Asian American Daddy
Cooking

Recipes

Pan-Seared Tofu with Ginger Scallion Sauce

By NicklausWritten

Golden pan-seared tofu slices with a ginger-scallion dressing, rice vinegar and tender centers beneath a crisp surface.

Jump to recipe ↓

Recipe

Total time
About 30 minutes
Method
Skillet
Difficulty
Easy
Allergens
Soy · Wheat may be present in soy sauce

About 2 servings with rice

Allow roughly 30 minutes; a smaller pan will need batches. Have any rice cooked before beginning. Stay at the stove while the tofu browns.

Equipment: Large nonstick skillet, wide spatula, knife, board, small bowl, heatproof bowl and clean plate.

Ingredients

  • 400 g regular firm or extra-firm tofu (about 14 oz), not silken
  • 15 g fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
  • 3 scallions, washed and finely sliced
  • 3 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar, optional
  • Freshly cooked rice, to serve

Method

  1. Slice, dry and mix

    Drain the tofu, cut into broad slices about 1 cm thick and blot visible moisture with a clean towel. Mince the ginger and slice the scallions. Mix the soy sauce, water, vinegar and optional sugar in the small bowl. Keep a separate heatproof bowl ready for the cooked aromatics.

    Convert a measurement for this step

  2. Soften the ginger and scallions

    Put 1 tablespoon oil and the ginger in the skillet over medium-low heat. Stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes, without browning it. Add the scallions and stir just until wilted. Turn off the burner and scrape the aromatics and oil into the heatproof bowl. Leave them there to cool while you cook the tofu.

    Convert a measurement for this step

  3. Let a golden face form

    Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the empty skillet and warm over medium heat, without smoking. Lay the tofu in one uncrowded layer, away from you to limit splashes. Cook until the underside is golden and releases with a gentle nudge of the spatula; begin checking around 5 minutes. If the pan is too small, cook in batches, sharing the oil between them.

    Convert a measurement for this step

  4. Turn without tearing

    Slide the spatula fully beneath each piece before turning. Brown the second face, checking after a few minutes and lowering the heat if the edges darken too quickly. Stay with the pan. Move the browned tofu to the clean plate and turn off the burner after the last batch.

    Convert a measurement for this step

  5. Spoon the sauce over at the table

    Stir the soy-vinegar mixture into the cooled ginger and scallion oil in its bowl, not into the hot skillet. Spoon it over the tofu and serve promptly with freshly cooked rice.

    Convert a measurement for this step
Illustration of golden pan-seared tofu slices topped with minced ginger and scallions on a ceramic plate.
Pan-seared tofu with ginger and scallions. Illustration.

Brown the tofu, then dress it

The sauce goes on after the tofu leaves the skillet. That small separation gives you two things to work with: a browned surface and a loose ginger-scallion dressing. Pouring the dressing into the frying pan would turn this into a different dish, with softer edges and much less control over the sauce.

Choose a regular firm or extra-firm block. A package marked “firm silken” is not the same product; it can break under the turning needed here. If the shelf is confusing, the tofu buying guide explains the difference.

A spatula is not a pry bar

Try one corner before committing to the turn. If the tofu resists, leave it briefly and check again. If it is already getting dark, reduce the heat instead of waiting for a still-darker crust. A nonstick skillet makes this easier, but it does not need to be heated until smoking.

One large plate of tofu can be two batches in a modest skillet. Keep the uncooked slices beside the stove and transfer the finished pieces to a clean plate. There is no need to juggle another pan while the second batch cooks.

Make enough sauce for dinner

The ginger and scallions cook first so you can give them your full attention. Then they cool in a bowl while the tofu fries. Mixing in the watery seasoning there avoids adding it to hot frying oil.

Chinese light soy sauce supplies the salt; “light” describes the sauce style, not a promise of reduced sodium. The soy sauce guide can help if your bottle is dark, thick or sweet. The small vinegar measure is part of this dressing, not a call to turn it into a sour glaze.

Adapted from Jeeca's ginger scallion tofu and Sarah Leung's pan-fried tofu.

Keep the leftovers cold

Refrigerate tofu and sauce in shallow containers within two hours, or one hour above 90°F (32°C). Keep at 40°F (4°C) or below, eat within 3–4 days and reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), following USDA leftover guidance. Do not keep the fresh aromatic oil on the counter. Tofu contains soy; soy sauce commonly contains wheat. Check the actual ingredients if allergies affect your meal.

Back to recipes →