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Home > Recipes > Tofu

Sweet and Sour Tofu

Modified: Oct 8, 2022 · Published: Apr 13, 2022 by Iosune Robles · This post may contain affiliate links

4.87 from 67 votes
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Side photo of a plate of sweet and sour tofu witht the words sweet and sour tofu
Photo of a plate of sweet and sour tofu with the words 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!

Photo of a plate of sweet and sour tofu

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!

Contents hide
1. How to make sweet and sour tofu
2. Sweet and sour tofu ingredients and tips
3. Looking for more tofu recipes?
4. Did you make this sweet and sour tofu recipe?
5. Easy Sweet and Sour Tofu

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.
Photo of sweet and sour tofu in a pan

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
Side photo of a plate of sweet and sour tofu

Did you make this sweet and sour tofu recipe?

Please leave a comment below, share it, or rate it. You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST. I’d love to see what you cook!

Square photo of a plate of sweet and sour tofu
4.87 from 67 votes

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 
 

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.

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Comments

  1. Wan (chinese dude from UK) says

    January 26, 2019 at 4:34 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      January 27, 2019 at 8:42 am

      Hi Wan! Thanks for your comment 🙂

      Reply
  2. Maddy says

    January 09, 2019 at 7:30 pm

    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 : )

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      January 10, 2019 at 8:06 am

      Hi Maddy! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  3. Jim says

    January 08, 2019 at 7:37 pm

    5 stars
    This was superb. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      January 09, 2019 at 9:41 am

      Hi Jim! So glad to hear that 🙂 Thank YOU for making the recipe!

      Reply
  4. Amanda says

    December 18, 2018 at 6:35 am

    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 🙁

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      December 18, 2018 at 8:02 am

      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!

      Reply
  5. Jepkemoi says

    October 27, 2018 at 10:52 am

    5 stars
    This is LEGIT!!! Yummy!

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      October 28, 2018 at 8:05 am

      Hi Jepkemoi! Thanks a lot 🙂 So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  6. Veronica says

    September 12, 2018 at 4:16 am

    5 stars
    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).

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      September 12, 2018 at 7:40 am

      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!

      Reply
  7. Ali says

    September 07, 2018 at 12:42 am

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      September 11, 2018 at 9:15 am

      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!

      Reply
  8. Tia says

    August 18, 2018 at 2:48 am

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      August 23, 2018 at 11:02 am

      Hi Tia! Thank you so much 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  9. Christine Hood says

    July 19, 2018 at 7:03 am

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      July 19, 2018 at 11:24 am

      Hi Christine! I'm SO glad you liked it so much 🙂 Thanks a lot for your kind words!!! <3

      Reply
  10. Jazzmin says

    July 09, 2018 at 6:40 am

    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?

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      July 10, 2018 at 9:59 am

      Hi Jazzmin! No, you don't need to drain the tofu 🙂

      Reply
  11. Melodie says

    June 27, 2018 at 2:05 pm

    5 stars
    This is by far my new favorite tofu recipe!! Tried it last night and absolutely loved it. Props!!

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      June 28, 2018 at 10:13 am

      Hi Melodie! Thank you so much, I'm so happy to read that 🙂

      Reply
  12. Aleshia Simpson-Walters says

    June 21, 2018 at 6:54 pm

    5 stars
    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. 🙂 🙂

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      June 26, 2018 at 12:23 pm

      Hi Aleshia! Thank you SO much 🙂 So glad you liked it!

      Reply
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Iosune with a glass of juice.

Hi, I'm Iosune!

I share easy and delicious vegan recipes perfect for everyday meals and special occasions, all made with simple, everyday ingredients.

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