Sticky Marmalade Tofu

An up close, overhead shot shows sticky marmalade tofu in a non-stick skillet. Tofu cubes swimming in a bit of marmalade glaze and garnished with chopped chives.

An overhead shot shows a portion of sticky marmalade tofu on top of some white rice with a side of Brussels sprouts. It is plated in a shallow bowl with a pink linen napkin on the side.

An overhead shot shows the ingredients used for sticky marmalade tofu: pressed tofu, garlic, ginger, spices, orange marmalade, lemon, olive oil, vegetable stock, tamari and arrowroot starch.

A 3/4 angle shot shows the tofu being pressed onto a plate,

An overhead shot shows a plate with small diced onions and an even smaller bowl with finely minced ginger and garlic.

An overhead shot shows tofu cubes covered in spices and arrowroot starch. In a small bowl with a wooden spoon for stirring.

A 3/4 angle image shows tofu cubes tossed with oil, spices, tamari and arrowroot starch.

I’m a big fan of preserving fruit in sauces and providing an edge of sweetness to a savory dish. I recently spread marmalade on some homemade bread and thought about using it as a delicious sauce for tofu or tempeh with lemon, ginger and some spices. This sticky marmalade works so well with tofu! I especially love that it all comes together in one pan with about 12 ingredients – most of which are super pantry-friendly. Here are plenty of other tofu recipes if you need inspiration.

Inspiration for this recipe:

I was inspired here by the classic Chinese-American dish orange chicken, created in 1987 by chef Andy Cao for Panda Express, inspired by the flavors of Hunan Province. Jennifer 8. Lee, producer of the documentary Search for General Tso describes the dish as a “cultural import” and an American adaptation of a sweet and sour dish from China. For more information and backstory, this article from NPR is great.
Using marmalade here is definitely a shortcut. The original contains orange oil, juice, brown sugar and honey.

I always recommend pressing the tofu for a nice chewy texture. You can use a tool dedicated to this or follow this guide here. Once the tofu is pressed, we cube it and toss it with arrowroot starch, spices, oil, salt, pepper and tamari. I fry the cubes in a nonstick skillet until browned on all sides – this process takes about 10 minutes.

I set the tofu aside and start the sauce. We will fry sweet onion with very finely minced ginger and garlic. The fine mince allows it to “melt” into the sticky marmalade tofu sauce. We add orange marmalade, vegetable stock and a bit more tamari to keep things tasty. This mixture thickens in about 7-8 minutes, the tofu goes back in and voila! I finish the sauce with lemon and garnish with chopped chives and toasted almonds.

Some tips!

A nonstick pan is best for this recipe! This keeps the tofu from sticking and the glaze is also free to wobble around the pan.
I like to grate the ginger and garlic with a microplane so they both “dissolve” into the marmalade sauce.
If you’re looking to cut back on added sugar, I recommend checking out St. Dalfour’s orange marmalade fruit spread.

I like to serve this sticky marmalade tofu with fluffy rice and a green vegetable. Here, I show roasted Brussels sprouts, but broccoli, kale, or green beans would all be great. Fans of this recipe may also like my Blackberry Glazed Tofu.

A small 3/4 corner of cooked tofu in a non-stick skillet.

An up close, overhead shot of brown, spicy tofu cubes.

A hand holds a small bowl with finely minced/crushed ginger and garlic.

A hand is transferring orange marmalade to a pan with onion, garlic and ginger.

A hand using a spatula to stir a marmalade-based glaze in a non-stick skillet.

A hand squeezes a lemon into a spiced marmalade glaze in a non-stick skillet.

Transferring crispy tofu cubes from plate to nonstick skillet with slightly reduced marmalade glaze.

Using a wooden spoon to stir crispy tofu cubes in a marmalade glaze in a non-stick skillet.

With about 12 ingredients and in about 30 minutes, you’ll have this delicious Sticky Marmalade Tofu! This protein-rich vegan staple comes together in one pan. Super pantry-friendly!

Q Time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

serving 3 -4

Materials

1 pounds (454 g) firm tofu
3 tablespoon Olive oil, split (plus extra)
1 tablespoon Arrowroot starch (or cornstarch!)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon Chili or chili flakes
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 ½ tablespoon Tamari, divided
½ Sweet onion, finely diced (about ¾ cup chopped onion)
1 ½ inch Slice ginger, finely minced
2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
½ the cup Orange marmalade
¼ the cup Vegetable stock, plus extra
2 teaspoon lemon juice
Chopped chives, for garnish
Toasted chopped almonds, for garnish

Comment

A nonstick pan is best for this recipe! This keeps the tofu from sticking and the glaze is also free to wobble around the pan.
I like to grate the ginger and garlic with a microplane so they both “dissolve” into the marmalade sauce.
If you’re looking to cut back on added sugar, I recommend checking out St. Dalfour’s orange marmalade fruit spread.
If you like a little spice, I recommend finishing the marmalade sauce with a little hot sauce or chili paste!

instructions

Press the tofu for 15 minutes. I want to use this time to prepare everything else!
Once the tofu is pressed, towel dry with paper towels and then cut into 1-2 inch cubes. Place the tofu cubes in a bowl with 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil, arrowroot starch, garlic powder, chopped coriander, green chilies, salt, pepper and ½ tablespoon of tamari. Toss tofu to coat.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, drizzle in 1 tablespoon olive oil and swirl around. Add the tofu one at a time and spread it out in a single layer.
Brown the tofu on all sides, stirring it here and there. This process should take about 10 minutes. Transfer the tofu to a plate and return the nonstick skillet to the stove over medium heat.
Pour the remaining olive oil and swirl it around. Add the onion and sauté until translucent and quite soft, about 6-7 minutes. Reduce the heat if the onions brown too quickly. Add ginger and garlic and fry for another minute.
Add the remaining tablespoon of orange marmalade, vegetable stock and tamari. Stir to break up bits of marmalade. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 8 minutes. If it reduces too quickly, lower the heat. You can add more vegetable stock by the tablespoon if needed.
When the sauce is ready, add the lemon juice and stir. Give the sauce a taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary (more salt, pepper, lemon, etc.). Return tofu to skillet and stir to coat. Garnish the tofu with chives and toasted almonds.

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