This Jammy Garlic Pepper Tofu tosses air-fried tofu with shallots, garlic, and ginger in a sticky, peppery soy sauce. Ready in under an hour!
Jammy Garlic Pepper Tofu Overview
- 📝 Recipe Name: Jammy Black Pepper Tofu
- 🕒 Ready In: Under an hour!
- 🍽️ Serves: 6
- 🌱 Main Ingredients: extra-firm tofu, shallots, garlic, ginger, black pepper, soy sauce
- 📖 Dietary Info: vegan, dairy-free, easily gluten-free with tamari
- 😍 Why You’ll Love It: jammy, caramelized aromatics and a savory, peppery sauce that clings to every piece of tofu, with big takeout flavor at home.
How to Make Jammy Garlic Pepper Tofu (with pictures)
Step 1 – Prep & Coat the Tofu
Step 2 – Air Fry Tofu Till Crispy
Step 3 – Sauté Aromatics to “Jammy”
Step 4 – Simmer and Thicken the Sauce
Step 5 – Add Crispy Tofu Back In
Step 6 – Mix Until Coated
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Jammy Garlic Pepper Tofu
This Jammy Garlic Pepper Tofu tosses air-fried tofu with shallots, garlic, and ginger in a sticky, peppery soy sauce. Ready in under an hour!
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Servings: 6 servings
Equipment
- Air fryer
- large skillet nonstick preferred
Ingredients
Crispy Tofu
- 2 (14 or 16 ounce) blocks extra-firm tofu drained and pressed
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil I like peanut or olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch
Simple Sauce
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Jammy Garlic Pepper Tofu
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil or other neutral oil
- 2-3 large shallots or 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 green onions thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
- 1 jalapeño sliced (remove seeds and ribs for less spice)
- 1 small red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced or grated ginger
- 8-10 cloves garlic minced
- 1-2 teaspoons ground black pepper freshly ground is ideal
- Simple Sauce see above
- Crispy Tofu see above, or substitute a double batch of Crispy Baked Tofu or Crispy Pan-Fried Tofu
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds optional
Instructions
Make the Crispy Tofu
- Press tofu: Drain 2 (14 or 16 ounce) blocks extra-firm tofu and press for 10–15 minutes.
- Season tofu: After pressing, cut tofu into cubes or tear into bite-sized pieces. Gently toss with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Sprinkle on the 2 tablespoons cornstarch and gently toss again to coat.
- Air fry: Air-fry the tofu for 25 minutes at 400°F, giving the basket a good shake about every 5 minutes to ensure the tofu crisps evenly. Make sure it's extra crispy, as it will lose some of that crisp when you add it to the sauce. Add extra time as needed, 2-3 minutes at a time. While the tofu cooks, make the sauce.
Prep the Simple Sauce
- Make the sauce: Whisk together all ingredients for sauce: 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 1/2 cup water, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch.
Make the Jammy Garlic Pepper Tofu
- Sauté the aromatics: In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add in 2-3 large shallots (sliced), the white parts of 4 green onions, 1 jalapeño (sliced), 1 small red bell pepper (chopped), 1 tablespoon minced or grated ginger, 8-10 cloves garlic (minced), and the 1-2 teaspoons ground black pepper. Sauté for 8-10 minutes, until the aromatics become jammy and slightly caramelized.
- Add the sauce: Lower the heat to medium-low. Give the Simple Sauce a quick whisk to make sure the cornstarch is well-distributed, then pour it all into the pan. Let it come up to a gentle simmer. It should thicken within a minute or two.
- Add the tofu: Add in the Crispy Tofu and toss to coat with the sauce. Allow everything to come back up to a simmer, then remove from heat and top with the green parts of the scallions. Sprinkle on 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional).
Notes
Gluten-free: Use tamari in place of soy sauce.
No air fryer? Make a double batch of our crispy oven-baked tofu or our crispy pan-fried tofu instead, then add it to the sauce in the last step.
Spice level: For less heat, remove the jalapeño seeds and ribs, or leave the jalapeño out altogether. For extra heat, sub in a few serrano peppers or add red pepper flakes at the same time as the black pepper.
Low sugar: I make this often using the Swerve Brown Zero Calorie Sweetener (sweetened with erythritol).
Serving: Serves 6 generously over jasmine rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 944mg | Potassium: 374mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 728IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 213mg | Iron: 3mg
The nutrition information provided on Sarah’s Vegan Kitchen is an estimate and is offered for general informational purposes only. Values will vary depending on the specific brands and amounts used.
This was a rare miss for us (all other tofu recipes have been bangers!). Felt like it needed some acid? Might try again with a little rice vinegar in the simple sauce.
One of my new favorite tofu recipes from Sarah! (I mean, let’s face it…they’re all incredible.) But I highly recommend this one to any tofu-lovers who are seeking something new for dinners. Enjoy!