The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Kung Pao Tofu with Pickled Cucumber Salad
Our vegan version of the kung pao classic! Sizzle crispy tofu with hoisin, tamari and maple until glazed and sticky. Serve with crunchy pickled cucumber and fluffy brown rice to soak up all the sauce.
High protein
1/3 daily fibre
6 plants
Low sat fat
Serving size
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 560g tofu (Soya) (Tofu (Water, Soya Beans, Nigari))
- 1 pepper
- 2 onion
- 200g brown rice (100% Brown Rice)
- 3 tbsp tamari (Soya) (water, soybeans, salt, spirit vinegar)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (maple syrup(100%))
- 1 handful of fresh coriander
- 20g roasted peanuts (Peanuts, Nuts, Sesame)
- 2 pak choi
- 6 tbsp hoisin sauce (Soya) (Water, Miso Paste (Water, Soybeans, Rice, Salt), Date Syrup, Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans Salt, Rice, Ethyl alcohol), Tomato Paste, Cornflour, Salt, Garlic, Acidity Regulator: Acetic Acid, Chinese Five Spice (Fennel Seed, Cassia, Black Pepper, Star Anise, Cloves), Cayenne Pepper)
- 1 cucumber
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar (Rice Vinegar, Salt)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 580
Protein: 31g
Carbs: 62g
Fat: 21g
Kung Pao Tofu with Pickled Cucumber Salad
Our vegan version of the kung pao classic! Sizzle crispy tofu with hoisin, tamari and maple until glazed and sticky. Serve with crunchy pickled cucumber and fluffy brown rice to soak up all the sauce.
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Cooking Instructions
Before you start
- Bring a large saucepan filled with salted water to a boil
- Pull out a measuring jug, a medium bowl, a large bowl, a large frying pan & a sieve
Cook the rice & start the prep
- Add the rice to the saucepan and boil for 25-30 mins, until cooked, then drain
- Meanwhile, drain the tofu, pat dry with paper towel and cut into 2cm cubes
- Trim and cut the pak choi into bite-sized pieces. Dice the onions and pepper into 2cm chunks
Pickle the cucumber
- Cut the cucumber into quarters widthways, then slice lengthways into thin batons (scoop out the seeds if desired)
- Add the cucumber to the medium bowl, along with half the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat, then set aside to pickle
Fry the tofu
- Add the tofu, cornflour and a generous pinch of salt to the large bowl. Toss to coat the tofu
- Heat the large frying pan with 1 tbsp oil on medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu and cook for 8-10 mins, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden
- Cook in batches if necessary. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper and set aside
Kung pao time
- Add 75ml water to the measuring jug, then mix in the hoisin, tamari, maple syrup and the remaining rice vinegar
- Reheat the frying pan with 2 tsp oil on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, pepper and pak choi. Cook for 4-5 mins, until soft and lightly charred. Season with salt and pepper
- Return the tofu to the pan and add the kung pao sauce. Toss to coat and simmer for 3-4 mins, until the sauce thickens and coats the tofu
Last bits & plate up
- Roughly chop the peanuts and coriander. Toss half the coriander through the pickled cucumber
- Serve the kung pao tofu onto plates, with the rice alongside. Scatter over the peanuts and remaining coriander. Serve the pickled cucumber on the side
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