September 20, 2022
Sweet and Sour Tofu
Inspired by a classic takeout favorite, this sweet and sour tofu has crispy tofu pieces, pineapples, bell peppers, and onions swimming in a rich and savory sauce. Serve over white rice for a delicious meal that everyone will love!
sweet and sour tofu
This sweet and sour tofu is inspired by one of my favorite Chinese takeout dishes, Sweet and Sour Chicken. Sweet and sour dishes, sauces, and cooking methods have a long history in China. One of the earliest recordings of sweet and sour comes from《烧尾宴食单, a menu of the food served in Tang Dynasty festivals written in 708. It included many sweet and sour dishes and recorded that they were invented by Chancellor Wei Juyuan under Emperor Zhongzong of Tang when he hosted the Emperor at his house; one of them is the iconic Chinese dish sweet and sour spare ribs.
Cantonese sweet and sour sauce is the direct ancestor of the sauce of the same name in the West, and was originally developed for sweet and sour pork. The late renowned chef from Hong Kong, Leung King, included the following as his sweet and sour source sauce recipe: white rice vinegar, salt, Chinese brown candy, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and dark soy sauce.
This style of sauce has a long history, and for good reason … it’s delicious and versatile and hits all the flavors! Grab a drink and let’s get to cooking the best Sweet and Sour Tofu!
what goes in sweet and sour tofu
I love this dish because not only does it taste amazing, it requires just a handful of pantry and fridge staples that I typically always have on hand! Here’s what you need to make it:
- Tofu: I like to use extra-firm, but firm and medium-firm work as well! Make sure to press your tofu for at least 10 minutes, or even longer if you’ve got the time – and if you really have time, I recommend doing the freeze and thaw method with your tofu for extra chicken-like texture!
- Cornstarch
- Vinegar
- Vegan-friendly granulated sugar
- Ketchup
- Red pepper flakes
- Pineapple chunks
- Onion
- Bell pepper
- Serrano peppers
- Garlic
how to make sweet and sour tofu
1. TOFU:
Tear the tofu into bite-size pieces and place them into a shallow bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch and salt, and toss to combine. Heat some oil in a large wok. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu pieces and cook, tossing often, until the tofu turns golden-brown and crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove the crispy tofu from the wok and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.
TO AIR FRY THE TOFU: SPRAY THE TOFU WITH A BIT OF OIL AND PLACE THE PIECES IN AN EVEN LAYER ON THE AIR FRYER BASKET — YOU MAY NEED TO DO THIS IN BATCHES. AIR FRY AT 400°F UNTIL GOLDEN AND CRISPY, 6 TO 10 MINUTES, FLIPPING HALFWAY THROUGH.
2. SAUCE:
Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients and set aside.
3. STIR-FRY:
Reduce the heat to medium and add the pineapple, onion, bell peppers, chilies, and garlic to the wok. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, and the garlic is fragrant. Pour in the reserved sauce and simmer until the sauce thickens and reduces by about a quarter.
4. toss and enjoy:
Add the tofu and toss to combine until heated through and thoroughly coated in the sauce. Serve over white and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, and enjoy!
MORE TOFU RECIPES TO TRY:
- Black Pepper Tofu
- Bang Bang Tofu Lettuce Wraps
- Pan Seared Tofu with Homemade Chili Oil
- Korean Baked BBQ Tofu Bites
- Barbacoa-Inspired Tacos
better than takeout, but I’ll let you be the judge 😏
I hope ya’ll love this Sweet and Sour Tofu as much as I do! If you give this recipe a try, I wanna know! Snap a photo, take a video, or make a story and post it to Instagram or TikTok, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigsand #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing your recreations of my recipes!
Til next time, friends!
xo!
- • 1 (16-ounce) block extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed for 20-30 minutes
- • 6 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
- • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- • 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- • ¼ cup vegetable oil
- • ½ cup vinegar
- • ⅓ cup ketchup
- • ¼ cup vegan-friendly granulated sugar
- • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- • 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
- • 1 small white onion, chopped
- • 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
- • 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
- • 1 to 2 Fresno chiles or serrano peppers, deseeded, deveined, and finely diced (optional)
- • 6 cloves garlic, minced
- • White rice, for serving
- • Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish, optional
- • Sliced green onion, for garnish, optional
- Tear the tofu into ½ - inch bite-size pieces and place them into a shallow bowl. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of salt onto the tofu pieces and toss to combine, ensuring each piece is coated.
- Heat the oil in a large wok or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu pieces and cook, tossing often, until the tofu turns golden-brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the crispy tofu from the wok and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.
- Meanwhile, place the vinegar, sugar, ketchup, red pepper flakes, remaining salt and 3 tablespoons of cornstarch in a bowl with ½ cup of water and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Next, reduce the heat to medium on the stovetop and add the pineapple, onion, bell peppers, chilies, and garlic to the wok. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, and the garlic is fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour in the reserved sauce and simmer until the sauce thickens and reduces by about a third, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add the reserved tofu to the wok and toss to combine until heated through and thoroughly coated in the sauce, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve over white and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, and enjoy!
