Over the weekend I helped my mom host a Mongolian style dinner party for her friends. We cut up a bunch of different vegetables, proteins and sauces and set up three cook stations, which allowed each guest to customize their own plate. It ended up being a huge success, but we were left with a huge amount of leftover vegetables. So, I had to figure out what to make with the rest of the ingredients.
I decided to make General Tso’s tofu and vegetable lettuce wraps since it would be a quick and healthy recipe. It ended up being the perfect use for all those veggies because it was extremely tasty and it was pretty fast to put together. Within 30 minutes, I had a really good, relatively healthy meal that fed myself and my non-vegan, omnivorous family; everyone gave it positive reviews. If you try this recipe, let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages. We would love to hear how it turns out for you.
Super easy General Tso's tofu lettuce wraps are the perfect weeknight meal. They are delicious and satisfying for the whole family.
Ingredients
- 1 package bibb lettuce
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1/2 cup chopped broccoli
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1/4 cup baby corn
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup red onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup zucchini, sliced
- 1/4 cup cashews
- 1 green onion, sliced
- 1/2 block firm tofu, pressed and cubed
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp minced ginger
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp chili oil
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together the soy sauce, sesame oil and tofu and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
- In another small bowl, stir together the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
- In a wok or a nonstick pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. (I use low-medium heat because I have a gas stove that gets extremely hot, so use your best judgement.)
- Take each piece of tofu one at a time and dredge them through the cornstarch and then add them to the pan with the hot oil.
- Carefully fry the tofu for about 10 minutes until they are browned and crispy on all sides.
- Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- In the same wok, add all the vegetables except for the green onion and stir-fry them for several minutes until they are nicely charred but still crunchy, about 5-10 minutes.
- After you are satisfied with the vegetables add half of the sauce and continue to stir vigorously until the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan again, add the cashews and stir fry them for a minute.
- Add the rest of the sauce and stir frequently until it thickens, about 1-2 minutes.
- Quickly toss in the fried tofu pieces and turn off the heat.
- Spoon the stir-fried vegetables, tofu and green onions over the bibb lettuce and serve immediately.
Notes
I used the vegetables that I had leftover in my fridge, so feel free to experiment and add and subtract what you like to this recipe. It is very versatile.