This Sweet and Sour Tofu is one of my favourite comfort foods ever of my favourite takeout! The tofu is crisp with a perfect texture and the sweet and sour sauce is unbelievably delicious! It comes together quickly and tastes amazing as meal prep too!

Sweet and sour tofu on white rice in a bowl with a fork beside it on a napkin.

I’ve been making this sweet and sour sauce since the beginning of ‘Jessiker Bakes’. The first version of JITK, and where I started experimenting with savoury dishes. 10 years later (the sauce was always vegan) I’ve modified it a bit, made the entire dish vegan, and I am finally re-sharing it! I can’t count how many times I’ve made this but it is our #1 go to COMFORT meal. 

Tofu battered with cornstarch.

None of my local Asian restaurants make sweet and sour tofu. Which is a bummer, but also motivation to make my own. Let me tell you – it is INCREDIBLE! The first time I made it for a blog recipe, Gav and I finished it all that night. I say that with pride. It embodies all the flavours you would expect from a sweet and sour sauce – sweet, tangy, umami filled and so rich in colour and flavour. It comes with my favourite usual add-ins of bell peppers, onions and pineapples, and of course, crispy tofu.

Crispy tofu on a cutting board.

How to Make Tofu Crispy

After years of making tofu, I’m proud to say we know how to make it perfectly crispy. The short answer is: cornstarch. I go into full detail in my How to Cook Tofu 101 blog post, and I highly recommend that you read it. Cornstarch crisps up the tofu while wicking out any excess liquid. It’s also gluten free so works well for that. 

My second tip is to always, always press your tofu. I also say it in my how to cook tofu 101 blog post, it’s not tofu’s job to have flavour. It’s up to us to season it, in fact, I’m glad it barely has a flavour. It takes on anything you want it to. Removing the liquid from tofu allows it space to absorb all the flavour you want it to have. Those two, plus a nice hot pan to crisp it up in will create perfect tofu for this dish and beyond!

Ingredients for sweet and sour add ins red onions, bell peppers and pineapples.

Can’t have tofu?

If you’re allergic to soy, this recipe works perfectly on cauliflower too! Just bread it and crisp it up like in my orange cauliflower dish, then finish it like I do in this recipe in the pan. You could also do this on mushrooms or tempeh.

Sweet and sour tofu in a pan with a grey silicone spatula in it.

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Sweet and sour tofu on white rice in a bowl with a fork beside it on a napkin.

Sweet and Sour Tofu Recipe (Vegan)

Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
This Sweet and Sour Tofu is one of my favourite comfort foods ever of my favourite takeout! The tofu is crisp with a perfect texture and the sweet and sour is unbelievably delicious! It comes together quickly and takes amazing as meal prep too!
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Ingredients

Crispy Tofu

  • 1 (16 ounce) block firm tofu, or extra firm tofu pressed, and torn into 1 to 2 inch pieces*
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce, gluten free if needed, or liquid aminos or tamari
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup oil for frying

Sweet and Sour Sauce

  • 1/2 cup sugar, I use cane sugar, you can use brown or any granulated
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup vinegar, preferably rice or white
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce, gluten free if needed, or liquid aminos or tamari
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 medium bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped/cubed pineapple
  • 1/2 medium red onion, chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
  • chopped scallion, for garnish

Instructions 

Crispy Tofu

  • In a medium-sized bowl place the pressed and torn tofu pieces. Add the soy sauce and toss to coat. Add in the garlic powder, sea salt, ground black pepper and cornstarch and toss to thoroughly combine, ensuring all the tofu pieces are covered with the seasonings and the cornstarch.
  • Heat a pan or wok over medium-high heat, and add the oil. When hot, add the tofu and toss to crisp up on all sides until the tofu is cooked and crisped on all sides, about 5 to 8 minutes. Feel free to do this in batches if desired. Remove tofu pieces and set aside.

Sweet and Sour Sauce + Putting it All Together

  • In the same pan, lower the heat to over medium-high heat, and add in the onions, pineapples and bell peppers.
  • Saute until the onions are translucent and the pineapples are slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, ketchup, vinegar, water, soy sauce, and garlic powder for the sweet and sour sauce and stir together until fully combined.
  • Pour in the sauce over the veggies. Bring to a slight boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened up. Add back in the crisped up tofu, and stir to combine. Taste test and add more sugar or soy sauce if you desire. Remove from heat until needed.
  • Remove from heat and top with sesame seeds and chopped scallions. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

I love enjoying this with some noodles or some hot rice, or fried cauliflower rice. It makes extra gravy on purpose!
*To tear tofu:
Take your pressed tofu and slice it in half length wise (so you end up with two large slices the same length and width as the original). Tear the tofu into 1 to 2 inch cubes. I like to use a ruler to help me measure the first tear, then use that as a guide, but it doesn't have to be exactly 1 to 2 inches.
You can also cube the tofu, but tearing it into pieces creates more edges for sauce and crispiness!
Calories: 391kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 868mg, Potassium: 392mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 35g, Vitamin A: 1008IU, Vitamin C: 49mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 2mg

Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.

Cuisine: Asian
Course: Dinner
Author: Jessica Hylton