This vegan pork belly recipe recreates the crispy layers and rich texture of traditional pork belly using tofu. The final result comes with a crispy pork skin on the outside while being tender in the middle, and coated in a sticky, flavorful glaze.
Inspired by Asian-style pork belly dishes, this tofu belly recipe combines layers of tofu with tapioca starch and seasoning to create a surprisingly meaty texture entirely from plant-based ingredients.
Serve it with rice, noodles, or your favorite flavorful sauces for an easy vegan comfort food dinner.
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❤️ Why You'll Love It
- Crispy outside with a tender, layered center
- Made with extra-firm tofu and a chewy coconut fat layer
- Sticky, flavorful, and surprisingly meaty texture
- Easy plant-based alternative to traditional pork belly
- Perfect addition for rice bowls, noodles, and Asian-inspired meals such as bao buns or Black Bean Ramen
Traditional pork belly is popular in many cuisines thanks to its rich flavor and tender texture - from crispy Chinese-style dishes to street food recipes from around the world.
This vegan pork belly recipe recreates those savory flavors and layered textures using entirely plant-based ingredients.
It’s also incredibly versatile and works well in a variety of dishes, including rice bowls, ramen, bao buns, and Vietnamese cuisine-inspired recipes like thit kho trung with a vegan twist.
Recipe Inspiration
This recipe was partially inspired by chef Thuy Pham, co-founder of Lypid and owner of Mama Đút restaurant, whose vegan pork belly creations use ingredients like tapioca starch, rice flour, and coconut milk to recreate the rich texture of traditional pork belly.
Her work helped inspire the vegan fat layer used in this recipe. Be sure to check out her Instagram for more creative plant-based dishes and recipe inspiration.
Hi, I'm Romy 👋
I'm a vegan recipe developer & food photographer. I test recipes weekly and share what actually works (and what doesn't).
🌱 Ingredients & Notes
Here's everything you need for this recipe:
- Tofu - Extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into bite-size pieces
- Sandwich bread - Creates the crispy outer layer on the vegan pork belly pieces. For extra texture, you can also wrap the tofu in tofu skin before frying.
- Soy sauce - adds savory depth and color in the marinade. It also creates wonderfullycaramelized edges at the end.
- Hoisin sauce - homemade or store-bought, for sweetness and umami
- Spices - chinese five spice powder and black pepper
- Cornstarch - Helps create the crispy texture when fried. Tapioca starch also works well.
- Oil - sesame oil for frying
- Vegan fat layer - Rice flour, tapioca starch, and coconut milk create the chewy layer of fat that mimics the rich fatty texture of pork belly.
- Garnish - thinly sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds
Possible Substitutions
Here are a few possible ingredient substitutions:
- Soy sauce - replace with tamari or liquid aminos
- Hoisin sauce - I wouldn't recommend skipping the hoisin sauce, but if you don't have any to hand, use vegan oyster sauce or plum sauce instead.
- Chinese Five Spice - create your own blend by combining ground cinnamon, closed, fennel seeds, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns.
- Cornstarch - try using arrowroot powder or potato starch
- Oil - swap the sesame oil for peanut oil, vegetable oil or a neutral alternative with a high smoke point
🥢 Equipment
Here's everything you need for this recipe:
- 1 large non-stick pan
- 1 small mixing bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 cutting board
- 1 knife
- Measuring spoons
- 1 spatula
🔪 Instructions (Step-by-Step)
Follow this simple process to make Vegan Pork Belly at home!
Step 1: Marinate tofu
Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate the tofu block for 2 hours.
Reserve the leftover marinade and slice the tofu into layers.
Step 2: Make fat layer
Combine the rice flour, tapioca starch, coconut milk, water, and salt in a pan over low heat. Stir until a thick paste forms.
Step 3: Assemble & steam
Layer the tofu with the vegan fat mixture and sandwich bread.
Wrap tightly in muslin and foil, then steam for 25-30 minutes.
Step 4: Slice & coat
Let the block cool completely, then cut into bite-size pieces.
Coat each piece in cornstarch.
Step 5: Fry & glaze
Pan-fry in hot oil until crispy and golden.
Toss with tamari and the reserved marinade until sticky and caramelized.
🍽️ Serving
Add this pork belly tofu to a variety of dishes, such as:
- Vegan Black Bean Miso Ramen
- Vegan Peanut Noodles
- Vegan tacos
- Roasted Miso Aubergine
- A simple vegan stir fry
- Vegan Bao Buns
- Vegan pork belly Lettuce Wraps
- This vegan version of Chinese Sweet & Sour Pork by FoodieTakesFlight
- This Vegan Banh Mi by VeganPunks
This vegan pork belly-style tofu can also be served over rice or noodles for a complete meal - and you can add some sides such as steamed bok choy or broccoli, or a simple salad with a tangy dressing to balance out the richness of the tofu.
