Air Fryer Orange Tofu with Broccoli and Sticky Ginger Glaze
Crispy air fryer orange tofu and tender broccoli tossed in a glossy glaze of fresh orange juice, tamari, maple and ginger. A quick takeout-style dinner.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 22 min
- Rest
- 15 min
- Serves
- 3
Air Fryer Orange Tofu with Broccoli and Sticky Ginger Glaze is a vegan dinner recipe made with extra-firm tofu, tamari, neutral oil. It takes 37 minutes of hands-on time, plus 15 minutes resting, serves 3, and each serving has 441 calories, 30 g of protein and 9 g of fiber.
Cornstarch-coated tofu goes crisp in the air fryer with just a tablespoon of oil. While it cooks, you steam the broccoli and simmer a quick sauce in one skillet. Fresh orange juice and zest give the glaze a bright citrus flavor that bottled juice doesn't have. Toss the tofu in the glaze only when you're ready to serve so the coating stays crunchy.
A cooking method + flavor profile (air-fried crispy tofu tossed in a sticky orange-ginger glaze instead of a pan stir-fry in savory garlic sauce) take on our Garlic Ginger Tofu and Green Bean Stir-Fry.
Ingredients
Crispy Tofu
- 14 oz397 gextra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp18 gtamari
- 1 tbsp14 gneutral oil, such as avocado or canola
- 2 tbsp16 gcornstarch
- ¼ tsp1.5 gfine salt
Broccoli
- 4 cups364 gbroccoli florets, bite-size
- 3 tbsp45 gwater
Orange-Ginger Glaze
- 2 medium262 goranges, zested and juiced (about 1/2 cup juice and 2 tsp zest), grams reflect juice and zest only
- 3 tbsp54 gtamari
- 3 tbsp60 gmaple syrup
- 1 tbsp15 grice vinegar
- 2 tsp5.4 gcornstarch
- 2 tbsp30 gcold water
- 1 tsp4.7 gneutral oil
- 3 cloves9 ggarlic, minced
- 1 tbsp6 gfresh ginger, finely grated
- ¼ tsp0.5 gred pepper flakes
- 1 tsp4.5 gtoasted sesame oil
To Serve
- 2 30 ggreen onions, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 tsp3 gtoasted sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 cup185 gwhite rice, cooked according to package directions, uncooked measure (optional)
Kit: air fryer, large skillet with lid, microplane or fine grater, small bowl
Tips
- Toss the tofu in the glaze right before you eat. If it sits in the sauce, the crisp coating softens within about 10 minutes.
- If you're cooking in batches, put the first batch back in the basket for 1–2 minutes at the end to warm it up before glazing.
- Air fryers vary. Smaller basket models may finish the tofu closer to 14 minutes, so start checking early.
- If the glaze gets too thick, loosen it with a tablespoon of water or orange juice.
Swap ideas
- Soy sauce instead of tamari
- Tastes almost the same, but the dish is no longer gluten-free.
- Agave or brown sugar instead of maple syrup
- Agave tastes cleaner and more neutral. Brown sugar gives a deeper, more caramel-like glaze.
- Add 1–2 tsp sriracha to the sauce
- Makes it spicier and gives it a sweet-heat flavor like takeout General Tso's.
- Green beans or bell pepper strips instead of broccoli
- Green beans need about 1 minute more steaming. Peppers add sweetness and only need a quick 2-minute sauté.
The numbers
Nutrition per serving
441kcal per serving
Everything else · 3 servings per recipe
- Saturated fat
- 2.5 g 13%
- Sugars
- 22.8 g
- Sodium
- 1598 mg 69%
- Potassium
- 972 mg 21%
- Calcium
- 1028 mg 79%
- Iron
- 5.2 mg 29%
- Vitamin C
- 156 mg 173%
- Vitamin B12
- 0 µg 0%
% Daily Value on a 2,000 calorie diet. Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient; optional ingredients are excluded. Estimates vary with brands and portions.
