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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. Jess M says

    June 15, 2020 at 6:15 am

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for this recipe.
    My family absolutely love it.
    I like omitting some of the sugar for pineapple juice and pieces in the sauce also.

    Reply
    • Iosune Robles says

      June 18, 2020 at 1:50 pm

      Sounds so good! So glad you loved it 🙂

      Reply
  2. Elizabeth says

    May 29, 2020 at 3:07 pm

    I followed the instructions mostly, and I absolutely adore it! Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Iosune Robles says

      June 03, 2020 at 1:35 pm

      So glad you liked it Elizabeth 🙂

      Reply
  3. Jay says

    May 26, 2020 at 7:24 pm

    4 stars
    Not sure where I went wrong, but this recipe did not work out for me at all! The tofu tasted entirely like cornstarch and my sauce was severely lacking in flavor. The only change I made was ketchup instead of tomato paste. Oh well :/

    Reply
    • Iosune Robles says

      May 28, 2020 at 3:29 pm

      Hi Jay! Have yo follow the recipe to a T?

      Reply
  4. Althea W says

    May 25, 2020 at 11:10 pm

    4 stars
    Very good and tasty. I ate it alone as a meal.

    Reply
    • Iosune Robles says

      May 28, 2020 at 3:21 pm

      Hi! Thanks for your words 🙂 So glad you liked it!

      Reply
  5. David Green says

    May 02, 2020 at 12:57 pm

    5 stars
    This is a brilliant recipe. Easy to prepare, easy to cook, looks and tastes great! Many thanks.

    Reply
  6. Jennifer says

    April 17, 2020 at 12:42 am

    5 stars
    Turned out perfect!

    Reply
    • Iosune Robles says

      April 17, 2020 at 12:20 pm

      Great to hear that Jennifer!!! 🙂

      Reply
      • Meri says

        August 28, 2020 at 11:02 am

        5 stars
        Thank you for this tofu recipe! This was so delicious and I really liked the texture of the tofu. My carnivore boyfriend thought this was better than sweet and sour chicken at our local Chinese restaurant. 😋

      • Iosune Robles says

        August 28, 2020 at 11:10 am

        Hi Meri! So glad you and your boyfriend liked our tofu recipe 🙂 Have a nice day!

  7. Jenny says

    April 07, 2020 at 3:43 am

    5 stars
    Very easy and tasty! Added some broccoli. Ran out of cornstarch and used tapioca starch instead. The coating still stuck but got a bit gooey when everything was combined. Maybe cause of my substitution? I’d make this again though!

    Reply
    • Iosune Robles says

      April 07, 2020 at 11:44 am

      Hi Jenny! Probably cause tapioca tends to be thicker than cornstarch. Next time if you need to use tapioca again you can try with less. Thank you for writing!! Have a great day!

      Reply
  8. belinda mouzakitis says

    March 24, 2020 at 7:59 am

    5 stars
    Just about the best sweet and sour recipe ever

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      April 01, 2020 at 4:05 pm

      Hi Belinda! Thank you so much 🙂 Have a nice day!

      Reply
  9. sarah Jane otterburn says

    March 19, 2020 at 9:44 am

    5 stars
    Quite sweet so I cut down the sugar to 3.5tbsp. Very quick and tasty...

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      April 01, 2020 at 3:44 pm

      Hi Sarah! So glad you liked it 🙂

      Reply
  10. Betty says

    March 18, 2020 at 7:33 am

    5 stars
    Loved it. Very tasty.

    Reply
  11. Michele Haynes says

    February 11, 2020 at 9:23 pm

    How long should I leave the tofu in the freezer?

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      March 05, 2020 at 5:12 pm

      Hi Michele! You don't have to freeze the tofu, just use a freezer bag 🙂

      Reply
  12. Fiona Conroy says

    November 16, 2019 at 6:35 pm

    5 stars
    Love this recipe, adjust the sauce to own taste but is great and so easy

    Reply
    • Iosune says

      November 17, 2019 at 7:45 am

      Hi Fiona! Thanks a lot 🙂 Hace a nice day!

      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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