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.
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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!
Servings:
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Ingredients
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
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!
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.
Wan (chinese dude from UK) says
Do you reuse freezer bags? Seems like an odd choice when a bowl would have sufficed without having to use plastic...
For pineapple lovers, would recommend using juice from the tin instead of plain water. You'd reduce the need for extra sugar plus it'll bring out the flavour.
Finally, for those feeling a bit more adventurous, try adding a bit of chili in.
Iosune says
Hi Wan! Thanks for your comment 🙂
Maddy says
Just tried this and it was delicious! Every time I’ve made tofu its turned out bland and soggy up until now! Really enjoy your blog : )
Iosune says
Hi Maddy! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you liked it!
Jim says
This was superb. Thanks for the recipe!
Iosune says
Hi Jim! So glad to hear that 🙂 Thank YOU for making the recipe!
Amanda says
Tofu was great, but the sauce was not. The tomato paste overpowered other flavors and the sauce just wasn’t anything like a sweet & sour sauce. Tasted like sweet tomato sauce 🙁
Iosune says
Hi Amanda! I'm so sorry the recipe didn't work for you. You should use tomato paste or another brand of tomato sauce because this sauce is really delicious and our readers love it. Hope it helps!
Jepkemoi says
This is LEGIT!!! Yummy!
Iosune says
Hi Jepkemoi! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you liked it!
Veronica says
I believe The amount of cornstarch in the recipe was too much and made the sauce a little grainy, next time i will use less. I also added broccoli and pineapple (from a can).
Iosune says
Hi Veronica! Our sauce wasn't grainy as you can see in the pictures and this recipe is so popular on the blog and people love it. Maybe it was because of the brand you were using... Have a nice day!
Ali says
Super easy and very tasty, wasn't sure how long to leave the cubes in the freezer so I guessed (5-10 minutes)!
Definitely will be making this again in the future.
Iosune says
Hi Ali! So glad you liked it 🙂 We didn't leave the cubes in the freezer, we used a freezer bag. Have a nice day!
Tia says
This is one of the best tofu dishes I've ever had! My whole family loved it, including my 2 and 3.5 year old daughters. The tofu packages around here are 14 oz so I ended up using a whole red pepper, adding another carrot, and some pineapple with double the sauce. Spectacular. My husband has requested this to become part of our regular fare!
Iosune says
Hi Tia! Thank you so much 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
Christine Hood says
I have eaten a lot of tofu in my life, and this has got to be my new favorite recipe! Simple Vegan Blog is an amazing resource for anyone who wants delicious, straightforward vegan recipes.
Iosune says
Hi Christine! I'm SO glad you liked it so much 🙂 Thanks a lot for your kind words!!! <3
Jazzmin says
This looks absolutely amazing and I can't wait to try it! I have one question though: does the liquid in the tofu need to be drained before being cubed and added to the recipe?
Iosune says
Hi Jazzmin! No, you don't need to drain the tofu 🙂
Melodie says
This is by far my new favorite tofu recipe!! Tried it last night and absolutely loved it. Props!!
Iosune says
Hi Melodie! Thank you so much, I'm so happy to read that 🙂
Aleshia Simpson-Walters says
Wow!! I am impressed. this is the best I have ever prepared tofu. I am involve.
Having a proper non-stick skillet is crucial. I had to throw my tofu cubes into the oven for the crisp as they were sticking in my skillet. I marinated my tofu for two hours. I also used up the marinate that was left after draining the tofu
I know this is a recipe i will be saving and reusing. I also will be using the sweet and sour sauce recipe for other dishes. 🙂 🙂
Iosune says
Hi Aleshia! Thank you SO much 🙂 So glad you liked it!