Sweet and Sour Tofu

Sweet and sour tofu, made in just 30 minutes. A plant-based version of this classic Chinese food that is much healthier than take-out!

Tofu is a staple in my kitchen. I use it a lot and, lately, I've been obsessed with this delicious sweet and sour tofu. It’s a great meat alternative, especially when you’re trying to recreate meat-based dishes because, if you cook it properly, you can get a similar texture.

This sweet and sour tofu recipe is super flavorful and ready in just 30 minutes. Besides, it is way better and healthier than take-out. It makes the perfect dinner!

How to make sweet and sour tofu

• Mix the soy sauce and apple cider vinegar in a bowl until well combined.
• Incorporate the tofu cubes and let marinate for at least 5 minutes.
• Drain the tofu and transfer ⅓ of the tofu cubes to a freezer bag with 2 tablespoon of cornstarch and toss to coat. Repeat this step with all the remaining tofu and cornstarch.
• Heat half of the oil in a skillet and when it’s hot, incorporate the tofu cubes. Cook over medium-high heat until all sides are golden brown. Remove the tofu from the skillet and set aside.
• Heat the other half of the oil in the skillet and add the veggies. Cook over medium-high heat until golden brown. Set aside.
• To make the sauce just mix all the ingredients until well combined.
• Pour the sauce into the skillet or pan and cook until it thickens.
• Mix the tofu, veggies, and sauce in the skillet, stir, and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
• Serve your sweet and sour tofu immediately.

Sweet and sour tofu ingredients and tips

• Soy sauce or tamari: I used soy sauce, but tamari is a good gluten-free alternative. If you don't consume soy, coconut aminos is a great substitute. You could also add the same amount of water or vegetable stock and add more salt.
• Apple cider vinegar: you could also use white vinegar or lemon juice instead.
• Firm tofu: firm or extra firm tofu work best for this sweet and sour tofu recipe. Soft or silken tofu is not a good choice as it will fall apart easily.
• Cornstarch: I’ve only made this recipe using cornstarch, but any type of starch should work.
• Extra virgin olive oil: I’m Spanish, so I use extra virgin olive oil to cook most of my dishes. However, any type of oil will work. I always use extra virgin oils when possible because they’re healthier. 
• Carrot.
• Green bell pepper.
• Red bell pepper.
• Onion.
• Sugar: I used brown sugar, but feel free to use the type of sugar you want, or even other sweeteners like maple or agave syrup.
• Tomato paste: it can be replaced by tomato puree, ketchup, or tomato sauce.
• Water.

Looking for more tofu recipes?

• General Tso's Tofu
• Marinated Tofu
• Sesame Tofu
• Teriyaki Tofu
• Tofu Stir Fry

Did you make this sweet and sour tofu recipe?

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Easy Sweet and Sour Tofu

Love Chinese takeout? Try this Easy Sweet and Sour Tofu! In just 30 minutes, you'll have a healthier, vegan version of this classic dish. It's tasty and perfect for satisfying those takeout cravings!

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 2

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Ingredients 

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For the sweet and sour tofu:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vinegar, I used rice vinegar
• ▢ 10 ounces firm tofu, cubed
• ▢ 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• ▢ 2 tablespoon oil, I used extra virgin olive oil, divided
• ▢ 1 carrot, chopped
• ▢ ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• ▢ ½ green bell pepper, chopped
• ▢ ½ onion, chopped

For the sweet and sour sauce:

• ▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vinegar, I used rice vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ▢ 6 tablespoons water
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cornstarch

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Instructions 

• Mix the soy sauce or tamari and apple cider vinegar in a bowl until well combined.
• Incorporate the tofu cubes and let marinate for at least 5 minutes.
• Drain the tofu and transfer ⅓ of the tofu cubes to a freezer bag with 2 tablespoon of cornstarch and toss to coat. Repeat this step with all the remaining tofu and cornstarch. Add more cornstarch if needed.
• Heat half of the oil in a skillet and when it’s hot, add the tofu cubes. Cook over medium-high heat until all sides are golden brown. Remove the tofu from the skillet and set it aside.
• Heat the other half of the oil in the skillet and when it’s hot, incorporate the veggies (carrot, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and onion). Cook over medium-high heat until golden brown. Set aside.
• To make the sauce just mix all the ingredients until well combined.
• Pour the sauce into the skillet and cook until it thickens, stirring frequently.
• Mix the tofu, veggies, and the sauce in the skillet, stir, and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Serve your sweet and sour tofu immediately with some sesame seeds on top (optional).
• Keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Notes

• Some people add pineapple to this sweet and sour tofu recipe, but I don’t. If you want to enjoy this dish with pineapple, just sautée it with the veggies.
• Feel free to use any type of vinegar, starch, oil, veggies, or sweetener you have on hand.
• Tomato paste can be replaced by tomato puree, ketchup, or tomato sauce.
• The amount of sodium is not a real measurement because you’d need to marinate the tofu for hours for it to absorb all the soy sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 63.8g | Protein: 14.6g | Fat: 20.1g | Saturated Fat: 3.2g | Sodium: 1114mg | Fiber: 4.7g | Sugar: 31.6g

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and let me know how it was!

Course: Main Dish, Tofu

Cuisine: Chinese

Author: Iosune Robles

Update Notes: This post was originally published in May of 2018, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips in April of 2022.