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Over head view on a white bowl containing a sweet and sour tofu topping brown rice with a side of red and green pepper that were roasted. The dish is garnished with sesame seeds and there are on the side a few bowls with more sesame seeds, roasted veggies. Also beside the bowl, there are chopsticks and a black and white hand towel.
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5 from 5 votes

Sweet and Sour Tofu

Make your own Chinese take-out favorite meal with this vegetarian sweet and sour tofu recipe! It uses only simple ingredients and is quicker to prepare than waiting for delivery!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: asian-inspired
Keyword: dairy-free, gluten-free option, healthy, Low in fat
Servings: 4
Calories: 212kcal
Author: Jessica Laroche

Ingredients

For the tofu

  • 454 g. extra firm tofu drained and pat dry to remove the remove the excess water, then cubed in inch bite size
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil optional

For the sauce

  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • ⅓ cup water or veggie broth
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed

For serving

  • rice or noodles
  • vegetables, sesame seeds

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, add the cubed tofu, sprinkle the salt over and toss. Then, add the cornstarch and stir gently to coat each of the pieces. Set aside.
  • Warm a large pan, then add the sesame oil (if using) and let it warm up a bit without smoking (you can also avoid the use of oil by using a non-stick pan). Then, transfer the tofu and cook on medium-high heat until crispy and browned while flipping the pieces once in a while. This might take about 15-20 minutes.
  • While the tofu is roasting, then make the sauce: whisk the corn starch (1 tbsp) with the water until dissolved. Then, add the rest of the sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth and combined. Set aside.
  • When the tofu is done cooking, add the sauce mixture to the pan over the tofu and stir to combine. Keep cooking on medium-high heat while stirring often until the sauce is bubbly and has thickened up (should take only 3 minutes or so).
  • Serve over rice or noodles with a side of veggies. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • Make this recipe gluten-free by swapping the soy sauce for gluten-free tamari.
  • If you want to add extra veggies to the recipe, then feel free to double the sauce.
  • Keep leftover in a air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

Nutrition

Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1271mg | Potassium: 394mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 183IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 2mg