This vegan salt and pepper tofu recipe is a great dish to entertain with. I either serve it as an appetizer with tooth picks, or I serve it as an entree with some brown rice. All the components of this recipe can be made ahead and put together just before serving. This is a truly fancy, delicious, vegan, Chinese dish and it tastes like something you’d get at a restaurant.
To clean leeks, soak sliced leeks in water for a few minutes. The grit will settle to the bottom. Then scoop up the leeks floating on top and rinse under water.
There are a few recipes online for salt and pepper tofu, like this Chinese salt and pepper tofu on the post punk kitchen forum, this salt and pepper tofu with five spice or this simple salt and pepper tofu from Rachael Ray magazine.
Once you fry the tofu, toss it in sauteed leeks, celery, ginger, garlic and green pepper.
For a quick appetizer, skip the sauteeing just served the fried tofu with chili sauce like below. Toss tofu cubes in corn starch, salt and pepper. Fry till golden.
Notes:
- you can use this same method and recipe with button mushrooms, parboiled cubed potato, baby corn or paneer. The only change you will make is to make a batter out of the cornstarch and dip the vegetables or paneer in the cornstarch batter before frying. Tofu doesn’t need a batter because it has a lot of moisture already, so simply tossing it in cornstarch is enough
- fry one piece of tofu first and taste it. Adjust the salt the pepper in the batch if needed and then continue frying the rest
- fry only a few pieces of tofu at a time. If you crowd the skillet, tofu wont crisp up
- if the oil temperature is too low, the tofu wont crisp up, instead it will get soggy with oil
- substitute leeks with 1/2 cup chopped onions
- you can make the leek, celery, bell pepper sauté a day ahead
- the tofu can be fried about an hour ahead of time and placed in your oven in the lowest temperature. simply toss the tofu in the sauté in the last minute
Vegan Chinese Salt and Pepper Tofu
serves 2 as an entree or about 4 as an appetizer
for the sauté
1/2 tablespoon oil
2 medium leeks, white part only, washed and grit removed (1 cup when chopped)
1 celery rib (1/2 cup when chopped)
1 small green pepper (1/2 cup when chopped)
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
for the tofu
1 block (14 oz when drained) extra firm tofu
4 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 teaspoon or to taste freshly cracked black pepper
Salt
Vegetable or canola oil for frying
Chop the leeks, celery and green pepper into a fine dice. Heat oil in a wok on medium-high heat. Add chopped leeks, celery, and green pepper. Sauté on high heat for about 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic. Cook another 1-2 minutes. Add soy sauce and brown sugar and cook 30 seconds. Set this mixture aside.
Pat dry the drained tofu. Cut into 1 inch cubes. Place the tofu cubes in a large bowl. Add corn starch, salt and pepper. Gently toss till the tofu pieces are very well coated.
In a skillet, pour oil so that it comes up 1/2 inch. Heat the oil.Make sure oil is hot. Add tofu cubes a few at a time. If you fry too many in one go they won’t crisp up. Fry the tofu pieces, flipping them around, so that all sides are golden brown. Drain onto a few layers of paper towels.
Heat up the sautéed leeks, celery and bell pepper. Add the fried tofu cubes to this. Toss well. Serve vegan Chinese salt and pepper tofu with your favorite chili sauce and garnish with celery leaves or green onions.
this looks seriously tasty, I’m going to try this with sichuan pepper salt
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I don’t like tofu but this recipe looks great, I will give it a go! Thanks for sharing
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Sala @ Veggie Belly Reply:
July 24th, 2010 at 11:20 am
You can always make salt and pepper paneer or any of the other variations ive listed above
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Delicious clicks and yummy recipe … thanks for all the tips and options you have included … this dish looks really tempting… i am going to try it
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WOW! So simple and so very good.. love your idea of using mushrooms too.. think I’d like to cook both at the same time and eat them together
yum-o!!
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Sala @ Veggie Belly Reply:
July 24th, 2010 at 11:19 am
Thats what I do sometimes – make an assortment of salt and pepper mushroom, salt and pepper baby corn and salt and pepper tofu.
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Yummm!!!droolworthy dish, looks fan tas ticcc…
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I’ve never thought about doing tofu as an app at a party, but this just looks fantastic and I bet it would be a huge hit! Your post was so wonderful and pictures were stunning, of course.
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This looks delicious. Lovely photographs, too! I’ll certainly be trying it!
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Gurl u shud b punished for putting up such a tasty recipe – its past 1 in the night and i can hear my stomach growl
Mouth watering especially when i think of paneer…
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that does look very yum, i am definitely going to try it.
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Its surely a fancy dish. Looks yummy too
A great starter 
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So great to find your blog! Your food looks fantastic, I can already see that I would LOVE this tofu (actually thinking about making it soon, I have some in my fridge) and also the previous recipe with israeli couscous. Looking forward to seeing more great recipes in the future.
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i too love the fried tofu with pepper and salt as well as with indian Masalas..so yummy really great snack and my kids fav too.. hey I too have that silver spoon sala.. it is really cute.
