gluten.
As mentioned, silken tofu is high in FODMAPs. It has a small low FODMAP serving of 39 grams/2 Tbsps. At 46 grams/1/4 cup servings it becomes moderate for GOS and at 170 grams/1 cup it becomes high for GOS and fructans.
Substitutions
- Plain firm tofu - If smoked tofu isn't available try marinating plain, pressed tofu overnight. I use a mix of toasted sesame oil, soy sauce/tamari, smoked paprika and a dash of maple syrup to achieve a smoky, bacon-like flavour.
- Asafoetida - if you're not eating low FODMAP replace this with garlic and onion powder, ¼ teaspoon of each.
- Greens - the broccoli and pak choy can be replaced with white common cabbage, kale, collards, chard, leek greens or spinach without altering the FODMAP content of the meal.
Variations
My recipes are always offered with the best of inspirational intentions and are open to interpretation. I strongly believe that cooking by taste, availability and instinct are skills we should all try to develop. Wherever possible I'll recommend variations and encourage you to play and learn as you go.
- Spicy - Like many people with IBS I have a fairly low tolerance for spice. Extra fresh or powdered chilli can be added to increase the heat to your liking. Be aware that depending on the type of chilli you use you will also be adding additional FODMAPs. Check out the listings for chilli in the Monash app. I recommend avoiding those that contain fructans to reduce the risk of FODMAP stacking.
- BBQ - If you're not a fan of sweet chilli sauce this recipe can be made with BBQ sauce instead. I'd use a good quality BBQ sauce and omit all the other ingredients for the marinade. Check out my recipe for homemade low FODMAP BBQ sauce.
Budget tips
None of the ingredients here require extensive cooking so this recipe is great for a quick meal with minimal energy usage. Once the sticky marinade is hot and the vegetables are cooked al dente the dish is ready.
To cut down on wasted energy on the stovetop always have your ingredients ready to go before turning on the heat. This minimizes the time spent chopping, weighing or preparing between adding the ingredients to the pan.
The marinade and seasoned flour can be prepped in advance to avoid getting distracted whilst cooking and leaving the stove on for longer than necessary.
If you need to add a splash of water to deglaze the pan use the same water you used to cook the broccoli.
Gluten Free Tips
The brand of tofu used in the recipe video is suitable for the low FODMAP diet but is not gluten-free due to the use of soy sauce. This can be easily substituted for a brand of gluten-free firm smoked tofu such as The Tofoo Co smoked tofu.
Ensure your chosen brands of asafoetida and miso paste are wheat and gluten-free.
Storage & Food Safety
The seasoned flour and the sticky marinade can both be made in advance. Store the flour in a sealed container in the cupboard and the marinade in the fridge until needed.
The cooked tofu can be stored in the fridge for several days. It may release water as it sits. Drain off any excess water or stir into the marinade before reheating. This tofu can be reheated in the microwave or in a non-stick pan for a few minutes.
The texture of tofu changes pretty dramatically after freezing and thawing. I don't recommend freezing the tofu after it's been coated in the sticky marinade.
I serve this with microwave rice and cook the rice as needed. If using leftover, pre-cooked rice ensure it has been stored in the fridge for no longer than 24 hours and is only reheated once to a minimum temperature of 74 C/165 F or until piping hot to the core.
FODMAP Tips
Serve this tofu with rice or rice noodles to make it a more satisfying meal without adding excess FODMAPs.
Ensure that your brand of sweet chilli sauce is made with cane or palm sugar rather than sweeteners. High FODMAP sweeteners to look out for include;
- xylitol
- mannitol
- maltitol
- sorbitol
- isomalt
- high fructose corn syrup
- fruit sugar (fructose)
- agave nectar
- coconut sugar
- date syrup
- golden syrup
- honey
- molasses
FODMAP Servings
This recipe serves 4. As written ¼ of this recipe is low FODMAP. One serving of this recipe contains approx:
- <1 Fructan serving (including the optional sesame seeds)
- 0 GOS
- 0 Mannitol
- 1 Sorbitol serving
- 1.125 Fructose serving (calculated using my low FODMAP sweet chilli sauce recipe or a certified low FODMAP brand)
- 0 Lactose - All my recipes are vegan and therefore free from dairy and lactose. Yay!
