This vegan sweet and sour tofu stir fry features crispy tofu with stir fried veggies in a tangy, sticky sweet and sour sauce.
Easy to make and packed with flavour, you’ll love this amazing sweet and sour tofu! This recipe is pure comfort food and easy enough to make any night of the week, even for tofu beginners.
After pressing the tofu, the dish comes together quickly and involves 3 main steps: frying the tofu, stir frying the veggies and combining the tofu and sauce. Serve your finished stir fry over a fresh bed of rice for a delicious meal the whole family will enjoy.
For more easy tofu recipes, this Orange Tofu, Easy Vegetable Curry with Tofu, Tofu Katsu and Spicy Vegan Gochujang Tofu Rice Bowls are all delicious too!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Vegan and easily gluten-free.
- Easy to make with simple ingredients.
- Delicious way to try tofu for a meatless meal.
- Addictive, sticky, tangy sauce.
- Amazing served over rice for a nutritious meal.
- Great option for meal prep.
Ingredient Notes
- Tofu: Use firm or extra firm tofu.
- Corn Starch: You’ll need this for coating the tofu and thickening the sauce. I find cornstarch works best here but you can use arrowroot powder, potato starch or tapioca starch, if needed.
- Oil: You can use olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil or coconut oil for frying the tofu and veggies. See the notes section for making the recipe oil-free.
- Soy or Tamari: Use low-sodium soy sauce or for a gluten-free option, tamari. Coconut aminos would also work.
- Rice Vinegar: You can use seasoned or unseasoned rice vinegar. Apple cider vinegar works if you don’t have rice vinegar on hand.
- Sweetener: Brown sugar or coconut sugar works.
- Veggies: The stir fry features red and green bell peppers, green onion and red onion. The veggies are flexible, so if you’re missing one of these, it’s no big deal and don’t worry if the amounts aren’t exact. Red onion can be substituted with yellow onion or white onion.
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
Variations & Additions
- You can make the tofu without the vegetables for a simpler recipe. Omit the peppers and onions and double the tofu.
- Mix in up to 3/4 cup fresh pineapple chunks if you like pineapple with sweet and sour sauce.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Press the tofu. Either use a tofu press or slice the block of tofu in half lengthwise and wrap the slabs in a dish cloth or pieces of paper towel. Place it on a plate and put a heavy object like a large pot or cast iron skillet for at least 20 minutes.
Step 2: While you’re waiting, add all the sauce ingredients to measuring glass or small bowl, mix well to combine and set aside for now.
Step 3: Cube the pressed tofu and add it to a large bowl with the cornstarch, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss well so all the pieces of tofu are coated in cornstarch.
When you’re ready to proceed, heat oil of choice over medium-high heat in a large skillet or non-stick pan. When it’s hot, add the tofu cubes and cook, flipping occasionally, until the pieces are golden brown and crispy on all sides.
When the tofu is done, remove it from the pan.
Step 4: Add the veggies to the same pan (no need to clean between uses).
You may need to add a little extra oil if there isn’t any left from cooking the tofu. Stir fry the veggies over medium-high heat until tender but still crisp.
Step 5: Add the sauce.
Give the sauce a good stir before adding it to the pan, then pour it in and cook for a few minutes until it starts to thicken.
Finally, add the crispy tofu cubes and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce has thickened and the tofu is well-coated.
Serve your delicious stir fry over rice and topped with green onions and sesame seeds.
Recipe FAQs
This sweet and sour recipe is vegan but you may want to double check if you’re ordering sweet and sour tofu from a restaurant.
To make this recipe gluten-free, make sure you use gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
I would recommend it for best results. It’s the best for making crispy tofu. If you have a corn allergy, you can use potato starch, arrowroot powder or tapioca starch.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave until heated through.
Leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months and thawed overnight in the fridge before reheating. Let cool completely before storing and use an airtight, freezer-safe container.
Recipe Notes
- Oil-Free Option: Bake the tofu on a baking tray for 30-40 minutes at 425 F until brown and crispy. Use a bit of water to cook the vegetables.
- Veggie Options: Mix and match from bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, carrot, celery, mushroom and snow or snap peas.
- Pineapple would also be a yummy addition to the stir fry.
- Tofu Only: If you want to just make sweet and sour tofu and skip the veggies, I’d suggest doubling the amount of tofu used.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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Description
This vegan sweet and sour tofu features crispy tofu with stir fried bell peppers and onions in a sticky, sweet and sour sauce.
For the Tofu:
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
For the Veggie Stir Fry:
- Press Tofu: Cut tofu in half lengthwise, so you have two thinner rectangles, then wrap in clean kitchen towels. Place on a dinner plate or cutting board. Weigh tofu down with a heavy object like a cast iron skillet, or large pot for at least 20 minutes. Alternatively, use a tofu press.
- Make Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, chili flakes, garlic and cornstarch-water mixture, until combined.
- Coat Tofu: When you’re ready, cube the tofu into 1/2-inch pieces and add to a large bowl with the cornstarch, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss to coat until all pieces are covered in cornstarch.
- Cook Tofu: In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 ½ tbsp oil over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the tofu (depending on the size of your pan, you may have to do this in batches). Cook for 6-8 mins, flipping pieces occasionally, until golden-brown and crisp on all sides. Transfer tofu to a plate and set aside.
- Cook Veggies: To the same pan, add 2 tsp oil. Add peppers and onions. Cook for 5-7 min, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp.
- Finish Stir Fry: Give the sauce another stir then pour over the veggies and cook for 1-2 minutes until it starts to thicken. Add tofu and bring to a simmer and cook for 1-2 min, stirring continuously, until sauce is thickened and the tofu is well coated. Remove from heat.
- Serve: Serve sweet and sour tofu over your favorite brown or white rice. Sprinkle with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave until heated through.
Nutrition facts do not include rice for serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 655 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
Keywords: sweet and sour tofu
