Crispy Five Spice Tofu with Cabbage

Crispy tofu marinated in a delicious blend of ingredients like Chinese five spice, orange zest, garlic, and ginger paired with pan-fried green cabbage and rice.

This Crispy Five Spice Tofu with Cabbage is filled with savory warming flavors from Chinese five spice plus hints of garlic and ginger paired with crunchy sautéed green cabbage. This recipe pairs great with white or brown rice.

What is Chinese five spice?

Chinese five spice is a blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds. Each individual spice brings a unique flavor element, including sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and savory – making it a wholesome, full-body spice blend.

Five spice is typically used in braised or roasted meats/poultry/fish, marinades, and rubs. It can also be added to vegetables for a delicious depth of flavor!

How to Make Crispy Five Spice Tofu with Cabbage:

1. In a large shallow mixing bowl, whisk together garlic, ginger, tamari, shaoxing wine, brown sugar, five spice, orange zest, and salt until combined.
2. Add cubed tofu to marinade and toss well to fully coat tofu in sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp high-heat oil (avocado or grapeseed oil) over medium heat. Whisk together 1 tsp corn starch and 1 tsp of water. Add tofu to skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. RESERVE TOFU MARINADE and mix in corn starch slurry. Add marinade to tofu and cook for 1 minute until thickened and tofu is coated. Transfer tofu to a bowl or plate, set aside.
4. Bring skillet back up to temp and add a drizzle of oil. Add sliced cabbage and a sprinkle of salt. Saute for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and soft.
5. Serve tofu and cabbage over rice. Garnish with green onion. Enjoy!

Why you need to try this Crispy Five Spice Tofu with Cabbage:

1. It embodies all 5 flavor elements: sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and savory. The Chinese five spice blend encompasses all 5 of those elements. In addition, you get sweet from the brown sugar and shaoxing wine in the marinade, bitter from the orange zest and five spice, sour from the zest, salty from tamari, and savory from garlic and ginger.
2. Perfectly cooked tofu. This tofu is crisp and golden on all edges, but remains soft and fluffy in the middle. I used extra-firm tofu in this recipe, which I highly recommend for an extra crisp texture.
3. Only takes 25 minutes to make. Minus the time to marinate the tofu which I don’t count, this recipe comes together in no time. Cook your rice. In the meantime, fry up the tofu in the skillet followed by sautéing the green cabbage.
4. Simple to make. There are no complicated steps in this recipe and most of the ingredients are pantry staples. Shaoxing wine and Chinese five spice can be found at most Asian grocery stores or Amazon!

Make this for a weeknight dinner or meal prep for lunch during the week!

Where can I find shaoxing wine and Chinese five spice?

These ingredients can be found at most Asian grocery stores! You can also purchase shaoxing wine and Chinese five spice on Amazon.

What type of tofu do you recommend?

I recommend an extra-firm tofu so you get that extra crisp texture.

If you’re looking for more delicious tofu recipes, you’ll also love these Lemon Peanut Noodles w/ Crispy Tofu, these Shawarma-spiced Tofu Wraps, and this Mediterranean Herbed Lemon Tofu & Couscous Bowl.

Also, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram don’t forget to tag me @healthienut + #healthienut! I love seeing your mouthwatering recreations.