Sweet and Sour Tofu
Three words are all you need to know about this ravishing recipe—tangy, textured, and super tasty! Wait, that’s four. Oh, well, you get the point. This crispy sweet and sour tofu recipe is totally worth a try, even if you’re a little intimidated by tofu.
If you’re attracted to a thick, flavorful sauce, you’re going to fall in love with this delicious dish. You get all the allure of an Asian-inspired, take-out dinner without the expense or animal products. Pressing the tofu (or freezing it the night before) can really help to get the best final finish to the surface of your triangles.
Love tofu stir fries? Then, you must try this eggplant tofu recipe. Excellent for adding in extra veggies or using up a surplus of eggplant from the garden!
What do you say? Are you ready to give it a try? Come on, we’ll do it together!
How To Serve Up Your Crispy Sweet and Sour Tofu
Tofu is so terrific, don’t you think? It’s as flexible as you want it to be, not only with texture, but with flavor, too. It seems like you can serve up some tofu with any side at all and it would still be scrumptious and satisfying. Here are a few favorite serving suggestions.
- Rice Is Always Nice – Our first choice for a savory side would be good ol’ whole grains, specifically rice. This crispy tofu with sweet and sour sauce recipe is totally perfect for topping a scoop of steaming rice.
- Well-Seasoned Salad Salute – You’ll love the addition of tantalizing tofu triangles atop your sultry salad greens. The combination of cool, crisp leaves and a warm, sweet sauce can be heavenly. Check out our salad guide for ways to create the most perfect pairing of vibrant vegetables!
- Oodles of Nosh-Worthy Noodles – Noodles are another ingredient that goes wonderfully with most meals. You can use rice noodles, soba noodles, vermicelli noodles, or even kelp noodles—pretty much anything you like! The marvelous mixture of crusty, pan-fried tofu and luxurious, lengthy pasta ribbons is addictive.
- A Side of Green Beans – Our popular Chinese green beans pair perfectly with this tofu!
- Don’t Toil Over Your Oil – If you’re a little worried that your sesame oil will smoke, no worries. Instead, use your favorite vegetable oil to fry your tofu and then add a teaspoon or two to the finished dish to get that signature toasted sesame flavor.
- If Spice Is Your Vice – When it comes to asian-inspired dishes, you may have a hankering for some extra heat. Feel free to add whichever vegan hot sauce you love in whatever amounts you wish. This crispy sweet and sour tofu will take whatever you top it with—guaranteed!
Star Ingredients and Substitutions
Discover the key ingredients that make sweet and sour tofu triangles so delicious. From fresh vegetables to flavorful sauces, these components bring everything together. Here’s what makes this dish a favorite for any meal, any time of the week:
- Extra-Firm Tofu (10-ounce block): Choose an extra-firm tofu block, around 10 ounces, ensuring it’s thoroughly drained and pressed to remove excess moisture. Cutting it into triangular pieces allows for better absorption of flavors and a satisfying texture upon cooking. If you prefer the taste and texture of tempeh, you can swap out the tofu for tempeh (such as this air-fryer tempeh) as a hearty, protein-rich base.
- High-Heat Oil (Toasted Sesame Oil): Harness the rich, nutty essence of toasted sesame oil. As an oil with a high-heat point, it’s perfect for frying and sautéing. You could also use peanut oil, if you’re not able to find toasted sesame oil.
- Aromatic Blend (Onion, Garlic, Ginger): The foundation of the sauce begins with a flavorful trio: onions, garlic, and ginger. One medium onion, finely chopped, infuses a savory sweetness. Mince a clove of garlic to release its pungent aroma, complemented by the warmth of grated ginger, approximately a 1-inch piece. Together, they form a fragrant base that enhances the overall complexity of the dish.
- Sweet and Sour Sauce (Tamari or Soy Sauce, Maple Syrup, Rice Vinegar, Lemon Juice): The sauce marries sweet, salty, and tangy notes, creating a harmonious blend of flavors. Start with tamari or soy sauce for its rich umami depth. Balance the saltiness with maple syrup (or sugar), providing a natural sweetness. Introduce rice vinegar for a bright, acidic kick, complemented by the juice of half a lemon for freshness. This combination results in a sauce that tantalizes the taste buds.
- Thickening Agent (Cornstarch): Achieve the desired consistency of the sauce by adding cornstarch. This thickening agent transforms the liquid components into a truly luscious coating.