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hi sala…
Great idea for parties … Your sticky tofu thins are popular and a regular at home. Thanx for another interesting one.
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I’m new to tofu, but have become a real covert, so I am always chuffed to see a great recipe like this. Off to add it to my wee folder. Thanks for the recipe
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This looks amazing! I love tofu, but have only cooked it once or twice. I’m a bit intimidated by “the ‘fu”!
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beautiful photography… looks inviting… try my home made paneer @ http://chackoskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/03/home-made-paneer.html
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Everything always look so good! Thank you so much for posting all your cooking. I just started being a vegetarian in January, and you really helped me with the transition from eating meat. Your recipes and photos are always amazing!
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this looks so yummy!!! I really hope you will submit it to my new “vegan finds” site:
http://www.findingvegan.com
Kathy
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Even though I am vegetarian I have to admit I really don’t enjoy tofu, but these actually look delicious enough that I might have to give it a try again.
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Ava Reply:
July 29th, 2010 at 7:55 pm
I agree with you. I made this tonight and I’m already planning on purchasing more tofu this weekend.
I’m also thinking of speeding up the process by using two skillets.
Thanks for this delicious recipe. It is a bit time consuming, but it was worth it.
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Whoops, did I say couple of free minutes? LOL. I sounded like a cell phone commercial. Haha. You got what I mean, though, right!?
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Hey there! First of all, thanks for stopping by my space. I happened to get a couple free minutes and I stopped by Veggie Belly, and am I impressed by what you have here or what?! I can assure you I will be coming back here many more times…your recipes are such! And, you have a surprisingly refreshing space out here…Creative recipes, beautiful blog layout, superb photography, great presentation and good writing – One cannot ask for more! Will stay connected.
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Lovley… looks really tempting!!!
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Funny, I was just thinking about finding a new tofu recipe this morning! I’m going to make this crispy fried salt and pepper tofu soon, like today.
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Pepper tofu sounds and loks yummy. whenever I visit your blog I have a treat for my eyes. Gorgeous pics. I am learning lot of good shots from you. Really an inspiring blog.
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Hey…
I had been to this Thai BBQ 2 days back and the husband insisted on ordering the deep fried tofu appetizer. It reminded me of this recipe… It was their sauce that was addictive!
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What adorable little appetizers. I’m Chinese and I’ve never thought of something like this. Great creation, Sala!
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How much brown sugar am I supposed to use? I did a tablespoon but I don’t see an amount in your recipe.
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Sala @ Veggie Belly Reply:
July 30th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Oops! sorry! I’ve updated the recipe with the brown sugar.
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omg! i eat this dish at my favorite chinese restaurant in austin, TX every time I go there. I can make this recipe in houston, tx? YAYYYYY thank you sooo much!
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This was a wonderful surprise! The texture and the flavor were perfectly complementary. The quantity of leek & pepper sauce was exactly enough to coat the crispy tofu and the whole dish was savory and mouth-warming. I was tempted to eat the whole batch, but luckily I had my family around to temper my impulses. Needless to say, this is one for the recipe box! Thank you!
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Despite my frying misadventures, this is the first recipe that’s actually made tofu taste good! Once I work up some more courage, I’ll definitely be trying it again. Thanks!
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Just discovered your website – stunning! I also make a salt and pepper tofu, but I like your variations on this one. Your photos are stunning. I’m now following (stalking?) you on Twitter + RSS
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This looks yum!!
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This looks great and now I’m going to spend more time going over your blog. Thanks for sharing.
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How would i lessen the amount of salt and pepper that sticks to each piece? I found it to be too salt&peppery for a main dish with brown rice. I don’t want to give up but just tone it down a bit. thanks!
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Love this… tastes awesome!
Thx!
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Hey Sala, this tasted awesome. we made a mistake on using dark soya sauce, but in terms of taste, wow. I don’t think I’ve eaten tofu this delicious!
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soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo goood
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I made this for dinner tonight. I used green onions rather than leeks. This was a delicious dish. I’ve never had tofu fried like this. The cornstarch coating is really yummy. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
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oh my goodness, this was soooooooo good!! The tofu came out so deliciously crunchy! I used 1/4 t. of salt – I’ll use a little more next time. DELICIOUS!
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Wow this looks delish!! Gonna give it a try. Do you have any suggestions to get by with the frying. Is oven an option ?
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Sala @ Veggie Belly Reply:
October 24th, 2013 at 11:00 pm
You could bake it, but it wont be the same
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This is one of my fav. Chinese restaurant dish. I am making this tomorrow night for sure. In the restaurant it has chilli. I assume I can add some finely sliced chilli to the leeks mix. My husband is Chinese but I am gonna out Chinese him when I can make this.
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Sala @ Veggie Belly Reply:
January 29th, 2014 at 9:05 am
Yes, sliced chillies will be great! Let me know how you and your husband liked it!
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My kids loved this dish! Normally they won’t touch tofu.
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