❄️ Storing & Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
To reheat, place the tofu in a hot pan and cook until heated through and crispy. You can also reheat in the oven or microwave, but the texture may not be as crispy.
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💡 Romy's Extra Tips & Tricks
How to Press Tofu
Pressing tofu removes excess water and helps it absorb more flavor.
Wrap the tofu in a clean towel, place something heavy on top, and press for at least 15-20 minutes before marinating.
How to Create a Meaty Texture with Tofu
Freezing and thawing tofu creates a firmer, meatier texture and helps it absorb more marinade.
For best results, freeze the tofu first, thaw completely, and press before using.
More Substitutes for Pork Belly
One of the great things about this recipe is how versatile it is. If you'd like an even meatier texture, there are plenty of plant-based alternatives you can experiment with.
Ingredients like seitan, tofu skin, king oyster mushrooms, or TVP can all help recreate the rich texture and savory flavor of traditional pork belly in different ways.
The best substitute ultimately comes down to personal preference, so feel free to experiment and find your favorite version.
A few ideas to try:
- wheat gluten, or seitan - a popular choice for its chewy texture and high protein content!
- yuba, or tofu skin - slice it into small pieces, marinate and use it in a variety of dishes that use pork traditionally.
- King oyster mushrooms - another great option! They can be sliced and slow-cooked to mimic the texture of pork belly.
Extra tip: For a vegan version of char siu, try using TVP slices marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar! And for vegan pork sandwiches, you can create the best alternative using either seitan or TVP slices.
Whether you're looking for a healthier alternative to pork, or just want to try something new, the possibilities are endless! And with the help of recipes like this one, you can recreate your favorite pork dishes without sacrificing taste or texture.
Did you make this recipe? If so, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and star rating & let me know how you liked this recipe? THANK YOU! ❤️
📖 Recipe Card
Vegan Pork Belly Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large non-stick pan
- 1 small mixing bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 cutting board
- 1 Knife
- Measuring spoons
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
- 1 block extra firm tofu (14 oz / 400g) drained and pressed
- 1 slice sandwich bread use the end piece
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil for frying
- 1 tablespoon tamari soy sauce
For the marinade:
- ¼ cup dark soy sauce (60 ml)
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the 'fat layer':
- ½ cup rice flour (75g)
- ½ cup tapioca starch (80g)
- 1 cup coconut milk (240 ml)
- ⅔ cups water (160 ml)
- 1 pinch salt
For garnish (optional):
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallions spring onions
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- First, make the marinade by mixing together the dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, Chinese five-spice powder, and black pepper in a bowl.
- Place the tofu block in a container and pour the marinade over the tofu block and marinate it for 2 hours. Remove the block and store the remaining marinade for later. Slice the tofu block into 2 large slices.
- For the fat layer, combine rice flour, tapioca starch, coconut milk, water and salt in a pan on low heat. Stir the mixture constantly until it becomes a thick white paste, then remove from the heat.
- Spread half of the fat on top of one tofu slice. Then, top with the second tofu slice and evenly spread the rest of the fat on top.
- Use a rolling pin to flatten the slice of bread, and place it on top of the tofu/fat block. Cut the bread to size if needed.
- Firmly wrap the tofu first in a clean muslin, then aluminum foil and steam it for 25-30 minutes. Let it cool down entirely, unwrap and then slice and cut the block into bite-size pork belly pieces.
- Coat the tofu in cornstarch and pan-fry it in hot oil until the edges get crispy.
- Once crispy, drizzle in the tamari and stir to coat. Then, remove from the heat after 1 minute. Instantly pour the remaining marinade over the tofu and stir to evenly coat.
- Serve the vegan pork belly-style tofu right away and enjoy!
Notes
Serving
Serve with rice, noodles, ramen, bao buns, or stir-fried vegetables.Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.Reheating
Reheat in a hot pan or air fryer for the crispiest texture.Tips
- Use extra-firm tofu for best results
- Let the steamed tofu cool fully before slicing
- Tapioca starch helps create a chewy, crispy texture
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James H. says
Absolutely amazed by this!
Kati Chateaux says
The result is really delicious. However as a beginner I didn’t find this easy at all. It took me a lot longer than the 40 min cook time. Luckily the steps to follow are really clear. Maybe you can add some instructions on how to steam and what you could you use instead of a muslin cloth as well? Will definitely make this again.
romylondonuk says
Thanks so much for the helpful comments, Kati! I'll make a note to update the blog post with more details soon 🙂 But I agree, it's probably not the easiest recipe for beginners. I hope the step-by-step instructions were helpful though - and happy to hear you enjoyed the results! I often make 2 blocks as a batch and then freeze a lot of it in small portions after I've steamed, sliced and lightly panfried them. That way I always have some on hand when I fancy some and don't have to make it from scratch every time 🙂