Sources: Tofu, raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate, Soy sauce made from soy (tamari), Oil, canola, Cornstarch, Salt, table, Broccoli, raw, Beverages, water, tap, drinking, Oranges, raw, all commercial varieties, Syrups, maple, RICE VINEGAR (Branded, Mizkan America, Inc.) - unseasoned; 0 kcal, 0 g protein, carbs, sugar, fat and 0 mg sodium per 15 ml serving, Garlic, raw, Ginger root, raw, Spices, pepper, red or cayenne, Oil, sesame, salad or cooking
Method
Wrap the tofu block in a clean kitchen towel and set something heavy on top, like a skillet with a few cans in it. Press for 15 minutes, then cut it into 1-inch cubes. If you're serving rice, start cooking it now.
Heat the air fryer to 400°F. In a bowl, toss the tofu cubes gently with 1 tbsp tamari and 1 tbsp oil. Sprinkle the 2 tbsp cornstarch and the salt over the top and toss again until every cube has a dry, even coating with no white powdery patches.
Spread the tofu in a single layer in the air fryer basket, working in two batches if it's crowded. Air fry for 15–18 minutes and shake the basket every 5–6 minutes. The tofu is ready when it's deep golden and crisp on all sides and sounds hollow when you tap it.
While the tofu cooks, zest and juice the oranges. In a small bowl, whisk the orange juice, zest, 3 tbsp tamari, maple syrup, rice vinegar, 2 tsp cornstarch and 2 tbsp cold water until the cornstarch dissolves completely.
Put the broccoli and 3 tbsp water in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cover and steam for 3–4 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green and just tender when you pierce it with a knife. Move it to a plate and wipe the skillet dry.
Heat 1 tsp oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes and stir for 30–45 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
Whisk the sauce again, since the cornstarch settles, and pour it into the skillet. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes, until it bubbles, turns glossy and thickens enough to coat a spoon. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the sesame oil.
Just before serving, add the crispy tofu and broccoli to the skillet and toss until everything is coated in the glaze. Serve right away over rice, topped with green onions and sesame seeds.
Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The tofu will soften. To crisp it again, reheat the tofu in the air fryer at 375°F for 3–4 minutes, then toss it with the warmed broccoli and glaze. For meal prep, store the tofu, broccoli and sauce separately.
Questions
- How much protein is in air fryer orange tofu with broccoli and sticky ginger glaze?
- Each of the 3 servings has 30 g of protein, 9 g of fiber and 441 calories, calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for every ingredient.
- Is air fryer orange tofu with broccoli and sticky ginger glaze vegan?
- Yes. It contains no dairy, eggs, honey or other animal products.
- How long does air fryer orange tofu with broccoli and sticky ginger glaze take to make?
- 15 minutes of prep and 22 minutes of cooking, so 37 minutes of hands-on time, plus 15 minutes of unattended resting.
- Can you make air fryer orange tofu with broccoli and sticky ginger glaze ahead?
- Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The tofu will soften. To crisp it again, reheat the tofu in the air fryer at 375°F for 3–4 minutes, then toss it with the warmed broccoli and glaze. For meal prep, store the tofu, broccoli and sauce separately.
- What can I substitute in air fryer orange tofu with broccoli and sticky ginger glaze?
- Soy sauce instead of tamari — tastes almost the same, but the dish is no longer gluten-free.. Agave or brown sugar instead of maple syrup — agave tastes cleaner and more neutral. brown sugar gives a deeper, more caramel-like glaze.. Add 1–2 tsp sriracha to the sauce — makes it spicier and gives it a sweet-heat flavor like takeout general tso's.. Green beans or bell pepper strips instead of broccoli — green beans need about 1 minute more steaming. peppers add sweetness and only need a quick 2-minute sauté..
- Does air fryer orange tofu with broccoli and sticky ginger glaze contain gluten or nuts?
- None of the ingredients are a source of gluten, tree nuts or peanuts. That is a statement about the ingredient list, not a guarantee about the brands you buy — always read the labels if you're cooking for an allergy.
Nutrition is calculated from USDA data for every ingredient — how we work it out.
Published October 2, 2026 ·Chinese-American