- Garnish (Scallions and Sesame Seeds): Boost the visual appeal and freshness of the dish with chopped scallions and sesame seeds (black or white would both work well) as a garnish.
How To Make
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the tofu triangles on it. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until they’re lightly browned.
Step 2: While the tofu is baking, heat sesame oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, and carrot matchsticks.
Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the veggies are soft and the onion is translucent.
Step 3: In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, lemon juice, and tomato paste to make the sauce.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch.
Step 4: Once the tofu is done baking, add it to the pan with the veggies. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning the tofu frequently so it cooks evenly.
Step 5: Pour the sauce into the pan and stir to coat the tofu well.
Let it simmer for a few minutes, then add the cornstarch mixture.
Stir until the sauce thickens.
Step 6: Remove from heat, stir in the sesame seeds, garnish with chopped scallions, and serve with your favorite side dish.
Tofu FAQs
This recipe is best eaten the same day, but you can store any leftover tofu in a covered container in the fridge for a few days. If there’s any remaining sauce, try to store that in a mason jar so that you can use it to help heat up your tofu another day. Not recommended for freezing.
You sure can! To make cooking quicker, you can prep the sauce and cut the tofu into triangles the day before. Keep each in a separate, sealed container until ready to use. Check out our Tofu Guide for the Tentative Cook for more tips on tofu!
This video shows how to cut tofu in four different ways, just in case you don’t like triangles. You can also do it this way:
1. Cut the tofu block vertically into 2 thick slices.
2. Then, cut through the center of these so that you have 4 thick blocks.
3. Turn each block on its end and cut through it diagonally – making two long triangular shapes.
4. Slice each of the two long triangular shapes into 1/4″ thick slices. Repeat for the other 3 blocks.
Alternatively, you can rip the tofu into chunks that resemble pieces of chicken, so the finished dish will look very similar to sweet and sour chicken.
More Tasty Tofu Dinner Recipes to Try
If you make this Crispy Sweet and Sour Tofu recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know what you think in the comments below! I love reading your comments! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more vegan recipe inspiration.
Sweet and Sour Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into triangles
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1-inch piece ginger, grated
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped into matchsticks
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- Chopped scallions, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the tofu triangles on the prepared baking sheet evenly spaced and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until they turn light brown.
- While the tofu is baking, heat the sesame oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and carrot, and sauté for 4 to about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent.
- Prepare the sauce by mixing together the soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, lemon juice and tomato paste in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the water and the cornstarch.
- Once the tofu is baked, add it to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, rotating each triangle frequently for even cooking. Pour the sauce into the frying pan and stir well to coat the tofu. Let it simmer for a few minutes, then pour in the cornstarch slurry and stir until the sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat and stir in the sesame seeds, garnish with scallions and serve with a side of your choice.
Notes
Nutrition
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Leave a Comment
this one is at the top of my list to try!
Sweet and Sour sauce is too good, I am so happy I can try out this tofu recipe to get the sweet and sour “chickn” effect!
I’m always so happy to find more vegan tofu recipes 🙂
I’ve been looking for a new sauce for tofu. This is perfect!
What a delicious sauce! I’m not a huge fan of tofu, but I really liked this dish. Might try it with tempeh next time. Give it a try!
Delicious melding of flavors…the sauce is delicious. Love crispy tofu!
I seriously need to try this ASAP! All my favorite things combined 😀
This tofu is SO flavorful and scrumptious. I also like cutting the tofu into cubes instead of triangles because it makes the recipe just a little bit faster and easier for me 🙂
I love a good sweet and sour dish, especially when tofu is involved! Yum!
This was really delicious! But the steps of the recipe are quite confusing. What do you do with the vegetables in step 2? Just leave them in the pan? How does this relate to the tofu in a (separate?) pan in step 4? Step 4 says the tofu is in cubes, not triangles, and I think cubes would be a better shape for this dish. The vegetables in step 2 need to be added at the end of step 4, unless we are using the same pan throughout. I solved these odd directions by cooking vegetables and then adding the baked tofu and the sauce–I didn’t see the point of frying baked tofu. I used super firm tofu and tapioca starch instead of cornstarch. I will definitely make this again using cubes of tofu!
So glad you liked it, Rebecca! And thanks so much for your feedback, I adjusted how the recipe is written to try to make it more clear for others who make this dish 🙂 Cheers!!