Sweet and sour tofu - easy to make, better than take out and almost as quick! Crispy tofu, peppers and onion in a rich, sticky, tangy pineapple sauce.
This delicious sweet and sour tofu is a naturally vegan meal that is easy to make, doesn't take too long and tastes great!
The sauce is wonderfully sticky, sweet, tangy and fruity. Paired with crispy fried tofu and crunchy peppers it is heavenly!
What Do I Need To Make Sweet And Sour Tofu?:
Pineapple juice: Gives the sauce a delicious fruity flavour. Either from a carton or tin is fine.
Cornflour: Essential for making the tofu crispy and achieving the right consistency for the sauce.
Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar gives the best flavour in my opinion but you could use apple cider vinegar in a pinch.
Brown sugar: I love the flavour of dark brown sugar here but feel free to swap it for coconut sugar or maple syrup.
Soy sauce: Use tamari instead for gluten-free.
Tomato puree: I prefer to use tomato puree (paste) instead of ketchup as the flavour is stonger and it isn't sweet, but you can use ketchup if you want (you may wish to reduce the sugar a bit in that case though).
Garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper: I add these to the tofu cornflour coating for extra flavour.
Tofu: You need to use an extra firm tofu, preferably a pre-pressed one such as Tofoo brand. Don't use soft or silken tofu, it will just fall apart.
Peppers and onion: Crisp bell peppers and onion add crunch, freshness and colour. You can swap them for your favourite vegetables, just bear in mind that the cook time may be different.
How To Make Sweet And Sour Tofu:
(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)
To make the sauce, whisk together the cornflour and cold water in a jug. Whisk in the pineapple juice, brown sugar, tomato puree, rice vinegar and soy sauce.
Mix the cornflour, garlic powder, paprika, salt and a good grinding of black pepper in a large bowl.
Add the tofu chunks and toss until they are well coated on all sides.
Heat a layer of oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the tofu and cook until golden. Turn the pieces over and continue to cook and turn until it is golden on all sides.
Drain the tofu on a kitchen paper lined plate.
Fry the onion and peppers briefly in a large pan until slightly softened.
Add the sauce and cook until it comes up to a simmer and thickens.
Stir in the tofu and serve right away.
Top Tips:
If you want even more flavour, you can add some crushed garlic and grated ginger to the pan along with the vegetables.
Add some tinned pineapple chunks if that's your jam.
It is best served with rice.
The recipe will serve 2 people generously, or 4 people if you also make another dish (such as garlic broccoli) to serve alongside it.
This sweet and sour tofu is best eaten freshly made. It will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days but the tofu coating will go soggy.
More Takeout Style Recipes:
- Coconut gyoza noodle soup
- Curry noodles
- Vegan Chinese curry sauce
- Vegetable peanut fried rice
- Creamy peanut noodles
- Vegetable fried rice
If you tried this recipe let me know how it went! Rate it, leave a comment or tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess
All images and content on Domestic Gothess are copyright protected. If you want to share this recipe then please do so by using the share buttons provided. Do not screenshot or post the recipe or content in full, instead include a link to this post for the recipe.
Sweet And Sour Tofu
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 1 Tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) cold water
- 120 ml (½ cup) pineapple juice
- 2 Tablespoons dark brown soft sugar
- 1 Tablespoon tomato puree (paste)
- 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
Tofu:
- 6 Tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- a good grinding of black pepper
- 450 g (1 lb) extra firm tofu cut into chunks
Extras:
- oil for frying
- 1 red bell pepper cut into chunks
- 1 green or yellow bell pepper cut into chunks
- 1 onion sliced
Instructions
- To make the sauce, whisk together the cornflour and cold water in a jug. Whisk in the pineapple juice, brown sugar, tomato puree, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Set aside.
- For the tofu, mix the cornflour, garlic powder, paprika, salt and a good grinding of black pepper in a large bowl. Add the tofu chunks and toss until they are very well coated on all sides.
- Heat a layer of oil in a non-stick frying pan so that it fully covers the bottom. Add the tofu and cook until golden. Turn the pieces over and continue to cook and turn until it is golden and crisp on all sides.
- Drain the tofu on a kitchen paper lined plate.
- Heat a splash of oil in a large pan. Add the onion and peppers and cook for a couple of minutes until they are slightly softened but still crisp.
- Add the sauce and cook until it comes up to a simmer and thickens.
- Stir in the tofu and serve right away with rice.
Notes
- See post above for tips, details and step-by-step photos.
- If you want even more flavour, you can add some crushed garlic and grated ginger to the pan along with the vegetables.
- The recipe will serve 2 people generously, or 4 people if you also make another dish (such as garlic broccoli) to serve alongside it.
Teri
The balance of flavors is perfect - the sauce is pleasantly mildly sweet and the vegetables shine through. I used extra firm tofu that had been frozen and then defrosted and squeezed to reduce the water - I like its texture better. The tofu coating is a winner - will use in other recipes. Thanks for such seriously good recipes!
Laura
Just perfect! The green peppers really complemented the sweet and sour sauce.