Always refer to the Monash app for current low FODMAP servings and FODMAP categorisations.
FODMAP Ingredient Notes
Asafoetida
Some varieties may contain wheat flour. If this is an issue for you then source the pure version or wheat-free brands. I typically use the Schwartz brand which is blended with rice flour. If using pure asafoetida or undiluted Indian hing reduce the recipe amount by at least half until you get used to the intensity of your purchased brand.
Bok/Pak choy
Pak choy may also be known as bok choy, pakchoi, Chinese white cabbage or Chinese celery cabbage. It’s listed in the Monash app under bok choy and has a low fodmap serving of 75 grams. Pak choy becomes moderate for sorbitol at 100 grams serving and high in sorbitol at 150 grams serving. In this recipe, bok choy is an optional side dish. We use a total of 300 grams which when shared between four portions is one low FODMAP serving of sorbitol per portion.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a bit of a tricky one depending on which part you eat and which variety you choose. When cooking with broccoli it’s best to decide which part or variety to use based on what other ingredients you’ll be adding to the meal. For example in this dish, which already contains fructans, fructose-containing broccoli heads are a better choice than the fructan-containing stalks of broccolini/tenderstem. In this dish, the broccoli is an optional side dish. We use a total of 300 grams of florets/heads. When portioned out into four servings this equals one low FODMAP serving of fructose per serving.
Broccoli heads/florets only: Low FODMAP at 75 grams. Becomes moderate for fructose at 240 grams and high for fructose at 270 grams.
Broccoli stalks only: Low FODMAP at 45 grams. Becomes moderate for fructose at 50 grams and high for fructose at 75 grams.
Broccolini/tenderstem broccoli, heads/florets only: Low FODMAP at 58 grams (increased from 45 grams previously). Becomes high for fructose at 90 grams.
Broccolini/tenderstem broccoli, stalks only: Low FODMAP at 90 grams. Becomes moderate for fructans at 320 grams and high for fructans at 350 grams.
Sesame seeds
Low FODMAP serving of 1 tablespoon or 11 grams. Large servings of 6 tablespoons or 66 grams contain high amounts of fructans.
I garnish this recipe with black sesame seeds purely for visual appeal. Black sesame seeds are unlisted in the Monash app. Stick to hulled white sesame seeds if in the elimination phase. I recommend toasting them in a dry pan first to release their nutty aroma.
The sesame seeds are an optional garnish. If you opt to use ¼ tablespoon per serving it adds a small amount of extra fructans to the overall dish.
Spring onion greens/scallions
The dark green tips are low FODMAP at 75 grams or 1.5 cups. In 2022 they were retested and recategorised, changing from having no excess FODMAPs listed. They are now considered moderate for fructose at 265 grams and high for fructose at 330 grams or nearly 7 cups! For this reason, you'll still see them listed in many recipes and low FODMAP food lists as eat freely. As they have such a wide tolerance I still tend to think of them as FODMAP free but if you're especially sensitive to fructose then stick to suggested serving sizes.
In this recipe, I use 35 grams, split between four portions. This equals ⅛ of a serving of fructose.
The white bulbs are high in fructose and fructans with no safe serving listed.
Watch the recipe video for my tips on exactly how much of the onion is usable. You can regrow the green tips several times to minimise waste by placing the bulbs in a jar of water on the windowsill. For best results rinse the bulbs and change the water daily.
Tofu
Firm, drained tofu has a low FODMAP serving of 170 grams. In a recent update to the Monash app, tofu has been retested and listed as containing fructans. It quickly becomes moderate for fructans in portions of 175 grams and high for fructans at 205 grams.
Previously tofu had no upper limit or FODMAPs specified. Be mindful that older tofu recipes may have serving sizes based on the more generous previous FODMAP limits.
