Sweet and Sour Tofu

This vegan sweet and sour tofu is sure to become one of your favorite easy weeknight meals! Better than takeout and certainly more affordable, this dish is one that everyone at the dinner table will love and ask for again!

Vegan Sweet and Sour Tofu

If your family is like most, a takeout night is always a treat. Chinese takeout is definitely tops on our list, but finding quality vegan dishes can be hit or miss. Plus, it can be expensive when feeding a family. The solution is to make your own homemade sweet and sour tofu.

I think that this vegan sweet and sour tofu recipe is a must-try for anyone looking to add more plant-based meals to their diet. It's affordable, easy to make, and incredibly satisfying. Another benefit is how it showcases tofu as a main protein, in an appetizing way that even non-vegans will devour.

Serving this over some vegan fried rice with a side of steamed vegetables is the perfect way to make takeout at home without the fuss.

Ingredients

While the list of ingredients may seem like a lot, it's really very few items. Most likely, you already have all of these in your pantry. If not, they are great for many of our other vegan dishes and worth investing in adding to your kitchen.

For the tofu

• 10oz block firm tofu (300g)
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• Vegetable oil for cooking

For the sweet and sour sauce

• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp chili sauce
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Tools Used

• Tofu press: if you plan to use tofu on a regular basis, this is an investment that will make working with it much easier to manage.
• Mixing bowls: invest in a set of mixing bowls that are nesting and come in a variety of sizes. These make preparing any recipe easier, and storage is super easy and convenient.
• Measuring cups and spoons: you will want to keep measuring spoons, dry measuring cups, and wet measuring cups in common sizes for most recipes.
• Large skillet: a large non-stick skillet will be your best friend in the kitchen and ideal for getting tofu crispy.
• Small saucepan: every kitchen needs at least a small, medium, and large saucepan for regular cooking needs.

How to Make Homemade Sweet and Sour Tofu

To begin, you will prepare your tofu. If you have a tofu press, use it to remove excess moisture. A press should take around 30 to 45 minutes to do this. Without a tofu press, you will remove the focus from the package, and dry it with paper towels. Then, wrap it in a tea towel and place something heavy on top and let it sit like this in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 hours until the moisture has been removed.

Once the tofu is drained properly, cut it into bite-sized pieces, around 1" square. Pour these into a container with a lid and set it aside.

Now, in a small bowl, whisk together the dark soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic powder to make a marinade for the tofu. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the marinade if desired.

Pour the marinade over the tofu and stir-coat it well. Put the lid on the container and place it back into the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the tofu from the refrigerator and transfer it to a Ziploc bag along with the cornstarch. Seal this and shake until the tofu has been coated with cornstarch.

How to Cook the Tofu

Now, in a large skillet, add vegetable oil over medium heat. Using 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil is usually plenty for this. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu pieces to the pan evenly, being careful to not overcrowd the pan.

Now, cook the tofu for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Once cooked, transfer to a large bowl. Depending upon the size of the skillet, you may need to do this in a few batches.

While the tofu cooks, prepare the sauce in a small saucepan. Add the soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, water, chili sauce, brown sugar, and cornstarch to the pan and whisk to combine. Cook over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce has heated through and thickened nicely.

Once the tofu and sauce are both done cooking, pour the sauce over the tofu and stir to coat before serving.

Add in vegetables if desired when cooking for added texture and flavor. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh chopped chives and sesame seeds.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Asian-Inspired Recipes

If you are looking for a great way to add Asian-inspired recipes to your meal plan, below are a few more of my favorite dishes. These can be made by themselves or paired together for a family meal that has tons of flavor and variety for everyone to try. Take a moment to bookmark the recipes that you like. You can also print them out or even pin them to Pinterest, so they are handy when you are ready to cook!

• General Tso's Tofu - 30 Minute Meal!
• Slurpalicious Vegan Peanut Noodles
• 20 Minute Vegan Egg Roll In A Bowl
• Vegetable Chow Mein
• Vegan Orange Chicken (Tofu)
• Tofu Stir Fry Recipe (Chinese)
• Best Teriyaki Noodles with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

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