In this recipe, we use a total of 340 grams. When split between four servings this equals half a low FODMAP portion of tofu which means we also consider it to be half a portion of fructans.
Tomato paste
Low FODMAP serving of 28 grams or 2 Tbsps. The 2022 Monash app update changed the FODMAP content of tomato paste. It now lists it as moderate for fructans in servings of 81 grams and high for fructans at 85 grams. No excess FODMAPs were previously listed.
In this recipe, we use a total of 1 Tbsp. When shared between four portions this equals ⅛ low FODMAP serving of fructans.
Free From
- Celery free
- Coconut free
- Garlic free
- Gluten free options
- Mustard free
- Peanut free
- Tree nut free
- Wheat free options
- GOS free
- Lactose free
- Mannitol free
Please always double-check your ingredients to ensure your products, brands and version is “free from” if required. Where we list free from FODMAPs please be aware we are referring to free from excess FODMAPs as defined by low/high FODMAP limits in the Monash app and not a true allergy-safe definition of “free-from”.
Most plant foods will still contain some level of FODMAPs but in amounts that are considered to be tolerable for most people on the low FODMAP diet.
Related
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Recipe
Quick Sticky Ginger Tofu
Ingredients
Seasoned flour coating
- 2 tablespoon cornflour
- ½ teaspoon 5 spice powder
- ½ tsp asafoetida - ensure wheat free if required
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
Sticky ginger tofu
- 340 g smoked extra firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger - finely minced
- 4 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
- 4 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon miso paste
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup - optional to taste
- 35 g spring onion/scallion greens
- ¼ tablespoon sesame seeds - per serving (optional)
To serve
- 300 g broccoli florets
- 300 g pak/bok choy
- ½ cup cooked rice - per serving
Instructions
- Wash, trim and chop 300 g broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces. Steam or boil for approx 6 minutes or until al dente. Whilst the broccoli cooks continue with the rest of the prep.
- Pull apart 300 g pak/bok choy, wash the leaves and set aside in a colander to drain.
- Press and drain 340 g smoked extra firm tofu. Pat the tofu dry with a kitchen towel and cut into bite-size cubes approx 1"/2.5cm. If your tofu needs extensive pressing this step can be done in advance.
- In a small bowl mix together 2 tablespoon cornflour, ½ teaspoon 5 spice powder, ½ teaspoon asafoetida and ⅛ teaspoon white pepper. Stir until fully combined then sprinkle onto a plate big enough to hold the tofu in a single layer. Tip the diced tofu onto the plate and, using your fingers, turn it over in the seasoned flour until every surface is coated.
- Set a wide frying pan on medium heat. Using a wide pan allows the tofu to cook in a single layer which speeds up the browning process. Add 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil and fry the coated tofu for 8-10 minutes, turning frequently until browned on all sides.
- Whilst the tofu cooks mix together 1 tablespoon fresh ginger4 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce, 4 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce 1 tablespoon tomato paste½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper and 1 teaspoon miso paste. Test the marinade and add an optional 1 tablespoon maple syrupto taste.
- Once the tofu is nicely browned add the marinade and bubble on medium heat for 2 minutes. Turn the tofu continuously until covered in the sticky sauce.
- After a few minutes remove the tofu from the pan, leaving behind the excess sticky marinade. Add the pak choy and saute for a minute before adding the cooked broccoli to reheat. The marinade should deglaze from the pan and lightly coat the veggies. If the marinade begins to stick add a splash of hot water. Stir through 35 g spring onion/scallion greens just before turning off the heat.
- Portion the tofu out between 4 plates. Serve with ½ cup cooked rice per serving and place the cooked greens beside. Drizzle any leftover marinade from the pan over the rice. Garnish with extra green onions and optional ¼ tablespoon sesame seeds per serving.
Recipe Video
Notes
What marinade do you wish was low FODMAP?
Missing out on your favourite flavours? Let us know which marinades you'd like to see me fodmapify in the comments below. Please don't forget to rate ⭐, review and pin the recipe. Every single one helps more people, just like you, to find it when they search.
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